Daleks: Why I don’t want them back in Doctor Who: Season Eleven
Whilst the Daleks are indisputably an integral element of Doctor Who, I believe a break away from the infamous villains would only be beneficial for the show.
Large swathes of the Doctor Who fandom have been rendered indifferent to the Daleks in recent years. A combined effect of over-use and mishandling of the iconic creatures has dwindled their brilliance. This has often resulted in making them seem stale and predictable, as a result.
A villain set-up to be one of, if not the deadliest forces in the universe, should not be routinely defeated, after all. The regular use of the Daleks has weakened their image. As a result, their threat and menace have been severely muted in this fashion.
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If the Daleks were to take a break from our screens, it would allow the writing team to eventually bring them back in a momentous way. This would then give them a newfound blast of terror and stature.
Not only that, but the removal of the Daleks would also give more space for stories that present original, dynamic creatures. It would be excellent if, under Jodie Whitakers tenure, we see a new alien. One that could potentially join the great pantheon of recognizable villains, much like the Weeping Angels.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
Better Storytelling
Conversely, a re-introduction of a Classic Who monster into the New Who fold would be more interesting and exciting than yet another appearance from the Daleks. The Sea Devils immediately spring to mind, for example.
Creatures such as the Sontarans and Ice Warriors should be given another crack at New Who too. Both of these beings haven’t been utilized particularly well in the modern series – not capturing the essence of what made them so enthralling in the Classic era.
This is why I would be perfectly happy if the Daleks were to be absent from Jodie’s first series. Many fans champion the idea that the Daleks have to be present to test the Doctor’s resolve. A number of people claim that the Doctor defeating his greatest enemy definitively re-assures to the wider audience that the Doctor is still, well, the Doctor.
I reject this concept completely. The Doctor does not need to arbitrarily defeat the Daleks as evidence that they’re still the same person. The need to crow-bar the Daleks into a series stifles creativity, limits writers and overall makes the universe feel smaller.
Next: Review: The Seventh Doctor #1 (comic)
What do you think? Are you a Dalek fan? Should they take a break? Let us know in the comments below.