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Why does New Who get all the credit for levitating Daleks?
Jon Ross
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Just watched Doctor Who's Greatest Moments, and both Tracy Oberman and Corey Johnson were making out as though it was an astonishing new thing when a Dalek climbed a flight of stairs in New Who when this was done - and quite well too - in the '80s!!
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If the actors in question weren't big fans of Doctor Who in the 80s they may have been unaware that the Daleks levitated back then
"Unlimited Rice Pudding" lol
They mentioned the 'return of the Master' as well, they didn't actually explain why or from where he 'returned'. You'd think he was invented for New Who as well.
80s? Doctor who started in 2005.
I think it was expecting Michael Sheard to switch into Mr Bronson mode and be a bit more proactively vindictive.
You hear them everywhere, topical comedy shows, newspaper articles, letters written by former Doctors that starred in episodes clearly showing them fly....everywhere
Why are you giving 80s Doctor who all the credit?
A levitating Dalek was done - and quite well too - in the 1960s, in 'The Chase'.
The idea that they can fly everywhere on whim means the trundling tank design is obsolete. Why don't they just fly everywhere? Why even have wheels and a big clumsy shell when they could be sleek and aerodynamic? Making the flying bit more of another 'weapon' in the arsenal - and one that consumes a lot of power - is much more realistic. It's also scarier - trundling weaponised tanks acting alone were always scarier than RTDs millions of flying daleks.
Also, why have we never seen the abilities of the dalek in Dalek? The rotating gun, the shell domes being mines. All much more believable.
I just don't like the flying ones at all.
That's just RTD propaganda, it really started in 2010.
But weren't The Daleks in The Chase levitating under sand (which probably doesn't count) or off camera to get to the top of a flight of stairs.
Also I'd like to point out the complete lack of fuss made about a levitating Davros in Revelation of the Daleks or the Dalek that pursues the Doctor up the shaft in Power of the Daleks (it's unclear if a levitating pad is in use in this case).
Ever since then, it's become something of a stupid joke. Even though, as others have said, Daleks were elevating before and after in the classic series.
Mind you, the whole of Destiny was a stupid joke. Great shame after the excellence of Genesis.
I seem to remember scenes (possibly from the video games?) of fleets of Daleks descending from the sky, but in that case it still managed to give the impression of a relentless army marching in step, so I think it worked better.
Daleks should never swoop.
Someone will either correct me or confirm this, but I thought it was because it turned out to be more expensive and difficult to achieve than anyone expected?
I liked them on the flying saucers on that 90s doc.
It is interesting how the Daleks are perceived by non-fans/fans.
The non-fan image as perpertrated in the media is still of wobbly old "cardboard" props with sink plungers and egg whisks on their arms who can't climb stairs and fall apart when moving over anything that isn't even ground.
While fans understand they are the onscreen representation of one-man (blob) tanks with heavy weapons/armour, battle computers and an anti-gravity capability.
Though - I do think the bronze Daleks did a little too much swooping around.
(that's why they only save the flying for when it's REALLY important, terrible drain on the batteries )
There's probably a whole thread in the "misconceptions of Doctor Who" idea now I think about it...
Id prefer the was it was.
They just seem to take all the mystery away. Least with the classic era you only saw a hand.
In the classic era we got to see inside the Dalek casing.
Reminds me of something from another well known SF franchise:
These are not the Daleks you're looking for. Move Along!