Doctor Who 32.03 Victory of the Daleks (2010, Science Fiction Adventure) – 6/10 TV review

Cast / crew Matt Smith: The Doctor Karen Gillan: Amy Pond Writer: Mark Gatiss Producer: Peter Bennett Director: Andrew Gunn Ian McNeice: Churchill Creator Daleks: Terry Nation Executive Producer: Steven Moffat

Doctor Who 32.03 Victory of the Daleks (2010) A call from Winston Churchill brings the Doctor and Amy to World War II London but he has a shock in store when he unveils his secret weapon: a Dalek. 6/10 It’s fun to see a Dalek wearing a Union Flag and fighting alongside Winston Churchill in World War II and Matt Smith again manages to segue between fun and fury far more neatly than David Tennant ever did (and he wields a mean jammy-dodger) but Mark Gatiss’ script is largely unconvincing. Essentially, the Doctor keeps asking the Daleks what the plot is and they keep telling him. It builds to a typically weighty moral dilemma (save the Earth or save the rest of the Universe) but it has no impact and no emotional resonance. This Doctor Who episode contains bad language and unpleasant scenes, violence. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Next: The Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone Previous: The Beast Below

Jonathan Creek The Judas Tree (2010) – 8/10 crime detective murder mystery TV review

Cast / crew Alan Davies: Jonathan Creek Sheridan Smith: Joey Ross Writer: David Renwick Paul McGann: Hugo Dore Sasha Behar: Harriet Dore Doreen Mantle: Mrs. Gantry Ian McNeice: Father Roderick Alberic Natalie Walter: Emily Stuart Milligan: Adam Klaus Producer: Rosemary McGowan Director: David Renwick

Jonathan Creek Special.4 Judas Tree, The (2010) Joey Ross has managed to get herself employed as Klaus’s stage assistant but her old job as a self-styled psychic debunker provides Jonathan Creek with two mysteries to comprehend. One is from a hundred-and-twenty years ago when an adulterous husband dies at a time prophesied by his spurned lover with no sign of foul play while the other, in the same location but present day, sees the suspected murderess manifesting herself to Joey’s friend, a housekeeper’s assistant. 8/10 What David Renwick does better than any contemporary television writer is come up with the unexpected, usually funny, and imaginative sight gag. This time he delivers a great scene with cat litter, some fun race-related gags at the expense of Stuart Milligan’s Adam Klaus, a disappearing house and numerous other splendid bits and pieces dotted here and there (the approach of ISIS). However, Renwick really comes through with this episode by playing with audience expectations (SPOILER Paul McGann’s author states: “The trick, of course, is to fool the reader into trusting the wrong people.”), telling you everything Jonathan Creek knows and then wrapping it up for a thought-provoking finalé. He also manages to avoid his recent penchant for unpleasant sexuality and unnecessary sexual swear words and adult dialogue. This, with a tiny edit for violence, could be shown again on a Sunday afternoon without any problem (though it is bafflingly rated 15 by the BBFC for strong sex; of which there was none when shown on television). A bit of a welcome return to form for Renwick, then. This Jonathan Creek episode contains mild swear words and unpleasant scenes, violence and brief sexuality. Classified 15 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over. Links Previous episode: The Grinning Man Jonathan Creek Screened by Slimm