Oolite Bulletins

Yes, it's true. The Daleks are to be given "a rest" from Doctor Who, writer Steven Moffat has told the Radio Times.
The full story is here on the BBC website.

Thank God. They were becoming overused and too fallible. The Doctor's greatest enemies should not be utterly defeated, never to return, at least once a season. It was getting ridiculous.

So far in New Who, the only episode which I feel gives the Daleks their appropriate sense of power and menace is the season 1 episode "Dalek" with Christopher Eccleston. All the others just seemed, well, bad! In the horrific season 5 episode with Churchill and the Power Ranger Daleks, the only thing I can forgive is that the Daleks were intelligent enough to escape, run away and hide, and live to fight another day. And as for some of the other episodes they've been in...

I have a great affection for the Daleks, and it fills me with such sadness that they were being exploited in such a poor manner...

Simple solution. Let them win occasionally.

Cheers,

Drew.

drew wrote:

Simple solution. Let them win occasionally.

Cheers,

Drew.

They do win occasionally, but then it's a game of time-leap-frog and they lose again. Given that they've been in and out of time, outside the universe on at least two occasions, in a parallel universe at least once - they've never actually lost, but they've never been categorically wiped out either...

In that "horrific" episode, they actually did win! i thought that episode actually gave them back their edge. For the first time they got one up on the Doctor, who was helpless to take back the mistake he made in giving them a new lease of life.

Remember that since the new series started they've been a defeated race, always reeling from the "defeat" in the Time War.

Multi-coloured Daleks aren't new - they date all the way back to the Peter Cushing movies, and I think that they look much more interesting now!

Having said all that, I do agree that they need a rest - they were definitely over-used towards the end of RTD's reign, and i think he was running out of things to do with them.

Selezen wrote:

In that "horrific" episode, they actually did win! i thought that episode actually gave them back their edge. For the first time they got one up on the Doctor, who was helpless to take back the mistake he made in giving them a new lease of life.

Remember that since the new series started they've been a defeated race, always reeling from the "defeat" in the Time War.

Multi-coloured Daleks aren't new - they date all the way back to the Peter Cushing movies, and I think that they look much more interesting now!

Having said all that, I do agree that they need a rest - they were definitely over-used towards the end of RTD's reign, and i think he was running out of things to do with them.

Indeed they did win, and as I said, that was the only thing I liked in that episode. Good point about them reeling from the defeat in the Time War - it's true that they haven't been at full power. I've heard about the Cushing movies, but I don't consider them canon, and don't intend to watch them. I just find the multi-coloured-ness rather odd and garish. They've also been bulked up a bit, which to me makes them look ungainly and awkward.

I am looking forward to seeing what Moffat will do with them, though. If they end up being more cunning and skilled, I'll probably learn to accept their looks and adjust.

Mauiby de Fug wrote:

I just find the multi-coloured-ness rather odd and garish. They've also been bulked up a bit, which to me makes them look ungainly and awkward.

At least they still have the rubber plunger! If they ever lost that I would be truly outraged.

Well, as many times as they've gotten defeated, they surely deserve a bit of vacation. A little time to relax, re-think, retool. Maybe hang out at a resort hotel for a bit hitting on the planters or something. Always have had to love their attitude, though..

Cyberman: We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?

Dalek: Four.

Cyberman: You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?

Dalek: We would destroy the Cybermen with ONE Dalek! You are superior in only one respect.

Cyberman: What is that?

Dalek: You are better at dying!

Smivs wrote:

Mauiby de Fug wrote:

I just find the multi-coloured-ness rather odd and garish. They've also been bulked up a bit, which to me makes them look ungainly and awkward.

At least they still have the rubber plunger! If they ever lost that I would be truly outraged.

One must always have a Dalek handy when the zero-g bidet gets plugged.

i remember Daleks w/ pincers. seemed a better idea than a plunger, tho i suppose that depends on what you need it for.
quite liked the Dalek ship from DIoE 2150AD, would look canny in-game.

Thing is, the Peter Cushing movies did enter canon for fleshing out the Daleks, and most of the Dalek merchandise through the late 60s and 70s (including the annuals) were based around stuff from them. At least until Genesis Of The Daleks, anyway.

Oh, and as far as Dalek attitudes in the new series (right before Ganelon's quote, I believe)...

Cyber Leader: Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen.
Dalek Sec: This is not war - this is pest control!

Awesome!