Overexposed Daleks to Take a Break from Doctor Who

[Gazisultima]

I still don't see why they can't do a story where the Daleks win for once. Not kill the Doctor or anything like that, but accomplish their goals and cause some real devistation while the Doctor fails to stop them.

They sort of did in the last series. The Daleks plan worked, as the new Daleks were resurrected from the Progenitor, and then they managed to escape by keeping the Doctor busy saving the planet from being blown up. "Victory of the Daleks" really is a fitting title in this case.

 

[BlackWidower]

There were two problems with the Daleks in the new series:

1) When they appeared you KNEW there was going to be some increasingly stupid plot to take over the Earth/Universe/All of fucking reality.

2) When they appeared you KNEW that the Doctor would have to come up with some increasingly stupid plan to destory the entire Dalek race forever... except for ONE that always got away to rebuilt the ENTIRE race again later.

My favourite new series episode with the Daleks was the 1st series' self titled "Dalek" which had only ONE of the metal beasties and showed how just one of these things could really be a powerful force.

What annoys me most about the Daleks is the way the writers always seem to think they are only scary when you're faced with a gazillion of them in one go. I'd like to see more episodes concerned with only a few Daleks fighting a relitively small battle. I'm fed up with the whole "army of enemies" thing. It works with the sontarans because they are essentially a military race, but the Cybermen and Daleks can be terrifying on their own too.

Actually the only episodes in the new series with an army of Daleks was Parting of the Ways, and the Stolen Earth/Journey's End. Okay there's also the tail end of Doomsday, but that barely counts. In all other appearances, there were only a small number. The Cult of Skaro, which consisted of four, or a single Dalek, or in their latest appearance, the new paradigm, which consisted of five. None of which could be considered an army.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

blame RTD

One of the worst TV writers I can think of.

Yeah, because Doomsday, Utopia, and Nightmare were the worst episodes of any television show. And by that logic, Fear Her was the best.

Blink was the best of the new series. I don't think you'll hear anyone argue against that.

(Perhaps the Empty Child, but my point still stands.)

Doomsday, Utopia and Nightmare rip off so many other series, brought in Sparkly Jesus Who, kills the entire future human race (The Toclafane) and then reverts the timeline to just after the BRITISH PM SHOOTS THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

Well done. Really well done.

 

[Disaster Button]

blame RTD

One of the worst TV writers I can think of.

Bullshit. The dude revitalized the Doctor, made the show number 1 again. Not to mention Torchwood: Children of Earth is some of the best television I've ever seen.

The dude gets a bad rap on the internet and I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why.

Perhaps it's because of the episode where the Master turns all humans into versions of himself... for no obvious reason. I mean sure, turn every human into a devious, power hungry evil genius! That'll make it far easier to maintain control over them! If the only goal was to take control of the entire population, there must be easier ways than transforming everyone on the planet.

Or the time the Daleks decided to blow up this and every other universe because apparently that means they win.

Or the time the Doctor defeated the Master because everyone on the planet was wishing really hard.

Or the time the Daleks decided to combine a human with a Dalek, despite that going against everything they're supposed to believe in. Oh yes, and using walking pig men as troops at the same time.

The last one wasn't actually Davies. I think that's where a lot of problem with him on the internet stem from. People seem to view him as though he's in control of EVERYTHING and only what he wants gets put in the show. Helen Raynor wrote that episode, she was pretty upset when it bombed.

The others, well if no other unvierses existed the Daleks would win because no other life would exist, making them happy as they've gotten what they want.

The Master turning everyone into him was the easisest solution as he had all he needed in front of him at the time to do it so running off to make a new plan when there's one ready to go right in front of him would be pointless. Plus, he's pretty insane by this point and (imo) kinda in love with himself, so why wouldn't he want 6 billion copies of himself, especially when it means he'll have all the extra brain power. And craziness.

The wishing really hard one was kinda strange. Sure, everyone is tied into a psychic field but I'm unsure how that would revitalise the Doctor.

Sorry if this comes off as a rant at you.

 

[Andronicus]

Or the time the Daleks decided to combine a human with a Dalek, despite that going against everything they're supposed to believe in.

Wasn't that the whole point of the Cult of Skaro in the first place? Not to think like a Dalek?

 

[Aeriath]

Finally, the most abundant endangered species in Doctor Who is getting a bit of a rest. Now Matt Smith will be able to pull solutions out of his ass to thwart more interesting enemies.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Considering the latest batch are commonly referred to as the Mighty Morphin' Dalek Rangers, they probably left out of sheer embarrassment.

I hope so, that was just cringe worthy. Maybe they're gonna have a team meeting and kick the shit out of the person responsible for that idea.

