EPISODE 909 – Evolution of the Daleks | Sleeping with Doctor Who S3 E5

[START OF RECORDING]

SCOOTER: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, friends beyond the binary, trees and Multi-forms, it’s time for Sleep With Me, patrons, the podcast you enable to put you and so many other people to sleep. Thank you so much.

INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake. It could be thoughts you’re thinking about, things on your mind from the past, the present, or the future. Thoughts, feelings, it could be any emotions coming up for you, feelings, physical sensations. It could be changes in time or temperature or other…it could just be…it could be anything. Really, I’ve heard from so many people and so many different things; work or just outside stuff…birds. I actually should look up what ‘bird brain’ means, but I’m pretty sure I’d…because I’ve been called a bird brain, but I think a lot of times I would have thought that was not nice but then I’m like well, my brain…I think I understand what you’re saying and I think I do actually have a bird brain.

But I’ll have to come back to that ‘cause I’m in the middle of a pod…I’m at the start of a podcast intro. So, what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna try to create a safe place where you could set all that aside. I’m gonna smooth it, I’m gonna pat it, I’m gonna rub it down, I’m gonna say ‘safe place’, I’m gonna try to create space, and then I’m gonna send my voice across the deep, dark night. I’m gonna use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, superfluous tangents. So, I’m gonna go off-topic, I’m gonna get mixed up, I’m gonna misspeak, probably try to remember what I was supposed to talk about. Oh, bird brain. I’ll try to follow my bird brain around for a little while. I guess if I have…that means most of my…I guess my hair is a bit like a nest, so that’s interesting. Mine is like…you say, what type of…? Well, a nest made of hay would be my hair. That’s how a bird…I’d say, what is that? Is that a super-thin hay that you’re nesting in? I’d say yeah, that’s about my hair.

Say, I don’t know about the structural…I say don’t worry, I got a dome up there. You could sit on my dome. You’d more be resting in my hair for comfort but my dome, the dome of my head, would support you. Not that I really need an actual bird, ‘cause I have a bird brain, so I don’t need a actual bird living on top of my head with my hair as a nest. This is just an imaginary exercise. Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disappoint you. But you can fly, so that’s like…when you’re down, do you go flying? Do you soar? ‘Cause I’ve always wanted to soar on thermals. That comes up every once in a while, but…and then I…but they taught us that myth when I was a kid and that’s pretty much…unfortunately, instead of soaring on thermals, I’ve just integrated that one lesson; don’t try to soar on thermals or you’ll end up like whatever that kid…not Sisyphus. That’s another mythological character, one of the many I try to emulate, unfortunately, that are hard-wired into my behavior and I’m not kidding.

That’s why I’m laughing. Why can’t I think of the names of the…well, I just thought…I think Menelaus was involved in that, but anyway. Oh, Icarus. I say well, it was the video games that glorified kid Icarus that really made me buy into that myth. Don’t try to soar or you’ll end up like Icarus. Then as a parent, they say don’t encourage your child to soar. Anyway, this is not good advice. That’s just stuff that goes on in my brain. That was a pointless meander. Believe me, it was pointless. If you’re new, oh boy, you were in for an early treat there. You got a little insight into who makes this podcast as we followed my bird brain. I thought hey, you’re gonna soar in a beautiful way and I guess you soared very close to the Earth and there’s some droppings there. But if you’re new, you might be wondering what in the bird hay-nest is going on? What in the Sam Hey are you talking about? I’d say okay, you’re right. There’s a couple things I should tell you if you’re new. One, that reaction is very normal.

Skepticism, doubt when you get to this podcast, dislike or an unsure…like, I’m not sure what flavor this is, is a very natural way to approach this podcast ‘cause it’s not for everybody. But it’s also very different, so give it a few tries. Try not to listen to this podcast so much or consume it so much as let it go by like a breeze. You know, like a light breeze; you’re aware of it but you’re not…you don’t have to close the umbrella or whatever, put a rock on the piece of paper. You say oh, that’s a light breeze. I’m barely noticeable like a light breeze. Consume the podcast almost like it’s out of focus, like you’re not really listening to me. You’re just like uh-huh, uh-huh, yep. Menelaus? Okay. Dr. Zaius? Okay. I’d say, thanks for rhyming there. That’s one thing if you’re new. The second thing is give this show a few tries. Most regular listeners say hey, it took two or three tries before I got used to the show and realized that it doesn’t make any sense and that’s the point. Give it a few tries.

It’s a podcast you don’t need to listen to. Most people don’t like it the first time they listen. Those are natural things, kind of funny. But if you stick around, there’s a chance you might like it and obviously by liking it…the best part is if you like this podcast, you don’t barely pay any attention to it and you barely hear any of it. My dad was just telling me that he was proud of me because he never listens to me. I say well…I said, is this a metaphor? He goes no, I’m talking about the podcast. I don’t know, that was a…it was a strange moment to share. I said pop…and then…so anyway, that’s…but that’s true; if you like this podcast, you might barely listen. Now, there is another side to it. This podcast is here to put you to sleep but in a way of like, I’m here to keep you company as you drift off. But if you can’t sleep, I’m gonna be here ‘til the very end. The show is about an hour so you don’t gotta worry about it. If you can’t sleep, I’ll be here for an hour.

