10 Doctor Who Controversies That Divide Fans
6. Are The Daleks Overused?
There's an old Doctor Who urban legend that the Daleks are contractually obligated to appear in the show at least once every series. Supposedly, this is due to an agreement between Dalek creator Terry Nation's estate, and the BBC.
Regardless of whether or not there's even a shred of truth to that, the Daleks do indeed rear their heads on a consistent, yearly basis. Even when they don't have an episode to themselves, they can't resist a cameo (see Series 6's The Wedding of River Song), which has got fans asking the question of whether or not they're overused, and whether it'd be best if they were rested for a while.
On one side of the argument, the pepper pots have been used in some new and interesting ways over the course of their 59-year long shift, from introducing their creator, Davros, in 1975's Genesis of the Daleks, to Series 11's body-controlling Reconnaissance Scout. Plus, they're the bloody Daleks - they're one of the most iconic parts of the show, and they have been from the very beginning.
But on the other, it's no longer exciting or surprising when Skaro's finest wheel onto our screens, and they've also been outstripped by other villains in terms of power and scare-factor, bringing their status as "the Doctor's greatest enemy" into question.
Other villains who also return on a regular basis (like the Cybermen, the Weeping Angels, and the Master), have also been at the centre of this same debate. For some, it's just great to see these baddies no matter how many times they appear, while for others, their effectiveness is diluted with each subsequent outing.
Either way, the Daleks probably aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so we may as well get used to hearing "EXTERMINATE" blaring out of our TVs.