Create a Dalek!

Looks easy enough: CBBC - Blue Peter - Things To Do - Make a Dalek

Then again, I never had much luck with those Blue Peter projects as a kid. I'd send away for the plans to make a model boat or glider and hoped to make something like they showed on television. In my case, the plans might've well been called "Kindling You Can Make with a Saw and Hammer in Only Two Weeks!"

One of the enduring mysteries of Dr. Who centers on the Daleks (the other mystery was why Dr. Who goes through the body morphing transformation when contracts come due for re-negotiation), and I don't mean their fixation on conquering Earth or relative ease, considering their lack of lower extremities, in abducting Dr. Who's current cute, nubile sidekick. Everything about the Daleks was covered in several thousand episodes of Dr. Who, except why the Daleks looked so convincing as opposed to the rest of the Dr. Who show. For heaven's sake, Dr, Who lived in police call box, and the Cybermen had whiffle balls glued on. It turns out that the Daleks comprised a years worth of prop budget and represented quite a gamble for the BBC, which paid off tremendously. Any series with the Daleks was well worth watching, even to the point of putting up with how Dr. Who and his friends would split up, get into trouble and miss running into each other for 12 episodes.

The Daleks were cunning, resourceful evil beings, always single minded. They provided the first real glimpse of an complex alien life that was different than our own (let's face it Dr. Who was an alien only if there was a planet Fruitcake). They were a marvelous role model for me. R2D2 is a total wuss in comparison. Besides, what kid can't imitate the Dalek war cry of "Exxxterrminate all humans!" ?