If you fall asleep fast, I’ll be here for an hour to keep you company. Or if you wake up and you need me, I’ll be here. You can just hit Play. Or if you’re not sure, you got an hour. You got plenty of time. I’ll be here to keep you company. I’m trying to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-cuz, your bore-sib, your bore-bestie, your bore-bruh. Just kind of see how it goes and say okay, well, I think I get the idea. Those are a couple things to know. The other thing that can throw new listeners off is the structure of the show. Now, regular listeners, they know this part but it’s different every time ‘cause I explain it in a different way every single episode. But here’s the structure of the show, different than most podcasts or anything…you say, that doesn’t really resemble a structure I’m familiar with. I’d say, are you talking about my nest? My hair also does not resemble any structures people are familiar with.

Even barbers and beauticians, when they see my hair…I remember…I’m not kidding, I was at somebody’s house and this guy was staring at my hair. I didn’t know him. It was a introductory thingamajig where we were all getting together. We shared some common experience and said oh, let’s get together and hang out…that we don’t drink. That was the common experience. But so, we…he was staring at me for a while. Then I said, is there a way I can talk about this…it’s not awkward? He said well, actually, I…I’m a…I have a salon and I’ve never seen hair…I said yeah, I get it all the time. Believe me. Hair professionals are baffled. He did say whoever had buzzed my hair at that time did a very good job of keeping it even despite the strange contours of both my head and my hair behavior. If a bird was to make its home in my hair, I guess what I was saying is…they’d say well structurally, this is an interesting place to live.

The structure of this podcast is also interesting and different which can be off-putting at first, so that’s a normal reaction. That’s what I wanted to say but it took me like, ten minutes to say that. Here’s the structure; the show starts off with a greeting. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and friends beyond the binary, and when I remember for Dr. Who episodes, trees and Multi-forms. That’s so everybody knows that I’m trying to make you feel welcome, that I’ll try to treat you with dignity and respect, and I want you to feel [00:10:00] seen if at all possible. Or if you’d rather not be seen, that I see that, and then I say just lay low. I’ll pretend you’re not…we’ll just move on. So, that’s the greeting. Then there’s business. There’s probably, I don’t know, four or six minutes of business or something. That’s how we’re able to bring you the podcast twice a week. Then there’s the intro which is around twelve to twenty minutes long which we’re in the middle of where I just try to explain what the podcast is.

It’s totally separate from the business, but it’s the business of introducing the podcast to new listeners so you know what you’re getting into. Then you say well, I’m not sure how to feel about what I got into. Just like the bird that lands on my head says, what is this? This isn’t like the other human hair I’ve landed on. I say no, this is human fur. Not many people have it, but I do. What was I saying? Oh, the intro. That’s for the new listener. You say wait, I don’t understand. But the reason the intros are long is it takes me a long time to explain the podcast. But it also serves this…ideally soothes and serves another purpose which is for the regular listener, it gives you plenty of time to get some distance from the day, to slowly go in for a landing whether you’re getting ready for bed outside of bed, you’re doing your skincare routine, you’re doing some other gentle activity. Maybe you’re foam rolling. I don’t know, maybe you’re petting your pets. That’s what I always strongly encourage.

Maybe you’re doodling, knitting, hooking. Hooking is a type of…maybe you…I don’t know, maybe you’re doing something else. Maybe you’re getting a massage, giving a massage. If you’re getting one, I’d say to the other person thank you, it’s about time with all your snoring. Or maybe you’re just sitting there, or maybe you’re in bed getting comfortable and getting ready to drift off and sinking in, and gripping…adjusting the pillows and the blankets. That’s the purpose of the intro, is because I don’t know if you’re like me but for me, sleep just doesn’t come. It takes a while to get there. The whole part of this podcast is trying to do that in a gentle way that’s…at least feels neutral. If it can’t feel enjoyable, that at least it doesn’t feel like a drag which is how it normally feels to me sometimes when I don’t have a nice wind-down. Now if you’re not into the wind-down, most listeners that aren’t into it…there’s about 2%, according to…it’s pretty much statistically more and more…I see it more and more. About 2% of listeners, they start around twenty minutes.

Then people that support the show on Patreon, they get story-only episodes and stuff. I don’t know, that’s one thing to know. Oh, that’s the intro. I guess, yeah, so that is one thing to know. Then there’s some business. That’s just how we structure things with the podcast. Then there’ll be talk about an episode of Dr. Who. Now, there’s a couple questions you might have. I’ve never seen Dr. Who. Don’t worry, this’ll be like a bedtime story or a myth. I’ve seen Dr. Who and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Don’t worry, this is gonna be very soft and soothing, and not like those archetypal Dr. Who…’cause I had those archetypal Dr. Who feelings from the 80s. You say well, I’m a Dr. Who superfan. I’d say well, see how it goes then ‘cause some Dr. Who superfans, just like Next Generation superfans or Good Place superfans, find the shows very effective. Then some people find…they say oh, well, it’s great that Scoots has the support to put out episodes twice a week. I’ll just skip those.

