s01 e02 The Daleks

In which the Doctor and his companions come face to face with the universe's most murderous pepper-pots.

Review:
Though definitely slow by modern standards, it's hard to escape the feeling that you're watching the most important television event in the entire history of mankind.

Important Firsts:
-First appearance of the Daleks
-First "EXTERMINATE!"

Musings:

• The Doctor and his companions get separated.  It takes nearly 15 minutes this time.
• It was kind of awesome when the Doctor pretty much always had 3 companions at a time.  Then again, the modern format of 40 minute stories wouldn't allow each to get enough screen time.
• In the first segment cliffhanger, Barbara is menaced by a giant phallus that turns out to be a Dalek eyestalk.
• The original Daleks look fucking incredible. 
• ....Then nearly 50 years later we got this.
• The Daleks SOUND incredible.
• The Daleks shoot Ian without killing him. He only becomes temporarily paraplegic. I'm not sure this EVER happens again. 
• Ian and Barbara really need to bone.
• The Daleks don't recognize the Doctor yet (although in their timeline this is not the first time they meet him) I am looking forward to the first time they recognize him, tweak out, and, as usual, fail to exterminate him on sight.
• Based on some Thal dialog, this appears to be set 500 years after "Genesis of the Daleks"
• Susan takes dictation from some Daleks because they don't have hands.
• Hartnell is awesome in this episode.  He is still playing the doctor as manipulative and sinister but also oh so wise.  He is also, for the first time, a bit charming.
• After removing the giant booger inside, Ian climbs inside some Dalek armor and impersonates a Dalek long enough to allow his companions to escape. He even does the voice and everything.
• The Doctor opens a locked door without the sonic screwdriver--he uses his brains instead. Not sure exactly when the screwdriver gets introduced, but it's nice to know that the writers used to be able to tell good stories without "Sonic screwdriver setting 52: resolve entire plot"
• First "EXTERMINATE!"
• So people like to joke about how the Daleks used to be defeated by stairs.  They forget that hardwood flooring and dirt also used to be insurmountable obstacles as well.  These Daleks run on "static electricity," which is about as dumb as it sounds and means they can't operate off of metal floors. There's a point where Ian and Barbara defeat a Dalek by pushing it on to a jacket .  I guess the Daleks are just hoping that during their conquest of the universe, they don't encounter any bathmats.
• Interestingly, in "The Dalek Invasion of Earth," the Daleks do not need metal floors, even though the episode takes place earlier in their relative timeline. I think they do this by wearing some sort of special powerpack. Where are those here? Perhaps they used all them up in their failed invasion of earth.
• Bashing Daleks with large foam rocks is also remarkably effective.
• We get to see a creepy Dalek tentacle after one of them is destroyed.
• This episode might drag less if it were less than 3 hours long.  Perhaps it played better when it was viewed in 22 minute segments, as was originally intended.
• And yet, overall, super badass. This is what turned Doctor who from a curiosity into the most popular television show in the world.  Overnight.  And you know what?  I totally get it.  Daleks are awesome.
• On the other hand......