WARNING: Contains potential spoilers for Series 8 of Doctor Who (nothing beyond what was shown in the most recent BBC trailer). The recent trailer for the upcoming series of Doctor Who features the insidious tanks with the soft, squishy middles quite prominently. Why does their particular brand of evil remain an effective story telling device fifty years after they first appeared? Maybe its due to the fact that they are not simple, one-dimensional villains but physical manifestations of more profound psychological fears. The daleks were born in a time of rapid technological advancement and turbulent social change. Our current culture resonates with the same chaos. Not only do similar horrors exist genocide, racism, elitism but they are compounded by a society who exchanged privacy for a false sense of security. We are closer to the daleks than we have ever been. Does the return of the daleks signify a darker or at least more serious Doctor? One who is less liable to hide behind child-like whimsy and perhaps be less conflicted in his approach to his most hated enemies? I would suggest that dalek-centric story lines are not pandering to nostalgia but an acknowledgement of their relevance a mirror to the strife that continues to worry at the thin veneer of a civil society.
Mary Ogle is the author and illustrator of “Orangeroof Zoo” a whimsical tale of magical realism told through the pages of a coloring book for adults. Working as a professional artist in the digital medium, Mary’s commissions have included everything from fine art to fan art, book cover design, illustration and book layout. Find more of Mary’s work at www.maryogle.com. Mary currently finds inspiration in the Ojai Valley, residing in a snug little cottage with a recalcitrant cat.
