The Daleks aren’t in Doctor Who this year.
We’ve been told this fact over and over again in the run-up to Jodie Whittaker’s first series at the helm of the Tardis, and overall it seems like a genuinely good thing.
Yes, the cyborg, genocidal mutants from Skaro are the Doctor’s most iconic foes. Yes, their design is probably as associated with the Doctor Who brand as the Tardis, and yes, a highlight of any new Doctor is seeing them go up against their tinpot nemeses.
- Jodie Whittaker on auditioning for Matt Smith’s Doctor Who series: ‘Thank goodness I didn’t get it!’
- The scripts for Doctor Who series 11 were originally written for a male Doctor
- The new Doctor Who theme tune includes recordings of the 1963 original
But over the years these reasons have made the Daleks incredibly overused as Doctor Who villains, and it’s about time they took a break – especially in a series that new boss Chris Chibnall is keen to make accessible for first-time viewers.
“I don’t know how many times I need to say it,” a slightly frustrated Chibnall told RadioTimes.com at a recent set visit.
“There are no old monsters this series. OK?”
We completely get his reasoning and support his decision, and look forward to meeting an all-new cast of exciting alien foes this week.
And yet. And yet.
Where my Daleks at?
Let’s get real – they aren’t really benching the Daleks this year, right? This must be a massive double bluff, a red herring, an extra layer of secrecy. They’re the Daleks – they’re part of the Doctor Who recipe.
It’d be like bringing back Line of Duty without Ted Hastings’ weird colloquialisms, Game of Thrones without endless scenes of Kit Harington sulking, or doing a series of Poldark where Aidan Turner wears sensible outdoor clothing at all times.
Nope, this Dalek disappearance feels mighty fishy to us – and here at RadioTimes.com, we’re determined to uphold the values of the fourth estate and topple this wall of secrecy.
Which is why every week, we’ll be asking one simple question, and updating our answer as and when any information changes.
If you haven’t seen the latest episode, we’d advise you look away now, lest the surprise presence of Daleks ruins your anticipation – or even if their expected absence is enough to ruin your immersion week to week.
Are the Daleks back in Doctor Who yet?
No. As of the most recent episode of Doctor Who series 11, the Daleks are still MIA.
But never fear, faithful readers – our #Dalekwatch continues. Any sightings welcome.
Doctor Who airs on BBC1 on Sundays
This article was originally published on 5 October 2018
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