OT: Well, I will miss them, and I will wait for their return. I never thought it was scary though so I have no idea where he got that, but I will grant him to little kids it might be frightening. Now The Silence and the Angels, now those are some scary critters.

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

blame RTD

One of the worst TV writers I can think of.

Bullshit. The dude revitalized the Doctor, made the show number 1 again. Not to mention Torchwood: Children of Earth is some of the best television I've ever seen.

The dude gets a bad rap on the internet and I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why.

Perhaps it's because of the episode where the Master turns all humans into versions of himself... for no obvious reason. I mean sure, turn every human into a devious, power hungry evil genius! That'll make it far easier to maintain control over them! If the only goal was to take control of the entire population, there must be easier ways than transforming everyone on the planet.

Or the time the Daleks decided to blow up this and every other universe because apparently that means they win.

Or the time the Doctor defeated the Master because everyone on the planet was wishing really hard.

Or the time the Daleks decided to combine a human with a Dalek, despite that going against everything they're supposed to believe in. Oh yes, and using walking pig men as troops at the same time.

The last one wasn't actually Davies. I think that's where a lot of problem with him on the internet stem from. People seem to view him as though he's in control of EVERYTHING and only what he wants gets put in the show. Helen Raynor wrote that episode, she was pretty upset when it bombed.

Fair enough that the last one wasn't his fault, but I still hold the other three against him.

The others, well if no other unvierses existed the Daleks would win because no other life would exist, making them happy as they've gotten what they want.

I guess it just annoyed me that threatening to destroy all of reality was supposed to raise the tension, when all it really did was guarantee that they weren't going to succeed. Having said that, apparently the bomb was supposed to blow up all alternate universes. Assuming that all possible outcomes exist in a different universe, doesn't that guarantee their success?

The Master turning everyone into him was the easisest solution as he had all he needed in front of him at the time to do it so running off to make a new plan when there's one ready to go right in front of him would be pointless. Plus, he's pretty insane by this point and (imo) kinda in love with himself, so why wouldn't he want 6 billion copies of himself, especially when it means he'll have all the extra brain power. And craziness.

Yes, but I just wondered why all of the copies were happy with being secondary to the 'original' Master. He doesn't seem like the sort of person who shares power, certainly not six billion times over. None of the copies really did anything, if they'd demonstrated at some point that each version was just as devious and intelligent as the original it might have been more worthwhile.

Yes, the Master was working with what he had at his disposal, but what he had was what the writers gave him; my point being that at some point someone said "Hey! Let's make it so that the Master transforms everyone on the planet into him!" and then bent the plot to achieve that.

The wishing really hard one was kinda strange. Sure, everyone is tied into a psychic field but I'm unsure how that would revitalise the Doctor.

It also occurs to me that the Master would be smart enough to make any psychic field connected to the human population a one-way system, so to speak.

Sorry if this comes off as a rant at you.

No, it's fine. I suppose my real point is that RTD really didn't know how to handle big, infamous threats like the Master or the Daleks. It's probably for the best that both are retired for a bit, new writer or not.

Or the time the Daleks decided to combine a human with a Dalek, despite that going against everything they're supposed to believe in.

Wasn't that the whole point of the Cult of Skaro in the first place? Not to think like a Dalek?

Yeah, but there's "not thinking like a Dalek" and then there's plain stupid. Using other species to aid you towards your goal is "not thinking like a dalek", creating a Dalek-Human hybrid with no apparent advantage over either Daleks or Humans is pointless.

 

[BrotherRool]

Even better would be to let the Daleks win after a season or so break. Only has to be a minor victory or a victor against a body or organisation that has been set up in previous episodes as good and powerful.

Still had would you do that and keep the spirit of Dr Who?

 

[sky_rider19]

Eh I don't really mind that the Daleks are taking a break. I think that it will let DW Focus on other creatures and aliens that might not be that well known.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Good. The Daleks have become way, WAY over used.

One of the best episodes of Christopher Eccelston's run was "The Last Dalek". Really made that single enemy terrifying. And that should have been the end of it. Since then the Daleks have become an annoyance more than anything else.

Bring them back a few series from now and make it a real surprise; make something special out of it.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

He didn't "steal" anything.

Let's just say that the forums after his episodes were filled with what scene from what movie he had "copied".

He made it relevant.

Relevant? Utter rubbish. Burping Bins are relevant? Farting Aliens?

Eventually everyone inadvertently copies someone else he still managed to make each episode feel unique to the Doctor.

May I ask where you started watching Doctor Who? Because if it was just from when he took over, then you have no basis for comparison.

And considering 90% of the sex and swearing was removed from Torchwood after season one, I'm not sure where you're going with that.

