Asylum Prequel

I've only just found this (thanks FanGirlConfessions!)

Asylum behind the scenes

Alternative Movie Poster

From here.

Asylum of the Daleks

Well, was it worth the wait? You bet. Assuming you've seen it (and what are you doing reading stuff like this is you haven't? Go away!! Now!), you'll be wondering about the significance of events. Some random and rambling thoughts... (well it would have been rude not to post something - I know, I've neglected you, but you know I will always be back! - and rambling is all I can manage at the moment!)

Yes, following on from last season, we have a Doctor that the known universe thinks dead, but not the Daleks, they're too clever for that. And Skaro is back. I never really liked the fact that Skaro was destroyed in the original series - and in such an arbitrary way. It just never sat well for me. So Moff doing a bit of re-writing here is not only welcome, but gives us something to look forward to - odds on a Skaro Dalek story coming soon?

And we have a new method of Dalek control over humans. Dead or alive. Cool. Typical Moff! And, biggest shock of all, a Parliament of the Daleks. Nice, if not odd, idea. Reminded me of the old TV21 comic series where we got the full impression of a Dalek society and empire, something never really achieved in the original series. And a prime minister, all naked and proud of his natural Dalek form. Good for him. My only criticism here was the 'rubberiness' of the mutant skin and the lack of moisture or slimy gunk to sort of bring him to life. But as we all know, that sort of stuff perishes rubber, and I guess they will be wanting to use this again before too long!

The our new toy Daleks luring around in the background - there's a whole chunck of Dalek sociology we need to get our heads round here - weren't the new toy Daleks supposed to be in charge?

OK, and what else do we have? Oh, I nearly forgot, lots of different Daleks, perhaps not all used to their best effect, although I thought they were magnificent just standing around. Love it. Eggs-cellent in fact.

Oh, and nearly forgot. Jenna-Louise Coleman. Wow. How on earth did they manage to keep that under wraps! What a magnetic performance! She is going to be absolutely knockout! Moff has given us a Victoria style background (kidnapped by the Daleks), turned it on its head, added a bit of Zoe, and made the perfect companion for his 'second' Doctor. Shame we have to deal with the Rory and Amy (eish, I nearly forgot her name there) soap opera for another few episodes!

And what a great twist at the end. I must admit I was expecting the poor lass to be wired up into the Dalek network or something, but what an evil twist of script-writing genius.

Now Jenna-Louise just shone with charisma, and dare we say it, oused with sex appeal. I remember a certain Karen Gillan claiming to be the sexiest Who companion ever, a claim I was unsure to myself (I like a feisty redhead, don't get me wrong, but...) Well someone's just been out done on the sexy score for sure. I bet it takes more than a couple of pints and a kebab on the way home to gain the attention of our young Jenna-Louise! (Saying that, I've never seen Emmerdale, so for all I know that's exactly what she's been doing all this time).

And how is she going to get written back into the series? We seemingly have an independent storyline for her - she arrives on the crashed ship and dies at the end (again typical Moff). So she's not been brought into contact with the Daleks by the Doctor himself (which would have been cool). But we know something has to happen, so can only guess the Doctor picks her up at an earlier stage in her life, and drops her off, knowing full well what has to happen (or, perhaps even more interestingly maybe he doesn't!). She must therefore know him... We're gonna end up watching Asylum in a whole new light soon!

Looks like she's going to be another strong, independent and intelligent female character. Yippee. I really think the world would be a better place if women ran everything. Would they let us destroy our home to satisfy greed? Nah. But anyway, I digress. (Although I am thinking of starting a Jenna-Louise Coleman for President of the world campaign. She's got my vote already.)

And what else happened? Well, the Daleks have forgotten who the Doctor is. Not sure I liked this but, but anyway. Bit by bit Moff is setting the stage and correcting all the elements of the shows story he doesn't like, getting ready for something epic. This man's got plans - big plans - I can only guess he's thinking at least a season or two ahead here... and I can only hope he stays around to make them happen - on the strength of this episode he's back on top form, and I must admit I was worried after the last series and xmas special.

