yeah its starting to fall off the wagon a bit. im hoping itll pick itself back up in the final chapter, because as it stands this is pretty eh, with an incredibly sudden ending

This is a lot better than the previous chapter, and it's almost entirely down to the expanded role of Karlendorf.

Alby and Susan's role in this story does get a little more interesting as they start to try to piece together Karlendorf's plan, and Morli is predictably revealed as a roboman for the 'good' daleks. Despite the predictability of the twist though, I think the way the characters respond to it, using that information to piece more things together, works nicely. If it were just left as a shock twist it may not work, but the way it's revealed and the repercussions of it do make it for me.

As per usual though, the highlight here is Karlendorf. I love his constant scheming, how you can never quite be sure why he's doing what he's doing. Even when he reveals his plan to Susan at the end, he chooses to keep Alby (and by extension, the audience), in the dark as to what's really going on. His interactions with The Mentor, as he's hiding what he's doing, feigning ignorance, is a particular delight. When he falls into the dalek's trap, leading to the deaths of hundreds, you're never quite sure if that was intentional. There's a darkness to his character, and honestly, he's the main reason I keep coming back to this series.

Also yeah, sure, there's another cliffhanger at the end. These are starting to feel out of necessity more than anything else to be honest.

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

“DALEK WAR: CHAPTER THREE – SLOW, BLEAK, AND UNDERWHELMING”

Dalek War: Chapter Three continues the struggle between the Mentor’s “better” Daleks and the Prime Daleks, with Kalendorf deepening his resistance against the Mentor’s rule. While the setup remains intriguing on paper, the execution remains sluggish and largely uninspired. The pacing is slow, the tone relentlessly bleak, and the character drama continues to feel forced rather than compelling.

The addition of Varga plants from The Daleks’ Master Plan initially seems like an interesting way to heighten the stakes, but they barely make an impact. Instead, much of the runtime is taken up by more Daleks screeching at each other and characters engaging in repetitive, melodramatic arguments.

FORCED CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS

One of the weakest aspects of this episode is the supposed romance between Suz and Alby, which feels completely unearned. The series has done little to develop their relationship organically, and here it feels shoehorned in, detracting from the already slow-moving plot. Their interactions, along with those involving Mirana, attempt to create intimate and emotionally resonant moments but instead come across as artificial and awkward.

A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MENTOR

The most frustrating aspect of this chapter is how it wastes the potential of the Mentor and her faction of Daleks. Initially presented as a different breed of Dalek, they now reveal themselves to be just as ruthless and tyrannical as the Prime Daleks. Rather than offering a unique take on Dalek evolution, this revelation reduces them to yet another iteration of the same old enemy. The story’s main purpose here seems to be pushing Kalendorf into persuading Suz and Alby to switch allegiances, allying with the Prime Daleks to overthrow the Mentor. Meanwhile, the Emperor Dalek remains hidden within Suz’s mind, a plot point that continues to simmer in the background.

📝VERDICT: 4/10

Despite its grim atmosphere and political intrigue, Dalek War: Chapter Three struggles to be engaging. The plot moves at a glacial pace, the romance is unconvincing, and the Mentor’s Daleks fail to provide the fresh perspective they initially promised. While the seeds of betrayal and shifting alliances are planted, the execution feels laboured rather than compelling. A chapter that ultimately feels like filler rather than a meaningful progression of the story.

Definitely a step up from last episode, but again quite a slow first half. The second half was good, more like the Dalek Empire I know and like. Alby though.... He really is grating on me, more so after this ending. I am curious how this series is gonna run for two more series..