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Daleks Exterminated From New Dr. Who

albino eatpod writes "The BBC are reporting that despite 'the very best deal possible,' a failure to agree terms between the BBC and the estate of late sci-fi writer Terry Nation has meant that we will not being seeing TV's most evil villains in the new series, starring Christopher Eccleston and Billy Piper."

434 comments

  1. Daleks and Dollars by mfh · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This always happens when you have an estate controlling the interests of an artist or writer. Estate holders only consider the money side of things, but most artists alive wish only to impact the world, by sharing their life-blood with the public -- forget the bottom line. Either that, or the creative community is simply addicted to the process of creation that they don't recognize the business side of things as being very necessary or important. The spirit of art is passion, and sharing passion can make passion spread like a wildfire. I think that it's sacrilege for heirs of creative folks to block the art because of the almighty buck. Therefore, I too will miss our mighty Dalek overlords.

    --
    The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
    1. Re:Daleks and Dollars by pubjames · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Estate holders only consider the money side of things

      No they don't. They often want editorial control as well. Which was the problem in case case, and I believe has been a problem with the Tolkein estate aswell.

    2. Re:Daleks and Dollars by InsaneGeek · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That or they believe that the person doing it will do a horrible job and destroy the product (unfortunately it looks like George Lucas hasn't thought about this, during his new films).

    3. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Atrax · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The real George Lucas died ages ago. His replacement/doppelganger plays the part of "estate" in this situation

      Well, it's better than believing that EP IV and EP I came from the same pen.....

      --
      Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
    4. Re:Daleks and Dollars by TheTXLibra · · Score: 3, Informative

      Not entirely true, but I see your point. However, the estate holders of Charlie Chaplain's old films, for instance, are not releasing the silent versions of many of his famous movies to DVD, only the ones with actual sound, voices, etc. This is because they feel that it holds closest to his own aspirations, as Chaplain was a huge advocate of sound in movies. Though there would be a sizeable market for the silent ones, the family wants to hold on to the original artist's ideal. Granted I think this bites, as I like the silent versions better in the same way I think a black and white photograph requires more talent than colour photos, but that's my personal opinion, and not his vision. Not that this remotely applies to Dr. Who and Daleks, but in response to your comment, my reply is "Perhaps often, they do only consider money, but sometimes that's better than considering only the artist's vision. It gives it no room to grow or be remembered properly, it only limits us to the creator's own interpretation."

      --
      -The Libra
      "Please be patient--The future will begin momentarily."
    5. Re:Daleks and Dollars by JosKarith · · Score: 4, Funny

      Next episode:
      Dr Who vs. the Lawyers

      Dr Who wants to go to far-flung places, but the evil Lawyers ground him reminding him that it's been 60 years since his TARDIS' last MOT.
      Then, just as that's getting sorted out one of the lawyers points out that an old man enticing a series of (usually skimpily clad) young girls into a secluded telephone booth with promises of of wild adventures is not neccesarily the sort of role model they want to be promoting...

      --
      'Don't worry' said the trees when they saw the axe coming, 'The handle is one of us.'
    6. Re:Daleks and Dollars by lacrymology.com · · Score: 5, Funny

      "I believe has been a problem with the Tolkein estate aswell."

      Oh great! So we won't be able to see Dr. Who fight Hobbits either!?!?

      -m

      --

      #
      # Modus Ponens
      #
    7. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Alien54 · · Score: 1
      The editorial control issue is important. They didn't want unauthorized varients of the Daleks running around.

      (imagines a barney meets the teletubbies version of the Daleks)

      (jar-jar-binks becomes a dalek, with awful results)

      I'm sure you can see the possibilities

      --
      "It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
    8. Re:Daleks and Dollars by bman08 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      " Shame the Tolkein estate didn't have editorial control over those dreadful films." Yet I believe that Suess's wife had a good deal of control over both the Grinch and Cat in the Hat, so you never can tell. Not to mention the wonderful things the Herbert family is doing with Dune. Estates are run by people. Some are greedy, others are altruistic. Perhaps a bus will hit Lucas and the Estate will choose to release Star Wars (the real one) on DVD.

    9. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Meee'sa bomb bad exterminate yous'a now...

    10. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Vinnie_333 · · Score: 4, Funny
      The real George Lucas died ages ago.

      If you listen to R2's beeps played backwards, they say, "I buried George".

      --

      "We shall party like the Greeks of old! You know the ones I mean." - HedonismBot
    11. Re:Daleks and Dollars by daveashcroft · · Score: 0

      I for one would like to extend my warmest welcome to our new as-of-yet unnamed but promised to be terrifying intergalactic doctor who overlords.

      In all seriousness, i hope they manage to keep the cheesyness factor down.....i truly worry what the new "uber-baddy" will be like.

    12. Re:Daleks and Dollars by why-is-it · · Score: 1
      I think that it's sacrilege for heirs of creative folks to block the art because of the almighty buck. Therefore, I too will miss our mighty Dalek overlords.

      I agree, and it seems to me that the attitude of the Nation estate is a bit short sighted. What is the point of the protecting the "integrity of the brand" if the things haven't been seen in new works for almost 20 years? Sure, you should always leave'em wanting more, but there will be no value in the brand if the Daleks are a relic of the past.

      It looks like it is a spat about money, and nothing more. As another poster has already written, if the new series is successful, mutual greed will overcome this pettiness.

      --
      *** Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?
    13. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What wonderful things are the Herbert family doing with Dune? Surely you don't mean the prequels and threatened sequels.

    14. Re:Daleks and Dollars by MaxQuordlepleen · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      If he's literate.. he has to be being sarcastic.

    15. Re:Daleks and Dollars by rfernand79 · · Score: 1

      Reminiscent of James Bond's elimination of Blofeld/SPECTRE following the legal battle by Thunderball's Kevin McClory.
      However, this may be good news after all: This opens the possibility for new villains and new plot elements. Let's be a little optimistic...

    16. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How are things down at the big bang burger bar?

    17. Re:Daleks and Dollars by garethwi · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The main problem with an estate wanting to editorial control is that there isn't a tenth of the talent in there as was in the person who died.

    18. Re:Daleks and Dollars by ShadowRage · · Score: 1

      same with the hendrix estate, the adopted sister ended up getting control over it. she convinced the father who was having medical problems to hand it to her, and she's not even really bloodline, meanwhile his brother has been left out of the estate by her, she's also wanting more money for hendrix' music being used.

      estates can be bad things.
      hence if I ever create something popular and it makes a lot of money, I will put in my will that whatever I created will be opened to the public and be a public work.

    19. Re:Daleks and Dollars by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "This always happens when you have an estate controlling the interests of an artist or writer. Estate holders only consider the money side of things, but most artists alive wish only to impact the world, by sharing their life-blood with the public -- forget the bottom line."

      Really? The "artists" who control the Doctor Who character K-9 have often prevented the BBC from bringing the character back to WHO proper. And they aren't dead yet.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    20. Re:Daleks and Dollars by GileadGreene · · Score: 1
      You've apparently never actually been an artist. They need to eat too, you know. While you're right that artists like to create and to share, they also like to be compensated for their efforts, so that they can continue to create and share their work.

      Whether or not it's ethical for the heirs of an artist to demand compensation as well is a separate question. But it sounds like it wasn't about dollars in this case, so much as control over how the Daleks were portrayed, and whether that portrayal was what Terry Nation would have wanted.

    21. Re:Daleks and Dollars by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      " Shame the Tolkein estate didn't have editorial control over those dreadful films." Yet I believe that Suess's wife had a good deal of control over both the Grinch and Cat in the Hat, so you never can tell."

      I felt the problem with "The Cat in the Hat" was that it felt like the movie was slumming with Mike Myers in the role when it should've been Jim Carrey. At least that's what I thought through the entire pic. Mike's face didn't even look anything like the Cat's either...

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    22. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Feneric · · Score: 1

      The Doctor Who audio series doesn't seem to be affected, only the BBC. Here's just one current example.

    23. Re:Daleks and Dollars by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "same with the hendrix estate, the adopted sister ended up getting control over it. she convinced the father who was having medical problems to hand it to her, and she's not even really bloodline, meanwhile his brother has been left out of the estate by her, she's also wanting more money for hendrix' music being used."

      Ah, so that's why there isn't any Hendrix music in Battlefield Vietnam!

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    24. Re:Daleks and Dollars by operagost · · Score: 1

      The silent films (and maybe some of the 'talkies') are now in the public domain, so if you can find a copy, have at it.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    25. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Fred_A · · Score: 1

      The real problem is that the talent of lawyers isn't recognized.

      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
    26. Re:Daleks and Dollars by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      However, the estate holders of Charlie Chaplain's old films, for instance, are not releasing the silent versions of many of his famous movies to DVD, only the ones with actual sound, voices, etc. This is because they feel that it holds closest to his own aspirations, as Chaplain was a huge advocate of sound in movies. Though there would be a sizeable market for the silent ones, the family wants to hold on to the original artist's ideal.

      I don't know where you heard this. Just go for instance to this page if you want to buy DVDs of any Chaplin movie, including silents going back to 1914. "Warner Home Video, released in September 2003, these editions are what all Chaplin enthusiasts have been waiting for and constitute what has become the definitive Chaplin collection on DVD and video. The film rights were licensed to Martin Karmitz (MK2) by the Chaplin estate..." This includes silent classics like The Gold Rush and The Kid. Later it goes on to discuss rights: "As far as Charlie's films go all the Keystone, Essanays and Mutuals are in the public domain as Chaplin never controlled the rights. After that they fall in to the copyright of Roy Export Company Establishment (RECE). First Nationals that exist without Charlie's own musical scores are public domain, otherwise they are owned by RECE. Any companies that have put together their own presentations of these public domain films almost certainly control the rights to the film in that form."

    27. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Walt+Dismal · · Score: 1

      He'll look like Donald Trump complete with bad hair and screech "You're ... exterminated!!" (pointing finger or possibly a plunger)

    28. Re:Daleks and Dollars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sorry to hear about the bus accident.

    29. Re:Daleks and Dollars by mpe · · Score: 1

      The main problem with an estate wanting to editorial control is that there isn't a tenth of the talent in there as was in the person who died.

      Even if they do they are too busy with their ancestor's works to create anything of their own.

    30. Re:Daleks and Dollars by TheTXLibra · · Score: 1

      Actually, I heard it on NPR earlier this year. I'm afraid I can't be more specific than this, as it happened more than two days ago, and my long term memory is always fuzzy. But according to the story on NPR, such is the case.

      --
      -The Libra
      "Please be patient--The future will begin momentarily."
    31. Re:Daleks and Dollars by noldrin · · Score: 1
      "Moving pictures need sound as much as Beethoven symphonies need lyrics" -Charlie Chaplin 1928

      Your comment is completely inaccurate. He only made two moives with sound that involved his trademark character, the little tramp, and only one could officially be a talkie, the other having sound effects. This virtually signalled the end of his filmn career, which after he only made 4 more movies.

      He only went to full talking in movies in 1940 when he was absolutely forced to in order to stay in business, way after talking in movies not only had became the norm, but expected.

    32. Re:Daleks and Dollars by brettski · · Score: 1

      No, no, that would be the daleks vs. the Hobbits. And they thought they had trouble in Mordor.

    33. Re:Daleks and Dollars by serutan · · Score: 1

      And why do they want editorial control? Money. Read further in the article. ... the Nation estate accused the BBC of ignoring copyright laws and said the corporation was trying to "ruin the brand of the Daleks".

      Brand? Ruin the "brand" of the Daleks? Doesn't sound like any sort of artistic interest to me. Sounds more like typical "content owners" worrying about the value of their "properties" and the income stream from toys, action figures, comic books, etc.

  2. Superior Beings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bah, they couldn't even climb a flight of stairs!

    1. Re:Superior Beings... by MrRTFM · · Score: 1

      hell - they cant even get up the porch step, what is there to worry about :)

      Even as a kid I couldnt quite fathom this.. (just go upstairs, dumbass! - you'll be safe).

      --
      You can't expect to wield supreme executive power, just because some watery tart threw a sword at you
    2. Re:Superior Beings... by mab · · Score: 2, Informative

      Remembrance of the Daleks (1988)
      shows a Dalek hovering
      up a flight of stairs

    3. Re:Superior Beings... by Atrax · · Score: 1

      > Remembrance of the Daleks (1988)
      shows a Dalek hovering
      up a flight of stairs

      Was I really 14 when that was made? Hell, I remeber being scared witless* at the Daleks learning to climb stairs. Maybe it was just the destruction of the childhood safety zone, or maybe it wasn't the first episode.

      Nah, It can't have been then... though of course I'm watching "The Prisoner" right now and Rover has me quite sisturbed, so maybe I'm just easily frightened by bizzarre sci-fi evil.

      * Really bloody scared, man. Like, to this day.

      --
      Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
    4. Re:Superior Beings... by Dachannien · · Score: 1, Funny

      Hence, the Americans (and Daleks) with Disabilities Act.

    5. Re:Superior Beings... by mikael · · Score: 1

      According to the Dr Who. Weekly (a comic book that was originally the BBC's answer to Judge Dredd), the Dalek's had levitation disks.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    6. Re:Superior Beings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Neither could Ed-209. This shows why its important to use the stairs - not only is it good excercise, but it reduces the risk of rampaging-robot related injury.

    7. Re:Superior Beings... by zakezuke · · Score: 1

      Remembrance of the Daleks (1988) shows a Dalek hovering up a flight of stairs

      And IIRC Dr. Who said "Don't worry ????, Daleks can't climb stairs". My memory could be fuzzy on this issue as I can't remember as I can't remember if it was Colin Baker or Silvester McCoy, Perry or Ace for that matter. I could ask a friend for this episode.

      But needless to say, Daleks have come a long way since their 1960's version that couldn't glide over a coat.

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    8. Re:Superior Beings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mmmm... the Sophie Aldred era :-)

      I had a teenage crush on her... and her magic baseball bat she trashed those Daleks with ...

    9. Re:Superior Beings... by Aggrazel · · Score: 4, Informative

      The doctor (in Tom Baker form) said:

      "If you're supposed to be the supreme beings of the universe, why don't you climb up and get me?"

      This was on the planet with those other androids (Recalling all of this from memory).

      The doctor did in fact believe at that time that the Daleks were so impotent as to not be able to climb simple stairs.

      That would explain the look of terrified confusion on the Doctor's (Sylvestor McCoy) face when the Dalek in Rememberence suddenly was able to climb up the stairs to "get him".

      Aim for the eyepiece.

    10. Re:Superior Beings... by armb · · Score: 2, Informative

      And a Dalek is finally shown going up stairs in Remembrance of the Daleks. The BBC guide says "Although this is the first time that a Dalek is actually seen to ascend a flight of stairs, there is a scene in season two's The Chase: Journey into Terror in which such an occurrence is clearly implied; and season twenty-two's Revelation of the Daleks shows that both the Daleks and Davros are capable of hovering above the ground."

      --
      rant
    11. Re:Superior Beings... by YetAnotherAnonymousC · · Score: 1

      What I want to know is: who is working on the real-life Dalek contraption? When I am old and infirm I want these to be ready. Implant my withered remains in there and it'll be time to EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

      Time for some enterprising genius out there to change his name to Devros and get working.

    12. Re:Superior Beings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Climbing the stairs isn't a problem. You have to worry once they learn to move the sofa.

    13. Re:Superior Beings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They don't need to climb up stairs. They just appear on the next floor during the next scene

    14. Re:Superior Beings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh yes they could... they had anti-grav that allowed them to float up a set of stairs and that's precisely what they did in more than one episode.

    15. Re:Superior Beings... by Tripster · · Score: 1

      Oh they were frightening as a kid that's for sure, I remember refusing to enter the Blackpool Dr. Who exhibit because them freaking things would zap me.

      Now that I've grown up though, geesus, what was I thinking, them things are big, bulky and have pretty poor movement, and toilet plungers are hardly deadly weapons anymore :-)

    16. Re:Superior Beings... by ShawnDoc · · Score: 1

      The original Dalek's were even more impotent. They had paths laid ont he ground, and they were unable to leave them as they got their power through their paths (Simliar to a subway getting its power through the third rail).

    17. Re:Superior Beings... by Sabalon · · Score: 1

      Probably one of the best cliffhangers of the whole series.

  3. Stairs *and* the law then.. by IainMH · · Score: 1, Funny

    Ho hum.

  4. ...this season. by Doktor+Memory · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have a sneaking suspicion that if the new show does well, and is renewed, the Nation estate and the Beeb will suddenly discover their strong mutual interest in reviving the flow of money from Dalek merchandising.

    (Can someone explain to me how it is that Nation's estate personally own the Daleks? Didn't he write those scripts on spec for the BBC?)

    --

    News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters? Like hell.

    1. Re:...this season. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      (Can someone explain to me how it is that Nation's estate personally own the Daleks? Didn't he write those scripts on spec for the BBC?)

      Not sure if you're confused or if I'm not following your reasoning -- writing "on spec" means that you write something on your own initiative and submit it. How would that weaken his ownership?

    2. Re:...this season. by Doktor+Memory · · Score: 1

      Er, sorry, teach me to post before drinking my coffee. s/on spec/under contract/

      --

      News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters? Like hell.

    3. Re:...this season. by Vellmont · · Score: 1

      I think you're right. The Nation estate has far more to lose than the Beeb. The Beeb and Dr. Who can survive quite easily without The Daleks (a sad omission of course), but the Nation estate can't do much with the Daleks without Dr. Who as an adversary.

