Talk:Day of the Daleks (TV story)

Neutral point of view
Please see Day of the Daleks history for the differences between edits. I contend that the statement:


 * The Doctor speaks of Napoleon Bonaparte, as though he were a good friend, or at the least, a friendly acquaintance.

Is more of a neutral point of view and accurate describes any perceived error than:


 * The Doctor speaks of the dictator and warmonger, Napoleon Bonaparte, as though he were a good friend, or at the least, a friendly acquaintence. It seems somewhat out of keeping with the Doctor's character that he would wish to be associated with a man considered by history as one the worst tyrants of all time. He is only joking to cheer Jo up and lighten the mood.

Also as the statement contains the statement "it seems" which is more of a conjectural statement than something grounded a source. --Tangerineduel 13:46, 1 June 2009 (UTC)

It is historically inaccurate to describe Napoleon as a tyrant. If you recall your Doctor Who history, you will remember - as seen in season one, in 1964 - that 'the Tyrant of France' is actually a description of Robespierre, who ran the Revolutionary era known as The Terror. Napoleon was the man who put a stop to the executions and the bloodshed. In France, he was very popular: in 1815, when he escaped from exile and resumed command in Paris, tens of thousands flocked to his cause, his Army re-formed, and he marched on Belgium at its head. He, unlike Robespierre, had genuine popularity among his own people. You may be mistaking him for 20th Century leaders, such as Stalin or Hitler. But he was no more a tyrant than, say, Oliver Cromwell had been: he was just a strong military leader. Stephen Poppitt ☎  21:40, January 6, 2017 (UTC)

A Comprimise?
I take the point regarding the use of the expression 'it seems' however, unlike when discussing dialogue or what actually occured on-screen, there is no objective source or 'final word' about a given character's personality. The fact is it would be incongruous with the established mythology of the series if the Doctor were to have been friendly with Stalin, Hitler, Mao, or Pol Pott. For his time Napoleon was no better or worse than these other tyrants, it's only that he lived longer ago. In the end it is not a major point but I do believe it counts as a legitimate case of discontinuity.

I only altered my original entry because it was interpreted by someone as a practical point that the Doctor could not have met Napoleon, rather than something out of keeping with the Doctor's personality. For this reason, I do not believe the point as Tangerineduel proposes it be left, makes this point clearly enough.

A comprimise perhaps?


 * The Doctor speaks of Napoleon Bonaparte, as though he were a good friend, or at the least, a friendly acquaintance. Would he have been friends with a tyranical dictator?


 * He was friendly with Mao. I think it's in The Mind of Evil that he states as such. (And even backs up this in PROSE: Revolution Man)
 * The statement is better, but that Napoleon is a tyranical dictator is not something that comes from the story. It's still an opinion. -Tangerineduel 14:35, 1 June 2009 (UTC)

How about:
 * The Doctor speaks of Napoleon Bonaparte, as though he were a good friend, or at the least, a friendly acquaintance. (He was also a friend of Horatio Nelson.) (TV: The Sea Devils)


 * It doesn't have an opinion but it does highlight the odd friendship the Doctor has. --Tangerineduel 14:35, 1 June 2009 (UTC)

I had forgotten the 'Mao' statement. In that case, perhaps my comment should be expunged all together. It was only meant as a half-serious point anyway. I shall defer to your judgement on the matter. I just can't imagine an episode in the new series where the Doctor would say:

"I remember saying to old Magnus Greel, 'Brisbane sounds like a good spot'"! :o)

Best wishes, Richard.

Image of Hartnell
"The above sequence also features the first images of William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton since they both left the show." This statement is wrong. There is an image of William Hartnell in Episode One of Power of the Daleks. 165.225.80.59talk to me 15:58, August 11, 2016 (UTC)

This is a rather extreme example of nit-picking, surely? Hartnell's final appearance is that episode: he is seen in the regeneration sequence, during the reprise of the previously week's cliff-hanger. That episode therefore is his final appearance, whether one takes 'appearance' to mean his being seen in the reprise or in the photograph which the camera briefly sees when Troughton looks in the mirror. Stephen Poppitt ☎  21:29, January 6, 2017 (UTC)