Oh yeah, the ‘Doctor Who’ trailer for “Revolution of the Daleks”…
By: Dan Owen
Tags: Television, News, Doctor Who, TV, Trailers

There was a time when I’d have published something about a new Doctor Who trailer minutes after it went online. That time has passed. The 2021 New Year Special, “Revolution of the Daleks” has one intriguing thing about it: seeing The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) in a space prison. We’ve seen The Doctor trapped or incarcerated many times before, but seeing her in a red jumpsuit chalking up the number of days she’s been locker away is fun. I hope this special gives us all the prison escape tropes one could imagine, but with a Who-y sci-fi twist.

But, beyond that? Captain Jack (John Barrowman) is back, which I know is thrilling for those who were kids when he was in his late-2000s prime. It’s alarming to realise there are now adults in their mid-twenties who see that character as a throwback to “simpler times”. You know, back when the Wii came out. The “old days”. I suppose. (I’ll get my bus pass.)

And there are Daleks, again. And guess what, they’re attacking the people of England! They love doing that. And Chris Noth’s forgettable hotelier villain from “Arachnids in the UK” (one of the worst episodes in years) is back, by unpopular demand.

It just feels like reheated leftovers.

The Daleks have a new modern design, which does look cool, but it’s stretching credibility if this is going to be a present-day version of “Victory of the Daleks”. In that story, Winston Churchill was making Daleks to help Britain win World War II, unaware they are themselves metal space Nazis. Now it seems Noth’s businessman got hold of the Dalek design and has mass-produced them to bolster the UK government’s defences. Doesn’t anyone remember the countless times these flying tin cans have invaded and killed people? Is there some kind of memory-reset happening?

I know, I know… this show is primarily aimed at kids. It’s my stupid middle-aged man brain that sucks the fun out of nice things. But I want to feel excited by new ideas and fresh concepts.

Chris Chibnall has been running Doctor Who for two series now, and it’s clear to everyone that he’s opted to mimic the Russell T. Davies years — only with a worse grasp on characterisation, and not much in the way of new idea. And when he does come up with something radical, it drastically alters the fundamentals of the entire series and splits the fanbase down the middle. Yes, “The Timeless Children” is an infamous episode for shaking “new life’ into the show by making sweeping changes to The Doctor’s origins that undercut the simplicity of what everyone liked about the character to begin with.

Anyway, that’s another argument. Or an old argument now.

The Specials have always been crowd-pleasing trifles designed to appeal to non-Whovians, who grasp the basics of the show (uh, because they’re British) and want something breezily entertaining to watch during a day off work.

“Resolution of the Daleks” will probably achieve that aim, and I have to admit Chibnall’s previous Dalek story was solid stuff— and arguably the creative peak of his tenure so far. So maybe he’s also got a fresh spin on the “Dalek invasion” cliche, which this trailer just doesn’t have time to properly reveal. It’s a glorified “teaser” anyway, just announcing the release date. The full trailer may be a lot better. It tends to work that way.

And with strong rumours this Special is going to see Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole leave the show, I have my fingers crossed about that. Walsh has been good value for the show (a steady pair of hands holding a difficult ensemble together as they struggle to click), but his character narrative purpose a series ago.

Cole has been a total waste of time and easily the worst companion of the nu-Who era.

It makes sense to keep Mandip Gill around as a more traditional “twosome” with The Doctor for 2021, for a while at least. (I’m sure she’ll want to leave the show and do new things soon, too.) So that should help with the thirteenth series, as the writers don’t need to give four regulars something to be doing each episode.

Anyway, I’m a bit cold on this trailer. But are you more excited? And does your age play a part in that, perhaps?