      --
      AccountKiller
  5. stupid by circletimessquare · · Score: 3, Insightful

    star wars without darth vader

    star trek without klingons

    c'mon ;-(

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
    1. Re:stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "C:\>tracert life.liberty.pursuit-of-happiness"

      then you better switch to this:

      #traceroute life.liberty.pursuit-of-happiness

    2. Re:stupid by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

      We still have the Cybermen and the Master. I want K-9 back.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    3. Re:stupid by geoffspear · · Score: 0, Troll
      Yeah, the fact that the 90% of Dr. Who episodes that had no Daleks whatsoever were better than most of the ones with Daleks is irrelevant, too.

      That show would have been much better if nothing had ever changed from the first episode. They should have just remade it over and over for years.

      --
      Don't blame me; I'm never given mod points.
    4. Re:stupid by MrWim · · Score: 0

      but what about davros? he ruled

    5. Re:stupid by TheTXLibra · · Score: 1

      Nah, the equivolent of Star Wars without Darth Vader would have been if they had remove The Master from Dr. Who. The Daleks, while a powerful force en masse, were individually unable to overcome even a tweed jacket draped hastily over them. The equivolent of Star Trek without the Klingons would probably be the best equivolent.

      --
      -The Libra
      "Please be patient--The future will begin momentarily."
    6. Re:stupid by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

      I think he counts as a Dalek. He was there creator and pretty much there prototype.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    7. Re:stupid by Atrax · · Score: 1

      > but what about davros? he ruled

      Of course he ruled, the Daleks were his big idea.

      Now, let's talk Linus.....

      --
      Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
    8. Re:stupid by the+real+darkskye · · Score: 1

      The Master created the Daleks? I was under the impression* that was Davros myself.
      As I understand it The Master is a rouge TimeLord and not associated directly with the Daleks.

      Unless of course you mean K9 created the Daleks in which case your sillyness has been noted.


      * Yes I know I'm uncultured and need re-educating, but fsck it, its the weekend ;)

      --
      Music is everybody's possession.
      It's only publishers who think that people own it.
      Fuck Beta
      ~John Lenno
    9. Re:stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      As I understand it The Master is a rouge TimeLord
      No, that's his natural colouring.
    10. Re:stupid by mshiltonj · · Score: 1

      star trek without klingons

      The Klingons are our friends now.

    11. Re:stupid by minator · · Score: 0

      Darth Vader was in neither The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones and they were both...

      Hmm, good point.

    12. Re:stupid by Anonymous+Writer · · Score: 1

      star wars without darth vader

      star trek without klingons

      Star wars without Jar Jar Binks... oh wait a minute...

    13. Re:stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "star wars without darth vader"

      Well, Lucas shot Vader's death scene without Dave Prowse, and may use CGI to put Hayden Bloody Christiansen in his re-re-worked effort, so yes, Star Wars without Vader indeed.

    14. Re:stupid by calethix · · Score: 1

      " > but what about davros? he ruled
      Of course he ruled, the Daleks were his big idea."


      Maybe the BBC could work out a deal with Davros then and still have the Daleks in the show. :)

    15. Re:stupid by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "star wars without darth vader"

      Hmmm. I recall the good Doctor still can fall back upon the Cybermen, the Sonatarans, the Autons, the Sillurians and Sea Devils, the Black Guardian, the Valleyard (sic), the Rani, the Monk, and THE MASTER as worthy opponents, not to mention the Time Lord High Council and the American Medical Association (hint hint, 7th Doctor's death).

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    16. Re:stupid by Mr.+No+Skills · · Score: 1

      Agreed! I hate "exterminate" at high volume by a Dalek. Nothing forces me to turn off the TV faster than my wife after hearing the Daleks coming down the hallway.

      --
      Sleep is for the Weak
    17. Re:stupid by dhalgren99 · · Score: 1

      "Star Wars without Darth Vader".

      It's been done, SpaceBalls Dark Helmet! :)

      See, it could work! :)

    18. Re:stupid by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 1

      And my alltime favorites (though we never saw them again?), the biological recycling insects from Andromeda Galaxy (so efficient were they in recycling waste that you could run electricity through the dead retina and get a passible image of the last thing the creature saw).

      --
      SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
    19. Re:stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Now, let's talk Linus.....

      Yeah. What's with that blue blanket he's always carrying around?

  6. Galactic overlords or not... by sfled · · Score: 3, Funny


    In most circles, staring is considered impolite. ...staring Christopher Eccleston and Billy Piper.

    --
    I'm not really a web designer, I just play one on the Internet.
    1. Re:Galactic overlords or not... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is Billie Piper

  7. similar to Star Trek by WormholeFiend · · Score: 1

    they eliminated the "fu manchu" klingons at some point too

  8. Huh? by Brie_Eye · · Score: 1

    What how can it be? they must be lying! there is'nt anything more frightening than a Dalek!

    1. Re:Huh? by Spudley · · Score: 1

      Not frightening; evil - big difference.

      --
      (Spudley Strikes Again!)
    2. Re:Huh? by stripyd · · Score: 1
      What how can it be? they must be lying! there is'nt anything more frightening than a Dalek!

      You are evidently not familiar with "Because We Want To" or the rest of Billie Piper's back catalogue...

    3. Re:Huh? by Atrax · · Score: 1

      What how can it be? they must be lying! there is'nt anything more frightening than a Dalek!

      pah. You haven't met my Mother In Law

      --
      Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
    4. Re:Huh? by Stone+Pony · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      And scariest of all, you haven't met Billy Piper's mother-in-law's son. Hideous!

    5. Re:Huh? by philbowman · · Score: 0

      Surely the scariest monster on TV is Billie Piper's husband Chris Evans?

      --
      Phil
  9. Eh? by 0x54524F4C4C · · Score: 0


    ...not being seeing TV's most evil villains in the new series...

    Man, the world is doomed when people(1) write things like that one..

    (1) using 'people' instead of 'idiots' to avoid the mod-down thing I'm so afraid of

  10. SUCKS!!! by torpor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The Daleks were one of the things that kept me going back for more, time and again, from Dr. Who.

    That and the short skirts of the companions too, of course, but ...

    You *CAN'T* call it Dr. Who if he's not battling the Daleks. Daleks are like, undeniably part of Dr. Who.

    Would you have put up with Star Wars without Darth?

    --
    ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
    1. Re:SUCKS!!! by AdrainB · · Score: 3, Funny

      James Bond has survived quite nicely without S.P.E.C.T.R.E. If it was up to me I would create an alien scurge that is so bad ass that their main claim to fame is that they completely wiped out the Daleks. This will do two things. It will create a greater challenge to Dr. Who and deny the Nation estate future revenue. It would serve them right.

    2. Re:SUCKS!!! by Mateito · · Score: 1

      > would you have put up with Star Wars without Darth?

      We already have: Episode I and Episode II.

      Any they both sucked.

      (No, this isn't a troll because its true).

      I actually have hopes for Episode III... but then I had hopes for the third Matrix movie as well.

    3. Re:SUCKS!!! by StalinsNotDead · · Score: 1

      If it was up to me I would create an alien scurge that is so bad ass that their main claim to fame is that they completely wiped out the Daleks.

      I think that's a decent idea to circumvent the restrictions on the use of the Dalleks. But would the show be allowed to even use the term "Dalek"? Are the producers restricted from even the mere mention of the race.
      Example:
      New Evil Villain(To hero)Your puny race is no match for our might. You shall crumble quicker than even those pitiful Daleks.

      --
      Thanks to the internet, we can now all die alone together! -SomeWoman
    4. Re:SUCKS!!! by mmusson · · Score: 1

      The early Dalek episodes touched on some nice themes (runaway technology, weapons of mass destruction, meglomania, Davros!!).

      But, I always preferred the episodes with the CyberMen. I can still remember how shocked I was when Adric died.

      --
      SYS 49152
    5. Re:SUCKS!!! by AnonymousKev · · Score: 1
      This looks like a job for Euphemism Writer Man!

      Altering your example:
      New Evil Villain(To hero)Your puny race is no match for our might. You shall die like[Note 1] that pitiful robot race. (Turns to New Evil Villain Sidekick) What were their names?
      New Evil Villain Sidekick: They were eliminated so fast, we never learned their names, m'lord.

      [Note 1] For bonus points, the actor can pronounce "die like" to sound like "Dalek".

      --
      Anonymous Kev
      Proudly posting as AC since 1997
      (Finally got a dang account in 2004)
    6. Re:SUCKS!!! by cmeans · · Score: 1
      Except that the main tennant of Dr. Who is that he is a time traveller. Killing off the Daleks in the future, would still leave those in the past. Plus, the Master would just go back in time, and bring some Daleks to the "future", just to piss Dr. Who off.

    7. Re:SUCKS!!! by AdrainB · · Score: 1

      They can imply it. In the beginning of "For Your Eyes Only", Bond dispatches a villian that resembles Blofeld (the head of S.P.E.C.T.R.E) even though they don't mention his name or the name of the organization.

    8. Re:SUCKS!!! by Wun+Hung+Lo · · Score: 1

      That and the short skirts of the companions too, of course, but ... Romana, Sarah Jane, Nyssa...proof that smart, geeky guys do get to be with the cute girls sometimes!

    9. Re:SUCKS!!! by base_chakra · · Score: 1

      You *CAN'T* call it Dr. Who if he's not battling the Daleks. Daleks are like, undeniably part of Dr. Who.

      I disagree. I think the series became way too preoccupied with the Daleks in the later years (after Colin Baker) to the detriment of the show. The Dalek's make easy plot fodder. For me, quintessential Doctor Who is about NEW encounters, NEW mysteries, and new reevaluations of spacetime in the Doctor Who universe.

      When the Dalek's took center stage, the show became even more centered on Earth (boring), and every interaction with the Daleks was hopelessly melodramatic. Amidst all that melodrama, every time the Doctor even spoke to a Dalek, the self-righteous tone just rubbed me the wrong way.

      Good riddance, Dalek franchise.

    10. Re:SUCKS!!! by Zoop · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but imagine Star Wars without whiny Anakin, and suddenly it doesn't seem so bad. Take out Jar-jar and you might have a good movie.

    11. Re:SUCKS!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, duh... thats the plot device you use when the Nation estate comes around to the idea of getting lots of cash from the series developers for use of the characters.

    12. Re:SUCKS!!! by Anonymous+Writer · · Score: 2, Funny

      proof that smart, geeky guys do get to be with the cute girls sometimes!

      Yes, on television where the girls are paid... actually, I suppose that does apply to real life as well.

    13. Re:SUCKS!!! by torpor · · Score: 1


      Davros rocks the boat as one of the most all-time evil entities in my universe. In my opinion, he deserves his own TV show.

      I'm gonna re-implement Dr. Who, Open Source like, and say a few things about the Daleks, Davros, and pretty much Only The Daleks.

      The Daleks Are The Superior Species!! You -cannot- destroy them!

      --
      ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
    14. Re:SUCKS!!! by torpor · · Score: 1

      ... dude, if you had your own tardis, don't tell me you wouldn't figure out how to use it to pick up the cutest girls in the galaxy, eventually ...

      --
      ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
    15. Re:SUCKS!!! by torpor · · Score: 1

      EXTERMINATE!! EXTERMINATE!!!

      You're not supposed to like them. You're supposed to obey them.

      oh well. i'll just have to make one of my own dalek fleets one day, then you'll see. you'll see.

      --
      ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
    16. Re:SUCKS!!! by grassy_knoll · · Score: 1
      Would you have put up with Star Wars without Darth?


      I'd happily put up with Star Wars without Jar-Jar.


      [badum-ching]

    17. Re:SUCKS!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That and the short skirts of the companions too, of course, but ... Romana, Sarah Jane, Nyssa

      You forgot Jamie, you insensitive clod!

      His skirts were the shortest. :-)

    18. Re:SUCKS!!! by tuffy · · Score: 1
      James Bond has survived quite nicely without S.P.E.C.T.R.E. If it was up to me I would create an alien scurge that is so bad ass that their main claim to fame is that they completely wiped out the Daleks.

      The Daleks already wiped themselves out at the end of season 4's "the Evil of the Daleks". It was, as the Doctor put it, "their final end." That didn't stop the writers from continuing to use them (presumably in stories set before the Daleks' final destruction). But in general, Doctor Who doesn't reuse villains all that often and should be able to make do without them if need be.

      Though for the sake of ratings, it'd be nice to have the homicidal pepper pots back once in awhile.

      --

      Ita erat quando hic adveni.

    19. Re:SUCKS!!! by Artifakt · · Score: 1

      So the evil master villians are so powerful they have editied all spacetime to remove every trace of those pathetic cone shaped robots with the plunger thingees - "Bwaahahahahaha! Not only are they gone, but it is as though they have never existed! In fact we purged them so thoroughly I forget their puny race's name!"

      --
      Who is John Cabal?
    20. Re:SUCKS!!! by demi · · Score: 1

      Or really, just a guy with a gun and a clear shot at Davros, at the right time. Actually, it would be a sort of interesting storyline to see the Doctor take out the Daleks once and for all--as I think he attempted to do once--by preventing their genesis, and examine the perhaps unintended consequences of such an action, such as an even worse yet royalty-free scourge taking their place.

      --
      demi
  11. Lets be honest by Timesprout · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The daleks trundling about would look pretty pathetic to modern kids.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
    1. Re:Lets be honest by sjwt · · Score: 1

      indeed,
      almost as pathetic as a guy in green bubble wrap
      sl;ithering along the ground looked to me as a kid in the early 80s.

      It sure as hell didnt stop me watching or enjoying the *story*

      --
      You have 5 Moderator Points!
      Which Helpless Linux zealot/MS basher do you want to mod down today?
    2. Re:Lets be honest by gadders · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's not true at all. The world is much more at risk from a Dalek invasion than it ever was in the 70's, due to the various ramps and lifts installed for people in wheelchairs. It's political correctness gone mad.

    3. Re:Lets be honest by Rethcir · · Score: 1

      I remember seeing some awesome concept art for the 96 fox TV movie they made of Dr. Who, with flying daleks and daleks whose cases unfolded into awesome-looking spider legs and stuff like that.. almost Megaman-ian. If the CGI budget was high enough, some of that stuff could be really effective at making our favorite salkshakers into the galactic ass-kickers they really are.

    4. Re:Lets be honest by Java+Pimp · · Score: 1, Funny

      The daleks trundling about would look pretty pathetic to modern kids.

      Eh, they'd just update them a little like they did with the Klingons. Make them a little more modern to the point they would be unwilling to discuss their heritage with outsiders.

      --
      Ascalante: Your bride is over 3,000 years old.
      Kull: She told me she was 19!
    5. Re:Lets be honest by grassy_knoll · · Score: 1
      The daleks trundling about would look pretty pathetic to modern kids.


      Well, if you left them just as they were 20+ years ago when I was watching them on PBS ( Yeah I know. Old. ) then sure. Same with the cybermen, the sontarans, et. al.


      In concept, the daleks could be GREAT villians. Genetically modified humans with squishy emotions ( charity, pity, mercy ) strained out. Armored and armed mobility device. Tell me a CGI / special effects group wouldn't go nuts with that.


      If you're convinced that a dalek just has to be a trash can with a plunger stuck out of it, perhaps you're right; kids won't get it. If, however, you update the daleks along with everything else they'd probably work well.

    6. Re:Lets be honest by mpe · · Score: 1

      The daleks trundling about would look pretty pathetic to modern kids.

      Which version of the daleks? The design changed thoughout the series, especially the weapons effects.
      To make them scary all you need to show is that they arn't the slighest bit bothered by most human weapons.

    7. Re:Lets be honest by Artifakt · · Score: 1

      Someone designed a Dalek skin for characters in Quake 2, and it prompted someone else to design the Spider-Dalek version. I always just assumed that was from the later years of Dr. Who and not an original idea, but put 8 scythe like legs on a hemisphere with a Dalek upper torso, and you should be able to get modern kids peeing their jammies every time they hear "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

      --
      Who is John Cabal?
    8. Re:Lets be honest by Kadmos · · Score: 1

      Not only are we more at risk from a Dalek invasion, but with all the plastics factories we have nowdays I am fearful the Nestenes will have another go at Earth.

      Dr Who Website

  12. For the best? by gilesjuk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In some ways it is for the best. It hold back the progression of a TV series if all you do is recreate yet another encounter with the Daleks.

    Perhaps something along the lines of the Borg could be used. The cybermen but a lot more evil. I'm sure someone must have some good ideas.

    1. Re:For the best? by WormholeFiend · · Score: 0

      or the new Cylons in the Battlestar Galactica pilot?

    2. Re:For the best? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In some ways it is for the best. It hold back the progression of a TV series if all you do is recreate yet another encounter with the Daleks.

      Perhaps something along the lines of the Borg could be used. The cybermen but a lot more evil. I'm sure someone must have some good ideas.


      Our friend Darl will be available pretty soon.

    3. Re:For the best? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Bah! The borg are a shameless ripoff of the cybermen anyway! The cybermen were abducting people and replacing bits of them to make them into more cybermen 20 years before the borg even showed up!

    4. Re:For the best? by AndroidCat · · Score: 1, Funny
      The cybermen but a lot more evil.

      The Cybermen could be made a lot more evil. Just take their mouth slots and bend them up a bit at the edges.

      There! Smiling Cybermen. How's that?

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    5. Re:For the best? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The new Daleks will have breasts?

    6. Re:For the best? by TheTXLibra · · Score: 1, Funny
      Having been a long-time fan of Dr. Who (God Bless Tom Baker, the REAL Doctor), I have always felt that the best villains were the more subtle varieties. A Hive-Mind species just isn't that scary because the Doctor can easily outwit Daleks with a tweed jacket draped over them, or stop the Cybermen with a clever pun and the extinction of dinosaurs.