But I always recommend giving it a try and seeing how it goes. Then the show ends with some thank yous and goodnights as a reminder of the gratitude for everyone that makes this possible. That’s some things to know. The other thing to know other than I have a bird brain, which means that to me…’cause I guess I don’t know…’cause me, it sounds like an I-N-S-U-L-T generally, but then I say well, if it’s one of those birds that’s just hopping around on branches, that’s what my brain does and my feelings do all day long. If you mean that, that I guess my brain is a bit like a bird brain…and I accept that and I’m trying to observe it in a gentle way. But the reason I make this show is, I mean, because that’s part of who I am. Also, part of who I am is I don’t…I’ve had trouble sleeping my whole life, on and off. I know how it feels in the deep, dark night. That’s why I say the deep, dark night. I’ve been there tossing, turning, mind racing, trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep. All those things.

Other stuff, too. If I can help you, it would be my honor. This podcast doesn’t work for everybody. I really wish it did ‘cause those of you that say well, I don’t like this show…I mean, there is sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, but I wish it worked for everybody ‘cause what a world we would live in if there was just…but that’s just not the reality. That’s the other thing. Oh, the other thing is the other reason I make this show is because you deserve a good night’s sleep. I really believe that. You deserve a place of rest, a safe place where you can get the sleep you desire and that you need. That’s even better. If you get the rest you need, you can live your life and that’s really important to me. It’s important for me to point it out every episode that I remember, which is most of them, because I want you to know that and to kind of say okay. Then even if this podcast doesn’t work for you, you say well, maybe tomorrow I’ll try that…petting my pets more or doodling.

Maybe you’ll find something else that helps. I think that’s it. I’m really glad you came and checked this show out. If you’re new, like I said, even if you’re doubtful or you don’t even think this show will work, the reviews…people say that, regular listeners. I would say maybe you have nothing to lose. Give it a few tries and then see if it doesn’t work for you. But I’m really glad you’re here. I really appreciate you coming by and checking this show out. I really want to help. I work very hard. I yearn and I strive. Thanks again for coming by. I really want to help you fall asleep. These are a couple of ways we’re able to bring you this show on a regular basis.

Alright everybody, it’s Scoots here. We’re talking Episode 5, the recap…the e-cap, I was gonna say, is running on the screen up here. It’s a two-parter from Episode 4. This one is called Evolution…I don’t know how they would…Evolution of the Daleks. But there’s a recap at the beginning with all the things like…which basically…oh yeah, I should give you…well, let me run through this recap. It’s a really fast one as far as they do it well. It’s just a series of shots. Let’s do a live recap if I can keep up in a slow way. Starts with the Doctor and Martha at the Empire State Building, talking. Lady Liberty, roaring 20s, Tallulah onstage, Hooverville, Porky Pig, Tallulah, Dalek, Empire State Building, plans, and Dalek workers. This guy in the pinstriped suit, he merges and becomes a human-Dalek; still dislikes comic books. He looks at everybody, everybody looks at him. Holy moly, I am a human-Dalek or a Dalek-human. That’s it, the episode opens and let’s see, this one is by Helen Raynor again.

Episode 5, and right now the beginning’s running for me. Okay, so then Dalek Sec, the now-human-Dalek is talking. He says, prepare everybody. These humans are gonna be just like me. Martha says, what are you doing? Then they start to hear some music. They say, what is that number? The Doctor’s near a Bunsen, the old Bunsen…not Bunsen honeydew, but the Bunsen from your school labs. He says hey, it’s me. He makes eye contact. Power cells, joke…let me see what it says. Pulls on his ear. He’s playing around. But basically, he says…they say it’s the Doctor, the person the Daleks don’t get along with at all. They say, let’s get rid of them. Human-Dalek Sec, like Squidworth, says wait a second. The Doctor says, amazing; you’re a new form of Dalek. [00:20:00] Very clever. Fascinating. He says yeah, the call to Skaro dodged you. He goes, what are you doing in 1930?

They say, emergency temporal shift, which is actually important because…and I guess that takes a lot of power ‘cause the Doctor says oh, that must have used up a lot of power ‘cause otherwise you would have taken things over instead of being in a lab. Sec says, I’m a Dalek in human form. He goes, what’s that like? He goes, Dalek Sec, right? S-E-C? He goes, you got a name and a mind of your own. What are you thinking? He says, I feel humanity. The Doctor says, that’s good. He goes well, not the…he goes, all…the other side of humanity. Doctor goes well, that’s not humanity. He goes, I think it is. He goes, at the heart of the…your heart…or their hearts is very Dalek. Then the Doctor changes. He goes okay, so what are you up to, anyway? He goes, I can show you what you’re missing with this radio. Then it’s hilarious; one of the Daleks says what is the purpose of this device? The Doctor says, exactly. What is the purpose? Plays music. What is the purpose of music?

Oh, sing, dance, fall in love. It’s just hilarious. He goes, unless you’re a Dalek. Then it’s just noise. But I put that…what is the purpose of the device? The Doctor has a go on one tone that none of the Daleks like. It bothers their ears and the Porky Pig cartoon figures they’ve created. The Doctor…say, get outta here. Then the Daleks say, watch…protect the hybrid, Dalek Sec. They all take off. Laszlo stays behind with the Porky Pigs. Oh, so Laszlo was Tallulah’s boyfriend but he became a Porky Pig cosplayer…a cartoon…human cartoon. Tough to explain, but you know what I mean. They said well, we’re gonna make you into a cartoon figure that dislikes comic books. ‘Cause the reason…one of the Dalek’s purposes in the human world is just to get rid of comic books. Dalek says jeez, I don’t know if I’ve felt this ‘cause I was so used to being that robot shell. My ears are not liking that music. They say, the Doctor got away. He says, go find the Doctor.