But before we get carried away, let's steady our expectations, for we still have the traditionally (very) weak second and third stories of the season to deal with first... lets hope they are better than they sound...

Ah, yes, and Amy and Rory get dropped off back home again. Nice touch, but does mean they have to come up with another excuse to pull them all back together next week... another 5 mins of Pond life padding. Get ready for another rollercoaster beginning next week, where in the first five minutes the poor writer has to pull the all back together... Oh just hurry up and kill 'em off!

Target Artwork Origins

I was really interested to find this, the blog of Paul Scoones, whose currently putting the final touches to his Who book, 'The Comic Strip Companion 1964-1979' (tip of the hat to Combom once again!). Now I love the early comics, and have a nice collection of scans of many thanks to the online Who scanners and uploaders. And I also dig the artwork, another one of my interets.

So I was pleased to find this cool graphic, illustrating Target artist Chris Achilleos rather direct influences for his first cover, The Daleks.


I'd known about this before, and even mentioned it on this blog way back towards the end of 2009 (here), where I posted:

"The now classic cover illustration was by Chris Achilleos, who has acknowledged the influence of Ron Turner's artwork for The Dalek Chronicles comic published in TV Century 21 (more about that soon!), in particular the two Daleks were modelled from Issue 60 (The Rogue Planet, part 2) and the title graphic from Issue 76 (Legacy of Yesteryear) onwards."

So a bit surprised to find that Paul didn't know about this, or indeed many folk at all. Now unfortuantely I can't even remember where I got this information, but when I find out, I'll update and link on this post. I obviously had more info, as I promised a follow up post on it!). I guess it must have been an old interview with Chris, probably in DW Monthly or some other mag of the period. (Anyway, I'm looking!).

I see nothing wrong in Achilleous being inspired so directly from the comic artwork of Ron Turner, or his strong influences from Frank Bellamy. I think it continues a proud and original style of artwork which became a huge attraction in itself, and a huge part of the early magic of Who for many.

Here's the Day of the Daleks cover, again with Daleks inspired by Ron Turner's artowork.


Thanks Paul for the images, and can't wait for the book...

Day of the Daleks 'Special Edition' DVD release

It's here - 'with new special effects and sounds',the re-jigged SE version of Pertwee's first encounter with the Daleks... (original version is also an option on the DVD, as is standard practice, so you really can throw away your VHS collection...)

Does it do the job? Only you can tell...

Combom's got a great review of whats new here.

Day of the Daleks SE DVD preview

Combom's got a preview trailer for the forthcoming Day of the Daleks Special Edition DVD, with new special effects and all that... looking forward to this one!

Watch it here.

Timey Wimey Waffle

You may, or more probably may not, have noticed I've a bad habit of back-posting items. Readers of my bits of waffle will know that I spend alot of time out of the country, with limited internet connection, and whilst I'll continue the blog whenever I can, there are going to be big gaps. Now when I'm back, like now, I get to wade through months of blog postings to catch up with stuff, and, as anyone with any basic time travel knowledge knows, it's very important that everything is left in its right place in the time line and all that. So when I find something related to a specific date, I'm back-posting it around that time so that it sits in the time continum correctly. It's mostly New Season stuff like merchanside releases, Radio Times coverage, interviews and the like. In between all this I'll post all the usual padding and waffle which I know you all love so much.


Daleks board the 207 bus without knowing that round the next corner...

Now one danger of doing this is I might say or post something that will make me look like I knew it before anyone else. One such example is a reference to the News of the World hacking scandal, which I've just made in a post about Matt Smith falling over and needing stiches (see '"Drunken giraffe" bangs head, and knocks over coffee, alot' here). Now to any police investigation looking at my blog it may look like I had inside knowledge of such said scandal at a time when no-one else did, and that I may, therefore, be implicated by this knowledge. Well I'm not, and I don't, and I didn't and I never have. So there.

Just to prove this I plan to back-post a whole load of Radio Rimes cuttings from the very early days of Who soon (time is relative, don't forget), and most of these I'm gonna back date to their publication dates, which will be before I was born. Proof, therefore, that either I am a down-right dirty blog back-poster or time-traveller with amazing internet access abilities. Take your pick.