      • Obviously, The Master was among the best villains, along with The Rani. Teamed up, they made a formidable force. Heck, it took an equally brilliant mind, Adrick to break up their little duo. However, the Master is supposedly dead for certain, and I can't remember what became of The Rani... so we can't use them.
      • Since The Doctor can time travel, and has a fascination with Earth, I recommend pitting him against the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Castro, and The I.R.S.
      • Since computer generated graphics have become considerably cheaper, perhaps rather than limiting themselves to what monsters can be made with foil, cardboard boxes, and 200-watt light bulbs, they can now try something like having him fight a race of aliens with powers similar to the X-Men's Nightcrawler, like super-speed, teleportation, and stuff like that. Not terribly difficult to do, even on a tight budget, and makes for a very difficult to vanquish villain.
      • Actually, they could even tie in to other movies as well, with a bit of a licensing deal. The Doctor could fight The Predator or The Aliens. That would be sweet. I'd actually start a betting pool on THAT episode.
      • and lastly, his greatest accomplishment, going back in time and offing George Lucas before he could create Jar Jar Binks.
      --
      -The Libra
      "Please be patient--The future will begin momentarily."
    7. Re:For the best? by Aggrazel · · Score: 1

      The Master ... dead for certain?

      Ah.. but you're not thinking 4th dimentionally....

    8. Re:For the best? by WormholeFiend · · Score: 1

      it'd be better than those knobs, in any case...

    9. Re:For the best? by frovingslosh · · Score: 1
      # However, the Master is supposedly dead for certain, and I can't remember what became of The Rani... so we can't use them.

      # Since The Doctor can time travel, and has a fascination with Earth, I recommend pitting him against .... So since the doctor can time travel and lame stories can be writen about the Doctor and Hitler, why in the world would you suggest that the Doctor can't fight the Master again, just because the Master is dead? All Time Lords don't have to travel in the same time stream, after all (even though for the most part the writers have kept things simple by having that happen, as well as the last forty years of Earth history too). But the Master before he reached his final regeneration could certainly have run into a "present day" Doctor during his own travels in time.

      --
      I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
    10. Re:For the best? by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "Perhaps something along the lines of the Borg could be used. The cybermen but a lot more evil. I'm sure someone must have some good ideas."

      Excuse me, but where do you think the TREK gods got the idea for the Borg? Here's a hint, it didn't come to them from meditating about the ether. The Borg are a total ripoff of the Cybermen with a different design to cut down on liability issues. The Cybermen were human from Earth's twin planet. They began enhancing theirselves with cybernetics until they decided to become completely mechanical because they felt it made them a superior race. They assimilate other humanoids. Now think back; the Cybermen debuted on Doctor Who back in the 1960s. The Borg were introduced to TREK in the late 80s.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    11. Re:For the best? by PhotoBoy · · Score: 1

      The Cybermen were always my favourite recurring baddies so I'd be very glad to see them back.

      It's the way they remove your eyes, skin and limbs and stick you in one of their silver suits, with a computer controlling your body so you have no way of escaping the continual agony that made them so scary to me as a child.

      Plus they will crush a limb or pull an arm out of its socket if you don't do what they tell you. At least with the Daleks it's usually over after they yell "Exterminate!" at you.

      Admittedly some of this description has come from the novels, they couldn't get away with all that on Saturday afternoons. :)

    12. Re:For the best? by TheTXLibra · · Score: 1

      Oi! 2 responses.

      1.) Hence the use of the word "supposedly". I never said it was absolute.
      2.) I think it could possibly be done, but they'd have to involve the Time Scoop of Rassilon, which I think was destroyed at some point.

      --
      -The Libra
      "Please be patient--The future will begin momentarily."
    13. Re:For the best? by wolverine1999 · · Score: 1

      I've always liked crossovers...
      I would like to see crossover movies. Impossible? Never say never. Assuming the licensing deal can be done, why not?

    14. Re:For the best? by Lemmeoutada+Collecti · · Score: 1

      True, that would also not be the first time the Doctor crossed time streams (Three Doctors, Five Doctors, Two Doctors)... I would love to see the Master team up with himself against the Doctor gone bad (or at least seeming to) and end up in a Two Masters type scenario...

      --

      You can have it fast, accurate, or pretty. Pick any 2.
    15. Re:For the best? by Feneric · · Score: 1

      I see the Borg as being pretty heavily Cyberman-inspired anyway. All the stuff with biological entities being semi-mechanized, losing their individuality, having their culture wiped out, etc. was all treated by the earliest of Cyberman episodes.

      While I'm hardly a trekkie (so any trekkies out there please feel free to correct me on these points) I see only a few differences between Cybermen and the Borg:

      • The Cybermen throw away more organic matter in the transformation process and thus look more mechanical.
      • The Cyber process is completely irreversable, even when it isn't too far along.
      • While Cybermen are definitely hive type creatures the Borg are more so.
      • In the Doctor Who Universe, the Cybermen are not particularly successful and are generally considered abominations to be hunted down by all other life forms while in the Trek Universe the Borg do pretty well for themselves.
    16. Re:For the best? by dbIII · · Score: 1
      Perhaps something along the lines of the Borg could be used.
      Didn't they become cute and fluffy like everthing else in trek?
    17. Re:For the best? by dbIII · · Score: 1
      I recommend pitting him against the likes of ... The I.R.S.
      They couldn't deal with Ron Hubbard and can't tax Hollywood (eg. Batman and Forrest Gump lost money on paper) - no contest.
  13. No Daleks for now by hal2814 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There might not be Daleks right now, but I gaurantee you that if Dr. Who becomes a hit, the Beeb will gladly pony up the cash to the Nation estate for rights to the Daleks.

    Personally, there are few Dalek stories I like (Genesis, Day of, the 7th Doctor one) so I'm glad to see they won't be returning. I tend to prefer non-recurring villans.

    1. Re:No Daleks for now by cmdr_forge · · Score: 1

      Agree they are going to come up with more interesting stories....I think the Daleks have been over run for now. I want to see some of the more interesting villians that never got reocurring roles like the dominators.

    2. Re:No Daleks for now by mark-t · · Score: 1
      Did you read the article?

      It wasn't a monetary issue. The Nation estate wanted a level of editorial control over the Daleks that the BBC would not agree to.

      I have to wonder what the Beeb had in mind for the Daleks that they weren't willing to allow the same level of editorial control that Terry Nation had always enjoyed previously.

    3. Re:No Daleks for now by hal2814 · · Score: 1

      It's always a monetary issue. There is a price at which the Nation estate will let the Daleks perfom Hitler on Ice with the Spice Girls on the New Worzel Gummidge Show starring Jon Pertwee's corpse without any input from the Nation estate whatsoever. That price is probably very high, but if the Beeb can take a popular entity from a newly popular (assuming Dr. Who does take off) show and give the new writers the leeway to do what they like with it, they might be willing to pay that price.

    4. Re:No Daleks for now by Anonymous+Writer · · Score: 1

      if Dr. Who becomes a hit, the Beeb will gladly pony up the cash to the Nation estate for rights to the Daleks.

      More like the Nation estate will come crawling on their knees for a piece of the pie.

    5. Re:No Daleks for now by mark-t · · Score: 1
      Care to cite your sources for that tidbit? Or were you just making that all up?

      The fact that they said that they "simply wanted the same level of editorial control they had previously" suggests to me that it was _not_ monetary. What, within the information that we have been provided, and without making any assumptions about human psychology which are not directly supported by this or other articles specifically related to this issue, suggests to you that this is really about the bottom line? Just because that's "always" the way it is? Substitute "usually" for "always", and you'd be right... but then that means that it's only possibly monetary, not that it _is_. The fact that the article didn't mention a thing about money or compensation being the issue, and the choice of words in the article... "unable to reach an agreement on terms of use" even further reduces that probability, IMO. If it had been a monetary issue, but the article wanted to play that down, I think it would have been worded differently... something to the effect of the BBC being unable to procure the rights from the Nation estate, rather than saying they weren't able to agree on terms of use.

    6. Re:No Daleks for now by hal2814 · · Score: 1

      "Care to cite your sources for that tidbit? Or were you just making that all up?"

      I think you're misunderstanding me. I am simply making the point that there is always a price that can be paid. That price might be ridiculously high, but it does always exist. For example, I have no intention of selling my home. I built it myself and it's exactly what I want and where I want it, but if someone came around and offered me $10 million for it, it's as good as sold. Likewise, the Nation estate is squabbling with the BBC over creative control, but if BBC offered the Nation Estate enough money, they would forget all about creative control. Just ask the Rolling Stones who claimed they would never sell their songs to advertisers.

  14. We have created a new enemy for the Doctor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    In the new version, Davros puts the Dalek bioplasm into Roombas. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate all dirt in deep pile!

    1. Re:We have created a new enemy for the Doctor by freelunch · · Score: 1

      Nice. Please mod parent up.

    2. Re:We have created a new enemy for the Doctor by freeze128 · · Score: 0

      "Your vacuum cleaner exterminated my pants.... There was nothing I could do."

    3. Re:We have created a new enemy for the Doctor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, leave off Davros. He wasn't that nasty. Even Stephen Hawking likes him.

    4. Re:We have created a new enemy for the Doctor by Captain+Nitpick · · Score: 1
      In the new version, Davros puts the Dalek bioplasm into Roombas. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate all dirt in deep pile!
      I think Pete Abrams beat you to that one.
      --
      But then again, I could be wrong.
  15. Am I turning into a /. spelling nazi? by merlin_jim · · Score: 1, Informative

    star - may refer to an actor of prime importance to a production, t perform the duties thereof
    stare - to gaze intently

    staring = to stare in the present perfect tense
    starring = to star in the present perfect tense

    --
    I am disrespectful to dirt! Can you see that I am serious?!
  16. Re:Billy Piper? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Yes, her. It's been known for quite a while now. What's it like living under a rock anyway?

  17. Sounds great to me by Megane · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I think we've already got more than enough of the Daleks in reruns. They may be the number one bad guys, and rather popular with the fanbase, but they're hardly integral to the series like Gallifrey and the Time Lords (and Earth!) are. Time to move on to other bad guys and other problems with time and space. I'd rather see more of The Brigadier, even though I know he's getting a bit on in the years.

    --
    #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    1. Re:Sounds great to me by hal2814 · · Score: 1

      "...hardly integral to the series like Gallifrey and the Time Lords (and Earth!) are."

      Don't tell that to William Hartnell.

    2. Re:Sounds great to me by Rethcir · · Score: 1

      Yeah, they should definitely bring back UNIT for the contemporary-earth stories. The hard-nosed military officer versus the enlightened-but-neurotic scientist concept worked well for the show. I also loved the quote by the Brigadeer, "Why can't we meet some aliens who aren't invulnerable to bullets?"

    3. Re:Sounds great to me by mikael · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'd rather see more of The Brigadier, even though I know he's getting a bit on in the years.

      U.N.I.T was dismantled due to government cutbacks. The battle against alien invasions has been outsourced to private contractors who charge an upfront of 50% before fighting, and the remaining 50% after successfully defeating the invasion force. The rate will double if ther is more than one invasion force. An additional danger fee will also be charged if the aliens are coming from an hyperdimensional portal, stargate, wormhole or other form of interstellar travel. Any fighting on the other side of the portal will be billed separately.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    4. Re:Sounds great to me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Note that the actual fighting of aliens has been tendered out to 18 different companies, depending on type of alien, point of first invasion, particular alien plot (eg galactic domination vs a simple extermination of the human race). It is the supply and maintenance of equipment, together with project schedule estimates for the fighting, that remains under the control of a single company (under a watchdog known as Ofworld).

    5. Re:Sounds great to me by meringuoid · · Score: 1
      They SAY that UNIT was disbanded. It's a lie! In fact the funding and many of the personnel were transferred to the X-COM project after the disappearance of the Doctor.

      In the late 1990s X-COM was merged with the American MAJESTIC intelligence organsation and the Japanese engineering research group NERV to form a coordinated defence against alien threats. This is the context in which the Doctor is finally making his return... ooh, it's going to be good!

      --
      Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
    6. Re:Sounds great to me by wolverine1999 · · Score: 1

      Gallifrey was destroyed in the recent Doctor Who BBC Books together with most Time Lords.

      I think the books will be ignored completely by the new production.

  18. More than money by voice+of+unreason · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually, money isn't behind this fallout. Basically, when Terry Nation died, he was pissed of at the BBC, and pretty much didn't want them to have the Daleks under most circumstances. So I'm not surprised that the estate is being picky.

    As for the new show, I don't think the lack of Daleks will really hurt it. If you watch the old shows, they had a pretty big variety of popular villians. The Daleks didn't appear in most episodes. The BBC still has lots of other classic villians they can use, like cybermen, autons, the Black Guardian, and the Master, who was always popular. They also had some great baddies that were only on for one storyline, like Sutekh or the Tractators. Really, though, they should also be making up new villians and characters as well, not just using old ones.

    1. Re:More than money by eggboard · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The Master was pretty fantastic: always on the verge of total defeat and total success, such as when he almost destroyed the universe (at least once or twice) in his attempt to control it. Actually, Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter books has a clear lineage in the Master.

      --
      Freelance tech journalist for the Economist, MIT Technology Review, Macworld, and others
    2. Re:More than money by BigBadBus · · Score: 4, Informative
      But if Nation was pissed off with the BBC, why did his lawyers (Roger Hancock) allow the VHS and DVD releases of Blakes 7? Incidentally, I believe that the rights to that series have now reverted to another group with the intention of updating it.

      I'm not sure editorial control is the reason why the Daleks use in the new Dr.Who show was vetoed. If you recall, and you live in the UK, there was an advert showing the Daleks wandering around a shopping mall with a group of tambourine banging hippies saying "WE LOVE YOU!"

      Also, in the past, Hancock have said that they will allow Daleks to appear in shows etc., but ONLY if they don't say anything. I think the reason for this is because the look of the Daleks is retained by the BBC, but what they say and do is retained by the creator.

      I suspect the reason for the Daleks being booted out is simple - money. Hancock have been well known, allegedly, for demanding huge pots of money for the use of the Daleks. Thats why it took so long to get the remaining Dalek stories novelised - and why Eric Saward had refused to do the two outstanding stories that he wrote (Nation's lawyers wanted something like 75% of the profits of the book ISTR). Hancock also came down heavy on a fan magazine in the 1980s who produced a photonovel of the missing story "The Power of the Daleks". Despite the money from the novel going to charity, Hancock wanted a lot of cash, until Gary Levy, the editor of the magazine reminded Hancock that Nation wrote the script, and that surely the designer (Raymond Cusick) and script editor (David Whittaker) deserved equal credit as they were both instrumental in the success of the Daleks, but whom, as BBC staff, were not eligible to receive a penny in royalties from the tinpot meanies.

    3. Re:More than money by DavidBrown · · Score: 1

      I agree. I always thought that the Sontarans could kick Dalek ass any day of the week - especially the members of the Sontaran Special Space Services (the SSSS).

      --
      144l. ph34r my 133t l3g4l 5k1lz!
    4. Re:More than money by Rethcir · · Score: 1

      They should do something with the Sontarans and their eternal struggle against that other race they were fighting against.. if i recall correctly they were the same as the blobby green shapeshifter that the Doctor and Leela (in a hot sweater) fought in that lighthouse once. Doctor who is such a great geek show!

    5. Re:More than money by BigBadBus · · Score: 1
      Oh yes, the Rutans!

    6. Re:More than money by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      The best part about The Master was that they always had excellent actors playing him.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    7. Re:More than money by BigBadBus · · Score: 1
      From the BBC Website:

      The BBC spokeswoman said: "The BBC offered the very best deal possible but ultimately we were not able to give the level of editorial influence that the Terry Nation estate wished to have."

      But an agent for the Nation estate accused the BBC of ignoring copyright laws and said the corporation was trying to "ruin the brand of the Daleks".

      Agent Tim Hancock, who represents the Nation estate, said: "We wanted the same level of control over the Daleks that we have enjoyed for the last 40 years.

      "If the BBC wanted to re-make any of George Lucas' films, you can bet George Lucas would have something to say about it. "

      Mr Hancock accused the BBC of lying about the reasons a deal had not been made.

      He said the BBC had tried to commission a cartoon series about gay Daleks for BBC Three.

      He also said the corporation had allowed Warner Bros to use the Daleks in the recent movie Loony Tunes without consulting the Terry Nation estate.

      "We want to protect the integrity of the brand," he said.

      Mr Hancock said the estate would be willing to make a new deal if the BBC accepted the arrangement that had been in place for the last 40 years.

      One problem, Mr.Hancock. George Lucas is very much alive. Mr.Nation is dead.

    8. Re:More than money by voice+of+unreason · · Score: 1

      Yeah, they should definitely bring back the Master. remember, since he's a time lord, they can have any actor they want play him. Hopefully they'll get someone good at being menacing and psychotic. After all, this is a villian who habitually killed the family members of the Doctor's sidekicks.

    9. Re:More than money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "We wanted the same level of control over the Daleks that we have enjoyed for the last 40 years"

      So the Nation Estate is actually Dalek Command.

      the BBC had tried to commission a cartoon series about gay Daleks for BBC Three.

      Worked for Star Wars...

    10. Re:More than money by koogydelbbog · · Score: 1

      was there more than one? i only remember anthony ainley and he died recently:

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/cult/news/dr wh o/2004/05/10/10973.shtml

    11. Re:More than money by I_M_Noman · · Score: 2, Informative
      was there more than one? i only remember anthony ainley and he died recently
      Roger Delgado was the original Master.
    12. Re:More than money by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "Also, in the past, Hancock have said that they will allow Daleks to appear in shows etc., but ONLY if they don't say anything. I think the reason for this is because the look of the Daleks is retained by the BBC, but what they say and do is retained by the creator."

      Okay, so how much money do you think the Nation estate pocketed from the 1996 Fox/Universal/BBC Worldwide Doctor Who telefilm? You could hear the Daleks during the intro when the Master was executed on Skaro. Then when the 8th Doctor figured out the Master was still alive, he mentioned the Daleks had lured him into the trap. So in the telefilm, you could hear the Daleks - but you could not see them - and they were mentioned by name.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    13. Re:More than money by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "I agree. I always thought that the Sontarans could kick Dalek ass any day of the week - especially the members of the Sontaran Special Space Services (the SSSS)."

