Day 369: Death to the Daleks Part 4

I have to be honest and say that I wasn't expecting to like Death to the Daleks. I was acting on the perceived wisdom that it was actually quite a poor story, and so it was with some regret that I sat down to watch it. What followed wasn't spectacular. The plot was less than stellar, the acting left much to be desired and the editing was sometimes remarkably poor, with the cliffhanger ending to Part 3 being a shot of the floor.

But all of that said, I rather enjoyed this story. This is mainly due to the direction from Michael E Briant, who is quickly becoming one of my favourite directors for the series. He is unafraid to use different techniques when using the camera, as he innovatively allows us to see through the Daleks' eyestalk, which grants the viewer an insight into the way in which the Dalek operates, as well as letting the camera become one of the characters in the story instead of just the omnipresent viewer. Also interesting is his use of darkness and shadows, which allows for the Daleks to remain hidden in the shadows, adding to the menace that the demonic pepperpots have. It all makes for some very engaging viewing, and has shown me that whilst a good script can elevate a story above poor direction, the inverse is true and a poor script can be elevated by some excellent direction.