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...in which there's this ambush...(Sorry, last one. For today.) The titular ambush is actually the weakest part of this episode. Temmosus (whose fantastic hat would serve him no favors against a Dalek exterminator ray) tries to talk peace with the Daleks, who have called the leader of the Thals to the Dalek city in order to give them some food. The Daleks, unsurprsingly, exterminate him. What happens to the food is made less clear.
I'm not sure what's supposed to be going on during this scene. The Daleks make a bit of a show of moving into their hiding spaces in the city plaza before Temmosus makes his appearance, but then edge out of the shadows more and more that by the time Temmosus is halfway done his speech, he's surrounded by Daleks. Does he even notice them? Furthermore, Ian and the gang (for this is really an Ian episode) race down to the plaza to try and warn the Thals of the impending ambush. Instead, Ian stands and watches the whole scene (including the Daleks clearly edging out to surround Temmosus), and only warns Temmosus seconds before the Daleks shoot the Thal leader. Weird...
Anyway, this sequence is offset by a rather intense sequence of the TARDIS crew (with Ian disguised as a Dalek) continuing their escape that had started in the previous episode. There's some pretty impressive film inlay effects shots on display, used to portray lifts going up and down and walls being scorched. I'm not easily impressed by the special effects of today because it's common knowledge that they were most likely done by computer. Effects in the pre-blue screen days seem much more mysterious.
Another interesting aspect of this episode is the Doctor's attitude towards the Thals' plight. He's most excited to learn about the history of Skaro, but help the Thals? Nah. He's dead set against interfering, instead wishing to flee the scene at a moment's notice. It will be intriguing to see how that changes in the weeks ahead...
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The episode is really split into 3 distinct sections. The first involves Ian dressed as a Dalek escorting the others through the city to safety. It begins in a slightly comic way but soon turns more serious. The second is the ambush of the title and I would agree with your assessment that this is very strange. Ian stands and watches as the Daleks get into place. I have no idea why he doesnt intervene earlier or for that matter why he is able to stand in the middle of a circle of Daleks for about 30 seconds without being exterminated as the Daleks only seem to fire when he has made it behind the wall. The third section is in the Thal camp with their history records, Im sure many contemporary viewers believed that this was the end and that they were leaving. At this stage storywise there is no reason why they couldnt have gone in the TARDIS and on to their next adventure which makes it quite a big reveal at the end that they dont have the fluid link. I would add the moral stance taken by the show even at this early stage that pacifism can only work if everyone agrees and that conflict is fundamental to Human Nature (Barbara seems shocked at the idea that they could be pacifists). Although people often suggest now that the Doctor is a pacifist caught up in conflict the show has always supported the idea that fighting and conflict are necessary. The most interesting scene for me was Ian telling the Thals that the Daleks dislike them because they are not the same and on this basis alone they need to fight them? Why is this? Why not attempt negotiation or relocate to another area? It will be interesting to see how this theme developed in the early years of the show
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