      Star Trek Voyager already used the Sontaran design for a race of creatures they encountered (I believe) in their last season. Call it borrowing, ripoff, or an homage. Of course, Enterprise also had a spacecraft on it that was "bigger on the inside than the outside" and they even said that famous line in the dialogue (Trip said it).

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    14. Re:More than money by voice+of+unreason · · Score: 1

      Not counting the terrible made for tv movie, there were 3 Masters. First, they had Roger Delgado. Then he died, so they had the Master be disfigured, and wear a rubber mask. Then they had him steal the body of Nyssa's father, Anthony Ainley.

    15. Re:More than money by Swami · · Score: 1
      I suspect the reason for the Daleks being booted out is simple - money. Hancock have been well known, allegedly, for demanding huge pots of money for the use of the Daleks.
      Would that be huge pepperpots of money?
    16. Re:More than money by mpe · · Score: 1

      But if Nation was pissed off with the BBC, why did his lawyers (Roger Hancock) allow the VHS and DVD releases of Blakes 7?

      There are a couple of differences. One is that Nation wrote the entire first series of B7. The other is that it was about 12 years later. So the arrangements between Nation and the BBC are probably different.

    17. Re:More than money by mpe · · Score: 1

      The Master was pretty fantastic: always on the verge of total defeat and total success, such as when he almost destroyed the universe (at least once or twice) in his attempt to control it. Actually, Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter books has a clear lineage in the Master.

      The other parallel is coming back from the almost dead.

    18. Re:More than money by FreckledGruntBuggly · · Score: 1

      The Master was the biggest loser in the American movie episode. They had the evil about right, but missed an essential element of his character. He may have been a real rotter, but at every point and in both incarnations he always behaved like a gentleman. He was polite to the girls even while he was lining up the laser beams, and he made a point of never actually breaking his word. His personal honour was important to him, despite his ambitions. The American version was totally wrong, being little more than a smart thug.

  19. Cybermen? by British · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wonder if they will bring back the Cybermen, or skip it in worry that it would pale in comparison to the borg.

    Other than that, I can't think of any major villan race that would have the potential to be broughtr back.

    Maybe the Sontarans? If so, give them bigger looking guns. I always thought they should have a magazine that clips underneath it.

    Sad about the Daleks though, that was one villan race that was so incredibly well-tied to the Doctor Who series.

    Just please don't let the series have any resemblence to the 1996 FOX movie. The only thing it had in common with the series was Sylvester McCoy.

    1. Re:Cybermen? by FraggedSquid · · Score: 1

      Well as the cybermen where there before the Borg were a twinkle in a Star Terk plot device writers eye, I would guess that the BBC is safe on this one.
      As long as they have corridors and wobbly sets we will all feel at home.

      --
      You don't need a lab to make mud.
    2. Re:Cybermen? by SpinyManiac · · Score: 1

      I know this is off topic, but I always though the borg were copied from Dio video "The Last in Line".

      Zombie looking humanoids with gadgets and tubes everywhere...

      --
      It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
    3. Re:Cybermen? by downix · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't think there will be an issue with the Pedler estate for rights to the Cybermen, and I know Mr. Davis would love to see them back. (Kit Pedler and Gary Davis created them) As for not being "kick-assed" enough, due to budget limits, the true scope of the original concept was never pushed to it's limits. At their root, the Cybermen are more terrifying than the Borg. With the Borg, a human conciousness is crushed by the collective. With the Cybermen, they re-program you so that you don't *want* to be something else. The borg retain what you are, making it part of them. The Cybermen, by contrast, changes what you are so that you are now one of them.

      --
      Karma Whoring for Fun and Profit.
    4. Re:Cybermen? by KnightStalker · · Score: 1

      Visually, the borg don't really resemble the cybermen, who look like people in foil jumpsuits, wearing rugby helmets with vacuum cleaner tubes stuck on. But compare the dialogue: "You will help us. You will be like us. Resistance is useless." -- Cybermen

      --
      * And remember, it's spelled N-e-t-s-c-a-p-e, but it's pronounced "Mozilla."
    5. Re:Cybermen? by British · · Score: 1

      one of the nice variants on the cybermen story was the "brotherhood of logicians" who wanted to join forces with the cybermen. Naturally, the cybermen just wanted to assimilate, um, i mean "reprogram" them. (tomb of the cybermen).

    6. Re:Cybermen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In The Moonbase (~1967), a Cyberman actually says "Resistance is Futile".

      Fun fact...

  20. Short Borg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe they could get permission to use the Borg. Short ones. With wheels instead of legs. And with annoying voices. "You will be assimilated! Assimilate! Assimilate!"

    1. Re:Short Borg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought you were talking about the Gentoo-philes ;-)

    2. Re:Short Borg by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      Wheels, annoying voices .. The Gnikwah Nehpets!

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    3. Re:Short Borg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Q: What's the best way to defend your planet from being taken over by the Dalek's?

      A: Stairs.

  21. In place of Daleks... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Chunk is about the right shape.

    What's scarier than an evil half-chicken, half-skunk?!?

  22. Cheap Replacement Villan... by cyb3rllama · · Score: 0

    Who needs the Daleks? I'm sure they can get Darph Nader from Hardware Wars at half the price.

    "But Basketball is a peaceful planet!"

    --

    particlesphere.com - quantum
  23. fools.. by spacerodent · · Score: 3, Insightful

    For a series that old I'd have taken whatever money was offered. In another 10-20 years most the people who know about it will be dead and the brand name will have zero value.

    1. Re:fools.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I don't plan on dying quite that young.

    2. Re:fools.. by hal2814 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "most the people who know about it will be dead"

      If I remember correctly, the series ran new episodes until 1989. Now I can remember some shows I watched from back when I was 3 or 4 years old (Dave Allen at Large, Paul Hogan Show). So to be a fan, I'm assuming you would have to watch at least two seasons. I was a fan of Family Guy after two seasons. 4 (yrs old) + 2 (yrs to be a fan) = 6. 1989 - 6 (total years of age required) = 1983. So someone born in 1983 could potentially be a fan of the show and that's assuming you would only be a fan if you saw the episodes when they were new. Most 21 year olds will be alive and well in 10-20 years.

      Even a fan from the 1970's (I'll assume fan in 1970 and born in 1966 here) will only be 48 - 58 years old in 10-20 years and that would be a fan during the shows peak years.

      Dr. Who is an old show, but I think that if it were going to fall to the asheap of history any time soon, it would already have done so in the 1990's when the show was pulled.

    3. Re:fools.. by dan+dan+the+dna+man · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Hmm I watched it when I was a kid. I'm 30. I hope I've got more than a 20 year lifespan left.. cheers!

      --
      I don't read your sig, why do you read mine?
    4. Re:fools.. by Sv1ad · · Score: 1

      Never mind the fiction....
      Being born in 1982 and living in Australia (so lapse the broadcast dates a couple of years) I don't remember seeing Dr Who until I was about 5 and even then I have sketchy memories of the show.
      I only became a fan after I started reading the Virgin New Adventures and the Missing Adventures, then the BBC novels and so on.
      Now that the ABC is re-screening all of the Dr Who episodes from the Frist Doctor onwards I'm watching as much as I can.
      Of course the drawback is that we missed out on THE WHOLE TEN EPISODES OF THE WAR GAMES because it had one shot of a godsdamn Dalek....

  24. Patently obvious by keoghp · · Score: 1

    Well... thats it then. We might as well all pack up and go home.

    The Daleks are as good as patented.

    What I want to know though is... do they know that?

    I can remember, as a young lad, cowering behind the sofa on a saturday afternoon.

    --
    For problems, seek only the simplest solution, complexity brings with it more problems.
    1. Re:Patently obvious by hoggoth · · Score: 1

      > I can remember, as a young lad, cowering behind the sofa on a saturday afternoon.

      You should have cowered up on top of the sofa instead of behind it, where those stupid tin cans couldn't have reached you. Or stood on a step ladder. Or gone upstairs.

      --
      - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
    2. Re:Patently obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He wasn't cowering from the Daleks... his father was walking around with his whopper in his hand... "c'mere keoghp, got something to show ya".

    3. Re:Patently obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Me Too.

      I began hiding behind the sofa towards the end of the first episode (I remember it well), and kept on hiding that way for years.

      A couple of years ago I got a surprise to come home and find my son hiding behind the sofa, watching a re-run. He (and I) never hid behind the sofa for anything other than Dr. Who. Strange.

      And a glimpse of a dalek still gives me goosebumps.

  25. Re:am I the only one saying by mirko · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't know but I read that there'd be a remake of soem tv serie : Doctor Who.
    Here's the closest clue of what Dr Who is I have.

    And here's a Java port of the game Daleks which I used to practice on my Atari ST.

    So I guess it's about robots and retro-sci-fi.

    --
    Trolling using another account since 2005.
  26. I've studied the Dalek's at length... by Call+Me+Black+Cloud · · Score: 5, Funny


    ...at this site and I can see Dr. Who's problem. Without the Daleks, what new peril's will Dr. Who face if he's matched against a villian that could chase him up a ladder or through a narrow passage? If I ran the estate of Terry Nation I'd come to terms with the BBC before the BBC realizes "TV's most evil villians" are a cross between a shuttlecock and a salt shaker.

    1. Re:I've studied the Dalek's at length... by Call+Me+Black+Cloud · · Score: 1

      Usually I'm very good about punctuation - I can't believe I wrote "peril's". I always preview my posts too. I attribute it to the fact that I'm at work trying to quickly type comments in a tiny window while dealing with people walking up to talk to me. Were there other mistakes or just the one? Are you a grammar nazi or just a Dr. Who fanboy? Next time, please, stand behind your words and don't post anonymously.

    2. Re:I've studied the Dalek's at length... by sparkywonderchicken · · Score: 0

      Well the Borg weren't olympic athletes either even if you count the special olympics. But geeks loved them just fine. Now the monsters in Alien series....

  27. Re:New Villians! by REBloomfield · · Score: 1

    erm... except that there were no daleks before Doctor Who. There blatanty was with elves and dwarves.....

  28. Yay! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Oh comon, we're not missing out on much. The Daleks were rubbish. This isn't to troll, it's simply giving my opinion that these Daleks were the worst "villains" I could comprehend, you can't even watch to laugh AT the programming for too long because you grow so bored.

    I for one am happy this has fallen through, I'd hate to see the BBC waste money on such dead-and-buried shows.

  29. Hardly by mccalli · · Score: 5, Interesting
    ...but most artists alive wish only to impact the world, by sharing their life-blood with the public -- forget the bottom line.

    It's a nice, romantic view but it isn't the case here. Terry Nation had a serious falling out with the BBC over control and payments, and continually refused the BBC permission to use them. I believe various other monsters are involved as well - a true Whovian will be able to fill the details in here, as opposed to myself who just watches the programmes on cable sometimes.

    Plus, the BBC doesn't have a very good record with Daleks. There aren't very many working models left, and when the BBC borrowed one from the Dr Who Exhibition in Llangollen (now back in Blackpool after god know's hoow many years) they managed to damage it.

    Nope, I'm not at all surprised by this decision. And to be honest, I'm not all bothered either. It would be nice for a bit of continuity I suppose, but really I'm sure they can find more villians to go up against.

    More worrying to me is the idea of 50 minute stand-alone episodes, rather than maybe half-hour installments that you had before. I really feel they need to keep the cliffhangers that used to typify the series.

    Cheers,
    Ian

    1. Re:Hardly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Plus, the BBC doesn't have a very good record with Daleks. There aren't very many working models left
      Surely they could make a new one? I've got some washing-up liquid bottles, toilet roll tubes and sticky-back plastic I could let them have at cost.
    2. Re:Hardly by Gordonjcp · · Score: 5, Interesting
      There used to be (5-6 years ago) a Dalek as part of the window display of a garage in Elgin. I used to go past it on my way from Aberdeen to Inverness. I stopped in once, and asked the owner. He said it was a real Dalek, rescued from being disposed of by the BBC.


      Last time I went past, it was an outdoor clothing shop (wtf?). Didn't see the Dalek, but it might be worth chasing.

    3. Re:Hardly by Atrax · · Score: 2, Interesting

      > There used to be (5-6 years ago) a Dalek as part of the window display of a garage in Elgin

      There was a shop in Clerkenwell (London) that had one, opposite where I used to work. Either the BBC made a hell of a lot of them or they've been breeding while we weren't looking. There are a few floating round Australia now, having seen a couple at the Powerhouse a while back.

      I think maybe everyone who can make a passable replica does the throwaway "genuine dalek" thing.

      --
      Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
    4. Re:Hardly by DoubleEdd · · Score: 1

      There's certainly a few genuine ones around. I believe a hotel in Torquay or somewhere has one. They're probably easily distinguished from replicas by whether you can actually fit a small man inside to operate it.

    5. Re:Hardly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Plus, the BBC doesn't have a very good record with Daleks. There aren't very many working models left, and when the BBC borrowed one from the Dr Who Exhibition in Llangollen (now back in Blackpool after god know's hoow many years) they managed to damage it.

      Well, all due respect, but I'd think a classroom full of 10-year-olds with some trashcans and art supplies could cobble together a reasonable replacement.

    6. Re:Hardly by c64cryptoboy · · Score: 1
      Terry Nation had a serious falling out with the BBC over control and payments, and continually refused the BBC permission to use them.

      I believe that's why Colin Baker was lamenting in "Doctor Who - The Colin Baker Years" that a clip from "Revelation of the Daleks" could not be shown.

      Plus, the BBC doesn't have a very good record with Daleks. There aren't very many working models left, and when the BBC borrowed one from the Dr Who Exhibition in Llangollen (now back in Blackpool after god know's hoow many years) they managed to damage it.

      Uhhh... are they that hard to make?

      --
      I put the 'fun' in fundamentalism
    7. Re:Hardly by HughsOnFirst · · Score: 1

      So how is it that the estate can halt the use of the Daleks but can't halt the entire series?

    8. Re:Hardly by mccalli · · Score: 3, Interesting
      So how is it that the estate can halt the use of the Daleks but can't halt the entire series?

      Terry Nation claims to have come up with the Daleks himself*, but he was a hired writer for the series at the time. I don't know what deal they had, but it seemed he kept more control over his own ideas than the BBC probably thought they'd allowed him.

      * There are many arguments about this. A number of people suggest that technicians working on the show actually came up with the Dalek design.

      Cheers,
      Ian

    9. Re:Hardly by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "It's a nice, romantic view but it isn't the case here. Terry Nation had a serious falling out with the BBC over control and payments, and continually refused the BBC permission to use them. I believe various other monsters are involved as well - a true Whovian will be able to fill the details in here, as opposed to myself who just watches the programmes on cable sometimes. Plus, the BBC doesn't have a very good record with Daleks. There aren't very many working models left, and when the BBC borrowed one from the Dr Who Exhibition in Llangollen (now back in Blackpool after god know's hoow many years) they managed to damage it."

      Terry Nation originally tried to create a "Daleks" show here in the U.S. back in the 60s but he failed to get a contract.

      As for Daleks still in existence, there's one sitting atop the giant fridge inside Pizza Schmizza in Portland, Oregon. Its one of the Daleks from the Peter Cushing Doctor Who films...

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    10. Re:Hardly by e6003 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Terry Nation (and hence his estate) owns the rights to the Daleks 50/50 with the BBC. On a handul of Dalek episodes that were not written by Nation he is either credited as "Daleks Created By Terry Nation", or, if this credit was omitted, a voice over announcement to the effect was made. Such announcements can be heard on off-air audio recordings of some 60s Dalek stories. The designer who created the first physical Dalek from Nation's ideas (one Raymond Cusick) got (in 1963) 250 and a pat on the back, as I believe he has said in several interviews since.

    11. Re:Hardly by An.+(Coward) · · Score: 1

      There's certainly a few genuine ones around.

      And why aren't people freaking out about this? Didn't they learn anything from the Autons?

      Oh jeez, I'm making references to Doctor Who episodes in public. Somebody please shoot me.

    12. Re:Hardly by operagost · · Score: 1

      Daleks look like they were made out of carboard and tinfoil. I could build a good replica for about $5.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    13. Re:Hardly by PCM2 · · Score: 4, Interesting
      Either the BBC made a hell of a lot of them or they've been breeding while we weren't looking ... I think maybe everyone who can make a passable replica does the throwaway "genuine dalek" thing.
      No, it's very possible the BBC made a hell of a lot of them. Most people don't notice, but the styles of Dalek fashion have changed considerably over the years, particularly in their color schemes. The last few Dalek series featured sort of a war between two factions of Daleks, one sort of cream-colored and the others the more traditional dark grey. The little lights on the sides of their heads have changed regularly throughout the years, too. What's more, the idea that the BBC would throw away such a thing is hardly crazy, either -- they threw away countless original masters of Doctor Who episodes as well, back in the days when reruns on the BBC were unheard-of.
      --
      Breakfast served all day!
    14. Re:Hardly by Artifakt · · Score: 1

      In the USA, Universal threw the original Creature of the Black Lagoon gillman suit in the trash, and if memory serves it ended up in Forrest J. Ackerman's collection for a time, and now the Universal theme park has had to pay to get it back, or were in negotiations over it still, one.
      Desilu trashcanned the original phasers and tricorders from original trek, and let someone take Dr. McCoy's instruments home and use them on the dining table (they were originally modern design saltshakers, and for a while they were again).
      This sort of thing happened a lot until about the invention of e-bay.

