Eh? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but we were introduced to the concept of the eye patch lady when we met the Silence & Amy disappeared?

Indeed. This is the explanation I've been waiting for.

The only thing I didn't like was them saying that Animated Amy was Flesh - because she wasn't. But that was confidential, not the actual program.

I am absolutely loving this season. Any doubts I had about the young doctor are simply blown away.

Yep, but apparently the whole "incident" happened before the start of the season.

Temporal mechanics, told in a non-linear linear way.
I think I need a Jelly Baby while someone reverses the polarity of the Neutron Flow.

Mark

That made me chuckle.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13594932

So apparently the Daleks aren't going to be appearing for some time. I know they were voted the most scary enemies of Dr. Who, but anyone else agree with me in thinking that they were, generally, rubbish; I mean, many of his adversaries were genuinely scary (yes, okay, I am 20 and still occasionally frightened by a kids TV show ), but the appearance of the Daleks always devalued an episode for me, just making it seem naff. And I am not just talking about the crayola sponsored ones from series 5.

So it's a good riddance from me, but anyone else think any differently?

I did get the feeling that they have been over used recently - they’d pop up in series finales and get trounced. In the past, there was an underlying Dalek story which kept their motives fresh - there was a Dalek civil war between those loyal to Davros and those loyal to the Emperor Dalek. When they eventually come back, then I hope there is a decent story to back them up. I am somewhat surprised, given that they just spent a small fortune on the “iDalek” redesign.

I think the reality is that the license to use them has expired, and there will now be protracted negotiations between the BBC and Terry Nation’s estate.

*raises hand*
You're not looking at them from the right angle, or at least not looking at them from all angles.
Did you see the season 27 episode (with the 9th Doctor (title Dalek))?
It's not just about what the Daleks are, it's about what they are capable of within the Whoniverse. Discounting this is underestimating, and undervaluing them as a villain within the show.
They may not be the most twenty-first century of big-bad, but they have a very long history and there's really not very much in the universe that can strike fear in to the hearts of The Doctor like a live Dalek can.

Mark

According to a recent Tweet from Moffat:

Also raises hand, although you could probably tell that from my user name.

I do agree that the Daleks have been somewhat overused in the new series. They typically show up in huge numbers and get thoroughly trashed.
IMO they are far better when there are only a few of them. They are shown to be calculating, devious and far more like the Daleks of old.
The 'Dalek' episode is a firm favourite of mine. Showed just how much damage a single Dalek could do, even with just a humble sink plunger. I also though that the WWII episode last season was quite good. Again, a couple of Daleks being devious and calculating. Using the Doctors love of humanity in order to escape to fight another day.

So, an absence will probably be a good thing, provided it's used to come up with some better Dalek stories that don't rely on having 100's of the things flying about killing everything in sight.

I always thought 'Dalek' was the only show in the new format that got the nature of them at all right. Daleks are supposed to be almost invulnerable genocidal maniacs. Death in a box. By the time we got to the WWII episode, they were about as scary as the Germans in 'Allo 'Allo.

I always remember Chris Eccletone's playing of his reaction when he first saw that one of them was alive, that just one had survived the apocalypse. You could see what he knew, you could see how utterly deadly this.. thing was. What was the quote again..

Whilst i do see your point and somewhat agree with it:

However i think it's something that the Who Universe lends itself to well...

I'm not completely sure of Canon, however Eccleston's Doctor seemed to imply that he'd just come out of the Time War against the Dalek's, having been the "only one" that survived. Obviously he had his playful nature, however it seemed like he just wanted to escape the past and it resurfaced when "Dalek" and Season Finale came about.

With Tennant however he's a different person (and that was a different "lifetime" per se"), whilst still... "respectful" of what the Dalek's could do, he was more about how to deal with them, rather than staying fearful, something he probably inherited during Eccleston's Season Finale.

I think the best example of this is how Eccleston was sad that he was "The Last of the Time Lords", Tennant didn't seem completely bothered and, after "killing" all of them, Smith seems to have now accepted it (although he was rather excited at the prospect there could be some alive).

Eccleston can turn emotions on a dime. His Doctor was joyously cheerful one moment, and in a beat he was scared, angry, whatever. And, importantly, he took you with him on that emotional journey. Dalek reminded me why they scared me when I was a kid. Thing is, even though I know it’s coming, that moment when it’s the Doctor and the Dalek locked in a room together, I get chills. I said at the time - if you were uncertain about the Who reboot, that episode should seal the deal.

There are glimmers of that in Matt Smith. He’s not had that kind of Dalek moment - but he got very, very close with the Silurian story last year. Very close - and he didn’t have to do much to convey the message either.

So far, I’m really liking this series - it keeps me guessing, there are some nice nods to the past without being gratuitous. I felt we were almost in Bene Tleilax territory at the end of this week’s episode.

You know when Doctor Who is on the right track when people start complaining that it’s too scary for kids. This is, apparently, the scariest series of the new batch. This is how it should be.

Mid-season finale this evening. (8+(
River Song's going to be in it. (8+)

Mark

Looking forward to it very much. Apparently there will be answers. I bet there will be more questions by the end though. I’ve not read the Radio Times interview with Moffat, but he has said that he wants to use cliffhangers to bring in audiences.

Instead of breaking the series halfway, why not make more 2 part stories, or even a 3 parter?