Then they say yeah, find the Doctor and get everybody else. Then they run to Tallulah…Laszlo…music sounds like…inspector? Hall is calling…oh, Inspector Hall is calling. That’s what the chanting of the music sounds like, over and over; Inspector Hall is calling. If you listen to the background chanting music, Inspector Hall is calling, it sounds like what they’re chanting over and over again. Even in my notes when I was reading it just now, you heard it. I said, Inspector Hall is calling? What does that mean? I must not be able to read my writing. No, that’s what you thought they were saying over and over again. Inspector Hall is calling. Then the Doctor says, come on. Then Dalek Sec looks at the busted radio that the Doctor dropped. He pets it and he says, man. Then the Doctor and everyone is going up. Meanwhile, they’re going up the…into the theatre I think, or somewhere. They’re going up a ladder. Oh, not to the theatre, no. They say, the humans have ascended. Return to base.

Then the Daleks stop. This is another great class…I mean, in my opinion, a classic scene ‘cause they stop and they have a conversation, just a couple of Daleks talking. If I could have been there when they pitched this, I would have…they said well, what’s the next part of this…micro part of the scene like? Just a couple of Daleks talking subtextually but they can’t really do that. Looking around, talking doubts. ‘Cause the first Dalek says hey, can I request some information? What’s your opinion of Dalek Sec? Talk about sub-communication or whatever. Dalek Three says we’re supposed to follow him. Dalek One says well, I can read subtextually that you have doubts. Then they look around like is anybody listening? Then Dalek Three says, affirmative. Bum-bum-bum. Then we’re back in Hooverville. Solomon is saying what are these…are these Daleks? They go yeah, they’re mixing with humans. They got a Dalek-human down there and they’re coming here to Hooverville.

He says, that’s rough ‘cause Hooverville’s where you go when you don’t have anywhere else to go. Doctor says well, you gotta go somewhere else. He goes dude, did you not listen to me? Doctor goes well, take the railroads. Get outta state. He goes, I gotta reason with them. Martha says, no. Frank says, no. The Doctor says…he goes, they’re vulnerable now, so they’re gonna be even more troublesome. Then we see that the Porky Pig characters are coming. Someone says, cartoon-like beings, the Porky Pigs, are coming towards us. It’s strange, it’s strange. The Doctor says, see? Then Solomon says alright, everybody get ready. They say alright, everybody…then Solomon says, we gotta stick together. Then Martha says, we gotta get outta here. Then the Doctor says too late; they’re trying to…we’re surrounded. Then Tallulah says, yep. Solomon says again, we’ll stay together. Then Martha says something strange, which…she says, if we could just hold off ‘til daylight, which I didn’t understand. Then the Doctor goes, oh, no.

Then one of the Dalek comes forward and Solomon says what in the heck? None of these humans have seen a Dalek before, so it kind of blows their minds. Holy moly. Then they try to stop the Daleks which doesn’t work. Then Dalek Sec is in the…let’s see, visual contact…oh yeah, then he says…Dalek Sec is back in the lab, or Dalek-human Sec. He says, establish visual contact. He’s watching through the other Daleks. He says, commence. Martha says, there’s more than one Dalek in the sky. Then the Daleks start fooling around and they say, we’ve located the Doctor ‘cause the Doctor says, what are you doing, man? This isn’t right. Then we go to a commercial. When we come back from the commercial, let’s see…Sec is saying…he’s saying jeez, look at these…humanity. They’re so courageous, these humans, to the other Daleks which really don’t want to hear it. Then Solomon tries to win the Daleks over. He goes hey, you’re outcasts, I’m out…we’re all outcasts. Can’t we stick together?

Aren’t we the same underneath? He goes, I didn’t realize that the universe was a thousand times the size I thought it was. He goes yeah, that’s a bit overwhelming but it’s kind of also giving me hope, hope that together we can make a better tomorrow. I beg you now, if you have any compassion in your hearts, meet with us and stop this. What do you say? The Daleks say the only thing they can say which is erase all humans and comic book readers, which is their new thing. They try to…they use a giant eraser on Solomon and he says, oh boy. Then the Doctor goes out. He says alright, Daleks. He goes, why don’t you erase me, then? They said yeah, yeah, that’d be great ‘cause you’re the one…number one person…anti-Dalek, Doctor. He goes okay, well, just erase me then, Daleks. He’s calling out Sec who’s watching. He says, stop. Dalek Three says, I do not understand. This is the Doctor. Sec says yeah, we gotta bring him in. Then Dalek Three says no, don’t understand.