      --
      Who is John Cabal?
    15. Re:Hardly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My father worked at the BBC in London in the 1960s through to the 80s, apparently it was semi common knowledge that the daleks were actually based on the industrial vacuum cleaners used by the cleaning teams. They were pepper pot in shape with 3 holes on the front, one for the pipe and the 2 others held the spare attachments. Apparently there was more than a passing similarity, the vent chevrons round the upper body and a red light on the top.

      Posting as AC as I CBF to dig out my pwd.

    16. Re:Hardly by Decaff · · Score: 1

      Plus, the BBC doesn't have a very good record with Daleks. There aren't very many working models left

      Well, in terms of the general safety of all galactic civilizations, isn't that rather a good thing? I always assumed that the Daleks were just pretend. I mean, if they really worked.....

    17. Re:Hardly by Atrax · · Score: 1

      On that note, a mate of mine has a section of wall from one of The Matrix movies. He claims it's one Neo got thrown through but how he's meant to prove that I don't know.

      His brother works at Fox Studios Australia and salvaged it from the tons of sets that were marked to be destroyed at the end of filming. They've been a bit more careful with the Star Wars sets though. I've heard some have escaped but con't confirm that.

      --
      Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
  30. Bad blood by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think the guy who created (Not really kiddies) the Daleks, had a major fallout with the BBC over using them.

    What you said may be true, but perhaps they are acting on the deceased wishes? Does anyone know anymore?

  31. I thought... by kabocox · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Estate holders only consider the money side of things, but most artists alive wish only to impact the world, by sharing their life-blood with the public -- forget the bottom line.

    I thought most artist's work was zero until they died, then the value would shoot up. I've always gotten the sense that most artists would love to make a buck off their work in life rather than having it all go to their kids. Why shouldn't the kids think about the money first?

    Actually, from what I read of the article, it sounded like "editorial control" and not money was the problem. I could see the BBC wanting to do something different with the Daleks and saying "No" thats not how Daleks should be. I'd rather them just come up with more evil bad guys. Come on the universe is big. It can have more than a half dozen regular bad guy species.

    1. Re:I thought... by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "Actually, from what I read of the article, it sounded like "editorial control" and not money was the problem. I could see the BBC wanting to do something different with the Daleks and saying "No" thats not how Daleks should be. I'd rather them just come up with more evil bad guys. Come on the universe is big. It can have more than a half dozen regular bad guy species."

      Hey, buy the book "The Nth Doctor" about the various attempts (prior to the 1996 telefilm) to get a theatrical release for WHO. When the project was at Amblin (and to be directed by Leonard Nemoy), the Daleks were mechanical spider creatures and Davros turned out to be genetically engineering himself into a spider creature himself (he reveals his abdomens (sic)). Of course, it was no wonder that a few years later when this film did not materialize that the hack Akiva Goldsman riffed these concepts and inserted them into his screenplay of "Lost in Space" and the same thing happened to Dr. Smith instead. Of course, it was even funnier to see "Space Quest" riff off the 1996 Doctor Who telefilm with the ships special room physically causing events on the spacecraft itself go back in time to prevent character deaths just as the Eye of Harmony did in the WHO telefilm.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
  32. DMCA Anyone by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Given that the Dalek's were robots(they were wern't they?) wouldn't the BBC be liable for copyright infrigment if they attempted to recreate the Dalek Software?

    So under OS X typing:

    while [1]; do say "Exterminate" done

    could get you sued!! ;E

    --
    May the Maths Be with you!
    1. Re:DMCA Anyone by desplesda · · Score: 3, Informative

      Actually, they weren't robots. They were mutated creatures controlling the robot-like shell. Aftereffects of the irradiation of Skaro, you see.

    2. Re:DMCA Anyone by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 1

      I never knew that.
      So you DO live and learn! Danm those agnostics!! *shakes fist*

      --
      May the Maths Be with you!
    3. Re:DMCA Anyone by zakezuke · · Score: 4, Informative

      Aftereffects of the irradiation of Skaro, you see.

      I have always been fuzzy on this issue. Watching the first Dalek episode it would lead me to believe that they were mutated from the radation. But the Tom Baker episode showed that Davros was geneticly manipluating the pepole of Skaro into what he believed they were evolving into. Also he removed the Daleks conscience, something his fellow scientests strongly objected to. They were exterminated.

      As far as as i'm aware, Davros is the father of the Daleks. The mutated creatures were his insperation, but the final design was his, which would be his undoing as the supreme Dalek didn't want to fight Davros for control over the Dalek race, and pitty wasn't in it's vocabulary.

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    4. Re:DMCA Anyone by armb · · Score: 1

      They weren't robots, more of an exoskeleton/battlesuit. There was a living organism inside.

      --
      rant
    5. Re:DMCA Anyone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pepole isn't in mine, yet you overlooked that. You fail at being spelling nazi! No soup for you!

    6. Re:DMCA Anyone by Aggrazel · · Score: 1

      "Little green men doctor?"

      "No! Little green blobs in bonded polycarbide armor."

      - Rememberence of the Daleks

    7. Re:DMCA Anyone by stove · · Score: 1

      The problem being run into is the complete disregard for continuality displayed in most of the show's run. (This is actually a feature, mostly, unless you start talking about recurring villains.)
      Yes, when the Daleks first showed up they were mutated beings. Come "Genesis of the Daleks" (one of the show's best stories), the story had been tweaked as mentioned above. Later on, some of the Daleks learned to move outside of their armor again. "Resurrection of the Daleks," while a general muddle overall, had some excellent moments. (Including Dalek-cam and the "special weapons dalek," which apparently got that way through dirt.)
      Just sit back and enjoy the little guys.

      --
      Ack!
    8. Re:DMCA Anyone by Feneric · · Score: 1

      They can be reconciled easily enough. Davros tinkered around and made the original Daleks, but by the time period of the first Dalek episode they (and the Thals) had forgotten that bit of history.

  33. Pointless by GizmoS · · Score: 1, Funny

    A Dr. Who remake without Daleks is like a Showgirls remake without nudity. Or with acting.

  34. Dalek's were a bit overrated anyway.... by JackJudge · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I mean look at their track record, after Davros was introduced they were reduced to the level of galactic criminals and pests, not the all conquering ruthless invaders we feared from the show's first decade.
    Fanboys will prolly argue that in Genesis OFTD, where Davros was introduced, the Time Lords asked the Doctor to interfere to hamstring their development. He succeeded only too well. As long as Davros was around he caused so much internal strife among the Daleks, culminating in a civil war, that they realy were just shadows of their former selves.

    1. Re:Dalek's were a bit overrated anyway.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Actually this is a good thing. Most of the Doctor Who episodes with the Daleks were very fluffy. The fun of watching the Doctor try to figure out a new nemesis is greater than the annoying "Exterminate". I much prefer the Doctor face an enemy that can learn, evolve, and change. Otherwise, you get formula movies/episodes. (i.e like Star Wars) The Doctor should be stretching the limits of storytelling, not spending so much time revising old tunes.

    2. Re:Dalek's were a bit overrated anyway.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh my god. You are the king Dr Who geek.

    3. Re:Dalek's were a bit overrated anyway.... by D'Arque+Bishop · · Score: 1

      From the FAQ on Big Finish's website (the people who make the Doctor Who audio adventures):

      12) You're doing a series of linked Dalek plays. Will Davros be there as well?

      No, categorically not. Nick Briggs and I are massive Dalek fans and don't ascribe to the lazy notion that Daleks need Davros to do their talking for them. Throughout the Sixties and early Seventies, the Daleks came across as powerful adversaries, adept with cunning, intelligence and power. Once you stick Davros with them, they simply end up as mobile tanks, doing his dirty work. In Genesis of the Daleks, Davros was essential and unequalled. No matter how well Davros was played in the subsequent adventures, the character seemed to us to be superfluous to requirements. We're basing our Daleks on the ruthless conquerors of the Sixties. The Dalek Empire adventures do, we believe, echo those classic serials. We have, of course, done a play featuring Davros but without the Daleks...


      http://www.doctorwho.co.uk/drwho/faq.shtml

    4. Re:Dalek's were a bit overrated anyway.... by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "I mean look at their track record, after Davros was introduced they were reduced to the level of galactic criminals and pests, not the all conquering ruthless invaders we feared from the show's first decade.
      Fanboys will prolly argue that in Genesis OFTD, where Davros was introduced, the Time Lords asked the Doctor to interfere to hamstring their development. He succeeded only too well. As long as Davros was around he caused so much internal strife among the Daleks, culminating in a civil war, that they realy were just shadows of their former selves."

      In the 60s, the Daleks were taking their orders from the Supreme Dalek. It wasn't like they had a collective conscious that came to consent before any of them took any action. So how is it any different whether the Dalek masses are receiving their orders from the Supreme Dalek or from Davros himself?

      And the Time Lords ordered the Doctor to destroy the development of the Daleks, not "hamstring their development." It was the Doctor who wussed out and decided to "hamstring" them instead of exterminating them at the point of germination because he himself did not want to be guilty of genocide even though it would've saved countless innocents across space and time.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    5. Re:Dalek's were a bit overrated anyway.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How dare you!

      My father was the visual effects designer of the original Davros. As well as many other effects of that era.

      He is absolutely bemused by the fan following though.. Just a show!

      The beeb was really good at pissing off it's talent in those days.

      Seems like just another business now (I know quite a few people who have worked there).

      Enjoy the shows, and their journalism, but they stopped being daring and original in the early 90s when the popular-at-the-time management style was pushed in.

      The rot started a lot earlier, when they started to care about style above content.

  35. fair swap? by close_wait · · Score: 1, Funny

    So we've lost the Daleks but gained Billy Piper. I think I can live with that ....

    1. Re:fair swap? by morgdx · · Score: 1, Funny

      Maybe they could get Chris Evans to be the new evil enemy. He scares the sh*t out of me.

      --
      http://jfin.org/jFin pure java open source financial library
  36. Re:Billy Piper? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    I have a couple more interests than rabidly following the dramatic twists and turns of the new (alleged) Dr. Who series.

    Rabidly following Billie Piper, how that's another story!

  37. ...next season. by arth1 · · Score: 1

    And in other news, it's reported that the next season's installment will do away with the doctor.
    Said BBC spokesperson R. U. Nutts, "We feel that this will increase the quality of the production, and bring a more balanced product to the audience."
    There's no words on what will replace the doctor, although speculations are that BBC is in negotiations with EMI Films Ltd. about aquiring rights to incorporate sword wielding immortal scotsmen and evil guys in bird costumes.

    Regards,
    --
    *Art

  38. Destroy! Destroy! Ooops stairs. by achilstone · · Score: 1

    Unless the Delaks have learnt to navigate stairs is there any place for them in a 21st century sci-fi?
    Or are all the future city councils so pc that all stairs have been banned and replaced by ramps?

  39. Re:New Villians! by marnargulus · · Score: 1

    Daleks are to ROBOTS as Gandalf is to WIZARD. That is the proper analogy. They can use a different type of robot with no permission, but Tolkien estate DOES own Gandalf and the rights to use him.

  40. Re:Billy Piper? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Why? Because I want to!"

    (re. Her - Mrs. Chris Evens - awful manufactured teen pop attempts).

    Once again, the BBC screws-up Dr. Who...

  41. I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If we can't have Daleks, then my wishlist of featured bad guys includes:

    1. Cybermen
    2. The Master
    3. Sontarans
    4. Autons
    5. Ice Warriors

    Also, I'd love to see a return of historical stories, ones that reference Earth's history. These used to be fairly common for the first and second Doctors, (eg, The Reign Of Terror) but the latter Doctors almost always didn't have any such adventures (although the fifth Doctor did inadvertantly start the Great Fire of London in 1666 at the conclusion of The Visitation).

    To be honest, losing the Daleks (for now) is a blow but as villains they were pretty one-dimensional. I'm far more concerned about the casting of Billie Piper as the Doctor's assistant. I thought we'd all learnt from the Bonnie Langford mistake.

    --

    "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
    1. Re:I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by PinkStainlessTail · · Score: 1

      The surviving historicals are actually quite entertaining, but if I remember my Who history right, they were sort of tacked on to the early series to give it "educational value".

      --
      "Slashdot is about legos and staplers." -Cmdr. Taco
    2. Re:I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by GeoGreg · · Score: 1

      There were some rumors a while back that the Autons were going to return. Hopefully, the Auton rubber octopus that Jon Pertwee fought won't be returning with them :)

    3. Re:I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by tuffy · · Score: 1
      The surviving historicals are actually quite entertaining, but if I remember my Who history right, they were sort of tacked on to the early series to give it "educational value".

      That shouldn't be too surprising, since Dr. Who came out of the BBC's children's department. Nobody considered the show would be wholly science fiction for the first couple of seasons. But since the historicals got lousy ratings (whereas the Daleks brought in big numbers), the show phased them out. IIRC, the last pure historical was "the Highlanders" which introduced Jamie.

      --

      Ita erat quando hic adveni.

    4. Re:I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doctor Who was always produced by the Drama Department, as the "It's not a childrens show" groups always say. This ignores the fact the BBC closed theit Children's Department a couple of years beforehand, splitting childrens shows amongst the other parts of the organisation. (A Childrens department did return at some point, but Doctor Who was never moved into it).

    5. Re:I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Perhaps they'll use the octopus from the Japanese edition (click on Japan, then "Illus." in the resulting pop-up)[1]. I think the fact the Japanese artist had obviously never actually seen Doctor Who is an obvious boon (his Daleks are rather interesting as well).

      [1] Gosh, it's redesigned itself since I last looked, and isn't it sucky!

    6. Re:I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by tuffy · · Score: 1
      Ooops, that was my mistake. But the show was clearly aimed at children in the beginning.

      Newman described his basic outline for Doctor Who thus; "It had to be a children's programme and still attract both teenagers and adults. Also, as a children's programme, I was intent upon it containing basic factual information that could be described as educational, or, at least, mind opening for them. So my first thought was of a time-space machine with contemporary characters who would be able to travel forward and backward in time, and inward and outward in space. All the stories were to be based on scientific or historical facts as we knew them at the time." According to Newman he passed a memo on to Donald Wilson whom he'd appointed as Head of Serials and told him "Here's a great idea for Saturday afternoons."
      The notion of it as a mostly science fiction show came later.
      --

      Ita erat quando hic adveni.

    7. Re:I'd love to see the Cybermen plus these guys... by Carrot007 · · Score: 1

      Damn you, I for one think Billie Piper is a great choice, for comparing here to Bonnie Langford you should be turned in to a cyberman!

      --
      +----------------- | What is the question!
  42. Replacement daleks by bairy · · Score: 1

    Why not have Billie's other half Chris Evans as a dalek. He looks like one, he makes about as much sense as one.. dunno if his extermination gun is as big though..

    --


    Get paid to search..It's geniune and
  43. CC? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It'd be really slick if this wound it's way to being a part of their creative common's archive. Maybe a bit early to hope for yet, but still..

  44. This is not just bad for the new Dr Who series by jonwil · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Its also bad for any reruns.
    Here in australia the ABC (government owned Free To Air station) has been replaying all of Dr Who right from the very first episode on up. So far, they have skipped stories and episodes that are missing or incomplete. But they have also had to skip a fair few dalek episodes (War Games is one story they had to skip for some dalek-related reason) due to this greed.

    I think this would be a perfect example for that lawsuit thino about copyright mentioned a while back where they talked about things like out-of-print books that you cant get because the copyright holder with you and etc.

    1. Re:This is not just bad for the new Dr Who series by zakezuke · · Score: 1

      Here in australia the ABC (government owned Free To Air station) has been replaying all of Dr Who right from the very first episode on up. So far, they have skipped stories and episodes that are missing or incomplete. But they have also had to skip a fair few dalek episodes (War Games is one story they had to skip for some dalek-related reason) due to this greed.

      How very odd.... KBTC broadcasting out of Washington state has been showing Dr. Who in sequence from the first episode, but they are not skipping the episodes with missing parts that i've noticed, and they haven't skipped Daleks. I remember specificly a sequence with William Hartnel attempting to evade the Daleks who were chasing him through. It's a PBS station, non comercial publicly/privatly funded, mostly educational but forien TV does qualify under culture and Dr. Who seems to encourage people to donate.

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    2. Re:This is not just bad for the new Dr Who series by brucehappy · · Score: 1

      MPT (maryland public tv) has been showing them beginning to end and just the other week skipped a dalek episode. last year they skipped one as well but came back to it a couple weeks later. This is very sad for those of us watching every week!

      BTW, the war games only features the daleks for a couple seconds in the last episode where the doctor is showing the time lords the enemies he has been fighting during his "interfereing". Last year or so MPT didn't show the five doctors for the same reason.

    3. Re:This is not just bad for the new Dr Who series by Tsargon · · Score: 2, Informative

      WCET, PBS in Cincinnati Ohio, has been playing Dr. Who in order for over a year and has skipped all the Dalek episodes as well.

    4. Re:This is not just bad for the new Dr Who series by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AFAIK the first couple of Dalek stories are licensed differently, and can still be shown, but the later ones aren't allowed to be shown because of rights issues.

  45. Simple Economics = Bargain Basement Prices! by bfg9000 · · Score: 1

    I hear the estate wanted $10 per Dalek, minimum purchase of a 250 Dalek invasion force.

    On the other hand, 1 Doctor at $25 made more sense, thus we'll be seeing him in probably every movie. He comes cheap. The Doctor's sexy lady friend sidekicks charge "standard lady friend rates" and work by the hour; thus we'll probably have a different female sidekick every film as the older ones are discarded like used coffee cups, just like the series.

    So instead of evil garbage cans on wheels, the bad guy in this movie will be the Talking Speaker Phone Box from Charlie's Angels (the series, not the movies); it also only costs $25, batteries not included. As the Voice Of Charlie says, "It's the economy, stupid." The Voice Of Charlie will merely threaten the Doctor, but have no physical ability to actually harm anyone, which leads some fans to speculate Doctor Who may become a horrific British musical, the damage of which even time travel will not be able to undo.

