Daleks back to ex-ter-min-ate
- Publication: The Australian
- Date: 2004-08-06
- Author: Jonathan Este
- Page:
- Language: English
London
DR WHO's scariest enemy, the Daleks, will be back to terrorise a new generation of children following the settlement of a legal dispute that had threatened to exterminate the mechanised monsters.
Last month the BBC, which is about to start filming a new Dr Who series with Christopher Eccleston in the time-lord title role, announced it would be unable to use the Daleks alter negotiations broke clown with the estate of their creator Terry Nation. Representatives of the science-fiction writer, who died in 1997. accused the BBC of ruining the Daleks brand. The BBC said Nation's estate was demanding an unreasonable level of editorial control. The dispute threatened to blight the second childhoods of millions whose first childhoods were spent watching in delighted horror from behind sofas as the Daleks chased various incarnations of Dr Who around the galaxy. "Dr Who without the Daleks would be like Morecambe without Wise or Wimbledon without strawberries," declared Antony Wainer of the Dr Who Appreciation Society. Predictably, it was London tabloid the Sun that last month took the campaign to save the Daleks the furthest: to the streets of Manhattan, where harried New Yorkers were clearly bemused at being accosted by the intergalactic baddfes, spraying gas from their stun guns and chanting: "Ex-ter-min-ate."
Yesterday. BBC drama series chief Mal Young announced the dispute had been resolved and the new 13-part series would include Daleks. "As well as coming face-to-face with a number of new and exciting monsters. it's good news that the Doctor will also do battle with his arch-enemy, the Daleks, in a series which promises to surprise and entertain a new generation." he said.
A spokesman for Nation's estate said: "We are looking forward to working closely with the production team in the forthcoming months."
But this time the Doctor had better beware. Back in the old days the Daleks' reliance on wheels meant that all he had to do to evade them was to run up some steps. Improved wheelchair access in most buildings has put paid to that and will mean his arch-enemies are a lot more mobile.
Caption: Creator: Nation with a Dalek
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: Este, Jonathan (2004-08-06). Daleks back to ex-ter-min-ate. The Australian .
- MLA 7th ed.: Este, Jonathan. "Daleks back to ex-ter-min-ate." The Australian [add city] 2004-08-06. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Este, Jonathan. "Daleks back to ex-ter-min-ate." The Australian, edition, sec., 2004-08-06
- Turabian: Este, Jonathan. "Daleks back to ex-ter-min-ate." The Australian, 2004-08-06, section, edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Daleks back to ex-ter-min-ate | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Daleks_back_to_ex-ter-min-ate | work=The Australian | pages= | date=2004-08-06 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=21 August 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Daleks back to ex-ter-min-ate | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Daleks_back_to_ex-ter-min-ate | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=21 August 2025}}</ref>