Cannot compute. Sec says yeah, I command it so you must obey. It says oh, I obey. The Doctor’s like, what in the hey? Even he doesn’t believe it. They say, bring him in. The Dalek says everybody follow me, or the Doctor, you follow me. Martha goes yeah, you can’t go. Doctor goes, I have to. The Daleks changed their mind. They never change their mind. Martha goes, what about us? He goes, I’ll go with you. You gotta leave all these humans alone, though. The Dalek Sec says okay, leave humans alone. They will be spared. Then Martha and the Doctor…Martha says Doctor, don’t go. He goes, I gotta go. You stay here and help people. But then he does a fake-out. He goes, thank you very much. He shakes her hand and gives her a…what I thought was a note but it’s the psychic paper. Then we’re back at the Dalek lab and one of the Daleks says to Sec, what’d you save the Doctor for? He goes, he’s a genius. We need him. Our future depends on him. Then there’s cleanup at [00:30:00] Hooverville.

Then Tallulah’s boiling water and Martha says, okay. I don’t think Frank’s there yet but she goes, what are we gonna do? Tallulah says to Martha…he goes well, Doctor gave me this paper. He’s got a reason. She goes, what is it? She goes, I can go in places. He wants me to go somewhere, but where? What am I supposed to do? She’s got her own mystery to solve. Then the Doctor’s very upset with Dalek Sec. He goes, what are you doing bothering humans? Why’d you erase the human? He’s not a cartoon. He goes, is that all you know how to do? Dalek Sec says yes, I’m sorry. That was wrong. He goes, that was courageous. Doctor goes, are you saying…are you apologizing and saying courage is good? He goes yeah, excellent. Then he says, are you becoming a little human? He says it very loudly. Sec says, you’re the last of your kind. I’m the first of mine. He goes, what do you want? He goes, we’ve been working really hard in this age we’re in, but we haven’t had any success.

The humans are one of the big…this is, again, pro-humanism; he goes, humans are the greatest resource of this planet. The planet Earth went, ahem. But then he shows this Matrix moment that they have. Also, we saw the movie The Matrix. This is what we got going, human energy. Pure Energy, like that song from the 80s. The Doctor goes, so that’s what you’re up to? They go yeah, well, we’re gonna download Dalek stuff into these humans just like the Matrix. He goes, the Matrix was powering things. He goes yeah, we’re gonna download our Dalek ideas into their brains. He goes, really? They go, how many? He goes oh, more than a thousand. He goes, that’s gonna take a lot of power. This planet hasn’t even split the atom, so what are you gonna do? Yeah, and it was very…like that movie with Dr. Frank, you know what I mean? Kind of like…not Frank N. Furter but the…Dr. Frank where it’s like, it’s A-L-I-V-E.

Then we go back to Martha and Tallulah talking about…wait a second, energy. Martha’s still trying…conductor. Dalekanium. Dalekanium; where would it be? Then they go, get Frank. They say Frank, what were you…what was all the work for? He goes, I’ve been working on buildings, like that building. A lightbulb goes off inside of Martha. Then there’s a break. Okay, so then we come back from the break and the Doctor is talking to Sec. Okay, Empire State Building…okay, what’s going on with that? He’s like oh, we gotta go…he goes, let me…he goes Doctor, do you know about DNA and RNA in codes? The Doctor goes…a sigh. He goes, what about gamma and solar flares? The Doctor goes yeah, I’ve heard of them. I’m pretty familiar. He goes well, I need your genius. Because the Doctor says, what do you need me for? He goes, well, you’re a genius. He goes, the Daleks are intelligent but emotionless.

Doctor goes well, removing emotions is what your creator thought, that you were stronger. Dalek Sec says, the creator was wrong. The Doctor goes, wha-wha-what? Meanwhile, I think the other Daleks are hearing this. He goes, it makes us lesser than our enemies. He goes, we need body and heart. Then he goes, but you wouldn’t be a supreme being anymore. Dalek Sec says yeah, that’s good. Then the other Dalek says um, no, that’s incorrect. Dalek Three says yeah, Daleks are supreme. Dalek Sec says, not anymore. Dalek Three says yes, it is. That’s our purpose. Then Sec says well, that’s wrong. He goes, where did that lead us? Living in this…below the Empire State Building with just the four of us. We have to change and adapt. The Dalek says, so let me get this straight; and on behalf of the other Daleks, you want me to change everything that makes a Dalek a Dalek? Also, I thought…I put he says just four of us left. I think it was like uh, three. You’re not a Dalek, dude.

The Doctor seems like he’s shocked. Then we’re in the elevator with Tallulah, Frank, and Martha. She has the psychic paper. She’s trying to explain it to them and how it works, and that we gotta go to the top of the building. Then we go back down to the lab where it’s like, okay, we gotta make these more human ‘cause you got an…he goes, you understand this stuff. We gotta get ready before the solar flare. The Doctor goes okay, so what’s the template? He goes well, I wanted to make…change it up, make them more…make these humans more human. The Doctor goes, what about…they’re not gonna let you do that. Right, other Daleks? Dalek Sec says, I’m the leader. The Doctor says, you’re gonna just listen to this guy Squidworth who’s not even Dalek anymore? They go, we follow orders. Dalek Sec commands, we obey. Dalek Sec says Doctor, if you don’t help me, we’re not gonna change. Doctor says, where are you gonna put all these human-Daleks?

