The Ridiculous Davros "Controversy" | Some Boi Online

For Children in Need we got a fun mini-episode of Doctor Who, but just as I let out a sigh of relief that the show could be good entertainment again, we got a behind the scenes look at the creation of the episode that changes everything...
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[@xzempty_8387]

In my entire life, myself, my family, and no one else I have ever known have ever even thought of Davros being in a "wheelchair."

[@Sherlock-py2hh]

That's because you are normal people who don't project their own biases onto everyone else.

[@NathanCundiff]

Davros' "Wheel Chair" is more of a small mech of sorts. RTD is out of touch with reality.

[@ceecoursian]

Why not go for broke ? RTD should cast an ugly Doctor and a male model as Davros and see what that gets him. Put your money where your mouth is RTD . Leave historic characters alone .

[@Harper_Onions]

As a wheelchair user myself, I don't find anything offensive about an evil scienist being a wheelchair. Should we also be offended by the concept of evil scientists who have eyepatches? or are bald? Simply because those people exist in other concepts?!? On the flipside this also counts as a erasure of one of the media's most iconic disabled figures.

[@kingkaza]

This is my little pony derpy drama all over again

[@markpostgate2551]

I used to be part of that sort of hand-wringing cult RTD is still part of, and I used to have a problem with pirates stereotypically having eye patches as a kind of ablest trope... seriously. It wasn't a joke to some people; it is an obsessive critical thinking that one can get into if one is overly conscientious and idealistic and always looking through a certain lens. But historically pirates did not wear eye patches because they had lost an eye. Did you know that? The reason pirates stereotypically wear eye patches is not because of a fear of the disabled; they did it to keep one eye permanently dilated for the purposes of immediate night vision. If you go from a light environment to a dark environment like from a tavern to an alleyway, or from a cabin to the deck, it would ordinarily take a few moments for your eyes to adjust. Moments the pirate can avoid by just flipping his eye patch off of the eye that was already in the dark. So that was bs and there was never a need to be anxious about the insensitivity of eye-patched pirates.

[@xsm5525]

too late, the non-wheelchair users have decided for you 🤦

[@virtusetglorie]

Stephen Hawking for instance was one of the world's most iconic real life Heroes who was a disabled wheelchair user. People the world over looked up to him and continue to look up to him. Lots of oversights with a weird ass decision like this

[@jeremythomaswebb1485]

Most wheelchair characters I have seen in media have been depicted as highly intelligent or in a positive light. Like Bentley from playstation's Sly Cooper or Mikey, Carlos' Brother from Magic School Bus or even that role Christopher Reeves played in Smallville and Professor Xavier from X Men to name a few. People are capable of both great good and great evil.

[@mrbradleymiller]

Completely in agreement with you it’s like a personality transplant I’m really shocked he has taken this stance it is absurd and I’m worried for the future of the show (again)

[@markpostgate2551]

There is a consistent characteristic of belittling of critics and elitism and smug self-congratulation and I distinctly recall that my enjoyment of Doctor Who improved once I made the conscious decision to NOT watch Doctor Who Confidential. No episode, no matter how good it was, was improved by listening to RTD pat himself on the back, and a bad episode just became ten times more egregious by listening to RTD pat himself on the back about it! And that memory has come flooding back to me. Don't watch Doctor Who Confidential (or Unleashed) it can only impair your enjoyment of the show.

[@esecallum]

money makes you arrogant

[@matthewpounder9938]

So owning a Davros figure is now the equivalent of a Golliwog doll? What a crazy mixed up world we live in.

[@garym6315]

There's multiple issues here... 1 - No-one ever thought of Davros as "a wheelchair user." The tiny amount of people who did are the sort of people who make life ALL about victimhood, list mental health conditions and pronouns in social media, and see the world in a paranoid victim and oppressor way. 2 - The people defending this decision are either the perpetual victims mentioned above, and/or folk who have never once thought of this until RTD implanted the idea in their heads. 3 - A hell of a lot of disabled people hate this decision and are offended that a rich able bodied man is being offended on their behalf. 4 - Even if you accept that there is a trope of the disabled or disfigured villain, it is somethig that is barely used nowadays. The old cliched huncback, eyepatch, scarface villains has barely been seen since the 1930s. 5 - The villains with disfigurements are almost always story related. Freddy Krueger, Darth Vader, Davros, Joker, a scar faced gangster...they all get disabled or disfigured as a result of their own evil schemes. If youre involved in nuclear wars, gang fights, knives and guns it will come back to bite you in the ass. Thats not a cliched "deformed at birth" innocent, it is cause and effect storytelling of baddies getting comeuppance. 6 - It is demeaning and condescending to actual disabled people, firstly for him to say "I am doing this for all of you" and secondly to suggest that disabled people CANNOT be evil or nuanced and can only be little sweethearts. How insulting. 7 - If you use RTD's "logic" and reasoning for this, then it should apply across the board. Daleks are then disabled people in wheelchairs, Cybermen are amputees with prostethic limbs. Magnus Greel and Sharaz Jek should both be cancelled and their stories (which along with Genesis form three of the most beloved Who stories of all time) should be banned. Funny how so many "allies" defending the RTD choice are also saying that it is perfectly alright to watch the old Davros stuff but going forward it shouldn't be allowed. They really want to have their cake and eat it - to be seen as virtuous allies but also just enjoy the old stories they didn't have an issue with til a few days ago. If it was really so offensive then the old stories would be as unacceptable as having him in new stories. Hypocrisy. 8 - RTD seems to be all about virtue signalling as he doesn't want to offend the disabled community but is perfectly happy to offend and insult then in an individual one to one basis on social media. 9 - RTD doesn't get to take the moral high ground considering how much "offensive" stuff he was part of in the past. From the John Barrowman and Noel Clarke sexual misconduct on set, to the sexualising of a childrens show, to showing the very "disabled villains" that he is now criticising, to showing a comedy skit with space Nazis that is the equivalent of the doctor bumping in to young Hitler and unintentionally giving him the idea for concentration camps, done for laughs. 10 - The Peter Capaldi story with Davros was the obly story that not only treated it as a wheelchair, they actually used it for laughs. That actually made me cringe when I watched it and that was no me being prejudiced, it was Moffat and the BBC making that joke. So again, don't turn the tables and say we the audience bave a probelm when you are the guys doing shit like that. 11 - This constant bending to the "woke" or "politcal correct" aspect of humanity is destroying verisimilitude and believability in storytelling. We are now to believe that the Kaleds who were literally all about racial purity have a black man working in their ranks? They hate Thals but are now an equal opportunity employer when it comes to people of colour? Daleks are now created by a man who didn't base them on his own life support unit?

[@Acidonia150reborn]

So by this logic anyone with Robotic limbs in any Scifi is a Disabled person or using fantasy tech to fly/float or move around this would also apply to Cybermen. If Davros just looked like a Human all the time I doubt any people would rerember his design as much eitther. So they want him to look like just some Imperial Officer that hangs round with Darth Vader instead?.

[@j.adickey2002]

Grand Moff Tarkin... to be more concise. & precise Pointing that out to today's BEEB might have some showrunner by slow degrees showing us all how DAVROS ages into the megalomaniac several generations of WHOViANs were in awe of!!!

[@SatiricalAcuteMeta4]

Riiiiiight so wouldnt that also mean he cant use Daleks either because their ' support unit' is basically an iron lung????

[@jordanreynolds1498]

To my mind it's more offensive to say that a disability means a person can't be evil 🤔 This shows that disabilities cause limitations. The point of Davros is that even with his implied physical disability he has still achieved great things albeit evil.

[@Mark-nh2hs]

The hypocritical part is he has an issue with Davros - what about Lumic? 😂

[@jordanreynolds1498]

@@Mark-nh2hs Exactly. Essentially this will lead to the only villains being people without protected characteristics. Which in the UK is non-religious single white males. Obviously this leads to a whole set of other issues. Insanity.

[@jeremythomaswebb1485]

A lot of people have been making that same point. That's definitely a positive way of looking at it in terms of character development. In the past both the show and big finish have done so much with Davros, he even got his own audio series.

[@floydian2007]

An excellent video, I agree wholeheartedly with everything you say. I am deeply disappointed in Russell T. Davies. For such an intelligent creative person to be so crass, patronising and misjudged is quite alarming and I too worry for the the show’s future. Doctor Who has struggled over recent years as a result of this toxic ideological, and I like many had hoped things were going to get better, but clearly in the last 13 years RTD has disappeared up his own back side. He has created a problem that never existed and as you said to compare an evil science fiction character to disabled people in real life, one has to be sick in the head. The fact that days before the first 60th anniversary episode, we can’t even have a five minute skit for Children In Need, without it getting embroidered in such stupidity is staggering.

[@Problembeing]

Thing is, you cab't have a MK III Traveling Machine without the MK I, which was Davros' chariot.

[@BadBadAngel3]

So will they get rid of the cybermen because of offending anyone that has mechanical implants etc?

[@nonsensicalchild]

Cyberperson you mean.

[@BadBadAngel3]

@@nonsensicalchild Non Binary technologically enhanced person🤖

[@nonsensicalchild]

Delete Delete

[@freebretth]

But Russell was totally fine with John Lumic and Max Capricorn during his original tenure on the show?

[@Mark-nh2hs]

That's my same issue. God forbid if he tries to bring back Sil 😂

[@miggyluv]

Maybe people criticised him for it and now he's hyper aware?

[@freebretth]

@@miggyluv Yeah, no. Pretty sure that would've come up in the conversation if that were the case.

[@HOTD108_]

You say that like those episodes weren't 15 years ago. People tend to think differently than they did 15 years previous. It's okay if you disagree with how RTD feels about Davros now, I certainly disagree with him, but it's pretty silly to point to something from 2006 and 2007 and compare it to someone's sensibilities in 2023. I'd bet money that RTD probably wouldn't have depicted Lumic or Capricorn in that way if they were introduced today. It's not hypocrisy, it's just change. Change for the better? Not necessarily, and we can disagree with this new direction, but it's still change nontheless.

[@The-Cosmic-Hobo]

Back in 1965 Doctor Who itself even had a story in which the beautiful female species, the Dravhins, appeared to be the "good guys", and the nasty looking Rills were the "bad guys" - but in reality it was the other way around. I am not on board with having Davros suddenly appear in a post-Genesis of the Daleks story without his life support machine. From the footage shown, it does not even sound as though RTD consulted any wheelchair users...

[@pstentaford]

I totally agree with your comments in your video. Davros was a character first introduced in 1975 and for nearly fifty years, no one has had a problem with his depiction. Now all of a sudden, because of current day sensibilities, he has suddenly become offensive. Then please reveal Russell T Davies, just how many people have written in to the BBC over the years complaining about the depiction of Davris. I'm guessing none. Davris is not a wheelchair user, he's LITERALLY half Dalek! Where will this all end. Can we now no longer have Cybermen because they have prosthetic limbs and that may be offensive to those who have prostheic limbs? Before long a majority of Doctor Who villains may be deemed offensive so at that point, they may as well be making a completely different programme.

[@user-mv8my1lv4g]

Davros' CHAIR isn't a chair, it's a mobile life support system

[@RealRoknRollr3108]

Darth Vader was disabled, he just could still walk. But that black armour was his own cybernetic life support. So any disfigurement is now off limits for villains? Well the Bond franchise is sure gonna have troubles! 😂

[@tardistime6857]

Davros was never offensive the daleks were made in his image it’s a dalek casing

[@Robert10075]

I never ever put Davros and wheelchairs in the same camp until all this came out literally the bottom half is a fucking Dalek… That’s it

[@Vixis6]

Literally pulled the thoughts out my mind more respectfully than i could've said

[@LJ-vo3xe]

I was initially hopeful for the return of RTD, as I have disdain for the Chibnall era, but that hope is somewhat shattered after hearing the way RTD started spouting off his speech on the whole wheelchair thing. I hope his priorities are quality writing and not sterilising anything that can be vaguely offensive to anyone, because lets be honest, doing this to Davros strips all of his character, all of his reason for devoping as a character the way he did, the reason the daleks exist, all of it comes from his appearance. RTD absolutely had his head up his rear for this take.

[@SPM0717]

Davies also chose to have Tennant regenerate into a suit because he thought him wearing Whittaker's clothes veered too close to drag and might offend trans people (despite the fact the Master wore her clothes earlier that same episode...)

[@LJ-vo3xe]

@SicParvisMagna123 you have to be kidding, right........ ffs

[@user-un9go4qe5i]

I watched Genesis of the Daleks last night - albeit the truncated, omnibus version that I hadn't seen since December 1975. My first thought was 'how could RTD believe that his Children in Need pile of shite was in the same league as this?' Even cut down, and some of the cuts were obvious, it was light years ahead. It then occurred to me that Davros had been like that - looking a bit rough round the edges - for a very, very, very long time. I came away with the impression that he probably hadn't had an 'accident' at all and that his look was more to do with some kind of genetic debilitating disease or something. He didn't actually look 'radiation scarred' to me... just very old and having lost the use of his eyes, legs and one arm. The impression I got was that he had probably designed his 'mobile life-support unit' himself and had then designed the Daleks in his own image... that fits with his megalomania and ambition to be a 'god'. I'd even go so far as to suggest that he genetically engineered the Kaleds/Daleks to have one eye. I would agree that his backstory doesn't really need to be told, as with the Doctor the mystery is better... but I do think that RTD has totally, completely and disastrously misread it and got it all hopelessly wrong.

[@ValiantWrestling]

His "backstory" was already told through Big Finish Productions. I, Davros comes to mind which is set inbetween Revelation and Remembrance of the Daleks where Davros is "on trial". I won't spoil it all, but it explains just how there are two differen't Dalek factions in Remembrance.

[@user-un9go4qe5i]

@@ValiantWrestling I appreciate what you are saying, but Big Finish is NOT canon, no matter how much people want it to be. It's fan fiction, written by fans, for fans. Virtually no-one takes any notice of it. However... despite that, it seems more plausible than RTD's nonsense.

[@cybermatstrikes7557]

I had the exact same reaction. I was watching with Dad and our jaws were on the floor with RTD's Unleashed interview. This is why preachy Doctor Who failed and he can't see it. By his actions, he is telling us what we must think. Great considered presentation. Thank you.

[@urielthelesser]

"Wheelchair user". If you know anything about the Dale's or Davros, you know that thing is less a wheelchair and more a combination command module and tank.

[@Ben_Kirkham]

Well… Happy Birthday ‘Doctor Who.’ I don’t feel anything like I did for the 50th, sadly. 😔

[@ValiantWrestling]

Same here, I checked out after Capaldi's second last episode where they once again ruined the Cybermen. And I'm glad I did considerin how the disrespected the 1st doctor and william hartnell's memory by making how out as a sexist, mysoginist, bbc further crapping on the legacy of classic who, but it all started well before that.

[@kennethraymondmoore]

Fandom really needs to push back hard against this nonsense.

[@TheDoctor35]

sad thing is, they are and Russel is just saying tough or boo hoo then blocking them on Instagram. this includes the very wheelchair users he is claiming to be fighting for. Its so bizarre this agenda pushing. It is stopping creativity. With so many boundaries being created in all forms of media, it's making everything so bland. No creativity cos everyone's to scared to offend.

[@LukSter18998]

they’re making it. look at the big DW “career youtubers”

[@worthybutter2004]

@@LukSter18998 Which ones?

[@spinstreamer1750]

While there is a history in literature and entertainment of portraying disability as the cause of a character's "evil", Richard III comes to mind, that's not the case with Davros. So the change is not necessary.

[@j.adickey2002]

Thank you! Way back in 1979, i joined the American branch of the Richard III Society for one full year. I was waiting for somebody to bring up the Tudor myth that Henry VIII most fervently believed... that got handed down to Elizabeth I :)

[@spinstreamer1750]

@@j.adickey2002 what myth?

[@j.adickey2002]

@@spinstreamer1750 ---- More's manuscript is postumous and printed AFTER his imprisonment. I think the King was his editor in more ways than one. It hit me, H8 did not get the wicked deformed Richard stories from his mother or father or the veterans of the battle, instead like his glorious daughter, he tossed golden coins to his scribes and courtiers. Morton maybe said a few things to More. Yes... Morton was one of the conspirators....

[@samfrisby6135]

I bet RTD threw a tantrum at the "Anyone for Dodgems?" scene in 'Witch's Familiar'

[@garym6315]

No, he probably thought it was hilarious. I'm willing to bet that he only became this weird wokester after taking over and realising he needed to fulfill the BBC diversity quota of having so many coloured people, so many tran people, so many disable people. It's only when you start surrounding yourself with an unnatural percentage of minorities that you start to obsess over stuff like this.

[@kingofthesnakes2396]

Davros being a wheelchair using makes sense. The kaleds were a dying race and he used his scientific ability to keep his race alive as much as he could. I don't understand why it's offensive? I think it's more patronising, grouping all disabled people together as nice people. It takes their humanity away.

[@markpostgate2551]

Also given that the Kaled's fascist ideology despises weakness or vulnerability or abberation from conformity; Davros himself considers pity to be a disgusting weakness, there is a certain conflict that arises from Davros' condition. It's not an accident that he creates the daleks, creatures he considers to be the superior race, to resemble himself.

[@miggyluv]

How odd that an abled person is complaining about this decision when lots of disabled people are saying "thank you" to RTD. Entitled much?

[@markpostgate2551]

@@miggyluv Nope. Not what I am seeing: I am seeing a lot of disabled people offended by Davies decision, feeling patronised by it, and I don't blame them.

[@miggyluv]

@@markpostgate2551 I guess that just proves echo chambers are a real thing

[@ValiantWrestling]

It's not a wheelchair for fucks sake, it's a life support systm. If you are a Doctor who fan you should already know that.

[@B-A-L]

I never thought of Davros being in a wheelchair, I just thought he was in the bottom half of a Dalek containment suit.

[@RandomCollection04]

love to see able-bodied people made decisions on what they interpret as offensive to disabled people. CLEARLY only RTD would know what a wheelchair user would find davros

[@cjward_24]

Best, most well thought out, most rational, and most level headed analysis I've seen. Agree 100%.

