One of the hardest things to comprehend about the Daleks is their actual threat level.  As in, how a pepper pot with a whisk and a plunger could possibly be seen as a scourge of the universe.  This episode did a very nice job of demonstrating how powerful a menace the Daleks can be.  But it also returned to the psychological comparison between The Doctor and the Daleks that has marked some of the best Dalek stories of the past.

 

That’s not to say that this was the strongest episode of Doctor Who.  Beyond some of the great character work for Capaldi’s Doctor, the story was a bit thin.  I suspect that was why the episode required two writers; the concept was there, but the script needed a bit of fleshing out.  The core, as mentioned, is The Doctor’s examination of himself in the face of his visceral reaction to the Daleks.

 

Part of the problem with the story itself is that it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.  The idea of going “into” a Dalek and seeing how they work is interesting enough, but it never quite occurred to me that there would be such a level of intersection between the cybernetic and the biological.  Even if there was, the idea that the cybernetic elements would in some way mirror biology to the point of antibodies is a bit much.  I understand that the episode needed more of a sense of immediate threat during the “dive” into the Dalek, but it took a little away from the overall effect.

 

It’s far more interesting to consider that The Doctor’s idea of a “good” Dalek is one that wants to exterminate the Daleks themselves.  It’s not some invocation of something inherently good buried in the recesses of the Dalek mind; it’s the result of a radiation leak that damages the Dalek’s mind.  In short, it takes brain damage for a Dalek to display empathy.  Far more telling is what the resulting emotion leads the Dalek to choose: death and destruction.

 

That The Doctor’s point of view isn’t appreciably different is worrisome, but it comes back to that iconic struggle that The Doctor encountered with Davros in “Genesis of the Daleks”, all the way back in the Fourth Doctor era.  If the Dalek trying to be good isn’t enough, because he defaults to destruction, what does that say about The Doctor?  On the whole, it underscores that actions speak louder than words; The Doctor always tries to make things better, even if only from his particular point of view.

 

This episode also introduces Danny Pink into Clara’s life, which continues her evolution away from the Doctor-besotted young woman from the previous season to a more substantial character with motivations of her own.  She’s standing up to The Doctor nicely, and if Pink does become another Companion, then his background as a soldier will become an interesting point of tension.  Beyond that, Danny Pink seems to line up oddly well with Journey Blue, doesn’t it?  At least in terms of the colorful name choices.  Maybe I’m reading into it, but it could be a sign that there is more to Pink than it currently appears.