‘Cause you ain’t gonna put them on Earth. They like comic books on Earth. Daleks don’t. Dalek Sec says, put us in the TARDIS and bring us somewhere new. The Doctor says okay, how long have I got? They go, eleven minutes. He goes, okay, oh boy. Let me get to work, then. Then we’re at the top of the world. Top a’the world, as Tallulah says. They look at the plans for the Empire State Building and then they start looking at revisions. Oh, this revision has today’s date. Tallulah looks out on a very New York skyline. No wonder they came here, she says. Then we get a sequence with the fun…you know, when the Doctor’s very phonetic, working at high energy. But then he says, what about all these Porky Pig cartoons you made? He goes, ‘cause I’m working on this Dalek-human thing, so we need chromatin solution. He sees Laszlo. He goes, where are these Porkys in the plan? He goes oh, they fade. He goes, it’s a real drawing, so it’s just gonna fade away eventually.

He goes, let’s get to work. Then the Doctor says Laszlo, man. He goes, I gotta put a stop to this. I’m sorry that you’re a cartoon now. Laszlo goes, do you think this Dalek Sec Squidworth is up to something good or not good? Doctor goes…he goes, people can change history. Right idea, right time, so I gotta believe it for now. Then Frank and Tallulah and Martha are working on the blueprints. Frank takes a look around. Storm’s coming. Martha said, I wish the Doctor was here. He’d help. Then Tallulah says, so when did you first meet him? She goes well, it was at work. She explains to Tallulah that she’s a physician and Tallulah goes oh, what a partnership that would be. She goes, that Doctor…he goes…she’s different. He’s different, huh? Martha goes, you got no idea. Then Tallulah mentions that he’s a human, a man. Martha goes…she thought of something but she goes, he had this other companion for a while and not anymore, and now he’s on his own.

Sometimes when he talks to me, I think he’s looking at me and then sometimes I think he’s looking at her or remembering her. Tallulah goes well…she goes, reality check; my boyfriend is a cartoon Porky Pig now, so…and Martha goes well, the Doctor’s on the case, so maybe we’ll all be okay. Tallulah goes, I can’t believe those Daleks turned Laszlo into a cartoon. Then there’s another commercial break which…but it was an interesting point I guess, ‘cause Tallulah’s kinda just saying I’m fed up with these Daleks, too. Then we go back to the lab. The Doctor’s like, all systems go. He uses a glass plunger which I thought was cool. Like, I got everything going here; tubes with goo and goop, power switches, music. It’s almost time. It was eleven minutes. Let’s see, all feeds ready, solar flare ready, breakers on. We’re ready. Then we go. Martha figures out okay, there’s something new on the top of the building. Dalektanium or whatever. Then we’re back at the lab and this thing goes off.

It’s a blinking light. The Doctor goes, what’s that blinking light? Sec goes, what do you mean? That’s a blinking light that [00:40:00] says it’s not properly functioning. The Doctor says, it’s override. Sec says no, it can’t be overridden. I’m in charge. One of the Daleks says Doctor, step away from the control panel. Sec says, no. They say yeah, you’re…both of you are now in trouble. We consider you comic book readers which is outlawed. He goes, I’m the commander. They go, you’ve lost your authority. You’re no longer a Dalek. The Doctor goes, what are you doing to these…what are you downloading? They go, 100% Dalek into human brains. Then they say Porkys, take these two under advisement. But Laszlo goes to the Doctor. Sec says, I can’t believe this. Then they say, solar flare coming. They get lucky ‘cause the elevator’s there. Laszlo says Doctor, the lift’s here. They jump on the elevator. All the Daleks are…you gotta be kidding me. The elevator door closes. They go up. Laszlo says I’m fading, Doctor. My cartoon is fading. He goes, we just gotta get to the top of the building. Meanwhile, at the lab they’re busting, they say listen, Dalek Sec, you’re no longer in charge.

You told us to imagine and we imagined your irrelevance. Then the Doctor gets to the top floor. Martha and Tallulah…it’s all happy for a second; a lot of hugs. Martha says, there’s Dalektanium on the top of the building. Oh, good to see you. He says oh, come here. They give each other a big huggy-poo. Imagine that irrelevance. It’s so good. He goes oh, that’s a…he goes…or maybe they did more than hug. He goes oh, I love hugging you. They go well, what’s going on? He goes okay, well, we gotta figure this out. Six minutes; I’ll get the Dalektanium off…gamma something…blimey. He goes, that’s pretty high to climb up. They look out over the city. Martha goes, what’s up there? Three pieces of Dalektanium to get off. You gotta head up…the Doctor goes, I’ll head up there. He goes, you’ll have your hands full ‘cause they’re gonna send the elevator. I forgot to turn it off. New York, then there’s climbing music, sonic action with the Doctor. There’s also a storm.

We see the Porkys taking the lift, ready. They all have giant erasers, so they say we’re gonna erase some stuff. No cartoons in this business. All the Daleks are giving out orders. The Doctor’s working on getting the Dalektanium off. He gets one off. Martha says okay, the lift’s coming. Laszlo says I’ll take care of it, but then he’s…Martha says no, no, no, I’m helping, too. But then Laszlo says oh no, my cartoon’s fading. We see his cartoon is fading but he says, don’t worry about it. Tallulah says, what’s going on? He goes, don’t worry. But I better sit down because I…cartoon fading. Frank goes, we can’t even…what are we gonna do? Martha goes, let me brainstorm. Then she goes, the storm; maybe we could channel the storm. She goes cartoons, rain…rain gutters. We’ll use the rain gutters against them. She goes, let’s grab some stuff, Frank. Come on. Then the Daleks are counting down; 40, 39, 38, 37. Doctor’s still working. He ends up dropping his…he’s really working hard.