[@chriswagg1354]

You are spot on and put it so eloquently and clearly. I agree that it is important to be inclusive but true inclusivity is showing people as people...all people are capable of being good, evil, bad, good, ugly, sexy...everyone no matter if they are able bodied or disabled they can be anything that any other human being can be. I am going over what you already said so well....I will just say I agree with you but what really worries me is what other changes does this mean we can expect going forward? Worried to be honest

[@SuperCookie64]

The backlash this changed has received restores my faith in humanity.

[@ponchoman49]

I expected no less from RTD in the off the rails 2020's. What's next retcon Daleks made back into human beings because they are also depicted as wheelchair users? Here's a concept- use a different character!

[@CarlB_1962]

If Chibnall killed Doctor Who, it looks as if RTD is set to mutilate the corpse.

[@WhatNRdidnext]

I'm thinking more along the lines of "necrophilia"

[@iain4295]

Dr Who 100% ruined. Star Wars 60% ruined. Star Trek 80% ruined. Just because they keep making them doesn't mean it's still worth making.

[@BrendamProductions]

The fact that even when Russel explains Davros he says evil dictator…. Who is a wheelchair user. Meaning even by his own words davros isn’t a villain because he’s a wheelchair user he just happens to sit in half of a Dalek. Not to sound like a boomer but people are becoming too afraid of being seen as unwoke. Whenever I saw him I too thought oh cool he’s a half Dalek, I’ve not seen many with an eyestalk in their head.

[@jacotromp59581]

I don't have a right eye. I lost it when I was a kid in a accident. That's means I have a disability. It looks weird and scary. Now, does that mean with 2023 standards I can't be a bad person? No. I can be a bastard. Hell, if there are kids around I will scare them with my eye. Some run away and cry, some are actually intrigued and wants to know why I don't have an eye. Disabilities doesn't make the person. Not at all.

[@cinemint]

Hear me out while I apply some Russel T Davies logic: What if we broke everyone's legs and made EVERYONE a wheelchair user? All of society's evils would be gone overnight!

[@KhanhNguyen-mh5ec]

Also his ideas for fictional word is also wrong. There’s arsenal from Young Justice, Cyborg from Teen Titans, Finn from Adventure Time. All are people who looses limbs and need a support yet they are all pillars of Virtue.

[@migueldiaz7939]

Hahaha 🤣 hahaha 😂

[@migueldiaz7939]

​@@KhanhNguyen-mh5ec don't think he saw those 😂

[@j.adickey2002]

In a way.... this is what DAVROS does.... he uses bio-tech to reduce limbs by triggering an atavistic epi~genome toggle switch? As he is revamping the designs of his version of a small, weaponized electric scooter? Hominids verses humanoids? What if the Kaleds were limbless but evolved limbs over time? What if their species evolution was not at all like any of the Great Apes of the past 5 million years? Take a creature like a Dolphin who evolves limbs, and then walks on land...

[@jeremythomaswebb1485]

@@KhanhNguyen-mh5ec And Captain Hook from Once Upon a Time to add to the list. Started off as a villain, became a hero, got married to the lead character and became a loving Father. What a story arc!

[@markpostgate2551]

I loved the use.of the Genesis clip on the line "who has the right to decide that?"

[@doughorton3635]

Great video. RTD is right, the world has changed. It's gone crazy with oversensitivity and, unfortunately, he's changed right along with it. No more iconic Davros. Say goodbye to villains from Classic Who. No more Daleks (they're all wheelchair users). No more Cybermen, that could offend people with artificial limbs. No more Sontarans. That could offend short people. No Zygons. They could offend refugees. No Ice Warriors. Could offend people living in cold climates. No Silurians. Could offend indigenous people (the ones here before us). No Great Intelligence. That could offend intelligent people. And certainly no Master. That could offend ambitious people.

[@drawingjackrabbit401]

Brilliant Video mate. I agree 100%. This is nonsense. I used to look up to Russel, but in recent years, he's lost his mind. Davros will live forever, inspite of what these idiots do to him. As Davros himeslf once said 'I am very Difficult to Kill....You should already Know That!!'. Also live your Dalek Collection 😃

[@chrisdooster748]

Thank you, oh thank you for this articulate, well intentioned video. It's a relief to know that there are people out there who are as shocked and disappointed at Russell T Davies' unilateral decision to destroy almost 50 years worth of Doctor Who canon in this way. Like you I have had all my joy and enthusiasm for Doctor Who's future totally and utterly destroyed by the very man whose return to the show had given me so much hope. I had hated the Chibnall era and when Russell announced his return I suddenly found a new hope that the glorious years of his previous reign as showrunner might just be returning. However, my despair at the direction the show was taking under Chibnall had vanished with the prospect of Russell T Davies putting it all back on track. That hope has now gone! This hypocritical stance he is taking about wheelchair users and his proclimation that the 'old' Davros is now not allowed to be seen has totally killed my enthusiasm for the show. I don't believe he was being truthful in what he said, I don't believe this image of Davros has been a 'problem' for some time, especially when the very first episode to air since his outburst contained a wheelchair user, Ruth Madeley, sitting in a wheelchair that is armed to the teeth with all manner of missiles which she uses to kill her opponents. To conclude this lengthy tome, I feel I should point out that I, myself, am a wheelchair user. I am 63 years old and I have been watching Doctor Who since 1965. At no point in all those years did I ever feel that Davros was a problem. He has been one of my favourite characters in the show ever since he first appeared in 1975. He, and his Daleks, have been one of the few elements of Doctor Who that has barely changed over the years. Instantly recogniseable by millions of people all over the world and loved by most of them. This madness has to end!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Wonderfully put, thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@garym6315]

It's actually VERY offensive to Terry Nation - this is the 60th anniversary of a show that only majorly caught the public eye when Nation brought The Daleks onscreen. That story is arguably what launched the series, and how do they respect him for that? They edit down and alter The Daleks because it is too boring for modern audiences, and retcon and undo his Genesis of the Daleks script.

[@Flix-.]

Wait Till Max Capricorn Gets Added Into The Picture

[@shaunjp2211]

Davros lives within his life support system, that allows him to function after an accident during the war on his home planet. This is a part of what makes him him, just like the clothes he’s wearing. Now this latest Davros could be cannon during genius of the Darleks before his accident and would be great as depicting what was before. But how do explain a new body, unless he’s designed a more aesthetically pleasing humanoid transport for himself. In which case are the Darleks also going to have the same make over. Just leave it alone, don’t try fix what isn’t broken. Especially when the Doctors story needs attention thanks to the timeless child !

