RTD Style Daleks Coming Back!

[The Borgified Corpse]

And most of that came from the fact that this was one of the rare moments where the Doctor was practically shitting his pants with fear.

For me, it wasn't about the way the Doctor felt about them. It had to do with the way the Dalek was filmed.

It was so still. It would sit there, absolutely still, not moving, even when it was talking. None of this "shake the eye stalk up and down as it talks" nonsense. The Dalek did not bounce as it moved as though it only weighed as much as a guy sitting inside a thing made of plastic. When that Dalek moved, it looked like it was heavy. Between the way it moved and the way it was painted, it honestly looked like it was made of metal and weighed a shit tone.

And not only that, but it acted like a battle tank rather than a thing with a guy in it. The middle section would move 180 degrees even as the battle tank's top section still. You know, like it was a battle tank with a small creature operating it rather than a plastic scooter with a guy in it.

All that, combined with the extreme close-ups, helped emphasize how truly alien the Daleks are, and how truly robotic their battle tanks are. The stillness of it, the eye the eye would just stare without moving...

It was genuinely unsettling.

The Daleks haven't been that menacing since.

I have agree totally on that one.

When the daleks were announced to be returning, this was the first episode to feature a single, lone Dalek. Not a fleet, not an army not even a cult. just one, thats all there was, and the fact that the new design and CG elements allowed it to move all parts independantly from each other as a litteral battle tank was creepifiying. The sound effects were even heavy and low toned to give the appearence of size.

It set the tone to a new type of dalek, and actual warrior that not only looked heavy and menacing, but 'acted' in a cold and less emotional way. And possibly due to budget reasons, we never saw, unless i missed it somewhere in a dalek battle or long shot of CG daleks, rotating the middle section while looking elsewhere, we never saw this aspect again.

Shame that we got shakey Daleks back after so many years, wouldve loved to see a constant 'heavy set' dalek that didnt throw tantrums and shake.

To some extent, I agree. With lighting & camera angles & sound effects, they could make the Daleks more menacing than they often are on the new series. At the same time, I don't think they'll ever be able to replicate the badassedness of "Dalek." That episode was just a perfect merging of stylish shooting & powerful subject matter, particularly with this idea that the Doctor & the Dalek were the only two very last survivors of the Time War. Each subsequent return of the Daleks saw diminishing returns. They were less like the scary reinvention of "Dalek" and more like a campy nostalgia trip back to the classic series. And really, nostalgia is the only reason why the new series has brought them back as much as they have. (Just about once every year. Even the classic series stopped going to the Dalek well that often after "Genesis of the Daleks.")

 

[Lonemagpie]

And possibly due to budget reasons, we never saw, unless i missed it somewhere in a dalek battle or long shot of CG daleks, rotating the middle section while looking elsewhere, we never saw this aspect again. .

Yeah, it's only CG Daleks in long shot that have done it since- the sort of "sergeant" Daleks watching the lines of flying Daleks coming out of the saucers in Parting Of The Ways definitely do it, and I think a few background CG Daleks in TSE/JE do as well.

Oh, one of the two flying Daleks in Evolution does it very briefly as well, but only a slight side-to-side thing, not a full spin.

 

[David cgc]

I think Sec did when he was directing the invasion force at the end of "Doomsday," too.

 

[Cutter John]

As others have said, the hunchback is the only problem I have. It just throws off the whole asthetic.

I can kinda understand the redesign in a way. The RTD Daleks were basically a war time design. So the rivets, and extra armor made sense. With the war pretty much won, they can go back to a more 'civilian' look. Smooth lines, colors, etc.

 

[David cgc]

But the Daleks are always at war. It's kind of their thing.

 

[Cutter John]

But the Daleks are always at war. It's kind of their thing.

Well, I wouldn't call what they do 'war'. More like 'steamrolling over the lesser races'.

I think the Movellans and the TimeLords have been the only serious opposition they've ever faced.

 

[Solariabsg25]

Don't they say that the Daleks defeated them in Resurrection of the Daleks? They left behind those virus canisters, though.

No the Movellans won the war, which is why the Daleks had to use Lyton and his troopers, and why they had to bust Davros out to help find a cure.

 

[God of Gor]

I say the more Daleks, the merrier I am.