Daleks in Manhattan (21 Apr. 2007)

The Doctor and Martha confront a host of surviving Daleks from the Canary Wharf battle. What are those creatures in the sewers? Who is Solomon? And why are the Cult Of Skaro attempting to create a Dalek/Human hybrid...?

Director:

James Strong

Writers:

Helen Raynor, Terry Nation (characters: "Daleks")

Stars:

David Tennant, Freema Agyeman, Miranda Raison

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Freema Agyeman	...	Martha Jones
Miranda Raison	...	Tallulah
Ryan Carnes	...	Laszlo
Hugh Quarshie	...	Solomon
Andrew Garfield	...	Frank
Eric Loren	...	Mr. Diagoras / Dalek Sec
Flik Swan	...	Myrna
Alexis Caley	...	Lois
Earl Perkins	...	Man #1
Peter Brooke	...	Man #2
Ian Porter	...	Foreman
Joe Montana	...	Worker #1
Stewart Alexander	...	Worker #2
Mel Taylor	...	Dock Worker

Storyline

This is the first of a two part story, it is set in 1930's New York. The Doctor and Martha arrive in New York, there is, however, trouble as the Daleks return once again, this time attempting to create a Dalek/Human hybrid creature in the New York sewers! These two episodes also see the return of the Dalek Sec and the Cult of Skaro.

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Plot Keywords:

dalek | manhattan new york city | empire state building manhattan new york city | new york city

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 April 2007 (UK)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min 45 min (50 episodes)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

When the Doctor and Martha are standing in front of a washing line and watching Solomon in Hooverville, look carefully at the gap between them below the white t-shirt and you'll see a football goal in the background. That is not something that would exist in 1930's Central Park.

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Quotes

[as Mr Diagoras is being brought to Dalek Sec]
Dalek Thay: [gets in the way] Halt! This action contradicts Dalek imperative.
Dalek Jast: [also gets in the way] Daleks are supreme! Humans are weak!
Dalek Sec: But there are millions of humans and only four of us. If we are supreme, why are we not victorious?
[Dalek Thay and Dalek Jast look at each other]
Dalek Sec: The Cult of Skaro was created by the Emperor for this very purpose: to imagine new ways of survival.
Dalek Thay: But we must remain pure!
Dalek Sec: No, Dalek Thay. Our purity has brought us to extinction! ...

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Connections

References Manhattan (1979)

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Soundtracks

"Puttin' on the Ritz"
(1929) (uncredited)
Written and Published by Irving Berlin
Performed by Harry Richman

User Reviews

Bizarre...

Since its revival, Doctor Who has had some incredibly strange story lines. The ones that you simply cannot figure out where they're going, and how, when presented with a certain situation, it's going to resolve itself. I think so far, season one's The Empty Child ranked as the biggest case in point. However, Daleks in Manhattan has completely blown that away in terms of its sheer unpredictability. Even after the trailer for next weeks second part, Evolution of the Daleks, I have absolutely no idea how it's going to turn out.

The beauty of this revived series is that it's got stupid comedy, all-out scary and deeply emotional rolled into one. Not always all three in the same episode, mind you. And some episodes are designed to be just one - last years Love and Monsters springs to mind in the comedy stakes - in this case, this episode, and I expect next weeks conclusion, follow the road of last years The Impossible Planet/Satan Pit double header in being intensely dark and deeply sinister.

Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful episode, and everything slots together perfectly. The four remaining Daleks somehow seem perfectly in place in 1930's New York, Helen Raynor's script is absolutely brilliant, and the Daleks pigmen slaves are somehow genuinely disturbing.

This new season seems to have made a habit of really rolling out the guest stars, and after Andree "Hollyoaks" Bernard's and the delightful Christina "Hex" Cole's unexpected showings in The Shakespeare Code, and then Ardal "Father Ted" O'Hanlon and Lenora "Sugar Rush" Crichlow's appearances in Gridlock, this episode rolls out no less than three of the best TV actors in England. This time we get the fantastic Hugh "Holby City" Quarshie, Andrew "last seen being dumped by a lesbian in Sugar Rush" Garfield, and Miranda "Spooks" Raison, and all of them excel in their roles (although I do have one small gripe - how does a black man get any sort of respect in 30s New York, one of the most racist periods in history?).

All of this adds up to one thing - this series is shaping up to be the best yet.