Question for you Doctor Who fans...

[AGXStarseed]

When it comes to the Daleks, I think a lot of people will agree that they're not as scary as they used to be.

Back in 'Classic Doctor Who', The Daleks didn't appear very often in the series, the Doctor wasn't always able to see them off (sometimes simply 'delaying' them) and - as many will likely point out - they first appeared back in 1963, where they were basically meant to be the alien representation of the Nazis, as it hadn't been long since WWII had ended and Britain was still rebuilding from the aftermath of numerous bombing runs.

In the new Doctor Who Series, they have lost a lot of their fear factor.
This includes a combination of been overused, the 7:00pm time slot preventing the show from been 'too scary', the 2010 redesign that many dubbed the 'Power Ranger Daleks' and other reasons I'm sure you'll be aware of.

The question is, how would you make the Daleks scary again?

 

[Jasper FIelds]

Hmmmm... very good question. I think you're right on all fronts. I think they need to use them less, the Doctor needs to not so easily vanquish them each time (sometimes in the 10s of 1000s). We shouldn't see their inner workings, they should remain mysterious. There should be more one on one, a single Dalek verus the Doctor. I think the Cybermen are having the same problem. They used to scare the hell out of me!

 

[Spiller]

they were basically meant to be the alien representation of the Nazis

I thought the Christopher Eccleston v Dalec episode, where it levitated up the stairwell was pretty good.. That reminded me strongly of how scared I was of them as a kid! But unfortunately, I'm a little older now (though hopefully not jaded).
I see two options:
1. Grow young again, though I wouldn't live through teenage a second time, even for Dr Who!
2. As with modelling them on the Nazis, again model them on a modern Terror. Not sure how a Dalek'd look scarier dressed as a terrorist (how do terrorists dress?).. how about printing IRS on them?.. or they could carry ads for reality TV shows.. Oooooohh, now I've scared myself

 

[epath13]

When it comes to the Daleks, I think a lot of people will agree that they're not as scary as they used to be.

Back in 'Classic Doctor Who', The Daleks didn't appear very often in the series, the Doctor wasn't always able to see them off (sometimes simply 'delaying' them) and - as many will likely point out - they first appeared back in 1963, where they were basically meant to be the alien representation of the Nazis, as it hadn't been long since WWII had ended and Britain was still rebuilding from the aftermath of numerous bombing runs.

In the new Doctor Who Series, they have lost a lot of their fear factor.
This includes a combination of been overused, the 7:00pm time slot preventing the show from been 'too scary', the 2010 redesign that many dubbed the 'Power Ranger Daleks' and other reasons I'm sure you'll be aware of.

The question is, how would you make the Daleks scary again?

I can't say I can remember every episode of every season. I saw some episodes years ago, I couldn't understand why people watched it, it seemed totally ridiculous to me It definitely never seemed scary I started watching again when Tennant was the Doctor, and most episodes after that. I like the new season and the new doctor as well. I think it's what it is, sci-fi show for ages 10 and up. I don't think it's meant to be scary. If I remember it right, originally it was a kids show or something like that... or did kids liked it the most? There's a pretty nice documentary about it a few years ago or so.

 

[King_Oni]

I've never really considered Daleks to be scary; perhaps it's the design that doesn't feel like makes them scary. Perhaps back in the day, they were scary because they seemed so overly rational and cold, something nowadays seems tame because we see plenty of that in movies and shows.

Their reasoning seems faulty and I always have this idea that you can "outsmart" then and turn their reasoning and arguments against them.

The fact that Daleks are even opening dialogue takes away from their scare factor IMO.

To make them scary nowadays I think they just need to increase the bodycount and just take out a few cities in terms of bodycount without any reasoning behind it besides "kill every human". That kind of relentless type of killing probably would make them appear scary again. And lets not forgot; it needs to be on camera. Despite that Daleks are known for killing a lot; you rarely see it, it's merely suggested. That said, I can see how such images wont be around at 7 in the evening and DW would probably move at the past 10 pm timeslot, which also would impact the ratings (both on whether it's PG as well as the amount of people watching it)

 

[AGXStarseed]

Hmmmm... very good question. I think you're right on all fronts. I think they need to use them less, the Doctor needs to not so easily vanquish them each time (sometimes in the 10s of 1000s). We shouldn't see their inner workings, they should remain mysterious. There should be more one on one, a single Dalek verus the Doctor. I think the Cybermen are having the same problem. They used to scare the hell out of me!

I thought the Christopher Eccleston v Dalec episode, where it levitated up the stairwell was pretty good.. That reminded me strongly of how scared I was of them as a kid! But unfortunately, I'm a little older now (though hopefully not jaded).
I see two options:
1. Grow young again, though I wouldn't live through teenage a second time, even for Dr Who!
2. As with modelling them on the Nazis, again model them on a modern Terror. Not sure how a Dalek'd look scarier dressed as a terrorist (how do terrorists dress?).. how about printing IRS on them?.. or they could carry ads for reality TV shows.. Oooooohh, now I've scared myself

I remember reading about a failed Doctor Who Episode called "The Dark Dimension" or something like that, that would have been a multi-doctor anniversary special. In that episode, you would see redesigned versions of the Cybermen and Daleks - including a brand new Special Weapons Dalek. These actually looked pretty good.


Dark Dimension Cybermen - The 'Cyberrine': Nicknamed after the retractable claws it had that made it similar to the X-Men character Wolverine.

Dark Dimension Special Weapon Dalek - 'Dalek Storm': This design looks badass.

One guy even made a real life version of it. When the 2010 'Teletubby' Daleks were at Sheffield station during April 2010, Alan Clark - who created the real life Dalek Storm - took the Dalek along as a wind up.
You can read the article and see the images here: http://sandalsandsocks.typepad.com/soapbox/2010/04/teletubby-daleks-vs-proper-design.html

 

[Mr Allen]

Best Dalek based story IMO was Genesis of the Daleks in 1975, starring arguably the best of the original 7 Doctors, Tom Baker.

 

[NateSean]

Best Dalek based story IMO was Genesis of the Daleks in 1975, starring arguably the best of the original 7 Doctors, Tom Baker.

Peter Capaldi and Steven Moffatt really channeled the older Doctors in season 9. With that in mind, Into The Dalek was brilliant and original, but I firmly believe that the season 9 two parter, The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's Familiar knocked it out of the park.