Doctor Who – The new Daleks, a change too far?
Posted by Steve (fidgetwith.com)Article last updated: Jun 3, 2010
Apr 17
I’ve just witnessed the death of something I’ve loved fondly since I was a small boy. I’ve just watched episode 3 of the new series of the BBC’s Doctor Who.
I have loved Doctor Who since I can remember. I’ve even forgiven the BBC for the dreadful Paul McGann Americanised tripe – but tonight, Auntie Beeb, you have stepped over the line. I think you have spoiled something special.
I’d been looking forward to the new series coming and although it was a new Doctor, Matt Smith, I felt the need to give him a fair chance – just as I have all his predecessors. He’s not doing a bad job of it to be honest. The problem I’m having is with the storylines and the changes. So far in this new series of Doctor Who we have had to get used to:
- New Doctor
- New assistant
- New titles
- New theme tune
- New Tardis
- New logo
- New sonic screwdriver!
- New writer
Tonight’s episode, “Victory of the Daleks” was particularly weak. We had a pickpocketing Winston Churchill, Spitfires that could suddenly fly in space, the Doctor defending himself with a Jammie Dodger and we were introduced to – wait for it, the multi-coloured uPVC Dalek. I’m sorry BBC, but you have tried to reinvent the wheel and instead come up with a hunchbacked cube. They are hideous, cheap looking and tacky. I’m really not over exaggerating, they really are truly awful.
There is only one reason the BBC would make all these changes – to make sure there’s a who new range of merchandise available.
Shame on you, Auntie – in trying to turn a quick profit, you are alienating your loyal viewers.
If the rest of the series is like this, I fear there may be no viewers left for the next series.
What do you think? Let me have your comments below and retweet to your friends to gather opinion please!
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Think I am with you there. I like the pretty colours, but they look like lightweight plastic inflated with compressed air. Hope there is an uprising of the fans.
Really disappointed tonight. The Daleks are supposed to be a force NOT to be reckoned with, yet tonight they looked like mix’n'match car ornaments! Just silly!! Come on BEEB, don’t let Mat Smith down, everyone is giving him a chance, the BEEB are the ones making a mess of things not the new Doc!
Yup, I’ve got to agree with you too. I had generally positive feelings towards this season of Doctor Who, but it’s not working for me. Somehow, the pieces aren’t gelling together well, though there are plenty of nice ideas. I think the jury is still out on most aspects of the show, but I’m going to deliver an early verdict on one thing:
I hate the new daleks. Hate them with every fibre of my being. They’re not daleks, they’re iPods on wheels. They’ve forgotten the first law of good design, which is “When something works, don’t change it”. The new daleks are just novelty for the sake of novelty.
This is what happens when you let a heterosexual get involved in Dr Who production.
I to have been a Doctor Who fan for years, since the 70s. Yes im an old git. While I do agree that change is essential when the Doctor regenerates, I am with you that the BBC have changed way too much on Doctor Who, just for the sake of it and to claw the money in with merchandising.
These so called new Daleks are cheap and tacky looking, but then that sums this new series up if I am honest. So far there is nothing in this series that makes me excited to watch Doctor Who the following week. I will continue to watch being a fan, but I really hope the BBC take note of their loyal viewers and realise they have gone too far.
I’ve just watched Star Wars again this morning – sorry I mean the latest episode of Doctor Who… It just seems to me that the production team are trying to make everything brighter, faster-paced, less character driven, than RTD’s series. After the first episode, me and Mrs B just thought “Sarah Jane Adventures”. In other words, it’s Doctor Who for the kids – bright, brashy, and with no time to catch your breath. Think about it: young Doctor, young Assistant, kids in the first two episodes.
I agree with you 100% shame on you BBC.
you suck for criticizing the new daleks. just because they’re different doese’nt
mean they’re stupid. you are a bunch of dalek racists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. Steven Moffat must think you suck
Have to agree with James Cresswell. Like him I am an old fan going back to the 70′s. The program as it developed became a ‘Family viewing’ program. This meaning that there is something for all ages.
