Improving Evolution of the Daleks

[Candlelight]

I just rewatched most of this two part story and I must say, like a fine wine these episodes do improve over time. Either that or I was so jaded by Victory of the Daleks I found this a much improved story.

The backbone of the story lies with Dalek Sec, who after coming to terms with the complete loss of his people knows they must adapt to survive. The loss of the Genesis Ark, allied with the temporal shift they used to escape Canary Wharf has seriously drained the Cult of Skaro.

The Frankenstein-esque story isn't as bad as I remember it, but there are two parts of the story that are seriously bad:

The Pig Slaves
Why did they have to be pigs? Why not make it as dark as the story hinted at and make them deformed? True experiments gone awry, like Ripley clones 1-7 from Alien Resurrection.

Six-Penis Head Human Dalek Sec
Seeing him emerge from the black Dalek casing was a true jump the shark moment for me. I didn't watch Series 4. I only watched the last of the specials. I've only seen two of the four Series 5 episodes thus broadcast and don't plan on seeing anymore.

So how would I have improved this? Take the story right up to when Sec starts to shake, rattle and roll, but instead of Diagoras emerging, he stays put.

Sec stays as a Dalek in form only, and takes on traits of Diagoras through speech and actions. This would make it even harder for the rest of the Cult to follow his orders. Then Sec is asked to exterminate the Doctor himself but refuses, which is the last straw and the Cult kill him.

Also, bring the slaves into the story earlier, and have the big lightning strike as a means for the Cult to generate a wave and enslave the entire city of New York.

I was a big fan of the Cult of Skaro and was annoyed they killed off 75% of them in their second story.

Lastly, the Doctor seems a little peeved at the Daleks in this story that not once but twice he offers himself for suicide extermination. Just seemed a bit odd. Granted the second time he roughly knew there would be a chance he would survive but it was a little irresponsible of him to do it the first time; Martha would've been stranded in the past!

 

[Venardhi]

The pigs were terrible, and the makeup design and execution on the humanoid Dalek was sub-par (particularly the tentacles), but I liked the idea behind the plot. It is one of those stories that if they took it just a little bit more seriously could have been a classic. I think the worst waste of potential was that it could have spawned a whole new and interesting twist on Daleks and set up stories involving them down the line while keeping the classic Daleks as well but instead they just nixed it to make sure they returned to the status quo by the end of the hour.

 

[Bacl]

Best way to improve it: never write it in the first place.

 

[diankra]

To be honest... the only minor-ish change I would make is to drop the WTF idea of transmitting DNA through the antenna, and make it the more sci-fi, do anything, notion of the Dalek Factor.
Beyond that, you are into the territory of starting from scratch and doing the same basic idea very differently.

 

[Candlelight]

To be honest... the only minor-ish change I would make is to drop the WTF idea of transmitting DNA through the antenna

I always took it, as I stated in my original post, as a homage to Frankenstein. The chemicals were already flowing through the transfer tubes; they just needed a spark to get them to work.

 

[Starkers]

I didn't watch Series 4. I only watched the last of the specials. I've only seen two of the four Series 5 episodes thus broadcast and don't plan on seeing anymore.

Seriously you should watch Series 4, it is actually better than 3 (and Donna is a way better companion than Martha) Which two of the S5 eps have you seen? If its already turned you off then I think that's a shame. Of the 4 episodes I think there's only been one stinker, and actually Victory of the Daleks wasn't that bad really, and at least unlike Evolution of the Daleks it only lasted one ep.

Actually I recently rewatched this two parter, and you're right, it isn't as bad as I recall. Still not brilliant but not quite the debacle it seemed at the time. A waste of the Daleks and a two parter though.

 

[O'Dib]

The two-parter was a wasted opportunity to rehabilitate the Daleks (and launch a new line of 'Doctor's good Dalek companion' toys). I've always admired 10th's seemingly genuine love for his archnemeses, and his understanding of how much they actually define him, especially in relation to the Master. Anyway, subsequent stories could've built up to their return. What we got instead is repeated near extinctions and rebuildings.