I came very close to rating this one 3, and the entire reason for that is that finally this series has given me a character I like: Morli. Is this strongly to do with the fact we rarely get characters who sound like they're from the North East in DW? Perhaps. But she is also kind of bonkers, and when every single other moment of this series is bogged down with scrapy Dalek voices and serious, boring characters, that is a blessed relief. I wouldn't call the acting good, or even her story that engaging, but I was not tuned out so that was a big win.

The negative is that the entire rest of the story is boring. Suz and Alby have begun to actively annoy me with every word that comes out of their mouths. Suz' relentless threat to kill herself quickly becomes meaningless when it is clear she'll never follow through. The Daleks insistence on always calling her Suuu-sann Mennn-dezzzz is irritating at best and egregious at worst, and I couldn't possibly tell you what their plan is because I am not tuned in to this series. Kalendorf continues to be the other most engaging character, but when your competition is Dalek-synth turned way up and a handful of other generic rebels whose names I don't remember, that's not hard.

I am sad that I have not been enjoying this series, and though I will see it through to the end of s2, I don't think I'll be picking up 3 and 4. Unless something drastically interesting happens at the end of this series, anyway. But I have not been given a lot to hope for.

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“DALEK WAR: CHAPTER TWO – A CHAOTIC CLASH WITH NO STRUCTURE”

Dalek War: Chapter Two drops Suz into a deadly conflict between two warring Dalek factions—Prime Daleks searching for their Emperor and the Mentor Daleks determined to keep her under control. In theory, this setup should provide plenty of tension and intrigue, but in practice, it results in a muddled and unfocused episode where threats are shouted, exterminations are promised, and very little actually happens.

Suz is stuck in the middle of the chaos, yet her predicament lacks urgency. Meanwhile, Alby remains frustratingly dull, and Kalendorf seems to fade into the background, doing little to justify his presence. With no real structure or clear stakes, the story quickly becomes an exercise in aimless conflict, making for a frustrating listening experience.

A SLOG TO GET THROUGH

Despite being around 15 minutes shorter than episodes from the previous season, Dalek War still somehow manages to feel much longer than an hour. One of the major issues is the lack of standout moments—nothing here really leaves a lasting impression. While Chapter 1 at least established an interesting premise, this episode immediately slips back into the same meandering, directionless storytelling that plagued the earlier instalments.

The sound design does little to elevate the material, leaving the action feeling flat and uninspired. Without strong character moments or a compelling narrative drive, this episode struggles to hold interest, making it more of a chore than an engaging chapter in the saga.

📝VERDICT: 4/10

A dull and structureless entry, Dalek War: Chapter Two fails to build upon the promise of its predecessor. With unengaging characters, aimless plotting, and uninspired sound design, it feels like little more than Daleks shouting at each other for an hour. A missed opportunity that does little to justify its runtime.