What we appear to have now is a bright, too fast paced, and young only attraction program.
Yes there have been many changes, too many in one foul swoop. The one one change that has gone to far is the way the stories are now told.
We now have key plots with very little explaination or none at all. Also the style is very very different.
This is now what made the series successful in it’s new lease of life.
Steven Moffett, you are a brilliant story writer and I honour you for the gems of the last few years. But I ask you along with many others, take a look at the production of the last last few years and compare it with this new season.
The darker aspects are now missing.
i think the person who designed it was trying to prevent cheap Chinese
knock-offs from being made by creating one himself, they look like something that is trying to avoid the patent and i think it could be on sale next to the original one and nobody would bother suing them because they have nothing in common with the original ones-except the name of course.
congrats BBC you have just lost a viewer, i hope more follow
I have been a loyal fan of Dr Who for MANY years and it is my opinion that the Daleks have been a major contributing factor to the continuing success of the series.
Under the excellent direction of Russel T Davies and his inspired designers, the return of the series in 2005 reached heights of story-line and effects I would never have been thought possible….and the Daleks, whilst still retaining most of the elements of the original design, just blew me away. The episode “Dalek” is an absplute masterpeice!
Now,….2010,…..Moffatt and his mis-guided team have signed the death warrant,……I really tried to like the Matt Smith but he is just a comedy parody of what the Doctor should be,….and his assistant,…..a gobby, ladette who despite her “I’m as tough as old boots and answer to no-one” attitude, wastes no spare seconds trying to pout her lips at the camera like a second rate Bardot!….and now we have her gormless, sub-ordinate husband on board the Tardis!
As if this is’nt enough, the Daleks have transformed into giant plastic child-friendly toys,….(press the top and I sqeak!) I am completely stunned!
Even if the series continues, I am so sad to say that it has lost my support,….OK,…I am one old **** whose opinion means sod-all to Moffatt but I stood by and supported Dr Who for a long time and feel very dissapointed with the way he has destroyed a fine British institution!
Can’t someone out there start some sort of petition to get this guy booted out?!
Is it just possible that people are so bloody old and jaded new ideas/designs (such as the new Daleks) are losing their impact on them.
Or is it just more than their cold, dead, imaginations can handle . . . .
The new Daleks ARE most definately a step too far in attempting to ‘update’ the show for a new generation. The garish colours are way out of line. I know that thery were a fairly bright bunch in the two Peter Cushing films — but they weren’t ‘REAL’ Doctor Who in the strictest BBC sense.
The Daleks should be a menacing force that WON’T be denied at any cost – and NOT a bunch of angry ‘Christmas decorations’ set to rival Blackpool illuminmations!
The original cold colours amplifies their cold unfeeling nature.
Return their unfeeling appearance at once BBC — you can’t throw away a television icon on a whim!
its all a profit scandal! different coloured daleks means kids wont just want the one dalek for xmas, they will want all the different colours. 1 toy i dunno sumin like £20 7 toys, well you do the math.
Loved the new season, but “Victory of the Daleks” was a low-point to be sure. I never liked the brass finish in the RTD era, but other than that, the design was by far superior to the hunchbacked mess they came up with for this new season. PLEASE bring back the previous design — possibly with a metallic grey finish instead. That would make me very happy.
The new Daleks don’t look too bad when viewed from the front, but that’s about the only angle where the deficiencies of the design don’t show up.
Having been fortunate to see them at the “Doctor Who Live” event I can confirm that they look worse in real life than they do on TV.
The middle section is way out of proportion, giving them a hunchbacked look. They also look too “fat” overall and the new colour schemes just make them look even cheaper. At least the Peter Cushing film Daleks looked suitably metallic in their coloured liveries.
The ultimate test is to imagine the scene in “Genesis of the Daleks” where Davros unveils his creation to the expectant Kaled scientists. Instead of a dark, military looking green/grey Dalek, imagine an obese, bright orange one trundling into view.
At least the toy manufacturers will be happy this Christmas.