New Doctor Who episode to be called.....

[Enigma]

First ep for the latest Doctor Who season (series) will be called Asylum of the Daleks.

The title of the new series’ opening episode has been revealed as Asylum of the Daleks.

We confirmed back in March that the Daleks would be returning to menace the universe and even posted a few sneaky photos smuggled from set! Since then, Steven Moffat (Doctor Who’s lead writer and Executive Producer) has confirmed that the adventure will feature every kind of Dalek ever faced by the Time Lord – including the legendary Special Weapons Dalek!

The title of the new story has already increased the excitement building around it. Could the ‘asylum’ be a place or is it some sort of protection? Or does the word take on a new and sinister meaning in this adventure? It’s too early to say but we’re having fun speculating! In the meantime, we’ll have to wait a little longer to find out the answer to the crucial question: What is the Asylum of the Daleks?

Executive Producer Caro Skinner wasn’t giving much away but she did tell us, ‘This is an epic Dalek adventure that kicks off the new series in explosive style! If you think you know all there is to know about the Daleks, think again…’

So this will be interesting. We'll get to see every Dalek ever to appear onscreen. I hope the episode will live up to the hype.

[The Imperator]

I hope it's good!

[Stark]

Hope away, because it SOUNDS awful.

[The Imperator]

I don't think it can be much worse than Love and Monsters, or Evolution of the Daleks, but I guess there is that possibility...

[Havok]

I'm pretty new to Who and although I like the Daleks, I think they have already been overused in the revival.

[The Romulan Republic]

They're never going to stop showing up because they're iconic arch enemies. And I don't think I hear as many people complaining that classic arch enemies in other series are overused. What's different about the Daleks? Especially since we've only had one episode about the Daleks in the last two seasons and appearances in a few other episodes.

[Havok]

Well considering I have never watched a single episode of the old Who, and that the "seasons" are only 13 episodes long and how much the Doctor pontificates about how vast and varied the Universe is, not to mention they have all of time to play with... I already feel that way.

This isn't Star Trek where they are locked in with 5 major races because of in universe technological restraints, or even Star Wars where they are locked into a specific time. It seems to me that they could come up with some new enemies for the Doctor to play with and save the Daleks for something better as far as stories go.

[evilsoup]

The biggest problem with the Daleks is that they keep getting wiped out and then come back even more dangerous than ever!!!

The latest two series have managed to avoid overusing the Daleks, I think, but there were a whole bunch of other problems instead (like River Song; and Stephen Moffat not being able to write endings, just like Rusty; and too much 'timey-wimey' cute bullshit instead of actual storytelling or characters).

But eh, this could work maybe. I'll probably watch it, but that's more down to me being a brandslave than anything else.

[Crossroads Inc.]

The Daleks were best when they (used to be) bad guys no better or no weaker then the other Dr Who villains.
They were loads more fun, but still "Mortal"

Ever since the Time Wars, they became like they Borg... Super Duper unstoppable powerful! So... They only way to kill them was through some complicated plot device. Which means each time you bring them back, you have to come up with yet ANOTHER complicated plot device, instead of oh, just having people shoot and kill them from time to time.

[evilsoup]

The Time War was a fucking terrible idea anyway.
This recent universe exploding stuff had better lead to bringing back the time lords

[JLTucker]

Has there ever been a Dalek episode in "NuWho" better than "Dalek" from the first series? That one actually did something heartfelt while the others just had them as big evil enemies.

[Stofsk]

Has there ever been a Dalek episode in "NuWho" better than "Dalek" from the first series?

None. In fact, that episode should have been the one and only time daleks (or A dalek) were used.

The idea that you can't get rid of them because they're iconic villains doesn't really make sense, and indeed, by insisting on reusing them their threat diminishes to absurd proportions. Every time they reappear, they're always a bigger threat and THIS TIME THEY MEAN BUSINESS. And they keep getting soundly trashed.

But arguably they're only a symptom for why the show sucks, rather than the cause. Hell they even brought back the timelords, only to kill them off again. Speaking as someone who was a totally new viewer to Doctor Who coming in at the first season with Christopher Ecclestone, the premise of the new show (or revival or continuation or whatever you want to call it) has been completely negated and jumped the shark as early as the first season finale. Even that could have been forgiven had it been the final FINAL appearance. But each season they brought them back again and again (I think not in the third season though; which season had that abominable 'Daleks in Manhattan' episode?).

[Enigma]

The Time War was a fucking terrible idea anyway.
This recent universe exploding stuff had better lead to bringing back the time lords

It probably will have to if we are ever going to see another episode with The Master.

As for the AotD, I doubt we'll see every Dalek incarnation functioning. Most will be dead with the newest Daleks actually be the threat.

[evilsoup]

Has there ever been a Dalek episode in "NuWho" better than "Dalek" from the first series? That one actually did something heartfelt while the others just had them as big evil enemies.

No.
The Time War stuff was ill-conceived, but if they were determined to go ahead with it, Rusty should have put his money where his mouth was and leave the Daleks dead. Dalek was a good episode, but it should have been left as a one-off, and each time the Daleks turn out to be not quite dead it undermines the one good Dalek episode (of the new series).

As for the AotD, I doubt we'll see every Dalek incarnation functioning. Most will be dead with the newest Daleks actually be the threat.

I think they're going to have it be a refuge where a bunch of lost Daleks are trying to hide from the Doctor, maybe run by the power rangers.
EDIT: or alternatively, it will fit into this whole 'Silence' thing: the Daleks were part of the grand alliance of baddies trying to save the universe with the Pandorica, maybe they're offering shelter against the Silence? That wouldn't be very Dalek-ish, but then we don't know that the power rangers have the desire or ability to destroy! Reality! Itself!, or anything on that scale.