[@Problembeing]

RTD is the CUSTODIAN of Doctor Who, not it's 'God'.

[@millietanner56]

All the Jodie haters who thought RTD was going to swoop back and save Doctor Who... are y'all worried yet?

[@tardistime6857]

“Jodie haters ? “ I thought people just didn’t like her doctor not as a person

[@killgriffinnow]

Nah, I'm still happy. RTD is 1000x better than Chibnall and Jodie's mean spirited feminazi BS.

[@richardfraser5162]

No!!!

[@walterprice9775]

Not worried......terrified.

[@ValiantWrestling]

Never once did I thibk RTD was going to save the show, I was critical of his "woke" era before the term woke became an everyday used term. His story arcs were crap and repetetive, his writing was shit, always had to include a gay character, or gay references or implied a person, persons were gay in every episode he wrote. Like he was reminding the audience he's gay, nobody cares about your sexuality Davies. And his arcs alway ended the same wirh deus-ex machina endings every single series he did. He thinks he's the Joss Whedon Wales be in reality he's the Hack Snyder.

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

And the other elephant in the room is the CIN special now portrays the Kaleds as no longer racist. Which was part of their core characteristic keeping the Kaled race pure. Also the lacky is completely unphased by the arrival of an extra terrestial. When it clearly states in Genesis by Ronson that 'it is an established scientific fact' that only Skaro is capable of supporting intelligent life. I was going to give the 60th a go - but based on this I won't bother as it looks like yet another helping of fanboi fiction that pIsses all over the past.

[@johntaylor6345]

1963 Terry Nation wrote the 6 part The Daleks. 1974 Terry Nation gave us Davros the creator of the Daleks with the time lord's sending the 4th Doctor to stop the development of the daleks. All the Doctors since the 4th Doctor right up to 12th Doctor have combated Davros. Russell has made a mistake here in making Davros human. I'm a huge classic Doctor Who fan and love Genesis of the Daleks an absolute classic with the brilliant Tom Baker and Elizabeth Sladen and of course the late great Ian Marter.

[@j.adickey2002]

What if SKARO had Aquatic Apes who also had chromosomes like today's whales and hyhenas? What if over 15 to 20 million years, the Kaleds were creatures who evolved and de-evolved limbs multiple times, sometimes being sapient and totally aquatic, other times being able to walk on land and swim in the oceans.... and sometimes totally land~lubbing reduced to a very human existence? An ongoing morphing flux back and forth rather than a very linear evolution up out of the seas.... DAVROS experiments with the epi~genome of his own species!

[@davidadamson6248]

In a nutshell, very well and sensibly expressed. I've subscribed to your channel after watching this. Thanks.

[@wardjunior1450]

Surely no one can try and defend this for the million pound brand and egotistical man whose had a phycological break.

[@Thomanory]

Now that I think about it, it is a bit of a bizarre move by RTD.

[@richardthomas6771]

You absolutely nailed it. 100% Spot on. The moment I saw RTD state what he did I died inside and my excitement for the RTD2 Era died at that very moment. I feel duty bound to watch the specials as a lifelong fan but I feel I’m approaching my own final end for what’s left of my beloved show. There’s just so little left of what I once adored. We shall see but I’m almost done. 😢

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thank you, very much feeling the same way.

[@mudbutton2]

IMO RTD is doing this for his own sense of self aggrandizement - "Look how woke I am!"

[@jona826]

Very good video pointing out that RTD himself respected the character of Davros in previous episodes. I have not heard that angle before and it's a very good point. RTD's talents as a writer are being destroyed by his own hubris.

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

As a disabled person, I always loved Davros. Shame...

[@UranusMcVitieFish-yd7oq]

At an old job of mine we had a coworker who used an electric wheelchair and his nickname was Davros which he found funny.

[@chanceneck8072]

How can they be SO detached from reality? Why is it ALWAYS about image, political correctness and online perception for these people? Seriously. I had high hopes again for this next era. I thought we were having FUN again with Doctor Who. But this rings my alarm bells, that we have to prepare for the next agendas in our beloved show, being shoved down our throats... Honestly, I NEVER saw Davros as a "wheelchair user". He was deformed maybe, had a disability yes, but he was sitting in a chair that HE created. It was part of his character. Helping him as a tool, comparable maybe to Darth Vader's suit! I NEVER reflected that onto real life people. Doctor Who and Davros are SCIENCE FICTION! ESCAPISM!!!

[@jeremythomaswebb1485]

I made that comparison too that Davros' life support travel unit is like Darth Vader's suit. Heck, isn't it that the same case for Robo-Cop? If anything, Davros was caught up in a atomic war and got caught in a explosion. He's a character that survived a toxic war. If anything that reflects the fears of the cold war, the Manhattan project and just nuclear warfare in general. Both The Daleks and Genesis of the Daleks capture that concept and the fear.

[@chanceneck8072]

@@jeremythomaswebb1485 Exactly. GREAT points. I feel like putting him out of his unit now would undermine ALL of that. Now I can accept it if there is narrative logic behind it. Like in the Children In Need special, it's obviously a prequel. If they put him out of his chair, because he absorbed timelord energy in The Witch's Familiar, that could ALSO be interesting. Although I love the classic, menancing Davros look. But we need STORY hooks for these things. Explanations like RTD's "So.... we put him out of the wheelchair for the first time and we're actually SO proud of that, because that's SO empowering for wheelchair users irl" ... that's DISGUSTING for me!! 🤢🤮 Keep your dang agendas out of my beloved ESCAPISM sci-fi. I don't want it to have anything to do with current day politics....