    And instead of a long scarf, the Doctor has been downgraded to two shoelaces tied together in a jaunty way.

    --

    I'm not normally an irrational zealous dickhead, but I figure "When in Rome..."

  46. How about some 'contemporary' monsters? by andrewbaldwin · · Score: 1, Funny

    Daleks are so 20th century! - today's audience deserves some monsters that are truly horrifying and 'relevant' - such as.....

    A giant talking paperclip which threatens to accumulate the stored knowledge of humankind and refuse access without a licence payment upon pain of a dreaded 'blue screen' death ray.

  47. It was 1963 when the Daleks were created by lordpixel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Back then lawyers were nice cudly things, and evil media empires (which the BBC isn't, anyway) didn't have the thumbscrews on so tight.

    I believe for BBC shows older than a certain date, they actually have to pay the actors more money when they re-run them or release them on DVD.

    --

    Lord Pixel - The cat who walks through walls
    A little bigger on the inside than out

    1. Re:It was 1963 when the Daleks were created by cyberformer · · Score: 2, Informative

      Repeat fees for actors are normal. It's quite common even for commercials: Every time something is shown on TV or sold, the actor gets money.

      The problem is that for many shows, the actual amounts aren't written into the actors' original contracts. Tracking down each actor and haggling over who gets what can be very expensive, accounting for a much larger slice of the budget than the actual repeat fees. It can also delay many releases, sometimes indefinitely.

    2. Re:It was 1963 when the Daleks were created by aka1nas · · Score: 1

      I once worked with a guy who had a few cameo appearances on Star Trek: TNG.(He was the waiter in the bar in the episode with scotty and he was the disposable red uniformed ensign in a few episodes) He still gets royalty checks when they rerun episodes.

    3. Re:It was 1963 when the Daleks were created by NoMaster · · Score: 1
      He was ... in the episode with scotty
      Oh yeah, I remember that one!
      ... and he was the disposable red uniformed ensign in a few episodes
      Don't remember anything like that, though...

      --
      What part of "a well regulated militia" do you not understand?
  48. Call me crazy but.. by scrubmuffin · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I was never that intimidated by the whole 'washing machine with a pea-shooter' thing anyway. Now k9 on the other hand, that was just creepy!

  49. The Real Question... by blueZhift · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The real question for me is will the new series have that wonderful "cheap" look that endeared many of us with the old one. Seriously, Dr. Who was what I'd watch to let my hair down after Star Trek. The cheesy sets were part of the fun, and left some room for the story to be more than it often is in the sfx laden features we have today. This is somewhat analogous to the old 8-bit video games days,when the gameplay had to be king because the hardware was so weak by today's standards.

    In any case, I'll miss those shrill screams of "Exterminate! Exterminate!! EX-TER-MI-NATE!!!"

    1. Re:The Real Question... by wolverine1999 · · Score: 1

      I think cheap looks are out and the 21st century will be in, with sfx but with good character based stories as a basis.

  50. Did anyone else notice... by saintp · · Score: 3, Informative
    ...this:
    Mr Hancock accused the BBC of lying about the reasons a deal had not been made.

    He said the BBC had tried to commission a cartoon series about gay Daleks for BBC Three.

    WTF?!?

    What's worse: it's apparently true. Crazy fucking Brits.

    1. Re:Did anyone else notice... by zakezuke · · Score: 2, Funny

      He said the BBC had tried to commission a cartoon series about gay Daleks for BBC Three.

      We will experiment... experiment! EXPERIMENT! We obey no one, we are the superior beings, so let's disco!

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    2. Re:Did anyone else notice... by crawling_chaos · · Score: 1

      It isn't as bad as the other pitch, where five gay Daleks arrive to remodel an unsuspecting planet.

      --
      You can only drink 30 or 40 glasses of beer a day, no matter how rich you are.
      -- Colonel Adolphus Busch
    3. Re:Did anyone else notice... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The skits were hysterical. The dalek voices were all camped up and they ended with a cry of 'exsperminate' before, well, you know......

    4. Re:Did anyone else notice... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the new gay Daleks were going to be called the Dykettes, or something like that.

    5. Re:Did anyone else notice... by mihalis · · Score: 1
      He said the BBC had tried to commission a cartoon series about gay Daleks for BBC Three.

      Yeah, it was to have been called "Queer Ray for the Straight AI"

    6. Re:Did anyone else notice... by GeoGreg · · Score: 1

      Well, note that it was a satire. It does seem very British to have some Daleks "camping it up" as they say ("ooo deary, that outfit has *GOT* to go... EXTERMINATE!"). And, Dr. Who does have a quite a reputation in Britain has having a disproportionately gay fanbase.

    7. Re:Did anyone else notice... by darth_silliarse · · Score: 1

      Actually the gay daleks were the brainchild of Victor Lewis-Smith who wrote the British TV satire "TV Offal". Information about this brilliant program can be found here, and here

      --
      I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born - Ronald Reagan
  51. Easy...Laleks by Analogy+Man · · Score: 2, Funny

    The open source version...Laleks

    --
    When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
    1. Re:Easy...Laleks by zakezuke · · Score: 1

      Laleks? Are these mutated smurfs encased in metal that roll around and sing, "la la la la la la exterminate"?

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
    2. Re:Easy...Laleks by FurryFeet · · Score: 3, Funny

      That's GNU/Laleks, you insensitive clod!

  52. Earth, maybe... by lordpixel · · Score: 1

    Hrm, well, the Timelords and Gallifrey didn't even exist up until the very last story of the 2nd Doctor, and most of the history of Gallifrey was fleshed out even later in the mid 70s and the 1980s.

    Actually, the BBC shifted their entire audio drama range to an alternate universe where there was no Gallifrey or Time Lords, leaving the Doctor as a mysterious wanderer as he originally was.

    So I'd actually say Gallifrey and the Timelords aren't integral to the whole idea at all. Doctor Who is a very different beast to something like Babylon 5 or even modern Trek: it has resisted all attempts to force any real continuity onto it. [*]

    [*] I suppose that's true of modern Trek, if one is counting "Enterprise", which has deliberately dumped continuity too.

    --

    Lord Pixel - The cat who walks through walls
    A little bigger on the inside than out

    1. Re:Earth, maybe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The BBC actually wiped Gallifrey (and most Time Lords) from the timeline and gave the Doctor amnesia in the books. It was Big Finish (who produce the audio adventures under licence) who moved him to another universe. I think both companies are now bringing out emergency reset buttons so the 9th Doctor can turn up.

      The 'current Doctor' books do have quite a bit of ongoing continuity (the Sabbath storytline etc. in the books), although there is a tendency to reset-button stuff to get rid of 40 years of excess baggage. But Doctor Who has no real fixed universe, it's extremely hard to sort things out, like the Daleks invading earth ~2164, whist humans have interstellar spaceflight in ~2190, and at about the same time having abandoned all spaceflight for matter transportation instead. :-)

      [1] Who survived.
      [*] Apart from DS9 (when it was being episodic).

  53. How about Kaled Mutants? by ronfar · · Score: 1

    Terry Nation may own the Daleks, but how about Kaled Mutants (the organic part of a Dalek, for those who don't know). They could skitter around like that hideous creature in the Basket Case movies.

    --
    All the creatures will die, And all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai. (Jubai, 1605)
  54. Ack by chowdmouse · · Score: 0

    this...is....not....possible...

  55. Doctor Who invented the Borg anwyway by lordpixel · · Score: 1

    Heh, the Borg are a rip off of Doctor Who's the Cybermen, who were introduced in 1965 IIRC.

    The Cybermen were once human but had gradually replaced their body parts with more and more machines. They were cold, logical and emotionless and they went around the universe looking for more humans to convert into Cybermen just like themselves.

    In fairness the Borg had the whole hive mind concept (at least until that stupid Borg Queen idea ruined it) and their special effects were about 10,000% better, but the basic idea was suspiciously similar.

    2nd most famous Doctor Who villan after the Daleks, and frankly a lot more interesting. Of course, the trouble now is that most people are more familiar with the Borg, so if Doctor Who tries to use its own idea it'll have to be careful that people don't think its ripping off Star Trek. Sheesh!

    --

    Lord Pixel - The cat who walks through walls
    A little bigger on the inside than out

    1. Re:Doctor Who invented the Borg anwyway by wolverine1999 · · Score: 1

      Plus the Sontarans appeared on Star Trek Voyager, didn't you know?

      People might think Doctor Who ripped of Star Trek if they see the Sontarans now!

  56. Who knew? by Anomalous+Canard · · Score: 3, Funny

    That it would take *lawyers* to defeat the Daleks!

    --
    Anomalous: deviating from what is usual, normal, or expected
    Canard: a false or unfounded repor
    1. Re:Who knew? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You violated our intellectual property. Your assets will be liquidated, liquidated, LIQUIDATED!

  57. Or its a conspiracy by steve_l · · Score: 1

    Maybe someone is secretly laying the groundwork for the Daleks when they come.

    Maybe they are already here...

    1. Re:Or its a conspiracy by Anonymous+Writer · · Score: 1

      Maybe they are already here...

      Yes they are. They are at the following address.

      1 Microsoft Way
      Redmond, WA 98052
      U.S.A.
  58. skins by eegad · · Score: 1

    Great! I'll get to work on the skins. I'll start with an Orkin man. Exterminate! Exterminate!

  59. Tav by stoutstreet · · Score: 0

    LEKS

  60. Silly by samsmithnz · · Score: 1

    Thats like taking the stormtroopers out of Star Wars... How many kids had nightmares about those creepy things...

    1. Re:Silly by demi · · Score: 1

      I had nightmares about Darth Vader but not the stormtroopers. In fact I never did think they were "things"--just soldiers in body armor--and the story of their genesis in AotC I found really jarring and out of place.

      Is the idea that they can't just be regular people unpalatable now because the good guys killed so many of them?

      --
      demi
    2. Re:Silly by samsmithnz · · Score: 1

      Actually I was refering to the Daleks as being scary.

  61. Re:BBC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Last time I knew Corporation is singular

    We is the BBC, you will be exterminated exterminated EXTERMINATED!

  62. But we've agreed to talk in code by Matey-O · · Score: 1

    The new series WILL have a new villian 'tho...the writers are undecided as to whether they should be called Baleks or Berg, but they'll be cyborganic critters hellbent on the destruction of The 13 Coloni^h^h^h^h^h The Federation of pla^h^h^h^h^h^h^h Earth!

    --
    "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."
  63. they *could* go upstairs but feared towels by wazoo69 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    1. Daleks COULD go up stairs. In the 7th Doctor story, "Rememberence of the Daleks", they demonstrated that the Daleks had invented some type of anti-gravity propulsion system giving them JUST enough power to climb stairs but not enough to actually fly around..:)

    2. MOST of the Dalek stories were completely retarded IMHO. You create a monster that is supposed to DEFINE *evil* yet can be (usually) fooled by having the Doctor or a companion throw a towel over their eye stalk. ugh!

    I think "Genesis of the Daleks" was their last good story and that's only because of Tom Baker and Davros (I forgot the actor's name..Michael somebody I think..sorry).

    If they were to be used again, as a Whovian I'm REALLY hoping that they re-create them in a vicious and sinister light. Goodbye retard plotholes, hello ultimate Evil!

  64. Terry Nation and Douglas Adams by Markvs · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I've been reading "The Hitchhiker", a biography of Douglas Adams. Douglas wrote 3-5 stories (one under a psuedonym, one he's uncredited...) and worked as an editor and script producer role for a year during Tom Baker's tenure.

    Douglas hated dealing with the Dalek scripts, because "Terry would have a storyboard with people running down a hallway and explosions... I'd have to write a story out of it!"

    BTW, Shada was only made because the BBC considered the Krikketmen script too silly. Silly. For a character that flies around the universe in a Police Box, has a robotic dog and offers jelly babies to people...

    -Markvs

    --
    46. The Hobo smiles, his eyes glaze over, and he burps. "Beware the man who has lived longer than the Wasteland."
  65. Copyright Too Long by Famatra · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What benefit is it to society to have copyright so long that the great grandchildren of the authors have say over the work?

    Copyright should end at death, and be at most 30 years in length. 30 years seems like a reasonable amount of time to get money out of the monopoly on the expression of an idea.

    1. Re:Copyright Too Long by Andy_R · · Score: 4, Funny

      The problem with copyright ending at death is that spouses and children need some form of income.

      Would you really want to see Yoko Ono made destitute and penniless when John was killed?

      Ok, maybe that was a bad example :-)

      Would you really want to see Courtney L.... erm... Paula Yates... erm... someone help me out here!

      --
      A pizza of radius z and thickness a has a volume of pi z z a
    2. Re:Copyright Too Long by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Copyright should end at death, and be at most 30 years in length. 30 years seems like a reasonable amount of time to get money out of the monopoly on the expression of an idea."

      No way. If that were permitted, you'd have hired goons killing the copyright owners so publishers could stop writing out royalty checks. I mean, c'mon, look at the history of the RIAA screwing living artists out of their checks, or the various motion picture companies cooking the books to wipe out percentage profits. To this day, Warner Bros. Pictures claims they haven't made a profit off 1989's Batman motion picture.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    3. Re:Copyright Too Long by linzeal · · Score: 1

      They can go get jobs like everyone else when their spouse dies or they get divorced.

    4. Re:Copyright Too Long by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      I'll help!

      Drew Barrymore?

      Uh, maybe not.

      You're on your own, kid.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    5. Re:Copyright Too Long by Dwonis · · Score: 2, Insightful
      More importantly, you don't want to create a situation where someone will immediately benefit from your death.

      Of course, if copyrights were shorter, we wouldn't need to worry about this crap.

    6. Re:Copyright Too Long by grassy_knoll · · Score: 1

      the only problem with this comment is it was modded Funny, not insightful.

    7. Re:Copyright Too Long by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      She's gone now but Virginia Heinlein would be a worthy example.

    8. Re:Copyright Too Long by moonsammy · · Score: 0, Redundant

      I wouldn't consider it insightful - if the publisher is paying royalties, presumably they are also profiting. If the creator dies and copyright along with them, then the work becomes public domain and thus the publisher loses their revenue stream. So killing the author effectively kills their profit.

      If anything, I would think they'd hire goons to *protect* the author in the case of a highly profitable work.

    9. Re:Copyright Too Long by grassy_knoll · · Score: 1
      I'm not sure they'd protect the author, although I do see your point about preventing "brand dilution".


      It would probably boil down to a cost/benefit ratio: Kill the artist and the work becomes public domain. Would the work make enough money to overcome the expense of paying the artist? If yes, kill the artist. If no, don't.


      Just a matter of getting the expenses low enough and the sales high enough.

    10. Re:Copyright Too Long by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If a self-employed plumber dies should all those who had a bathroom fitted pay additional money to the plumber's spouse?

    11. Re:Copyright Too Long by mpe · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What benefit is it to society to have copyright so long that the great grandchildren of the authors have say over the work?

      There is also the matter of how broad a copyright is. Here the copyright isn't about a specific story e.g. "The Daleks" or "Remembrance of the Daleks" nor a specific character e.g. "Black Dalek" or "Davros". Instead it covers the concept of the Daleks, a fictional race in a fictional universe. Does this really make much sense...

    12. Re:Copyright Too Long by mpe · · Score: 1

      the only problem with this comment is it was modded Funny, not insightful.

      Probably because there isn't an "ironic" moderation.

    13. Re:Copyright Too Long by Artifakt · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Roger Zelazny - Great fantasy and SF author, Royalties showing lots of signs they would increase rapidly in the next few years - his Amber series optioned for film, much of his other work coming back into print, books-on-tape versions which he was getting the income both as writer and narrator, and even talk of theme park rides based on his work.
      Roger died still in middle age, of a relatively nasty form of cancer, with huge medical bills, kids at or near college age, and someone else having to be hired to read the last two books of the series to finish out that particular contract. Not only were there lots of bills to pay immediately, but the death caused lots of legal delays in getting money already owed. He had a 2 novel connected work about half finished, and Jane Lindskold finished it up, but the publisher decided since she was a relative unknown, they would have to be scrunched together into a 1 book version. How much extra effort was that already, and wouldn't it have been even worse if his copyrights had ended at death?

      --
      Who is John Cabal?
    14. Re:Copyright Too Long by gilgongo · · Score: 1

      > More importantly, you don't want to create a
      > situation where someone will immediately benefit
      > from your death.

      Hmm. Well, I have a will, which benefits my son from the age of 18. Come to think of it, my aunts and uncles stand to inherit shares of my grandfather's estate on *his* death. And he got that from *his* father on *his* death. Hey - maybe he killed him for the money?

      Pfft.

      I call your argument a red herring sir, and you, a pickled turnip.

      --
      "And the meaning of words; when they cease to function; when will it start worrying you?"
    15. Re:Copyright Too Long by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      With all due respect, I highly doubt your family's fortunes compare to say, J.K. Rowling or Tolkien. And I doubt your family have a creative legacy that many would like to use without proper attribution or royalties...

      There are numerous cases where people have been murdered by family members to collect insurance, or the belongings of wills.

      The point is, that we can't have copyright rigged to disappear on death of the person, because there is the _possibility_ this gives encouragement for the rapid demise of a person.

      Shortening the term of copyright, but making it irrespective of the original holder's circumstances, provides the best means to bring some sort of reasonable fix to the present situation.

    16. Re:Copyright Too Long by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not necessarily. Look at Disney - they take many stories from the public domain. Brand them as their own, and then use highly suspect means to hunt down others who are the least bit successful of adaptations of the original public domain story!

      Something tells me, that if getting a story into public domain could be achieved, companies like Disney wouldn't suffer too much from others trying to adapt the ideas - they have the money to crush any competition with baseless lawsuits...

      And they'd have even more money to do it with if they could stop paying out royalties etc. to the (now deceased) copyright holder.