[Stofsk]

Why do you think the Time War was ill-conceived? Even today years after I first saw it, the most memorable thing about the first season NuWho was the pathos of the Doctor being all alone, sad at being the last member of his race, and feeling guilty over causing the destruction of an entire other race, and how tremendous Ecclestone sold that in the character through his performance.

Perhaps it was ill-conceived because the writers didn't have the guts to follow-through with it, but that doesn't seem like a criticism of the premise itself but rather the writing in general.

[The Imperator]

Why do you think the Time War was ill-conceived? Even today years after I first saw it, the most memorable thing about the first season NuWho was the pathos of the Doctor being all alone, sad at being the last member of his race, and feeling guilty over causing the destruction of an entire other race, and how tremendous Ecclestone sold that in the character through his performance.

Perhaps it was ill-conceived because the writers didn't have the guts to follow-through with it, but that doesn't seem like a criticism of the premise itself but rather the writing in general.

Right, I liked the idea of a Time War. Gallifrey was known to have been destroyed in a War way back in 1994 (IIRC). RTD, who liked to use book stuff, decided to carry through with that.


I like Victory of the Daleks, and I actually like the New Dalek Paradigm. Better armor than the Time War Daleks, not as cool as old series Imperial Daleks.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Regarding "Dalek".

I remember after the start of Season two when I first heard the Daleks were coming back Again.
All the way back then, I mentioned the only Credible way of bringing them back was to bring back "early" Daleks, or ones that were primitive.

You do not NEED them to be unstoppable machines of indestructibility to tell a good story. The original Daleks were a dime a dozen and could be knocked down like goons. I said all the way back then, if they want more Daleks, explain them as "starting over" having to make do with old stuff. You can still tell good stories, and you don't need all the "Silliness" of what we got in seasons 3 and 4.

[The Imperator]

Regarding "Dalek".

I remember after the start of Season two when I first heard the Daleks were coming back Again.
All the way back then, I mentioned the only Credible way of bringing them back was to bring back "early" Daleks, or ones that were primitive.

You do not NEED them to be unstoppable machines of indestructibility to tell a good story. The original Daleks were a dime a dozen and could be knocked down like goons. I said all the way back then, if they want more Daleks, explain them as "starting over" having to make do with old stuff. You can still tell good stories, and you don't need all the "Silliness" of what we got in seasons 3 and 4.

I mostly agree with that. The Cult of Skaro was not the best idea. Though, even in the old series, the Daleks were tough, such as in Remembrance of the Daleks and Day of the Daleks. I do like the New Paradigm Daleks, and the way they created them did not feel forced. Plus, the Daleks are no longer teh bestest, their tech was lowered to make them more believable.

[Stark]

People clearly understood the need to depower the Daleks in season one. Otherwise you'd end up with unconvincing stories built on ever escalating false jeopardies solved by deus ex...

Oh wait. They were right. :v. They don't need to be super awesome end of time laser king titans to be in good stories.

To extend the awesome of Dalek, I think there have been maybe four good Dalek stories ever. In the old series they were chronically mishandled, Davros is the worst character ever, and they got bad stories. In the new series, it's transparently a marketing thing rather than driven by quality writing ideas and themes.

The idea of their tech being 'believable' being relevant is beyond absurd. This is just a typical comic book character issue and it happened for the same reasons.

[The Imperator]

People clearly understood the need to depower the Daleks in season one. Otherwise you'd end up with unconvincing stories built on ever escalating false jeopardies solved by deus ex...

Oh wait. They were right. :v. They don't need to be super awesome end of time laser king titans to be in good stories.

To extend the awesome of Dalek, I think there have been maybe four good Dalek stories ever. In the old series they were chronically mishandled, Davros is the worst character ever, and they got bad stories. In the new series, it's transparently a marketing thing rather than driven by quality writing ideas and themes.

The idea of their tech being 'believable' being relevant is beyond absurd. This is just a typical comic book character issue and it happened for the same reasons.

What? I meant the New Dalek Paradigm, i.e. the ones who have gone back to acting like old series Daleks, don't have shields (IIRC), have not caused a universal threat to be built.

[Stark]

More 'believable' does not mean less 'powerful' or better 'written'. In a show like Doctor Who 'believable' is as irrelevant as the need for strong themes is important.

[Eternal_Freedom]

In fairness to Davros, he was pretty good in Genesis but they should have left him dead...like the new series Daleks really.

I woudl be interested to know which Dalek stories you condiser god though Stark.

[The Imperator]

In fairness to Davros, he was pretty good in Genesis but they should have left him dead...like the new series Daleks really.

I woudl be interested to know which Dalek stories you condiser god though Stark.

I have to agree with most of that, albeit I like the Daleks and would like them to stick around, but I don't like having them be in four different season finales.

What are your favorite Dalek episodes? I like Victory of the Daleks, Genesis of the Daleks, and Day of the Daleks.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Genesis of the Daleks was pretty good, Day of the Daleks I felt suffered from having the Daleks shoehorned into an existing storyline. I'm always fond of the Original Dalek story and the Invasion of Earth. Death to the Daleks was a different and interesting take on them, and made them look more cunning, which was good.

[Stark]

Stories require the Daleks to act as characters. Dalek was a great example of this, and Pigs in Manhattan was a great example of how to do it and then ruin it with bullshit. Most post-Davros stories had them simply acting like robots, which is not interesting. Remembrance might have been good if it had solid the hard liner vs new Dalek conflict more successfully, for instance.

Day was just a normal story with Daleks inserted for no reason. Planet was pretty bad, but Power and Evil had them acting in relatively interesting ways.