No, the title of the post isn’t an episode name from the new series of Doctor Who. Instead, it’s the name of a very clever iPod/Dalek wallpaper on iPodlounge. If you’re a fan of iPods, Daleks or both, be sure to check it out.
[Link from Doctor Who - Thrilling Adventures in Time and Space]
As most Doctor Who fans will already have heard, the Daleks will not be in the first series of the new Doctor Who because of breakdowns in negotiations with Terry Nation’s estate. (For those who don’t know, the late Terry Nation was the creator of the Daleks and his estate shares the rights to their use with the BBC.) Needless to say, loads of people, including myself, are disappointed in this announcement.
There’s been loads of speculation among fans as to how this will affect the new series, especially in its perception by the general public. Will the lack of Daleks turn off a non-Whovian from checking out the new series? After all, the Daleks are the most famous of Who monsters, and are a cultural icon in their own right. Does Doctor Who need the Daleks to succeed?
In my opinion, no. Doctor Who does not need the Daleks. Their lack may hurt the series a bit, especially as a Dalek episode would almost guarantee good ratings, but I think most people who were going to watch the new show will do so anyway, even without Daleks. After all, Doctor Who is more than just the Daleks, and people will still be looking forward to the new monsters a new series will bring, as well as any other old monsters that are revisited. Plus representatives of the BBC have stated that they will try renegotiating for their use in the second series, which is good news both for the Daleks and Doctor Who in general, as it indicates that the BBC is seriously considering a second series even before the first one has started filming.
For those who can’t wait until the second series for a possible reappearance of the Daleks, in the meanwhile check out the one-act play The Daleks Buy a Hotdog by Matt McIrvin.
The forthcoming new Doctor Who series is starting to get publicity in the strangest places. It’s been put in the ‘hot’ category of the latest coolest things in the August issue of Marie Claire’s UK edition (on page 137), along with the hip-hop group Goldie Lookin Chain and an egg-shaped mini fridge.
For those outside of the UK who cannot read the blurb for itself, here’s what MC has to say about the new series:
Tardis times
We didn’t expect to be excited by Daleks and timelords, but Christopher Eccleston and Bille Piper make the new Doctor Who a must-see.
It’s weird to think of Doctor Who as cool again, something it hasn’t been since the Dalekmania of the 60s. When I was in the US, it was more underground and seen as nerdy by those who had actually heard of it. In the UK, it’s perceived as something that people watched as children. Loads of people remember fondly, although the 80s period is often scoffed by people too old to have watched it as a child, and many have fond memories of watching it behind the sofa. My husband to this day still has an irrational fear of Cybermen. Still, most people probably wouldn’t call it cool, per se.
Publicity like the mention in MC can only be good for the new series. If it is to succeed, it has to appeal both to veteran Whovians and the mainstream public. Being perceived as cool once again means that the mainstream will definitely check out at least the first episode and hopefully they will want to stay and watch the rest.
I just found out today that Anthony Ainley died last week. For those who do not know his name, he was the second actor to play the Master on a regular basis in Doctor Who. For me, he was the first face I associated with the Master (other than the decayed version of the character who appeared in the Deadly Assassin), and I am very sad to hear about his death. Although he was often directed to play the role a bit too much over the top, he was overall very convincing as the Master, and when I was younger and had yet to see the Jon Pertwee era, he was the Master to me.
Outpost Gallifrey has more information about his death, along with a very good tribute to him.
For those of us who love Doctor Who, he will not soon be forgotten.
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