[@jeremythomaswebb1485]

@@chanceneck8072 Ah Thanks Mate. Yeah if this was something as simple as exploring Davros' life before the fallout of the war affected him then that's fine. It's new ground to cover. Giving us a chance to see what lead up to the Davros we see in Genesis of the Daleks. I know People enjoy villain origin stories like Joker and Cruella so this would have been a opportunity for Doctor Who to do their take on that genre with Davros. Of course if there's some sort of narrative logic like you said then that works too. Matt and Billy from the Review of Death podcast came up with the idea that his chair becomes a sort of throne where he came move from it but has to return after a period of time to revitalize himself. Like the timelord energy like you said doesn't last long and he's trying to keep it going somehow. That's just a example of how to go about things from a creative point of view while keeping that iconic silhouette consistent. Either way, I have seen loads of people including those who are wheelchair users themselves say Davros was fine as he is and wasn't offended by him. Well, as much as you can from a evil dictator of course Haha :D

[@chanceneck8072]

@@jeremythomaswebb1485 Exactly. I like the throne idea. Exactly how I see it.

[@altal2993]

Your thoughts here are very insightful... I'm 50 plus in thr UK and have known this character all my life. At no point did I ever relate him as a disabled wheelchair user. I don't understand how a generally considered excellent writer could willfully destroy there own character and now likely a franchise.

[@dwfan91-]

This was a very well made and worded video, keep it up!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thanks! Funnily enough, I've just seen your video on the matter!

[@dwfan91-]

@@SomeBoiOnline Wow, thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed it, I really like your channel

[@AtheAetheling]

I'll try to phrase this as politically neutrally as I can. The thing with Doctor Who is, it's been on a course to a certain point for a while now. It has a place it wants to be in, a stance it wants to take; more power to it. But as it makes this position more obvious, it's going to shed viewers who might not agree (or even who might agree but don't want to be bothered with it for their Saturday night sci fi). Soon, all that will be left will be the viewers who agree with all of its positions. Is that going to be enough? I don't know. Doctor Who, of course, was always a left-leaning show but I think what it had before that it lacks now, and has lacked for years, is subtlety. I can't personally speak with much investment as I gave up about halfway through Matt Smith's run...it just felt different to me even by that point. I will say on a positive note, the new opening theme mix is an absolute banger.

[@millietanner56]

Love this. Succinct, undramatic and correct. Intelligent discussion.

[@moosegoose3159]

Doctor Who was never a left leaning show, neither was it leaning right. Neither was associated with any political camp. Stop assuming and attributing factors to something which A never had them and B doesn’t need them. It’s a show for families. It’s dumb yet fun sci fi. You can have sprinkle in messages and themes but don’t make it the driving force.

[@AtheAetheling]

@@moosegoose3159 If I am mistaken, of course I apologise. It just always spoke to me of themes more associated with a certain political and social position; but then I profess ignorance to the earlier stuff before Christopher Eccleston. That said, perhaps that sprinkle of themes and messages were indeed more politically left leaning, but have become more a driving force than ever they used to be?

[@Mark-nh2hs]

Regardless of which fence Dr Who politics fall on. In classic Who they had political stories but the satire or dig was woven into a interesting story with clever dialogue unlike NuWho where it's a lecture and talking down to the audience.

[@station7thedoor]

I gotta agree, the show has leaned at least somewhat left for years, at least with the pov of the Doctor, refusing guns and disdain towards the military. Remember the shade Pertwee’s Doctor used to throw at the Brigadier? But, at the same time, characters like the Brigadier were not depicted as stereotypes the wsy they are now. There was at least some respect for both sides, some depth of character.

[@AidanMcGirr]

Wilf is also still most likely set to be in the 60th and he was seen in a wheelchair, so that's two good people in a wheelchair in the 60th. But you can't ever depict an evil person in a "wheelchair" even with those others to balance it out?

[@BillSilver-kg8hs]

And the "Wheelchair" is actually half a Dalek. That was the whole point. Are Daleks disabled due to requiring what amounts to needing "Mobility scooters" to get around?

[@ValiantWrestling]

It is his life support system, some Davues and Moffat have no clue about because it's clear Davies never watched it and Moffat hated it and thought it was naff.

[@STEVEBINNION1]

It's all over

[@phillipoloidi]

When you think about it, Davros as a character (pre wheelchair erasure) was an empowering character to the wheelchair user community as davros despite his disability is one of the most popular characters in the entirety of the franchise because of that chair. Who hasnt though how much fun itnwould be to have his chair?

[@phillipoloidi]

Also as you said in the video he's prepared to change a classic character due to "times have changed" if he did this for davros god knows what he'll do next. Ive been a fan since I was 5 years old. And over the last 12 years I've seen a franchise I was so Passionate about fall into disrepair because some people felt the need to stray away from the shows core ideals.

[@ValiantWrestling]

Again, it's not a "wheelchair" it's a life support system...

[@themirrorsofmymind]

HOLY CRAP! *"Off Centre S01E16 Hear No Evil, See No Package"* I didn't go looking for this episode of this show! I used to watch it and just happened to find it on KZbin, but YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE HOW TIMELY IT IS!

[@matthwe3468]

As a disabled person myself I never found Davros offensive. He was a great villain and was key to the success of Genesis of the Daleks which without him would have just been another typical Dalek run-around as we all know. He does NOT represent the disabled community and is far too iconic to be changed so drastically. What was RTD thinking?

[@garym6315]

They're literally named "travel machines" so using RTD's warped logic, they are all wheelchair users and tropes of disfigured villains. Let's see how the estate of Terry Nation likes that.

[@Ndude215]

First video of yours I have watched. Great watch and broken down and articulated very well. Also, love the Dalek collection!

[@garym6315]

It's just one more thing to fracture the already broken fanbase. As you say, are we supposed to be ashamed. If i have a toy, figurine or poster on display and a friend comes over, is it suddenly somethig that is gonna create divide because I am supporting something problematic? Will people in wheelchairs who cosplay as him be criticised and ostracized if they do it from now on? Every time a showrunner says "I'm radically changing the lore for X representation" it fractures the fanbase, creates division and arguments. I seriously miss the 90s when I could just watch a fun family adventure that was suitable for everyone.

[@mathieuleader8601]

I always took Davros disfigurement to be a showcase of the horror of war & playing god

[@themirrorsofmymind]

11:13 I love how you position your _"Who has the right..."_ question at the same time as Tom Baker's 4th Doctor agonizes over whether HE had the right to destroy _The Daleks..._ Or _The Wheelchair Users._

[@MrDiddyDee]

There is still time to do some damage limitation, if RTD and his team have a rethink and make another public statement that they misjudged this. I don't think anyone had a problem with this being a pre-accident Davros, so it can remain canon, but the 'wheelchair' remark has to be amended.

