Trivia / Doctor Who S25 E1 "Remembrance of the Daleks"

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• The Danza: Harry was played by Harry Fowler.
• Deleted Scene:
  • Ace would have lightened the tension between her and the Doctor when he left her at the boarding house.
  • The Doctor was supposed to heal Ace's leg in the third episode.
  • During the confrontation between the Doctor and Davros, the Doctor would have remarked that he is "far more than just another Time Lord". This and other references to the Hand of Omega, were part of the alleged "Cartmel Masterplan". A concept by Script Editor Andrew Cartmel to add more mystery to the character.
• Hostility on the Set: While filming the scene where Ace attacks the Dalek, Sophie Aldred, sensitive to cigarette smoke, asked John Nathan-Turner if he would stop smoking for the next take. He obliviously lit up another one and blanked her. While looking at her on the monitor, he said, "Find the camera, you dizzy cow". He also objected to her adding badges to her jacket, as it caused continuity problems.
• Milestone Celebration: This story kicked off the 25th anniversary season.
• No Stunt Double: Sophie Aldred did many of her own stunts, even bonding with the show's new stunt coordinator, Tip Tipping.
• Re-Release Soundtrack: The original DVD replaced much of the public domain songs used in the episode, which were later reinstated for the special edition.
• Prop Recycling: Two of the three Renegade Daleks were reused props from the 1960s, retouched to use the dark gray design that had been standard since "Day of the Daleks" in 1972.
• Self-Adaptation: Ben Aaronovitch wrote this serial and its novelization.
• Spared by the Cut: Harry was originally going to be killed by the Daleks.
• Stunt Double: Sylvester McCoy wanted to perform the stunt where the Doctor slides down a wire with his umbrella. Although he was allowed one attempt, the take used features his stunt double.
• Throw It In!: Sylvester McCoy ad-libbed the Doctor nicknaming Gilmore "Chunky" — this was Simon Williams' nickname for his prop revolver.
• Uncredited Role: John Leeson was the uncredited voice of the Renegade Daleks' battle computer, before the character's true identity was revealed. (Technically, he is credited but not with a specific role: He and the Dalek voice artistes were collectively credited as "Voices" to hide just who he was voicing.)
• Wag the Director:
  • In the original script, the Doctor destroys the Black Dalek in Episode Four with a gun which had been stored alongside the Hand of Omega (originally, the Hand of Rassilon). This was intended as a parody of the quick-draw tradition in Hollywood westerns, but it was felt to be too out of character for the Doctor, particularly by Sylvester McCoy.
  • Director Andrew Morgan wanted to cut the scene where Ace finds the NO COLOUREDS sign, but McCoy and Sophie Aldred argued that it was the essence of the story, as it was about racism.
• What Could Have Been:
  • The opening shot of the Dalek Mothership in space with various speeches playing would have also included a speech from Elizabeth II, in addition to "Blowin' in the Wind" playing in the background of the "I have a dream" speech (like in real life. The crew were unable to attain permission for the former, while the latter was removed in editing, even though they had permission.
  • In the original script, the two Dalek factions were the "Red Daleks" led by the Emperor Dalek and the "Blue Daleks" led by the Black Dalek (also called the Dalek Supreme).
  • Ben Aaronovitch had overwritten his scripts for this serial and thus, several subplots were eliminated. This included a threatened nuclear strike on London, a dangerous trip from Totter's Lane to Coal Hill School for the Doctor and Ace, and Harry's extermination by the Daleks. He considered making use of other elements of Dalek continuity — including the Thals and the Ogrons — but eventually rejected these for fear of overcomplicating the story.
  • Simon Ward was considered for Group Captain Gilmore.
  • Steven Berkoff, Bernard Hill and David Warner were considered for Ratcliffe.
  • Andrew Cartmel was particularly proud of the scene where Ace finds a NO COLOUREDS sign. When it was screened to the BBC Head of Drama, he rewound the tape because the Head of Drama had missed the sequence due to a phone call. The Head of Drama felt that Ace should have torn the sign down, and Cartmel agreed it was a missed opportunity.
  • Originally, the Special Weapons Dalek was developed by the Renegade Daleks to fight their Imperial counterpart's flight powers. What it also lacked in firepower it made up for with the ability to fire around corners. Both concepts were dramatically altered due to cost.
  • In the rehearsal script, Gilmore would have mentioned his impending retirement and being replaced by "some bright boy, Captain Tunbridge-Steward or something". If the reference had been included however, it would've contradicted many older UNIT and Brigadier stories.
• Word of God: Russell T Davies has stated that the destruction of Skaro in this story is one of the first major acts of the Time War, along with the events of "Genesis of the Daleks" (the Time Lords interfere in the creation of the Daleks) and the Big Finish episode "The Apocalypse Element" (the Daleks invade Gallifrey).
• Working Title: Nemesis of the Doctor — interesting, because it wouldn't be until the revived series that they would use the "... of the Doctor" form of the classic The X of Y title.
• You Look Familiar:
  • Familiar looks:
    • Michael Sheard, in his sixth and final role on the series^note His previous five were Rhos in "The Ark", Dr. Roland Summers in "The Mind of Evil", Laurence in "Pyramids of Mars", Lowe in "The Invisible Enemy" and Mergrave in "Castrovalva", plays the headmaster of Coal Hill School.
    • Pamela Salem (Rachel) was Toos in "The Robots of Death".
  • Familiar sounds: John Leeson (the voice of K9) voices the Dalek Battle Computer.

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