    17. Re:Copyright Too Long by DerraWelthwod · · Score: 1

      Well, yes and no. This may be a harsh assessment, but it is only natural for Copyright Holders to want their heirs to not work so hard.
      Doesn't build character, however. If this is too "Brave New Worldy", though, yet, early U.S. lawmakers were truly worried about the 'fiction' of coporations having rights.
      It's an unnatural, possibly immortal entity. And it can own stuff! Disney owns Pooh!! But Disney's really dead too! Bring back Alexandar Hamiltonianism! Cheers! Bah, preview URLS?!

      --
      Never call a man a fool. Borrow from him. * -** *-** --- *-- - **** * *-*
    18. Re:Copyright Too Long by drsmithy · · Score: 1
      The problem with copyright ending at death is that spouses and children need some form of income.

      So, how is this different to any other form of paid work ?

      (Yes, I realise you're being sarcastic, but some people think this is a real argument against copyrights expiring at death).

    19. Re:Copyright Too Long by drsmithy · · Score: 1
      More importantly, you don't want to create a situation where someone will immediately benefit from your death.

      You mean like, well, just about everyone who has been left something in a will ?

    20. Re:Copyright Too Long by drsmithy · · Score: 1
      No way. If that were permitted, you'd have hired goons killing the copyright owners so publishers could stop writing out royalty checks.

      You mean like employers now kill their employees so they can stop writing out paychecks ?

      Not to mention the wee fact that conspiracy to commit murder has some fairly harsh punishments.

      I mean, c'mon, look at the history of the RIAA screwing living artists out of their checks, or the various motion picture companies cooking the books to wipe out percentage profits.

      It's a long, long way from fraud to premeditated murder.

    21. Re:Copyright Too Long by Aussie · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I dunno, she let them do "Starship Troopers" the movie. He wouldn't have.

    22. Re:Copyright Too Long by serutan · · Score: 1

      If copyrights ended 7 or 8 years after the death of the artist, Yoko Ono would be no worse off than the other 4 billion people in the world who manage to survive somehow without income from John Lennon's music.

    23. Re:Copyright Too Long by FreckledGruntBuggly · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Great. Under your scheme, JK Rowling would be in fear of her life from Hollywood hitmen.

      And don't forget the estate has to pay off the creditors. Some of the great artists died in penury and their work only took off after they died.

      But copyright isn't forever anyway. It eventually times out (according to most law, inlcuding the US Constitution), though the US Congress always seem to extend the deadline so that Mickey Mouse stays inside.

      Terry Nation created the Daleks in the early sixties. Not really that long ago.

      If the estate has the asset, they have both a right and duty to make sure it isn't watered down by bad implementations. Hence the arguments about control. For example, Ann McCaffrey has refused many offers to make movies of her Pern Dragons, as she doesn't want some stupid movie mogul to say "we need a really good dragon/dragon fight at the end", and the studios always want carte blanche.

      These things should be resolved by negotiation. The Nation estate can always change their minds, or the BBC can agree some boundaries of control.

    24. Re:Copyright Too Long by KrisHolland · · Score: 1

      " Great. Under your scheme, JK Rowling would be in fear of her life from Hollywood hitmen."

      Fear of being killed...I dont see how. Rowling has an exclusive deal with who ever distributes her movies. If she dies, and it goes into the public domain, well that deal is worth shit all.

      If anything Hollywood Moguls who have a contract with her would be doing everything to ensure she does not die. The benefit from her death would be everyone doing a knockoff, which is so small probably not to warrant doing it.

    25. Re:Copyright Too Long by a24061 · · Score: 1

      If copyright expired on the author's death, then bumping the author off to stop paying royalties would backfire: the copyright would be terminated and anyone could redistribute the work without paying the publisher.

  66. Re:Billy Piper? by riggwelter · · Score: 2, Informative

    Billie PIper (not Billy) is female, previously "famous" for trying to be the British Britney, she dropped out of pop stardom (ahem) after marrying Ginger Gobsh*te Radio DJ and TV Moghul Chris Evans. A few years later, she reinvented herself last year as an actress (she attended theatre school in her youth, not sure for certain, but possibly RADA) appearing in one of the BBC's acclaimed remakes of The Canterbury Tales.

    I was sceptical, but I believe very much that it's important to make classic stories available and accessible to a new generation (OMG, I'm 27, and I'm talking about today's youth like they're somehow detached from me by an unscalable chasm), so I watched.

    In short, she was excellent, as a singer, she was shocking beyond belief, her songs mind-mashing ("why d'you play those songs so loud? Because we want to, because we want to"), her voice grating. But my word, the girl can act, she had sensitivity and maturity beyond her years. The weird thing was that she played a singer, and can actually sing as well. What on earth did they do to her voice in post-production?

    Bottom line? I think she's an excellent casting as the Doctor's assistant, she'll bring serious acting ability (which the role has been crying out for - think Bonnie Langford) and a cute smile that will nicely counter Christopher Eccleston's "thin-mouth" look. Bring her on!

    --
    Listening for the sound of the coming rain...
  67. Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by Mustang+Matt · · Score: 1

    I guess he's before my time. I remember trying to watch episodes while waiting for Red Dwarf but I could never get into them.

    Was I just too young at the time? Was the series really that great?

    Didn't he time travel in a telephone booth?

    --
    The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
    1. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Was I just too young at the time? Was the series really that great?
      The series was very variable in quality. It reached its high point, in the opinion of many older fans, when Jon Pertwee played the Doctor and the main Bad Guy, The Master, was played by Roger Delgado. And yes, several of those programs were great.
      Terry Nation wrote some very good scripts for the series.
      Later, Tom Baker (not to be confused with Colin Baker) did some good work as the Doctor.
      These actors were replaced by less effective actors, and the low point was reached with Sylvester McCoy, who was so bad that the series died. His fat assistant, Ace, didn't help.

      Didn't he time travel in a telephone booth?
      Actually it looked on the outside like a "police box", something which no longer exists AFAIK. It was similar in size and shape to a (very) old-style telephone booth.

    2. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The answer to all three is yes.

    3. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      Ah, yes, Jon Pertwee WAS the best Doctor Who!

      And "The Master" was the best villain!

      Let the flame wars begin!

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    4. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by psykocrime · · Score: 1

      Ah, yes, Jon Pertwee WAS the best Doctor Who!


      Yep.

      And "The Master" was the best villain!


      Indeed.


      Let the flame wars begin!


      How could there be a flame-war, who could possibly disagree about this? The 3rd Doctor rules!

      --
      // TODO: Insert Cool Sig
    5. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by cranos · · Score: 1

      And so the falme begins!!!

      I'm sorry but Tom Baker ruled the Who role. He really captured the true Who, s lightly nuts but deadly serious person. None of this bullshit about the essential loneliness of being an alien amongst humans.

      When I read that they were going to re build the Doctor as some sort of brooding loner contemplating his own navel, I mourned the passing of yet another of my childhood icons.

    6. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by dbIII · · Score: 1
      Ah, yes, Jon Pertwee WAS the best Doctor Who!
      You forget Joanna Lumley, athough she only had a few minutes in the role.
    7. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      Lumley?

      When did that happen?

      Last time I saw her was in "The New Avengers" - God, that girl has legs.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    8. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      Well, I did like Baker as well as Pertwee.

      The subsequent Doctors always seemed too much like Brit fops. I couldn't take them "seriously" (as it were). Pertwee looked more like the original Doctor (Peter Cushing) and Baker had such a forceful personality that you could take him seriously.

      In fact, Louise Jamison said at the convention I saw her at that frequently Baker would read one of the scripts, exclaim "Oh, what a load of rubbish!" and throw the script out the window - whereupon a production assistant would have to walk down several flights of stairs to retrieve it from the street. So he was a character to work with as well as in being the Doctor.

      And of course he ended up marrying one of "his" "Companions".

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    9. Re:Am I the only one who doesn't get Dr. Who? by dbIII · · Score: 1
      Lumley? When did that happen?
      It was the Amnesty International fundraising comedy edisode that came out not many years ago called something like "Dr Who and The Curse of Fatal Death" - the BBC sell the tapes. Rowan Atkinson is the doctor for most of it.
      Last time I saw her was in "The New Avengers" - God, that girl has legs.
      She still looks good in recent episodes of "Absolutely Fabulous" and in some BBC travel shows.
  68. r2d2? by slashjames · · Score: 1

    Why is it when I looked at a picture of the Daleks I thought they looked like r2d2 having a bad day?

    1. Re:r2d2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, Lucas may have ripped off some design elements from the Daleks to make r2d2.

  69. I don't get it... by Greg+Larkin · · Score: 1

    C'mon, I'm supposed to be scared of a thing that looks like a giant salt-and-pepper shaker? Someone, please explain....

    --

    SourceHosting.net, LLC
    Ready. Set. Code.
    http://www.sourcehosting.net/
    1. Re:I don't get it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree. I was just about to post this myself until I noticed yours. In all honesty, the Daleks have to be the unscariest looking villains in TV history.

  70. Cross-over! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    great baddies that were only on for one storyline, like Sutekh

    With the Eqyption-Aliens-bag guy thing.....why not contact the StarGate franchise and cut a deal?

    1. Re:Cross-over! by wolverine1999 · · Score: 1

      In my crossover Dr Who fanfics Sutekh was a Goa'uld anyway....

  71. Gay Daleks by j0l · · Score: 1

    Did anyone actually RTFA? To quote from this

    "Mr Hancock accused the BBC of lying about the reasons a deal had not been made.

    He said the BBC had tried to commission a cartoon series about gay Daleks for BBC Three.

    He also said the corporation had allowed Warner Bros to use the Daleks in the recent movie Loony Tunes without consulting the Terry Nation estate.

    "We want to protect the integrity of the brand," he said."

    1. Re:Gay Daleks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Possible info on the Gay Daleks (which have already appeared, in a Channel 4 series TV Offal) http://uk.gay.com/headlines/4036 (I hate Slashdot's HTML mode[1], cut and paste). It was rejected a year ago, before the new TV series even came about, unless VLS had another go more recently. I wonder what the estate did about the first set anyway?

      Not sure about the Looney Tunes Daleks rights.

      [1] Autoinserting P tags would be nice.

  72. Re:New Villians! by vidarh · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's quite different, considering that Tolkien openly borrowed the elves and dwarves from assorted mythology (many of the names are lifted straight from Norse mythology for instance) while the Daleks was an original creation. But the rights to specific characters in Tolkiens works definitively belong to Tolkiens estate even if the general idea of elves and dwarves does not.

  73. Wait a minute by HBPiper · · Score: 2, Funny

    Didn't a quick hit from the sonic screwdriver diable a Dalek? How bad could they be?

    --
    "I went on a diet, swore off drinking and heavy eating. And in fourteen days, I had lost exactly two weeks. Joe E. Lewis
  74. Isn't there just one BBC? by Fizzlewhiff · · Score: 1

    The BBC are reporting

    This always grates on me when I see stuff like this. I need an answer. Is the above correct usage of "are" or should it be "is"?

    --

    'Same speed C but faster'
    1. Re:Isn't there just one BBC? by belg4mit · · Score: 1

      It's a British English versus American "English" thing. Americans say is, as the BBC is a single entity under the law. They say are, because the BBC is comprised of many.

      --
      Were that I say, pancakes?
  75. Thank fuck for that! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry. I really like Dr Who, but the Daleks never did it for me...

  76. Editorial influence? Daleks? by zakezuke · · Score: 3, Interesting
    ...we were not able to give the level of editorial influence that the Terry Nation estate wished to have --TFA


    *Exterminate Exterminate*
    What strikes me as odd is the concept of editorial control over a one dimentional grade-b supervillon that has been in our culture for over 40 years. Perhaps "Rememberence of the Daleks", an episode that has Davros fighting the the Supreme Dalek was ment to illistrate to us the fight for creative control over the future of the Daleks. The Orthadox Daleks born from Skaro's toxic enviroment with their desire to exterminate anything and everything in site, and the Neo-Davros Daleks without conscience or remorse and a geneticly implanted desire to enslave the universe and exterminate anything and everything in site.

    What I find more peculiar is the very idea that anyone could "ruin the brand of the Daleks". Daleks are a b-class one dimentional supervillion with a very limited vocabulary. While Dalek is likely a trademark of Terry Nation, I don't honestly see how they could be considered to be a brand outside of Doctor Who. They are salt shakers that run around saying "exterminate" are are not likely to be licensed to anyone with the exception of Doctor Who. Keeping the integrity of a brand name is typicaly only important if you are selling a product, in this case a product that has only one customer.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  77. Can the Daleks not evolve? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seek... Locate...

    Shit, they've surrounded the place with speedbumps!

    Granted, if I remember correctly they were rather single minded, but what if they created a new version of the Daleks?

    Smaller, hovering, more advanced Daleks with the same styling as the original. (Admit it, when you see a regular tower with translucent blue panels doesn't you mind automatically think, "iMac"?)

    Of course, the voice modules shouldn't be changed. ;)

  78. Re:More than money & tit for tat by timek · · Score: 1

    Tit for tat: the Dr early on explains how he conclusively and completely erased the Dalek timeline. Thereby, destroying the Nation estate's hopes of ever doing anything ever again with the Daleks. Of course, this wouldn't be nice, but it would send a strong signal to any other persons or estates controlling any other figures from the Dr. Who universe to play nice or else. Instead of the daleks how the Cybermen? I always felt they had a great deal of untapped potential. And maybe this time, they could be allowed some flexibility in the physical movements?

  79. daleks upstaged by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Daleks were washtubs. Trek raised the bar with the Borg -- they are the ne plus ultra of sci-fi technological villians now.

  80. Who owns the Daleks? by ToSeek · · Score: 3, Informative

    (Can someone explain to me how it is that Nation's estate personally own the Daleks? Didn't he write those scripts on spec for the BBC?)

    The way the BBC does things (or did), if you're an employee of the BBC, your ideas belong to them. If you were hired by the BBC to do something specific (like write a script), then your ideas belong to you. This explains why Terry Nation (not a BBC employee) "owns" the Daleks and has made millions off them, while the guy who designed them, Raymond Cusick (a BBC employee), received only his BBC salary and hasn't received a penny of the royalties.

    1. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "The way the BBC does things (or did), if you're an employee of the BBC, your ideas belong to them. If you were hired by the BBC to do something specific (like write a script), then your ideas belong to you. This explains why Terry Nation (not a BBC employee) "owns" the Daleks and has made millions off them, while the guy who designed them, Raymond Cusick (a BBC employee), received only his BBC salary and hasn't received a penny of the royalties."

      That is terrible (the Nation scenario of rights). That scenario reminds me of that endless lawsuit between the guy who wrote the screenplay for "Thunderball" and claimed he owned the theatrical version of James Bond. That dispute was only settled a couple of years ago because Sony bought the guy's "rights" and threatened to take down Eon Productions/MGM or launch their own James Bond flicks. What a nightmare.

      As for Cusick, just look at what people in tech companies deal with. For instance, if you work for Apple, and you create a program when you are away from the office, Apple still owns whatever you create during your tenure at the company. Thus what has happened to Cusick is pretty common regardless if it is unfair.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    2. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      That scenario reminds me of that endless lawsuit between the guy who wrote the screenplay for "Thunderball" and claimed he owned the theatrical version of James Bond.

      Which, incidentally, is how the "unofficial" 1983 Bond film "Never Say Never Again" got made. I assume that the makers didn't have the rights to the things innovated for the (Eon) Bond films themselves, and obviously not the regular actors, which is why it was such a good film (cough).

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    3. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

      "Which, incidentally, is how the "unofficial" 1983 Bond film "Never Say Never Again" got made. I assume that the makers didn't have the rights to the things innovated for the (Eon) Bond films themselves, and obviously not the regular actors, which is why it was such a good film (cough)."

      You don't consider Sean Connery a *regular* Bond actor? :) In a later settlement, Warner Bros. Pictures returned the rights to "Never Say Never Again" back to MGM/Eon. That leaves "Casino Royale" the only property they didn't have their hands on, and I understand Eon now controls rights to future theatrical adaptations...and its the very source material Pierce Brosnan and Tarantino wish to use for a collaboration if permitted.

      --
      "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
    4. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      You don't consider Sean Connery a *regular* Bond actor?

      He'd left the series to be replaced by Roger Moore, so at the time, no he wasn't a "regular" Bond actor.

      If nothing else, he was too old at the time (although not much older than Moore IIRC; Moore was *definitely* too old by the time he did A View To A Kill). Since the film was tongue-in-cheek, they made fun of this, but it still sucked.

      If Kill Bill Vol.1 is anything to go by (haven't seen part 2), a Tarantino Bond would by excessively self-referential, overly unrealistic and up its own arse, albeit in a well-made way.

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    5. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Every Bond film is excessively self-refential, to the point of self-parody. That's why I never liked Austin Powers or the other Bond parodies: They're just too obvious. (Although I do recommend The Tailor of Panama.)

    6. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by kalidasa · · Score: 1

      Which would be a perfect fit with Casino Royale, no?

    7. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      That's why I never liked Austin Powers or the other Bond parodies: They're just too obvious.

      Or inaccurate; Bond was *never* remotely "swinging sixties" or "groovy" in anything like that manner. Guy Hamilton, one of the Bond directors, criticised Austin Powers for this, pointing out that Bond was *always* an establishment figure. (I remember myself in one early Bond film- Goldfinger I think it was- Bond made a disparaging remark about the Beatles).

      In many respects, I feel that Bond is closer to establishment-1950s than the 1960s. Definitely not Carnaby Street.

      Personally, I rather liked 'The Living Daylights' because it shed the excessively parodic/jokey feel of many of the Moore films whilst still retaining the soul of the Bond films (unlike 'License to Kill', which didn't feel like a Bond film at all).