The task is beyond the Doctor which is rare. Let’s see what else we have. So, he loses his sonic screwdriver. Then Martha starts to enact her plan. They’re using everything they can to get water headed towards the opening of the elevator from the rain. We’re watching the Doctor working, we’re watching the elevator climb on floors, we’re watching the Daleks counting down to zero. 12, 11, 10. Everything’s coming to a peak, here. Then it starts really raining hard. There’s a gamma, so the Doctor doesn’t…he has to give up on getting the Dalektanium off and hold on, and absorb some of the gamma stuff. But some of it goes down to the lab. The Daleks are like oh boy, this worked. All of the Porkys got erased ‘cause Martha’s plan washes them all with rainwater. A lot of rain; it was really raining, so they all get washed away. But she goes jeez, this…I don’t know how I feel about this. Then they go, what about the Doctor?

Oh wait, but I think there was an…after they washed the Daleks…they say, what about the Doctor? The Doctor’s sleeping. That’s when it goes to a commercial. Then when it comes back from the commercial, let’s see here, what do we got? Okay, all the Daleks are lined up with their new recruits. They’re humans but they talk exactly like Daleks. They say, you will identify…they say, I am a Dalek. He says, go out to all the comic book stores and take all the comic books. Get ready. Then Martha’s…Doctor, we found your sonic screwdriver. You’re getting careless. He goes oh, man, gamma stuff. He goes hey, great. You’re great, too. She goes well, what happened? There’s still Dalektanium up there. He goes oh, don’t worry about it. Then one of the Daleks says…or back there…the Dalek…one of the Daleks says to Dalek Sec, I’m in charge now. I’m designated controller. Dalek Sec says, I used to be that. It goes, you are unfit. It says, I’ll coordinate everybody.

Then we’re back with the Doctor. We see New York City again. The Doctor goes, we gotta stop them. They’re gonna get rid of all the comics in New York City, the comic…one of the comic capitals of the world. Then he says, I gotta think. I gotta think, here. He goes, I got in the way. He goes, some of the gamma…he goes, so we gotta think, think, think…some space, somewhere out of the way. He goes, Tallulah. She goes that’s me, three l’s and an h. He goes, can we get into the theatre? She goes, yeah. Then the Doctor goes, is there another elevator? Martha goes yeah, the service elevator. Then the Doctor says the famous Allons-y. I think I’m saying it correct; Allons-y. They all go into action. Then the Dalek…they’re like report, maximum efficiency, get rid of the comic books. Everybody, get ready. Then they’re in the theatre; the Doctor, Martha, Frank and Tallulah, and Laszlo. Laszlo is still fading. Martha’s trying to help Laszlo. Tallulah’s like, why are we…what are we doing in here?

He goes, the first thing…he goes, they may dislike comic books but they dislike me more, so I’m gonna tell them where I am. So, he turns on his sonic screwdriver. We go back to the Daleks who are like, the Doctor’s still around? Holy moly. You gotta be kidding me. Doctor says okay everybody, stay calm. Yeah. The Daleks are like, don’t go for the comic books. Go get the Doctor, human-Daleks. The Doctor says you, Frank, go back to Hooverville. Martha goes, no. Doctor goes, that’s an order. She goes what are you, a Dalek ordering me around? But then all the Dalek-humans come in, or the Daleks that are human-downloaded Daleks. The Doctor goes well, alright. Martha goes, are those humans with Dalek downloads? That’s when he says, stay calm. Just stay here. Then this sequence was a little strange ‘cause Laszlo goes well, what about the Dalek-Daleks? Then they very dramatically appear onstage with smoke and stuff, and music. They’re making Dalek Sec crawl which was strange.

Then one of them says the Doctor will stand before the Daleks. They say this is the beginning of a new age, Doctor. Not the age of Aquarius; the end of the comic age. Planet Earth will become a new Skaro, a land free of comics and imagination except for our familiarity with Porky Pig which was mostly Dalek Sec, anyway. Doctor says oh, what a world will that be. He goes, isn’t that Dalek Sec in front of [00:50:00] you, the cleverest Dalek ever? Look what you’ve done to him. He goes, is this your new empire, the foundation for a whole new civilization treating a form of Dalek with disrespect? Then Sec says, if you choose this, Daleks, then this will choose you, you know. Kind of like a reverse golden rule or something. They say, incorrect. We will always get rid of comics. But first, we’re gonna get rid of the Doctor. He goes, but he can help you. Dalek Sec says that. They go no, erase the Doctor. Erasers ready. He goes, don’t do it.

