1st January, 2019.
You know, I THINK … my nephew likes games.
At least … he’s been over, tonight, to see Doctor Who.
Which we ended up watching, I should add.
Although it has to said, Jude has decided he like the look of Armagetron Advanced, the light-bike style game that’s been on my Mac for …
Well, ever since I got a Mac running a version of
OS X.
Since you’re asking.
About the only WORRYING thing … ?
Is that Armagetron Advanced hasn’t managed to upgrade to a 64 bit version.
I’m getting a worrying amount of “This App Is Not Optimised” warnings …
At any rate, the reason my nephew was over … ?
Was the TV …
Was specifically a TV show …
The TV show …
Resolution opens nine hundred years ago: with an (unnamed) narrator telling us of an ancient battle that united three human tribes against a common enemy.
An enemy that is split up into parts, and buried: on three different parts of the planet.
Some twelve hundred years later … ?
We are introduced to Mitch (Nikesh Patel) and Lin (Charlotte Ritchie) a pair of archaeologist working on a dig in the sewers of Yorkshire: on a body they’re told is potentially King Alfred*.
What Lin and Mitch don’t realise?
Is that the body is one of the original Custodians charged with burying the part he has.
They don’t realise he died whilst fleeing enemies who eventually shoot him …
And don’t realise what what he’s holding … really shouldn’t be put under ultraviolet light …
~≈§≈~
Now …
Good, bad or indifferent?
Good, frankly: although I know there’s possibly a flaw or two.
I remember mentioning on Twitter — although I’m blowed if I can find the actual Tweet — that I felt Resolution would be a re-run of Dalek: something to introduce the show’s iconic villains to a new audience.
It is … and it’s not …
For starters? Resolution has a stranded Dalek: but a different premise.
Dalek shows us a Dalek that’s crashed on Earth, after the Time War: and is looking to escape.
By contrast, Resolution shows us a Dalek† — a reconnaissance Dalek, one tougher than the usual run of soldier Daleks — that’s been deliberately placed, in the run up up to an invasion.
One that’s survived outside its shell for some twelve hundred years.
AND rebuilt its own case: from whatever’s handy‡.
Yes: the episode’s there to introduce new viewers to the Daleks.
But this one is not a depressed Dalek: but one looking to commit the kind of havoc that only a Dalek can.
One perfectly capable of taking over a living human being, and bending them to its will.
After all, for much of this episode, Lin has had the Dalek creature on her back^, riding her as much as it would its own casing.
~≈§≈~
Outside of the Dalek, itself?
Resolution has ALSO given us some resolutions.
Over series 11?
We’ve seen the relationship develop between Graham and Ryan: and turn into a smooth one.
Tonight, we’ve been introduced to Aaron (Daniel Adegboyega): Ryan’s dad.
Frankly? The scene with Ryan and Daniel in the coffee shop, discussing parenthood, and Aaron’s functional abandonment of his son?
Was possibly one of the highlights of the series.
Right now?
This is another great episode, as far as I’m concerned.
With the usual flaw of the latter half of series: Mandip Gill is seriously underused as Yas.
We know that series 12 is due in 2020.
I can only ask that the back office staff make sure Mandip gets a few more lines … !
* I think that’s a little bit of bad research from Chibnall and company: I believe Wessex — Alfred’s core territory — was a lot further south. In various parts of Hampshire and Oxfordshire, if I’ve read the Wikipedia entry, right.
† I have to admit, the creature itself? I think may have scared Jude, a touch: I’ll have to check. But, in a way? That’s kind of the point. The refresh is also good in the sense that the older animatronics were getting a bit worn. Jude was alsoquite explicit. It wasn’t a squid, as the cast kept saying. It was an octopus!
‡ Complete with built in rocket shell. Me and Jude were both grinning, there. Either way … ? The actual aesthetic of the thing is fantastic.
^ On her back: very reminiscently of the spiders in Planet of the Spiders. Just as an extra thought? I’ve seen a few comments on Twitter: comparing the Dalek in Resolution to Venom, the alien symbiote in the Marvel film of the same name. I honestly couldn’t comment, as I’ve not seen the film. My personal feeling was simply that the Dalek’s possession of Lin seemed a logical extension of a Dalek’s abilities.
^ On her back: very reminiscently of the spiders in Planet of the Spiders. Just as an extra thought? I’ve seen a few comments on Twitter: comparing the Dalek in Resolution to Venom, the alien symbiote in the Marvel film of the same name. I honestly couldn’t comment, as I’ve not seen the film. My personal feeling was simply that the Dalek’s possession of Lin seemed a logical extension of a Dalek’s abilities.
6 comments:
Agree, it was a good episode.
Under utilisation of Yas.
Poor scripting around the archeology pair, making them wooden at times
Good idea, lost in some of the chasing around.
I don’t know if you CAN lose a plot in chasing around.
My nephew loved the bits with The police car.
Mind you … he’s eight …
I did enjoy the episode and thought it was one of her best felt some parts reminded me of the tenth Dr and is it mad dalex khan? Yas is still very underated and her police skills are not strong enough gives me hope for 2020 but not much
Good review of a good episode.
At last Jodie's faced a dangerous foe, and I love Chibnall's take on the Dalek.
Nice write-up! :)
I did a thoroughly bad one on some blog or other. ;-)
You HAVE to send me the link for that, Debbi … !
On another note … ?
Thanking everyone for the comments … !
Now … what are we hoping for, come 2020 … ?
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