Daleks Killing Ban: Doctor Who Writer’s Fears
Doctor Who: Crafting “Dalek” and Navigating On-Screen Violence
Robert Shearman, writer of the acclaimed 2005 Doctor Who episode “dalek,” recently spoke about the initial uncertainty surrounding the level of violence acceptable for the revived series. Speaking at a BFI Southbank event in partnership with the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, Shearman recalled early discussions with showrunner russell T Davies about exploring different tones for the show.
Shearman admitted to some initial confusion.Early drafts reflected concerns about whether characters could even be killed on-screen, given the show’s family-oriented nature after a 15-year absence. “I thought for a while we might have simply to stun people,” Shearman said.
However, Davies soon gave Shearman the green light to embrace darker elements. The writer said Davies emailed him saying, “It’s alright, we can kill to our hearts’ content!”
Finding the right tone proved challenging. Shearman recalled writing a notably gruesome scene involving the character Simmons, played by Nigel Whitmey. “It went over his head and his skin had burnt off,” Shearman said, adding that davies responded, “Please don’t try and get the entire show cancelled before we start.”
The final version of “Dalek,” which aired April 30, 2005, maintained a darker tone compared to previous episodes.It explored moral complexities and the Doctor’s survivor’s guilt following the Time War. Shearman noted that Davies consistently pushed him to explore the darker possibilities within the Doctor Who universe.
Shearman said, “The scene where Chris meets the Dalek for the frist time, I was holding off for ages and it was Russell who was always saying, ‘just make it vicious’ and so I was allowed to go as dark as I possibly could.”
what’s next
While the latest season of Doctor Who, starring Ncuti Gatwa, has concluded, Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper are set to reunite for a new audio drama series from Big finish, scheduled for release in August. This offers fans a chance to revisit the dynamic between the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler.