The Dalek Invasion Of Earth Episode Six : Flashpoint
And so, at the end of all things, we come to the finale of our story. For once, it ends with a bang AND a whimper...
Trapped in the model explosives capsule, Ian looks for a chance to do some acting as an electrician and starts pulling wires out at random - desperate to move the plot along. Trying to pull him back up, The RoboMen seem to have decided they are in a version of Treasure Island, with some jolly "Yo heave ho" style chanting. Sparky manages to fuse something and a trap door opens as the cameraman lingers just slightly too long on his crotch. Hang on though - why on earth would you put a trap door in a capsule for explosives? Last time they could pull half the side off, now they need a trap door? Bizarre.
Ian magics a rope from out of nowhere and drops through the trap door (spot the nice touch of his suit jacket being ripped), but those wily Daleks spot the blighter. At last we get some "Exterminate!" action, even if their aim is so poor they hit the rope instead and Ian drops to land by another amazingly convenient exit.

Barbara and Jenny get shoved in to meet the Black Dalek, who is busy explaining the Daleks' plans AGAIN. This causes some of his minions to go into an orgasmic kill-frenzy. Spotting her chance, Barbara starts explaining about Dortmun's bomb only to find out they are totally uninterested. Serves you right, you turncoat! Still this doesn't stop her coming up with some ridiculous story about attacks from Red Indians and the Boston Tea Party. It's worth listening just to hear boss man screech "We are the masters of India!".
Their plan to turn the RoboMen foiled by some canny Dalek footwork, the girls are restrained against the wall by metal collars, which they have to hold with their hands to stop them falling off the wall.
Crawling along the studio floor, Tyler watches while Willy fluffs his lines once again. In a nice subtle moment, the Doctor shows that he is aware that something is going on between Susan and David beyond a mutual love for sewers, so sends them off for a solo mission. Down they go.
Some good quick cuts next - Ian wakes up and goes through creaky door number two to spy on some police brutality; the Daleks in the control room play a round of bumper cars and the "Doc" manages to neutralise the warning system with nothing more than an old spanner. Blocking the fissure with some two by four left by the RoboMen, Ian escapes. But what happened to that slave from a few moments ago?
Releasing the repaired bomb, the Daleks go off to rendezvous with their mates, allowing the Doctor and Tyler to rescue the trapped girls - who at last can put their hands down. Jenny says they have half an hour, but didn't the Black Dalek just say an hour mere seconds ago? So much for continuity.

The Doctor spouts some waffle about "the entire constellation" being in danger, which is a bit over-dramatic. Spotting our two lovebirds on the screen, he is obviously so excited that he declares that they are going to "present" the Daleks' plan and "imololize" them (sounds like George W Bush). Bill's obviously decided that yesterday's exertions where too much and he's forgotten his lines again.
There's a nice eyepiece effect as our remaining Dalek decides he wants to exterminate Tyler straight up his left nostril. David's bombs spoil all his fun though as he loses all power.
At this point, I am rolling on the floor in laughter as Babs (and then the Doctor) do the WORST Dalek impressions in history to get the RoboMen to revolt. Where is Alistair McGowan when you need him? Sorry. Must take this more seriously. Scores of slaves attack the already dead Dalek (brave of them) and Ian turns up just at the right point, having fought his way through his plot line (I went down, I went up, I went down a rope and now ...uh, er...).

Then its a "with one bound they were free" moment as we're back on location and the slaves escape - one carrying a giant inflatable Dalek! Runaway!! Suddenly back on that clifftop, our heroes stand a little too close for comfort (or reality) as the bomb goes off and Bedfordshire is wiped off the map. Toasty. And then...it's over.
What? We are only fifteen minutes in. What about some more Dalek action? Or a nice shot of those saucers exploding? (You mean to say all the Daleks in the whole world were destroyed? How?). But no, because of course we have ten minutes of epilogue and goodbyes.
Susan distracts the Doctor talking about her swanning off with Dave by appealing to his shoe fetish - although he gets a bit fruity talking about "cheeky monkeys" and "taking you in hand". David decides he is going to work the land (and maybe do a spot of part-time D. Tennant impersonating). Shame they forgot to give him a backstory before writing his lines. Go on, pout some more Susan and GET ON WITH IT! It's all so terribly, terribly acted.

The old goat double locks the TARDIS doors and then we have THAT speech. You know, the one from the Five Doctors? William Hartnell gives it his all and I genuinely believe him for once. It's his best moment. Set to cod-medieval music, the TARDIS leaves, fading out to a shot of space...
So how was it for you? Well for me, it was a week of highs and lows. Some classic moments, some appalling acting and some dodgy monsters. The seeds of truly great Who were all there, and as we know, things DO get a lot, lot better. I'm still not quite sure how a 1960's audience would go Dalek-mad after watching it, but maybe I'm jaded in a post-21st century Doctor Who kind of way. Heaven knows people in fifty years time may look back at the Ninth Doctor and laugh at the crap special effects and the lack of 3-D interactivity. Everything has to be taken in the context of it's time.
So at the end of a hectic week (and more words on Doctor Who than I have ever written in my life), it's been a LOT of fun. But as the Doctor said in this very episode - this is "Just the beginning"...