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    8. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by Doomdark · · Score: 1
      just look at what people in tech companies deal with. For instance, if you work for Apple, and you create a program when you are away from the office, Apple still owns whatever you create during your tenure at the company.

      This really depends on your employment contract. Make sure that your contract explicitly excludes things that you do:

      • On your own time
      • Using your own equiment
      • Not related to your work (this is hardest to scope)

      from being in "all your creations are belong to us" category that company can freely claim as theirs. In general, companies HQ'ed in California seem to often include such clauses, while many mid-western companies are more fascist.

      --
      I like paying taxes. With them I buy civilization -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
    9. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by ShawnDoc · · Score: 1

      It very clearly explained on the original Austin Powers DVD that "Austin Powers" is mostly based off of other 60's era spy movies. They even give a bibliography if I remember correctly of where Mike Meyers got his inspiration.

    10. Re:Who owns the Daleks? by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      It very clearly explained on the original Austin Powers DVD

      Fair enough; I thought the film sucked when I saw a bit of it on TV, so why would I watch the DVD? (^_^)

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  81. The Greatest Enemy? by MinorHeadWound · · Score: 0
    "And I can confirm we have created a new enemy for the Doctor which will keep viewers on the edge of their seats."

    Remember when Next Generation came out and their big enemy were the awesome Ferengi?

    I can hardly wait.

    Er, did mentioning the Next Generation premiere just age me?

  82. I Always Preferred "The Master" Myself by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

    Where do you think I get my handle?

    Billy Piper as the Dr's companion? Well, maybe. My favorite was always Liz Sladen - she was cute as a button. Although Louise Jamison (Leela) wasn't bad - I had the pleasure of seeing her in person at a Dr. Who convention in San Francisco many years ago. Unlike a lot of stars, she was better-looking in person than on the screen. Had a lot of great set stories to tell about working with Tom Baker.

    Just wondering, though - will we get to see more of the inside of the Tardis? Like where the Dr. and the "companion" sleep? Always wondered about that - those girls were real loyal to the Doc! Always wondered how long you could prolong an orgasm with the ability to control time!

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    1. Re:I Always Preferred "The Master" Myself by GeoGreg · · Score: 1

      I believe that we saw Adric's room once... but I don't care to think about any orgasms involving Adric!

    2. Re:I Always Preferred "The Master" Myself by signalgod · · Score: 1

      My fav was always Peri. I guess because she was the good Doctor's assistant when I started watching on PBS. When she 'got killed' I was totally destroyed.....until the next episode, when we found out that she was OK... I loved her.

      --
      --------------------------------------------- SignalGod ---------------------------------------------
    3. Re:I Always Preferred "The Master" Myself by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We see his room in Earthshock. (Availible now on BBC DVD!) ;-)

      SPOLIERS!

      Luckily in just four episodes he is blown up, along with the Dinosaurs. Then he reincarnates as Wesley Crusher.

    4. Re:I Always Preferred "The Master" Myself by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AFAIK Peri surviving was thrown in at the end because the producers were pussies, she was originally going to die, and stay dead.

  83. Re:Billy Piper? by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

    Well, I DO have various pictures of her on my hard drive.

    However, I have NOT been following the random actions of the BBC concerning Dr. Who.

    When they produce an ACTUAL FILM, I will take note. You forget I used to watch the series twenty years ago. I've been waiting that long to see the "return of". I do have to breathe occasionally, you know, "under the rock" and all.

    And unlike the average /.'er, I do need to work for a living - however rarely I get the chance.

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  84. Re:Billy Piper? by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

    Last time I saw her, she was a dwarf ("Total Recall"), so you'll forgive me if I was slow on the uptake. I do have a number of pictures of her on the ol' hard drive now - but not many. She simply isn't that big yet.

    I agree, though, I've been waiting for a new Dr. Who for twenty years or so, so I'm hardly holding my breath or searching the Web for advance tickets.

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  85. Ainley by Sloppy · · Score: 1

    Aw, that sucks. "ainley" was the 'master password' that I hardcoded into my highschool's login program on RSTS/E back in 1985. Oh well.

    --
    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
  86. I think we'll still be seeing daleks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This looks a lot like negotiation through negative PR to me. We did something similar at my company when a client was being unreasonable. We told all of their customers that they wouldn't be getting our service anymore, and then let the people negotiate for us.

    The sarcastic tone of the announcement sort of says "we don't need those silly daleks anyway," which is consistent with the idea that they're doing this for leverage.

  87. Re:Billy Piper? by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

    I just looked up when she was confirmed to be the new companion.

    Thursday, 27th May 2004.

    I've been "under a rock" for a whole month! Oh, my God!

    Ages in /. time! (Considering this story will disappear off the front page by tonight...)

    I also checked - I was wrong about her being in Total Recall. Oops! Don't know where I got that idea.

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  88. good for creativity! by argStyopa · · Score: 1

    You know, everyone (including me) likes to bemoan Hollywood's inability to have a "new" idea.
    Apparently the same affliction exists at BBC and in Whoville.
    So they can't use the Daleks. So? I like Dr. Who a lot, but they don't *have* to regurgitate all the old villians all the time. Personally, I think they're now rather anticlimactic - "oh, whew - it's just Daleks." :\

    --
    -Styopa
  89. Re:Billy Piper? by fiannaFailMan · · Score: 1

    I was heartbroken when I heard she married that ginger-haired tosser.

    --
    Drill baby drill - on Mars
  90. tell SciFi you want the new WHO next season! by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 1

    Here's the email address if you (like me) want the new DOCTOR WHO to premiere on the SciFi Network in America at the same time it debuts (returns) to the BBC in Fall 2005:

    program@www.scifi.com

    I seriously doubt BBC America would carry the new show since it already does not show the old WHO, Blake's 7, or Red Dwarf. SciFi is now part of the combined NBC Universal, and it has shown with the reimagined Battlestar Galactica that it is willing to spend money on new programming.

    --
    "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
  91. It's all about The Master! by Mongoose · · Score: 1

    You can all go home now. =0

    Seriously, The Master can take on all the Doctors at once! What a super villian! =)

  92. Art Imitates Life by dman123 · · Score: 1

    Daleks created by an intelligent being versus evolving due to their surroundings... a debate that sounds oddly familiar.

    --

    --
    dman123 forever!
    Filtering out the -1s and 0s since 1999.
  93. fat assistant, Ace ? tough crowd! by bobalu · · Score: 1

    Hey now, Ace was no Perri (in terms of pure cleavage) or Romana (the brunette, YOW) but she was cute and knew her way around a bag of explosives, if I remember correctly.

    --
    The revolution will NOT be televised.
  94. Estate wouldn't allow them in the books either by Aexia · · Score: 1

    I don't know how many people have been following the 8th Doctor books the BBC publishes, but the Daleks were supposed to have been revealed in "Sometime Never" as the mysterious employers of Sabbath who were attempting to become the new Lords of Time.

    As it is, negotiations fell through and they had to come up with brand-new villains(Council of Eight) who were a bit underwhelming after 2-3 years of building up the storyline.

    I still liked Sometime Never but I can't help but think it would've been a greater book if they were allowed to use the villains they had been hinting at.

  95. holy jeez by Negativeions101 · · Score: 1

    Can you editors make sure the bloody post has correct grammer and spelling. What the hell post was that? A god damn disgrace.

    --

    I'm not anti-microsoft. I'm anti-bullshit. Which means I'm anti-microsoft.
  96. My take by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 3, Funny

    the estate of Terry Nation is composed of Daleks. They are tired of being cast as the bad guys, so they made an insane demand of creative control of the film/tv show. They wanted the Daleks seen as the good guys and Doctor Who as the bad guy who lures scantily clad young women into his TARDIS for who knows what?

    I think that there may be a substitute, let us see what evil alien or robot bad guys are not being used much anymore, shall we?

    Cylons, not from that Sci Fi channel show, the original ones. The ones that could not shoot the broad side of a barn, and could not fly a Cylon Raider properly even if there are three of them in the cockpit.

    The Slayers from Krull, slow moving, dim-witted, and get taken out by a super Japanese throwing star named a Glave.

    The Peacekeepers from FarScape. Well FarScape fans want to see more action and are made that the series was cancled. Using these aliens means no special make-up is required, just uniforms need to be made. They speak British anyway. ;) Maybe they go after Doctor Who to learn how the TARDIS works, to use it as a weapon?

    The Geldts from Red Dwarf. If I spelled it right. Doctor Who is captured with his companion, and told that he would die if he didn't marry the Geldts' leader's daughter. He marries, but grabs the Oxygen Generator his TARDIS needs to recycle air and runs. The Geldts chase him all over the galaxy.

    Bring in Servalan and the Federation from Blake's Seven. New actress if you have to. It should prove interesting.

    The robots from Ice Pirates, hey, enough said!

    Borrow the Ferrengi from Star Trek, I haven't seen anything from them since Deep Space Nine went off the air.

    Better yet, have Doctor Who run away from time travelling Lawyers who are trying to issue him a subpeona about the file sharing program he runs in his TARDIS computers. ;)

    --
    Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
    1. Re:My take by Teahouse · · Score: 1

      "Better yet, have Doctor Who run away from time travelling Lawyers who are trying to issue him a subpeona about the file sharing program he runs in his TARDIS computers. "

      SHUDDER...Now THAT is scary!

      --
      "Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect."- Steven Wright
    2. Re:My take by kalidasa · · Score: 1

      Cylons, not from that Sci Fi channel show, the original ones. The ones that could not shoot the broad side of a barn, and could not fly a Cylon Raider properly even if there are three of them in the cockpit.

      The Cylon warriors from tne new BG weren't so bad, actually.

      The Peacekeepers from FarScape. Using these aliens means no special make-up is required, just uniforms need to be made. They speak British anyway. ;)

      No, they speak a cross between British and Aussie, just like their prototype, Claudia Black.

      Borrow the Ferrengi from Star Trek, I haven't seen anything from them since Deep Space Nine went off the air.

      Then you've been wise enough never to see Voyager or Enterprise. Good for you.

  97. Daleks to the BBC:"Exterminate! Exterminate!" by cmdrwhitewolf · · Score: 2, Funny

    BBC: "Okay, have it your way - your off the show!"

    Daleks (while getting shoved in the trash):"Waaaaiiiitttt a miiiinuuuute..."

    --
    [Now, I'm off to lift my le... Um, visit... at another place.]
  98. That's NOT the "real one"! by CyberLord+Seven · · Score: 1

    Sorry to burst your bubble, but the parent post was refering to Star Wars. You know, the movie in which Han Solo shoots first, and the Death Star blows up with a ridiculous fireworks explosion. I'm NOT refering to the fictitious "Episode IV: A New Hope". You know, the one where Greedo shoots first, and there are creatures never seen before, and the Death Star has all these pretty special FX.

    --
    We have always been at war with Eurasia!
  99. Stories versus Memories. . . by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The problem with revisiting old, once-popular stuff is that there is a schism between two types of audiences, and therefore, market forces.

    1. Many older fans don't want innovation or new things. They want comfort food for the soul. They want to be able to take refuge in the things of their youth. Punch the hot button on their emotional centers, wired up nicely from all the work they did reading, viewing, experiencing in their childhoods. Making new connections is hard work, especially with the much wider range of knowledge and experience they have available to filter stories through. When it is so much easier to see the shit, it's so much harder to bother looking. Finding good things to be motivated by is hard, because 'Good' is bloody rare. (I just finished watching the Firefly DVD set. That's good stuff!

    2. The second type of audience is the one NOT looking for old thrills; they are looking for Firefly and new ideas.

    So. . .

    This is not to say that revisiting Dr. Who is a bad idea. Either approach can be done in a successful way. If it's fresh enough and done with an honest intent to really explore and have fun rather than copy old successes, it could easily be a very exciting ride. While, as per Sam Raimi's Spider Man movies, which attempt primarily to be faithful to the originals, there are examples of how re-telling old stories can also work very well. --After all, there is a reason people once sat around the story teller and cried, "Tell it again!" Every society has its favorite myths.

    I wonder how it will go with Dr. Who revisited. . .? The idea of an alien explorer for whom Time is fluid, could be awesome. But I seriously doubt they're going to be exploring all the new territory which is available these days.

    There are some extremely cool ideas which have only recently become available to our popular artists and which have not yet been properly explored, and which could be as explosive and fun as the first Matrix film. In much the way the last couple of Star Wars films could have blown the lid off today's society had they not sucked, Dr. Who could be dazzling. (Just watched the Phantom Edit again. . . Solid stuff. If only the Phantom Menace hadn't sucked, the world would have had a very powerful lesson in how corrupt fascist states can rise. --The methods used by Palpatine were actually more sophisticated and less 'Bruce Willis' than those employed by Bush!).

    Anyway. . , Dr. Who could be a great delivery device for some sympathetic themes which the collective subconscious of the Human race would enthusiastically absorb, as it did with the Matrix. But we'll have to see what they come up with. My sense of jade says, "Suckage." But we'll see.


    -FL

  100. Idea for new villian... by kabocox · · Score: 1

    I think we need a thread for potential replacements for the Daleks.

    My Idea for a new villian: a female time lord that likes to creatively meddle. Instead of the Master that is trying to control the universe, she goes around and "makes history neater." She either stops wars that should happen or she goes behind the Doctor and "fixes" his last epsiode so that history comes out the same. Either way, she should be a good time lord, but being a villian as far as humanity goes. (It could turn out that she was dumped by the doctor and she really hates him going all over time and space with all those other girls.)

  101. BBC ARE Reporting by meehawl · · Score: 1

    The BBC are reporting

    Are? Plural? What happened to "is"? Is the BBC like a Borg Collective these days?

    (your answer may of course depend on your political perceptions of BBC reporting...)

    --

    Da Blog
  102. Re:Editorial influence? Daleks? by Feneric · · Score: 1

    There have been a few appearances of Daleks outside of Doctor Who (although in many cases the Doctor Who label has been added after-the-fact).

    Terry Nation wrote at least one Dalek story sans Doctor; I believe it was meant for kids. The company Big Finish has released two series (and is currently releasing a third) of audio dramas featuring the Daleks without the Doctor. There are of course countless cameos ranging from comedy shows to the classic '80s game "Paradroid").

    More interesting to me is how much control Terry Nation's estate seems to exert over Dalek usage -- by all accounts of the time Dalek creation was a collaborative effort; much of what people think of when hearing the word "Dalek" had nothing to do with Terry Nation...

  103. Rather have Leela and K9 by CA_Jim · · Score: 1

    If anyone could be brought back!

  104. I buried George by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The real George was cremated, not buried as Paul was..

  105. What... a... shame... by mdavids · · Score: 1

    When... you... have... twenty... five... minutes... to... fill... and... no... budget... Daleks... are... very... useful.

    Seriously, Daleks are at best dull, at worst ridiculous. It's ludicrous that Terry Nation, a god-awful writer when compared with Who's greats like Robert Holmes (who as a script editor inclined to totally rewrite stories, made "Genesis of the Daleks" the classic it is), received so much acclaim for something that on paper was the standard evil alien out to conquer the universe.

    The effectiveness of the Daleks in the 60's was due to the fact that they didn't look like a guy in a suit, and as others have observed, Nation was not responsible for that.

  106. Re:Editorial influence? Daleks? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The BBC wanted to make some gay Daleks for a cartoon series. I applaud the estate for refusing.

  107. Do-it-yourself Darlek sounds by Dzimas · · Score: 1

    I vividly remember being an eight year-old kid, screaming "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!" into a large fan running full-blast in the living room. I thought it was the most brilliant special effect ever. Am I the only one??

  108. Re:Editorial influence? Daleks? by zakezuke · · Score: 1

    The BBC wanted to make some gay Daleks for a cartoon series. I applaud the estate for refusing.

    Why the hell not? Daleks are after all over 40 years old, and moved beyond cult status to cultural icon status. It would be like the Asimov estate trying to control the use of the laws of robotics. They could do it but they would be hindering the use of something that was a very good idea that in it self has no comercial value. I imagine one author could ruin the image of the laws of robotics (see i robot the film), but in the grand picture who gives a fark.

    I feel that refusing gay Daleks does more to harm the image people have of Terry Nation then they could do to harm the Dalek trademark.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  109. George Lucas by gwalla · · Score: 1

    It's not a doppelganger...here's what really happened.

    --
    Oper on the Nightstar
  110. Am I the only one? by DrMorpheus · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one who thought the Daleks were saying, "Inseminate!"

    --
    Debunking the "59 Deceits"
  111. Nighttime by isorox · · Score: 1

    Sometimes, late at night, you may see a darlek if you wander arround the basement of Television Center.

  112. The Goon Show tapes... by Gordonjcp · · Score: 1

    ... were mostly wiped and reused. Don't forget that at the time, media was very, very expensive and the shows were considered to be ephemeral. These days, when you can store 250 hours of video in far higher quality than the old Ampex tape machines on an 80 quid hard disk, it seems strange. Oh for a time machine and a portable DV deck...

  113. Re:Yoko et al by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No, no, no, you miss the point!

    If they didn't have the income from their deceased significant other's estate they would be forced to promote themselves seriously, which means we would see far more of them.

    Long copyright doesn't protect the ideas of dead celebrities, it protects us from the horror of live ones!

  114. Life Insurance. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think life insurance will take care of that problem instead of a copyright policy that fucks up society.

  115. Planet of the Daleks by TPFH · · Score: 1

    How can you not like Planet of the Daleks.
    I mean it has a volcano, but it's an Ice Volcano.
    I mean, what is kewler than an Ice Volcano.

    um.... and that quick sequence that was used when the Pet Shop Boys sing "And you don't like rock."

    um.... yea.

    OK, I like Death to the Daleks better but I was mostly joking.

    Destiny of the Daleks is probably my favorite, for among other reasons, having the single greatest one liner in television history: "Oh look! Rocks!"

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