Review Doctor Who Monsters

[Gavin]

Unfortunately this aired before I was born so I missed seeing it. And the reconstructions don't really do it justice. At least we (eventually) got a novelisation which I loved reading to discover a story I knew nothing about at the time. I'd love to see an animated version (assuming that finding the original is unlikely) but I suspect that the costs of animating full stories still make the profitability of DVD sales challenging.

 

[Doctor Omega]

I suspect that the animation of this one will happen, simply because of the Daleks as a selling point.

Not sure about any animations beyond that though. Maybe the Wheel in Space?

 

[Gavin]

I suspect that the animation of this one will happen, simply because of the Daleks as a selling point.

Not sure about any animations beyond that though. Maybe the Wheel in Space?

One can only hope. Animation costs are going down regularly. Hopefully eventually there'll come a time when we can get animations of all the missing episodes. Then we can all start agitating for CG reconstructions of the live actors similar to Peter Cushing's recent (undead) performance in Rogue One.

 

[Doctor Omega]

The novelisation...............

 

[Doctor Omega]

and the script book..............

 

[Doctor Omega]

Why do we love them?

And do we, in fact, still love them?

And is it time to say goodbye to Davros?

Post everything Dalek-ky-ish here.....

 

[Doctor Omega]

Published in 1966, The Dalek Outer Space Book by Terry Nation and Brad Ashton was the third and final of what have come to be known as "the 1960s Dalek annuals". It was most notable for featuring the exploits of Sara Kingdom and the Space Security Service, then only recently introduced in TV: The Daleks' Master Plan.

Original story art was by Richard Jennings, Leslie Waller, and John Woods but none of the stories were individually credited. Except where artwork was signed, who did what was a matter of speculation.


CONTENTS
STORIES

• The Dalek Trap
• The Outlaw Planet
• Sara Kingdom: Space Security Agent (See thumbnails)

• The Living Death
• The Super Sub
• The Secret of the Emperor
• The Sea Monsters
• The Unwilling Traveller
• Chris Welkin-Planeteer (reprint of a newspaper comic strip)
• Diamond Dust
• The Brain Tappers

FEATURES

• Dalek Saturn Probe
• The Strata of Skaro
• Dalekwiz (Dalek Quiz)
• Top Secret-Incorporating:-

• SSS Chain of Command
• SSS Weaponry
• Who is Sara Kingdom?
• SSS Headquarters

• Mystery Message From Space
• The Emperor's Brain
• The Evolution of Planet Skaro
• Man in Space
• Space Aptitude Test
• The Great Mercury Plot

NOTE

• Despite being seen in two different illustration, Agent "Seven" — a sort of prototype for Mark Seven of The Destroyers — is only mentioned in the short story The Outlaw Planet. This "Seven" is not, however, the same as Mark Seven, the second-in-command of the ADF who was a regular in the 1970s Dalek annuals. This version of the character doesn't at all look the same as his ADF counterpart. For a start, he's got dark hair, whereas the Mark Seven of the ADF is consistently depicted as being blonde. Also, he's always called Agent "Seven" (including quotation marks) in this volume — never Mark Seven or Mark 7, like the 1970s character.

 

[Doctor Omega]

I do wonder if Davros should ever have returned after his first story.

Yes, he works fine as a mouthpiece for the Daleks, in much the same way as the Borg Queen works for them.

But I feel that the Borg lost something because of the Queen, and the same for the Daleks with Davros.

While he exists, we can never have the cunning creatures that were in Power of the Daleks. Planning and scheming quietly to gain an upper hand....

For Davros is too busy telling the Doctor all of his and their plans, like a James Bond villain. With extra ranting on the side.

And what do the Daleks need Davros for anyway? He made them. They outgrew him. That's it, surely?

 

[Gavin]

I do wonder if Davros should ever have returned after his first story.

I agree but I'm quite happy to have had the opportunity to see Julian Bleach in the role.

And what do the Daleks need Davros for anyway? He made them. They outgrew him. That's it, surely?

It made more sense in the last couple of appearances in Classic Who when the Daleks clearly didn't need (or want) Davros, but instead he'd developed his own breed of loyal Daleks creating a civil war. Davros needs the Daleks to give him power. The Daleks don't need Davros for anything.

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

Yeah, I was always curious why they did away with the two warring sects of Daleks, and now they all just fall under Davros' jurisdiction. I assume it has something to do with them all participating in the Time War, but that's just an easy answer. It has been nice to see Julian in the role, and that last appearance where The Doctor meets him as a kid was bittersweet.

 

[Doctor Omega]

 

[Doctor Omega]

Other Dalek annuals and annual type books....

 

[Doctor Omega]

Those silver terrors have now got their own thread.....

Feel free to discuss them here....

 

[Doctor Omega]

The best Cyber-design of all?

 

[Doctor Omega]

I think that it is.

I loved the open-mouthed sing-song voices of the Tenth Planet Mondosians - and hope that they retain those this year.

Also there is something more pathetic and sad about these Cyberman. They are travesties of the human form. They look a bit daft. But they are deadly.

I just hope that they don't mess up the presentation this season, but I have to say, they look wonderfully faithful to the originals.

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

I agree with you on all points, but I still think my favorite Cybermen were those of the eighties. For some reason, they always seemed like the coolest villain.

 

[Doctor Omega]

I was very taken with the glass jaw in Earthshock - and was always disappointed that they sprayed it out in later stories....

 

[Doctor Omega]

Another early Dalek book.....

 

[Carol]

Just curious: do the nay-sayers simple not watch when a dalek episode/ story-line comes along (as they always will, and rightly so)? Or do such fair-weather-fans watch, but say tut-tut, crush their lager cans / clutch their pearls/ or sigh morosely like my dog when I took the fruit knife to disable the annoying squeak in a new toy?

Shorthand for evil - what's the problem?
A rite of passage for any Who writer - bring it on!
Our sofa was up against the wall and there was No Hiding Place - I had to tough it out - a privilege I would be ashamed to deny the newest generation of baby viewers. And we lived in a bungalow - couldn't hide upstairs either...

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

I'll admit, there really doesn't need to be a Dalek story every series. There were many series of Classic Who that never used them. I love them, but we can go at least one without bringing them up. How about bringing back the Meddling Monk? Or The War Chief? Or Talky Toaster?

Oh, wait, that was Red Dwarf.