Simple. It was marketed as adult and then poured sex/swearing as it's "adult" material.

It's still tells damn good stories that would be too heavy for Doctor Who.

Like? Can you name a story which couldn't be handled by Who, given that we've already seen a number of pretty horrific stories this season.

And I'm not gonna jump into the other stuff because that seemed to be discussed sufficiently. I still think calling RTD "a hack" is terrible overkill, but I can understand not liking how the Master/The Daleks were handled (Although I personally friggin loved the season 4 Who/Sarah Jane/Torchwood crossover finale. Utterly superb)

Simply put, RTD has two writing styles. Symbolic (where he Mary Sue's his own personal agenda) and Heartstring (where he sets up characters and then throws obstacles in their way using Deus Ex Machina). He uses a similar setup to the Manatees on Family Guy where he slapdashes a plot together from another series and then solves it using a combination of someone following a trope and then he DEM's it better.

And this isn't something he's just started. Why Don't You saw it, Queer as Folk famously ends with the guys driving off into the sky.(This was a gritty drama about the trials of homosexuality). Why? Because he thought it looked cool.

That's how he writes. Steal a scene, put something cool in, throw an obstacle in the way of the character from nowhere and then solve by the pen of God.

That's what a hack is.

 

[Aerowaves]

I'll miss the Daleks. That is, the real ones, not the robotic version of Smarties in this new kid-friendly Who series. That said, probably a good idea not to overuse them, so I agree that they should probably be put on the backburner. However, there's always the ever-present threat, given the most recent iteration being consigned to the wilderness to multiply so that's a bit fucked up.

The Daleks always worked best - in the recent series anyway - as a subtle "not sure what's going on with them" threat rather than a "you know we're gonna getcha it's just a matter of time before the writers decide to shove us in" kind of thing.

Bring back Davies and let Moffat do Sherlock full-time. Everyone's happy, the public most of all.

 

[Trogdor1138]

This is what they should have said YEARS ago. At least somebody like him realised this.

To fans: I think the last ever appearance of Daleks should have been the 2005 episode "Dalek". I thought it was a fantastic way to end that part of Doctor Who from a universe and character perspective. Wonderful episode.

They'll never be able to beat Genesis of the Daleks though...

 

[Brockyman]

True. I actually thought they had appeared in more episodes in the original given that in the old series they had more storyline episodes.

Nope. Back when I was watching in the 80s, Daleks were this rare treat. The Third Doctor never even has a Dalek episode (not counting a later 3rd Doctor guest appearance during the 5th doctor's run which had a Dalek in it for all of five minutes, if that).

Also, the 6th and 7th Doctor's Dalek episodes basically sucked. Although the 7th doctor did introduce the stair-climbing dalek. That was a frightening moment.

Now wait a minute! I remember a whole story arc with the Third Doctor were a future resistance came back in time to prevent the Daleks from taking over Earth after a nuclear war. And then there was Death to the Daleks with Sarah Jane. The Daleks blew-up the seven hundredth Wonder of the Universe, and the Third Doctor discovered they were vulnerable to the cold.

Fourth Doctor. Genesis of the Daleks. Loved it!

EDIT: Oops, Wrong one, Read to fast, saw Sarah Jane and assumed. My bad, Don't crucify me.

 

[repeating integers]

Perhaps it's because of the episode where the Master turns all humans into versions of himself... for no obvious reason. I mean sure, turn every human into a devious, power hungry evil genius! That'll make it far easier to maintain control over them! If the only goal was to take control of the entire population, there must be easier ways than transforming everyone on the planet.

That was clearly all engineered just so he could make the "Master Race" pun. The Master is the new Eldrad, he's a total dick.



I'm happy with this, it was getting hard to take the Daleks seriously. Dalek was a brilliant episode, and Doomsday too was brilliant (the appearance of the Daleks was a genuine surprise, something that's hard to pull off with them). But a little break will serve them well.

 

[Fleetfiend]

As much as I love the Daleks, I think this is a pretty good decision on Moffat's part. The last few seasons, the Daleks felt sort of... over used. It seemed like they popped back up in every other episode. Good villains, yes... but as said in the article, if they keep getting beaten again and again with such sort succession, they start to lose their credibility as villains and the impact that they have as such. I loved the scene when the ninth doctor saw the Dalek chained up in that museum. He flipped out! Because they were a force to be reckoned with. When the tenth doctor encountered them, it was always treated as a very serious situation but was dealt with. But when the eleventh doctor meets with them, he seems to treat them as more of a joke. The majority of that comes from the character of eleven I'm sure, but it still seems like the Daleks are starting to become old news.

I just can't wait to see the things that Moffat comes up with instead.