Crowdfunded 'Doctor Who' Documentary Put on Hold Due to Copyright Issues

Not only is Doctor Who known for the gripping and jaw-dropping series, it's also known for a number of movies that stole the spotlight off the main series for a short amount of time. Now, filmmaker Victor Lewis-Smith, a huge fan of Doctor Who, has revealed he wants to make a Doctor Who documentary movie about the Daleks. The documentary has a proposed title of "Undiscovered Daleks," and is set to feature unseen Dalek outtakes, as well as tell numerous stories about their deadly plans. However, the project has temporarily been shut down due to copyright issues with the BBC.

For the documentary to go ahead, the project needed to have raised at least £250,000 within 25 days since the project was launched. Sadly, the target was not achieved. However, during this fundraising window the BBC interfered with what a source calls "copyright issues." The dedicated filmmaker, who is also a critic, is determined to keep the project going as best as he can.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Victor said this about the project:

"Throughout my career, the BBC have commissioned hundreds of programmes from me. And still are. But there's one proposal they have always rejected. That's the unexpurgated history of the Daleks. Why? What secrets about the Daleks do they want to keep hidden? Only by crowdfunding will I be able to make The Undiscovered Daleks and tell the full story behind these sinister pepper pots.”

The project has yet to receive a green light from the BBC, but what makes the terrifying Daleks from #DoctorWho so special and unique?

The Doctor's Greatest Enemy

The Daleks — created by Terry Nation in reality, and on the show by the evil genius Davros — have played a vital role in Doctor Who since the show began back in 1963. Ever since their first appearance in the story "The Daleks," the pesky machines have been cropping up all over the universe, causing as much destruction as they possibly can. The Daleks were the first aliens to battle the Doctor.

With the Daleks's popularity growing so massively, their historical background (the Great Time War on Gallifrey) was shuffled away from the show, and the machines themselves were moved to the forefront. The Daleks were often used during the Classic Who era, and they have made a full or brief appearance in every series since Doctor Who was revived in 2005.

Popularity of the Daleks

The Daleks are iconic primarily because of the way they look. If you see a shadow in the shape of a Dalek, you instantly know what it is. Over the years, their appearances have changed to make them fit in with the modern world, which makes them more terrifying, even for the older generation.

Nowadays, it has been made pretty obvious that Doctor Who wouldn't be Doctor Who without the Daleks showing up at least once a series. The pepper shakers armed with a whisk and a toilet plunger are now known all across the world. The Daleks will continue to dominate Doctor Who alongside the meddling Time Lord until the very end.