...a troop of cybermen are waiting patentily for their bus. Tune in next week for the next episode of 'Doctor Who and the Bus' a really exciting new/old adventure.

Now you may wonder what all this has to do this the photographs accompanying this post. Well, I had to make it interesting somehow. Perhaps it's a clue that I really am a time traveller and I snapped these on a recent visit back to the past... no, I pinched them from WhoFix!

Note to self: Defence if Police enquire as to knowledge of News of the World hacking scandal...

1. I'm a down right dirty blog back-poster.
2. I'm a time traveller
3. I'm of unsound mental disposition (probably dillusional) and should be left alone to live out my sad and pathetic life in whatever way I want.

More Mad Merchandising

Underground Toys Doctor Who Talking Plush Figures (Source)


July 1st 2011 "Underground Toys is pleased to announce the release of an exciting selection of talking plush products for the worldwide hit TV series, Doctor Who. Underground Toys has captured the characters as talking soft toys for the first time! Series 1 will include Medium TARDIS (with a flashing lamp and sound) and Medium Talking Daleks – they stand approximately 9” tall and ship in branded gift boxes. The cute mini talking plush assortment also includes the Cyberman – they stand 4” tall and have plastic clips on so they can be attached to keys, bags etc! Phrases include the TARDIS Materialisation, “Exterminate, Exterminate!” and many more".

... what more can I say... apart from cheers Combom, once again - I'll try and find some original stuff for the blog soon, promise, but as I'm travelling back through time and catching up with stuff it's all gonna be second-hand for a while... and there's so much to catch up on... including a drunk (and naked!) Karen Gillan lost in a hotel... come on, it's got to be true!

Flogging a dead Dalek

Well, we're back in the home of Who, after nearly a year out of the country, having missed the first half of season 6 and now frantically trying to catch up with what's been going on! As ever, I'll be drawing from the past, pulling from the present and blindly ignoring the future.

Anyway, let's start the ball rolling with our still-yet-to-grow-on-me new Dalek design merchandise, and a mention of Christmas (I know, only half way through the year, so obviously time to start thinking about those xmas pressies... not). I really can't get excited about these new daleks and am treating them like the old film versions - to be ignored. Me, I'm gonna pretend they don't exist... easy to do if you are slightly delusional like me.

From the Evening Standard.



'With six months to go, a £200 sit-in Dalek and an "iPad for toddlers" are set to become this year's must-have Christmas gifts, according to experts at Hamleys.

One of the more expensive toys tipped for Christmas is the £200 Dalek, which children can drive around while it utters classic quotes from Doctor Who's oldest enemy, who threatens to "exterminate" the Time Lord.

"The sit-in Dalek is absolutely superb - the only problem is that it doesn't come in adult sizes," said Mr Wheatley.

"The build-it-yourself sonic screwdriver is also very impressive, and its going to be another big year for Doctor Who."'

What can we read from this? After their very brief appearance last season, perhaps we can expect a re-appearance later this year, or perhaps it's just the BBC licensing guys cashing in... whilst I love collecting old stuff, I must say I hate this capitalistic consumersitic society we'e created... there's just so much stuff! But who knows, these could become the most collectable Who item of all item - we've just got to pray for a factory fire to destroy all the stock, as with the original Dalek palysuits back in the days of Dalekmania.

But it is the stuff aimed at kiddies and which gets buggered up easily which becomes rare, so it might just be a good investment... but if I had £200 quid to my name I can think of 200 things I'd rather spend it on first...

Cheers to Combom for picking this up.

Paradigm Hybrid Dalek - Birth of a New Breed

I agree so much with whats said about this vid by it's creator I've got to repeat it here:

"What happens if you cross the shape of the original Cusick Daleks with the design features of the new McKinstry Daleks? Here is my hybrid.

