I watched ‘Dalek‘ last night, and found the whole experience as exhilerating as the first time. I admit to finding Adam more irritating than originally – someone who could have beaten Adric or Melanie for sheer annoyance factor. Mind you, only a few episodes in Rose seemed oddly annoying too and I didn’t feel her performance amounted to much.

However, overall the episode entertained and enthralled with all that shouting, running and Dalek action. The enhancements to the Dalek proved logical and breath-taking to view – and I can’t help giggle with glee when the multi-directional central portion of the ‘pepperpot’ kicks into action. Christopher Eccleston turns in an excellent performance, spittle and all – a desperate and lonely man faced with his mortal enemy and the haunting fact that the situation he stands in comes down to his own actions in the first place.

If you didn’t know (and I guess this appeared somewhere direct from the big ‘T’), the Time War started because the Daleks got wind of the events recounted in ‘Genesis of the Daleks‘, where the Timelords sent the Doctor to nip the plans of Davros in the bud and preventing the Daleks from ever existing. The Fourth Doctor’s conscience got the better of him when he realised without the Daleks a lot of great events would never have happened – alliances and advances across the Universe bought about by a common enemy. Discovering the underhanded tactics of the Timelords and in possession of their own time travelling devices, the Daleks and their Emperor set about putting an end to the threats of Gallifrey.

So – an episode well worth returning to, with more ups than downs come the end of 45 minutes.