This episode still comes across quite a bit better than the previous installment of the two parter. There's some fun stuff here as the "Human Dalek" essentially is won over by its own absorbed humanity and decides to work with The Doctor, turning the other Daleks and their pig-man henchmen against them. It's also fun to watch Martha in action, as she is shaping up to be quite a capable companion.
What doesn't work that well are the Pig Men and the back and forth between the rest of the Daleks. Solomon being exterminated lacks the punch it probably intended, and the sense of jeopardy for all the humans in the Hooverville just isn't there. Maybe the Daleks have been trotted out one too many times in the new series for them to have any level of menace left. After the massive battle finishing out the second season, this episode just lacks the punch it needs to continue the level of menace the Daleks are supposed to attain.
While this episode and the one preceding it are mostly "miss" episodes, there's still a lot to be said for how much the core strength of the series sustains even lackluster episodes. Tennant is excellent throughout. His developing chemistry with Martha is fun to watch, as are The Doctor's reactions to lines such as "Everybody has someone out there for them." It's also a generally good time when a series can have its hero battling the fallout of a "Time War" in the Hoovervilles of 1930s Manhattan. Even if this episode has a lot in it that doesn't work, much of the criticism comes from the unusually high expectations set by what is generally a terrific series.
Rating: 6/10
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