Then they go to erase the Doctor with their sonic erasers, but Dalek Sec gets in front of it. He gets erased. Then it’s the Doctor’s speech time. He goes, this is your leader. He goes, the one that would have led you out of the deep, dark night. He goes, what did you do? But he’s really saying it on behalf of the human-Daleks. He goes, can’t you see your mistake? Then the Dalek says, humans show increased levels of serotonin. Also, there was clamshell light-holders on the stage, I noticed. Then the Doctor goes okay, well the…he goes, is this gonna be a baptism for Dalek-humans with a dislike of comic books and erasers? Why don’t you have them erase me, then? Dalek Three says prepare erasers, humans. He goes go ahead, tell them to erase me. They say, erase the Doctor. But none of the humans do. Then they say, erase the Doctor. Obey. Dalek-humans will obey. Then Martha says, what? Then the Dalek says listen up, you’re supposed to follow. Why aren’t you following orders?

One of the humans says, why? It says, Daleks do not question orders. It’s like a kid; it says, but why? It says, you will stop this. The human says, but why? It says, you must not question this. This does not compute. Then they say yeah, but you’re not in charge of us. We’re not just Daleks. The Doctor says no, you’re not, and you never will be. He goes, you got a little Time Lord DNA in you. Just a little bit of freedom. Then they go okay, then we’ll erase everybody. The Daleks say that. Then there’s an eraser-off. Actually, the two Daleks that are up there, they get erased. Then they end up…the other Dalek that’s not there uses the…he says, get rid of the humans with sonic…the human-Daleks with a sonic eraser, a sonic sound eraser. There’s this whole thing and it ends up with…where you erased a whole paper of work. They say well, that failed. The Doctor’s like, I can’t believe that you shut down all of the new…the Doctor goes, that was a new kind of human-Dalek Time Lord being.

You just erased it. Then Laszlo says, that was only two Daleks. There must be one Dalek somewhere. The Doctor goes oh yeah, in the whole universe, just one. Then there was an ad break. I guess maybe I thought the ad break was somewhere else. Then the Doctor goes down there, hands in his pockets, duster on, and he goes hey, what’s up? The Dalek says, I’m gonna erase you still. The Doctor goes yeah, yeah, yeah. He goes, what was your name, anyway? He goes, Dalek Caan. He goes like the movie, the Star Trek movie? The best Star Trek movie, or one of the best? He goes yeah, yeah. He goes, what’s your name? He goes, Dalek Caan. I just said that. He goes, sorry about that. It was just on Scoots’ notes there. He goes right now, there’s no more call to Skaro. You’re the only one. I’m the only person in the universe that might show you some compassion. He goes Dalek Caan, let me help you. What do you say?

He says emergency temporal shift, which is a callback, and then he temporal shifts to a random…I think it’s a random thing where you can temporal shift in time and space but you don’t know where you’re gonna end up. Emergency temporal shift…then Laszlo’s fading more and more, and Martha’s like Doctor, you gotta help. She goes it’s okay, Laszlo. Tallulah goes, what is it? What’s going on? He’s fading away. Laszlo goes, this is what happens to cartoons written in temporary ink, Tallulah. Laszlo says that. She goes, what do you mean? He goes, we’re made with non-permanent ink. She goes no, no, no. Doc, you gotta do something. At first, she…the Doc kinda fakes us out…do you think he’s gonna give…try to comfort her? But he goes oh, Tallulah, with three l’s and an h, watch me. Then he goes into super-frantic Doctor mode. He goes, I got this huge lab. He goes Laszlo, hold on. He gets to work. Too much racing today. We’re gonna permanize your ink, Laszlo. Ink and pen.

He goes, brand-new beings, wise people…he goes, I’m telling you right now, no more; no more erasers today. He goes Tallulah, step aside; the Doctor is in, which is a pretty fun classic line. Action-hyper Doctor…then we see New York City again, Central Park. Frank comes. It would later be in New York City, I guess, as a different character. He says jeez, I talked to everybody. I told them what Solomon would have said, that a cartoon could live here among us. He goes, I even had to put a couple people in line. He goes Laszlo, you and Tallulah are welcome here. He goes, people are gonna stare because you’re a cartoon that’s not inside a TV or a movie screen, or a movie screen ‘cause I don’t think they had TVs. But he goes, that’s what Hooverville’s about; sticking together for people…this is where we all stick together. Laszlo says jeez, thanks so much. Yeah, Hooverville, without it…is for if you don’t have any other options. Then the episode ends back at Lady Liberty with the Doctor and Martha.

Martha goes, do you think it’s gonna work out, those two? Doctor goes, I don’t know. Anywhere else in the world, I don’t know, but New York? He goes, that’s what this city’s good at; tired, poor, huddled masses, and even a cartoon Dalek being. Martha goes, the cartoon and the showgirl. The Doctor goes, the cartoon Porky Pig and showgirl. Martha goes, it just proves that I suppose there’s someone for everyone. The Doctor kind of mumbles. I couldn’t hear it at first but he says, maybe. Martha goes jeez, I’m sorry. The Doctor goes, for what? She goes, that one Dalek. He goes, what do you mean? She goes well, I knew it was important to you. Do you think you’ll ever see it again? He goes one day, maybe. Then they get in. He opens the door while they’re talking and she goes into the TARDIS. Then the Doctor goes into the TARDIS behind her, and the episode comes to a close. Goodnight.

[END OF RECORDING]

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