Why do Daleks in Remembrance of the Daleks wobble?

The Daleks in Remembrance of the Daleks are known to wobble from side to side as they move during outdoor location scenes, but why is this?

All footage and music is the property of the BBC.

[EksCelle]

The added benefit of the spherical wheels is definitely not worth losing the zero turn functionality. Seeing a Dalek do a 3 point turn rather than just spin around is pretty strange. No wonder they went back to normal wheels in New Who

[britanimations]

Come Stolen Earth and Revolution of the Daleks, which believe it or not are the only two times Daleks have gone outside the confinds of the studio in New Who, they seem to have nailed it for the most part

[RBenjo]

The Supreme Dalek wobbling at the end of this works narratively when standing still because the Doctor is taunting him and he’s losing his shit. Static wobbling works. It’s just they couldn’t use anything else to move on cobbles!

[messytexy]

I remember when this said "2 hours ago"...

[Scripture-Man]

Fascinating trivia! :-) I'm going to disagree with the consensus here and say that I LOVE the wobble and I think they should bring back this design! It gave the Daleks a sense of both realism and imperfection.

I can vouch that this episode "sold" the Daleks because I saw this as a kid and it terrified me. As someone who doesn't watch much Classic Who, I was expecting to come back and see how cheap and not-scary everything looked here, but in fact I find the opposite - this all looks MORE frightening than modern Who. Why? Because it's so strongly grounded in a sense of REALITY. And that's one of the reasons I think the "wobble" makes the Daleks scarier.

Modern Who is undoubtedly a lot more glamorous than the classic era. With its Hollywood-esque lighting and perfect computer effects, it's easy to think of the Daleks as pure fantasy creatures in a far-away fantasy world.

In stark contrast, classic episodes like this looked alarmingly REAL, with almost documentary-style footage shot on a rainy day on real British streets. The Daleks WEREN'T perfect and didn't move perfectly, which told you that they were real objects - real machines travelling on real terrain. It looks more satisfying to watch because there's more of an interaction between the Daleks and their terrain.

Another key aspect of the wobbling is the sense of weight. In most episodes, it's impossible to get ANY sense of how heavy a Dalek is, which I find a terrible shame because heavy things are scary. Their movement resembles small radio-controlled toys, with no real weight. But here in Remembrance, with the wobble, these things actually look HEAVY, which denotes power and artillery.

One of the principles of horror is that 'perfect' things aren't scary. Daleks these days glide around smoothly like ice-skaters, appearing almost graceful. Frankly, it's kind of sterile and sanitised. But when Daleks WOBBLE, it's not only adding a level of realism, but it's unsettling. The "shaking" of the Daleks almost gives a suggestion that the viewer ought to shake.

When the Supreme Dalek wobbles on the spot at the end of this video, I find it highly satisfying. The movement is perhaps a little too exaggerated, but it's way more "organic" than just a static machine, giving a stronger sense of physicality and menace, yet the movement is also very weird, which is scary.

Another issue is that I have ALWAYS been dissatisfied that the only way to tell which Dalek is talking is to look at the lights. Honestly, this has always seemed lame to me. But if Daleks always wobbled this way while talking (even just VERY slightly), this would give more of a sense of expression and emotion, to complement their highly expressive voice.

Honestly, I wish ALL Daleks wobbled! To me, the perfect Dalek design would have a base that's slow, heavy and wobbly, with an upper body that could spin around quickly and aggressively.

[themightybob]

I like the wobbling, it shows they are alive with a creature shifting about inside

[DalekDalmatian-the-prop-maker]

I’m going to say it!

I love the wobbling on the upright props why? Well going by concept art and the Dalek on the transmat, the designs seem to have a large spherical ball at the bottom like the roller kin Daleks .. yes I know/think it’s for the organs for the mutant but it just makes sense that they roll about on a giant ball with 3 smaller ones around the perimeter

I for one think it’s a genius idea… not only for the 80s upright props but in general for out door shots … but will agree the shawcraft ones shouldn’t wobble as their design looks more sleeker and should stay flat to the floor

But that’s my opinion

Cameron

[thdoctor]

Really don't like the wobble. The Dalek casing should shake when barking out remarks, but not look like they're about to fall over. The ramp used in Death looks fine.

[ekij]

Large spheres are an odd choice, especially for the back wheels. Large _wheels_ are a good idea as the larger the wheel the smaller the effect of any imperfection in the surface being travelled over. The wobble is due to large tolerance between the axle and the wheel being amplified across the height of the Dalek. If they'd used wheels (or spheres) with less slop in the design they could have kept the concept with no (or much less) wobble. Of course costs and time were always a limiting factor in those days.

[waverleyjournalise]

I think the wobbling looked good, but they really needed to find a better overall solution as you can't do a three-point no-scope.

[ladymecha]

It was ahead of its time the new system used in the Remembrance of the Daleks. The technology was just not quite there though. Today they probably would have used the 360 degree wheels with 3d printing to make the system work properly.

[LUNRMNS]

I think the wobbles make them seem more alive since they can let out more emotion with wobbling

[wisteela]

I love that spherical wneels idea. I never knew that's what they used.

[darrenrock]

I think the wobble makes them tank like

[elseworlds]

Even Daleks aren’t immune to the pot-holes you always find on a London street! 😊

[MuscleboySV]

Well, the wobble could actually be used when a Dalek is particularly angry. Their casings DO move and twitch, channeling the nervous energy of the Dalek creature inside. Perhaps the wobble can come back when the Dalek is flat out foaming at the metaphorical mouth.

[scottm]

I just assumed it was the creature going mental inside that caused it to shake, like jumping around inside a car.

[robertmcghintheorca]

The balls used for the Daleks look like the Dyson barrow balls.

[TheSmart-CasualGamer]

I've always thought that something seems wrong with the Daleks in Remembrance. Maybe it was this!

[MichelleW]

maybe make the balls have a sort of suspension system, or make them smaller, might tune out the wobblies