[@jeremythomaswebb1485]

You're right! It wouldn't be that hard to whip something up to reassure people. Like how Aardman did when people were worried that the stop motion studio had run out of clay. They reassured people that things are under control and they have stocked up on plenty clay to keep them going into the future. Doctor Who can easily do the same thing. A lot of people were onboard with the idea of exploring Davros' life before Genesis. So they can totally run with that.

[@Problembeing]

You're right. It is not rational at all.

[@bazotter]

Your analysis was excellent without being personal and that's nice to hear. What about his artificial blue eye in his forehead? Or his useless arm that became a weapon? Or his horrible strange face and speech just meant to scare us as children. I'm that old, Or the design of his life support machine becoming later dalek design. Go back to Hartnells version 60 years ago when there was no Davros.

[@ytyrhspce55345]

I thought we were finally past this bad patch after Chibnell left. Looks like we have a lot more misery to look forward to. No wonder so many people are turning away from this show. This is a ridiculous decision to make this the "new" version of Davros. Terrible!

[@Beebob-xw9xn]

It says to all wheel chair user actors that are Dr Who fans we don't want you ever to apply to play Davros.

[@UnsafestPony81]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[@Miru_Man]

Davies in 2008: "I don't know what you could add to Davros" Apart from legs, apparently.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

😂😂

[@kingkaza]

He hasn't listen to davros audio drama Which btw i loved seeing the backstory and knowing how he became And i loved Russell but i wanna fucking slap him I'm autistic and i honestly hate when someone makes my disability sound..."normal" If i saw a autistic villain i wouldn't care aslong is a good villain Hell davros is disabled DURING A FUCKING WAR

[@GoreVidalComicbooks]

Greetings from Texas. When I saw the Davros short I thought it was a parody, you know, having fun with the name and plunger origin of the Daleks. It wasn't until today that I saw the Davies interview and your video that I learned that it was not a parody but a complete reinvention of the character. I read somewhere that with the 15th Doctor the series will relaunch as Season 1, just as it did in 2005. Moving forward then if Davros appears he will be this comical actor portraying him. Comical because there is nothing menacing about him. In fact he reminded me of a character from the Adams Family t.v. show. The wheelchair reference surprised me. Never heard that before. I thought Davros looked like he did due to the ravages of the war and self-experimentation to maintain himself alive, conceiving the idea for mutating his own people for survival in the process. Online less reasonable critics than yourself have said Davies is being influenced by the BBC. I doubt anyone can influence Davies. If the BBC wanted the change and Davies did not, it would be the end of the matter. Davies would get his way. No, this is what he thinks. I think he will explain his change of mind about not reinventing the wheel as an evolution and growth on his part.I wonder if Moffat is in agreement or even Tom Baker. It would be interesting to know their thoughts on this.

[@migueldiaz7939]

This is worse than the timeless child and who is this "we" that he's talking about? Who was complaining about disabled davros? No 1 that's who because he is not disabled he replaced all he lost with a facsimile of the former. Hell even your analogy is wrong also that contraption he's wired into is more of an iron lung than a wheelchair it's what's keeping him alive as well as making him mobile. No Mr Davis 😭 this was and is all your doing Mr Davis if this was a 1off fine but according to you Mr.Davis "this is the way WE see him know"

[@ghayes220]

All excellent points. Couldn't agree more.

[@radic888]

You're absolutely spot on!

[@wowsuchname1939]

You know, totally down for less villains depicted with less stereotypical ‘villain’ physical attributes. Never have I considered davros part of this.. he’s one of the few villains who break the mould of ‘has generic facial scarring’, ‘is missing an arm’ or is Russian (or all of the above.) Davros was a well written and designed character, was down for an origin story pre accident, but hearing it’s a permanent change is actually beyond.

[@docnine45]

So by this stupid lack of logic. Do you now get rid The Daleks since they are mutated beings that roll around on wheelchair. Then to pull this shit out of 60 year of history. This is stupidity to the highest degree. Now I'm worried about Russell's return. I would have thought chibnell would pull something like this.

[@ceecoursian]

This is a well put together presentation. Thanks for doing this . I hope RTD sees this and rethinks what he is doing .

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thank you, means a lot!

[@GoblinSing]

I agree with the sentiment of the video. In fact, I think you do well to focus on the canonical origins first and foremost and it does solidify to me that Russel had a lapse in judgement on this particular issue. Because it does break canon and I feel like he ought to know that. However, I'd still stand by the good intentions of this being done for Children in Need. It was off the mark but it does make reasonable sense to appeal such care around tropes (even if not many people will be aware of them) such as "The Evil Cripple" which do pose a problem sometimes. For Davros to appear very shortly after a wheelchair-bound little girl and her story, I can see the reasons for doing it differently. Should he have just *not used Davros?* Maybe, it's a viable solution - but also as he said this is their lens. And it's not necessarily a lens that needs to last beyond the current crew, I frankly doubt we'll even see Davros again for a while. So I think it's worth considering that they frankly can make momentary changes like this despite the proposed plot-hole. And assuming we get, what... One Davros story with him out of the chair before someone else is in charge and sees the error in the change and brings him back as before? Personally, I think a one-off instance like that would be incredibly interesting if nothing else. It might even make for an insanely compelling story. Full disclosure, I came from your vid on the Paradigm Daleks on which my thoughts had shifted over time already but you solidified them with great reverence in my mind. And I feel like outcry is not the response and we should all know it by now. It should be *talked about* much like again the bright coloring of the Paradigm being garish and needing to take that feedback to properly re-adapt them into what we got for Asylum, RTD still should hopefully see that he needed to rethink some things. But it doesn't need to be *stopped* or what we'll get is a complete rejection of Davros from the show, or something halfhearted trying to be something it shouldn't when the original product of his vision might actually be a stunning shock of something new and well liked! All in all I stand with you to an extent on this. But right now I'm expecting thoughts will change with time and one day you'll probably be making a video on exactly how it all changed. Oh, and if you actually read this - your channel is fantastic. *Absolutely Fantastic.*

[@SomeBoiOnline]

A pretty solid breakdown of the situation, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video on the Paradigm. Thanks so much for the kind words!