I never disliked any specific design change of the 2010 Daleks, it was really all about the shape. The fixtures and fittings on the Daleks have been altered repeatedly down the years so I don't mind new eye-stalks, lights, gun, etc. I like the raised skirt panels - and the the new rear hatch is interesting as it harks back to Cusick's original unused plans.

For me, it's the shape which makes the New Dalek Paradigm so disagreeable. Their tops are not in scale to the skirts, and they lean forward. So, I thought it would be interesting to give them a straight spine once again and return them to their small stature and original proportions. They are, after all, supposed to be small, compact travel machines - not massive, cumbersome, immovable tanks."

I found this here, on the TARDIS Newsroom, an excellent blog.

Life on Skaro

I know, I'm running out of legs on this one. If it had been a Leela doll it would have perhaps been a bit more worthy, but hey, I didn't take it! Source here.

Power reconstructed clips

I meant to post this ages ago when I ran a little series of posts on the missing episode reconstructions. Here's an amazing piece of fan-made reconstruction work on a scene from Power of the Daleks by Jon Brunton.

Read all about and watch a clip here. There's another more recent interview and different clips here.

Here's another clip he's working on:



And a whole bag of stuff here. Amazing work, well done Jon.

More Baker promo pics

Hats off to Combom, who's found another image to go with the collection of Tom Baker promo pics we brought you here.

Dalek City

Here's a website for any of you tempted to try and build your own Dalek... the website of the Dalek Builders Guild, here.

Dalek Invasion of Ambridge

Some more bits from BBC Norfolk...

Dalek Invasion of Ambridge - here

My life as Davros - Terry Molloy - here.

Terry Molloy: I, Davros - here.

Rise Of The Cybermen - Roger Lloyd Pack - here.

There's also a few other Who related bits and bobs, but I'll let you find those yourself!

War of the Daleks

About time we did this one - the 1975 board game, War of the Daleks, produced by Strawberry Fayre.


War of the Daleks is a kind of sci-fi Space-Ludo with Daleks - the game involves moving card figures around a circular playing area aiming to get to the 'control center' whilst avoiding the Daleks. The Daleks themselves are faithful plastic renditions about three quarters of an inch tall, inserted into concentric slots cut into the board. When the pale blue control centre hub in the middle of the board is rotated, the card disc underpinning these concentric slots also rotate, causing the Daleks to move around the board and 'capture' hapless players.


If a player makes it to the central hub, they have a chance to destroy the control centre by lifting it up. Doing so reveals four panels one of which depicts the 'King Dalek'. If he's next to you he exterminates you and you start again!

The Daleks (four red & silver and four blue & gold) stand around 5cm high and have revolving domes.

See here for some more pictures.

And here's the TV advert - well, sort of. Here's the sound to the TV advert with reconstructed images. Yep, that's right, a reconstructed Who toy advert. Watch it on YouTube here (for some reason they've disabled embedding, so I can't show it here).

There's quite a few of these around, on ebay and the like, usually for between 50 to 100 quid, but there's one on ebay at the moment for 150!

Daleks with legs

I heard once that The Sun newspaper was aimed at the intelligence level of the average UK resident. That doesn't say much I'm afriad. But then I was the one who just typed 'Dalek with legs' into Google. They're Penny Lancaster's leg's apparently.


Read for youself a classic piece of Sun journalism, here, where back in 2004 they predicted that new series Who daleks would have, yes, you've guessed it, legs.

Daleks, daleks and more daleks!

Wow. I've just found Dalek 6388 - A history of Dalek props from 1963-1988 and beyond. Could a more detailed site on Dalek props be written? I doubt it. See it here.

Illustrated is an early Dalek design, taken from The Early Years, which we covered here

Genesis of the Daleks audio

Another advertising feature that ran for a while in the pages of Doctor Who Weekly (and presumably other publications too) early 1980. This one was to promote the Genesis of the Daleks LP. The record featured a heavily abridged audio version of the television story. [Image grabbed from Altered Vista's 'In The Comics', here]


Subsequently released on cassette, and more recently on CD (together with Exploration Earth) and even given away free with a newspaper, meaning you can pick it up for a couple of quid on ebay if you wanted.