Tennant’s Doctor Who Return Is Teasing A Sequel To The Show’s Most Iconic Dalek Story
David Tennant will make a Doctor Who appearance before the 60th anniversary, and this story appears to follow on from an iconic 1970s Dalek episode.
David Tennant’s next order of business after returning to Doctor Who will seemingly be a quasi-sequel to 1975 classic “Genesis of the Daleks.” As the Doctor’s most famous enemies, the Daleks have been ever-present throughout the franchise’s 60-year history. Among the many stories in which these lethal pepper pots appear, Tom Baker adventure “Genesis of the Daleks” is widely considered the greatest, and is frequently touted as one of the best Doctor Who episodes of all time.
Although eyes are fixed firmly on Doctor Who‘s impending 60th anniversary specials starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, the TARDIS will next vworp onto screens in a Children In Need 2023 mini-episode scheduled for November 17. Doctor Who has a long tradition of supporting the Children In Need charity event, but has made an extra-special effort on this occasion. Written by returning showrunner Russell T Davies, this 5-minute story is confirmed to feature Daleks, the villains’ home planet of Skaro, and Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor (via Davies). Heightening the excitement further, one big clue connects Doctor Who‘s upcoming Children In Need episode to “Genesis of the Daleks.”
Doctor Who’s New Character Confirms A Connection To “Genesis Of The Daleks”
In announcing Doctor Who‘s forthcoming Children In Need special, the BBC also revealed a brand-new character that will debut in the mini-episode. Although the mystery figure’s name is not revealed, they are portrayed by Mawaan Rizwan, and images show a dark military costume with a distinctive collar that features twin emblems on either side. This outfit is a replica of the Kaled uniform seen in “Genesis of the Daleks.” The Kaleds have not featured heavily in Doctor Who – largely thanks to the entire race being wiped out by their Dalek successors – so by bringing back this recognizable uniform, RTD is dropping a clear and unambiguous “Genesis of the Daleks” callback.
“Genesis of the Daleks” is, as the name suggests, a Dalek origin story, thus restricting Doctor Who‘s ability to craft a straight sequel. Every Dalek story in Doctor Who is, in essence, a sequel to “Genesis of the Daleks.” The Children In Need episode may, however, follow on spiritually from Tom Baker’s 1970s classic. The story famously concluded with Baker’s Fourth Doctor on the verge of preventing the Daleks from ever being created, before ultimately defying the Time Lords and deciding against temporal genocide. RTD’s Children In Need special may explore the ramifications of this decision, and coming face-to-face with a Kaled will likely expose how the Doctor feels about his choice 10 regenerations later.
Doctor Who’s New Dalek Story Threatens To Rewrite A Show Tradition
Children In Need is a charity telethon event that brings together the stars of British TV to raise money for charity. Traditionally airing on Friday evening, the broadcast typically involves comedy skits, dancing, live performances, special guests, and celebrities making fun of themselves. Whenever Doctor Who has been involved, its contributions have always been lighthearted and fun. Previous efforts included a humorous exchange between the newly-regenerated Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler, the “Time Crash” episode with Peter Davison, and the Twelfth Doctor crossing over with Eddie Redmayne’s Fantastic Beasts character. Children In Need 2023 will apparently mark a shift in Doctor Who‘s approach to the event.
Rather than cuddly, not-really-canon, laugh-out-loud material, the presence of a Kaled officer donning the same uniform as his doomed comrades in “Genesis of the Daleks” – an episode based wholly around themes of war and genocide with thinly-veiled parallels to Nazi Germany – suggests a far more serious story. That will come as a shock to the many Children In Need viewers expecting the Doctor to lighten the mood with jokes about Pudsey the Bear. Given the current global situation, Doctor Who may be revisiting “Genesis of the Daleks” to shine a light on the war and injustice that makes charities such as Children In Need so vital.