[@steve-0493]

Ikr..everything's said here so spot on!!if they do an early b4 hes injured and all that,fine,cool,im ok with a little prequel sauce!!like the 12th and kid Davros!!but u cant TAKE HIM AWAY AS IS,AND PLOP A 'HERES A VERSION TO PLZ ALL"...WRONG! U plz everyone BUT THE WHOVIANS!!🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️😵✌️🍻

[@stephenthorpe3591]

Ironically I now associate evil with middle-aged gay Welsh showrunners!

[@goopapa4758]

I've always been a fan of disfigured people in media - it's amazing seeing some who are evil cyborgs like Davros, some just want to mind their own business, some just want to do good - Davies has lost his mind if he thinks it's okay to take that nuance away from such interesting possibilities for characters. It's like, can you stop acting like you can speak AND think for other people? Like they don't have a voice? Russell, my guy, you say you are all for 'the other' sorts of people, yet you believe they don't have their own thoughts, experiences, stuff like that?

[@codaboi138]

Davros also had a pretty interesting backstory in the Big Finish audiobooks. His body was taken in the war so he relied on his mind to rise up society. I think adapting that into a TV story would bring a lot of depth and interest in the character, and give disfigured viewers a nuanced and interesting character to relate to. Just because he does evil things doesn't mean he's not an awesome character. Often times villains are the best way to explore themes of hardship and pain.

[@goopapa4758]

@@codaboi138 Absolutely. Also, is this the I, Davros series? Been thinking of buying that while it’s on sale - looks very good

[@codaboi138]

@@goopapa4758 yes it's a audio book. Definitely worth buying imo :D

[@cristoffL]

Also moffat kinda did this first showing davros as a child. I always thought, I can’t finish this. Keep up the good work. I don’t know what to say anymore.

[@josephnizolek3975]

I always thought Darvros was scary and more than matched against the Doctor, there was a lot of good episodes with Davros

[@Mark-nh2hs]

I don't know anybody who ever said Davros was a wheelchair user? Normally it was oh the guy with the Dalek bottom half and the glowing eye (esp from those who didn't really follow Dr Who much). It sounds to me they are making it an issue knowing it will get the toxic radical progressives behind him. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few months time or in a year Genesis of the Daleks and any Davros story (no doubt they will exempt NuWho from this list) as problematic stories and be up with Talons of WC in the listing's. You can see it.

[@ValiantWrestling]

You are correct, it is not a wheel chair, it is Davros' life support system.

[@Mark-nh2hs]

@@ValiantWrestling exactly or as a child I called it Dalek bottom 😂

[@Ultra4115_]

Finally someone that thinks like me. Ive never thought about it like their making it out. I've only ever seen davros as a super old decaying scientist that has his "wheel chair" invention only as a life support system. Why are they becoming so snowflake.

[@HBFS2007]

Spolier for the star beast: I feel RTD is trying way too hard to be accepted and move with "modern times" this, donnas daughter being trans, pronouns being a focuse of a scene, telling the doctor he should have stayed as a woman. It feels to me that hes trying to hard, might also explain why 15th doctor is a black gay man. Just fyi im not against trans/gays/black people or women. I just thought that it was worth pointing out that RTD is really pushing for acceptance by all

[@neilgodwin6531]

I've literally just remembered that the leader of the "Resistance" in the Dalek Invasion of Earth (TV and movie versions) was a wheelchair user. Did RTD forget this? Or, as I suspect, was he influenced/ leant on by Disney execs and writers? We really need to fight back against this, hard. I, for one, am sick and tired of being patronised by 'writers' who constantly insult my intelligence and portray me as an idiot, influenced by one characteristic of a person.

[@Wumpa_Goji]

I mostly agree with this video apart from the use of RTD’s comments from 2008. Sure it’s contradictory to what he’s saying now but people’s opinions can evolve and change overtime with new perspectives. Is it reactionary and perhaps a stretch? Yeah it is however I don’t see this consideration of the shows legacy through the lens of modern society as a negative. I think it’s good that this kind of thought and consideration is being taken but maybe this topic isn’t the best place for it. I also think this whole controversy on both sides does the character a massive disservice to the character of Davros as it reduces him to his life support unit and doesn’t look at his character.

[@tardistime6857]

Nah rtd is just being a hypocrite

[@stevendunkley8284]

I don't think Davros was meant to be a disabled person. If anything his design seems to be inspired by a 'real life ' cryptid known as the Flatwoods monster who is an alien/cyborg hybrid (Google it and see what I mean for yourself if you aren't familiar with this urban legend). I don't think he is meant to be a wheelchair user either.

[@doktor_ghul]

So , in RTD's eyes, is Doctor Strangelove in Kubrick's classic insulting to wheelchair users? Should he have been standing up? This is inane. DAVROS CREATED THE DALEKS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO WALK. My god, what an achievement...and now, he's defined as evil in a wheelchair, which is bad, so we take away his glory? Now, he's just another skeletal generic bad guy, not the glory and horror that Davros was??

[@Stathio]

I agree with you to some extent, but this video feels like it's making a lot of uncomfortably familiar bad faith assumptions, considering we haven't even seen what he's actually doing with the character yet- there will likely be an in-universe reason for the change (whether or not the change itself is welcome- and I completely understand why not, as you have spoken on here). I think you're largely correct, however there is a big negative stigma with disabled characters being evil in fiction- I 100% agree with you that the solution to this is to add more good representation instead of removing existing characters, however. I don't agree that this is automatically a good change, but also... I swear that I have heard "Davros" hurled, as an ableist insult at wheelchair users in the UK in the past- is this a thing? I absolutely swear that I've heard this somewhere, so it may be something that we are simply less aware of, as non-wheelchair users. Part of me feels that RTD is (clumsily) attempting to address that. Badly, sure- but context is always important to understand someone's full thought process and reasoning for a decision like this. But just... please have some patience with this and see how it plays out. Please, please please do not turn into a right-wing reactionary channel- I'm already seeing those types unironically crying "woke" in the comments- please don't invite that further, because I love your channel and your content a lot.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

You've got nothing to worry about on that front, as I'd like to stay as far away from politics as possible. I just felt the need to express my concern and love for the character in this particular instance, especially considering the backlash from the very people the change was intended to benefit.