THE DOCTOR DANCES: Fear Factor 5 (Terrifying)
How scary is Doctor Who? Our brave Fear Forecasters present a minute-by-minute guide to The Doctor Dances.
Amy (5)
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Harry (7)
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Samuel (9)
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Adam (13)
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NOTE FOR PARENTS: This is still the scariest Doctor Who story yet... but it's also quite, quite brilliant. Harry, Samuel and Adam all enjoyed being so frightened, but Amy was too scared to sleep alone after it. No one had nightmares. Both sets of parents have suggested that, if you're concerned, tape the episode, and watch it with children during the daytime, or, at least, a long time before bed.
(1) Harry and Amy are very excited and on tenterhooks, waiting to see what happens next. After insisting mum closes the curtains, they snuggle together on the sofa anticipating more scary stuff. Samuel remembers the ending, and holds on to his dad's hand.
(1.30) When the Doctor says "Go to your room," Samuel gives a big laugh. Adam is smiling, too. "That reminds me of you, dad!" says Samuel. Amy is a bit baffled. Harry pulls his T-shirt up over his mouth and nose.
(2) Samuel dances along with the theme tune.
(3) Amy is puzzled as to why Nancy is crying now that the 'monster' has gone. "Why's she crying?" "That's her brother. It's sad," explains Harry. Samuel is also puzzled.
(4) Harry jumps as the boy in the gas mask comes into the kitchen.
(5) Amy has picked up a cardboard tube and starts calling 'Mummy' through it. Harry tells her to be quiet. She starts chanting more loudly. Mum tells her to be quiet and confiscates the tube.
"Bananas are good," says the Doctor, and gets a big laugh from Samuel. "He's right, you know, they are," says Adam, "they've got potassium." His mum looks at him proudly.
(7) Harry hugs his knees as the Doctor turns to see the child in the room. "He's drawn his mummy," says Samuel in a forlorn voice, who likes drawing. "All he wants is his mummy."
(7.30) Amy's not bothered with the on-screen action as her thoughts turn from bananas, which she doesn't like, to crisps, which she does! For the sake of a quiet life mum lets her have some.
(9.30) Adam's hand flies to his mouth in surprise. "This is its room." Amy starts to get scared and tries to get on Harry's lap. Harry pushes her off as she's blocking his view.
(10) Mum, Harry and Amy are now all huddled together at one end of the sofa.
(11) The reason for the Doctor's touchiness about the sonic screwdriver is a little over Harry's head but he gets the idea that it's funny so he laughs at the Doctor's reactions to Captain Jack.
(13) "That conman's disappeared," says Adam suddenly. Samuel's immediately concerned: "Have the gas-mask guys got him?"
(15.30) Harry bites nails his nails again as the child starts talking through the radio.
(18) With a lull in the on-screen action Amy examines her toes and then waves her foot in mum's face demanding more crisps.
(19) "Look," Samuel tells his dad, "I've not chewed my biro this time... it's a new record!" He's greatly amused by "like you - but with dating and dancing." And laughs at "I've got the moves, but I wouldn't want to boast."
(21) At the "Yes, mummy", Samuel is shocked. Harry is excited when he sees the soldier's hand. "Look he's got a cut on his hand!" He moves behind me, he knows what's coming.
(23) Amy is disappointed when the camera cuts away from the soldier's transformation. "Ohhh, you don't see him go funny". Adam horrified at the "Let me go" moment.
(24) The "Mummy?" moment alarms Adam and Samuel. "Adam: "He's infected!" Samuel: "Uh-oh."
Harry stands up as the soldier asks Captain Jack if he's his mummy. "Oh No" he says as the gas mask begins to come out of his mouth.
(25) Harry thinks that the singing coming from the hut is "way too scary" so he backs away from the TV and runs to the doorway and peeks around the door. When he sees it's Nancy he comes back again and snuggles next to mum. Amy then runs out of the room copying her brother although she's not quite sure why. She runs back as the bomb is triggered.
(29) Samuel is baffled at the idea of nanogenes. Adam tries to explain: "The nanogenes from the junk don't understand humans." Samuel settles for not understanding his own dad, who has mysteriously gone "Ewww!" after the Doctor explained about "Nature's way of keeping meat fresh."
(30) Amy doesn't like the gas-masked people walking along the rail track so she sits back on mum's lap and brings the cushion with her. Harry is trying to keep up with what's happening and is concentrating hard at what the Doctor's saying. He smiles when the Doctor says it's a 'hysterical four year old'. "That's like Amy."
(31) The Doctor admits he doesn't know what to do. Harry tries to borrow Amy's cushion but then makes a quick dash across the sofa to reach for another one.
(32) "Wow" says Harry. "It's fairies mummy," says Amy confidently. "Nanothings" corrects Harry.
(34) "I will always be your mummy," says Nancy. Samuel checks his mum for a reaction. She is staring at the on-screen action in a sort of awe, so Samuel knows it must be significant. The children smile at the Doctor being happy. "Is it over?" asks Amy. She knows everything is okay now but doesn't understand how. As far as she's concerned that child had been under the gas mask all the time. She's quite disappointed it wasn't a monster.
(36) Big smiles all round as the Doctor declares that "Everyone lives!"
Harry is very excited by the Doctor's excitement. "I'm on fire!" says the Doctor. Harry loves this line and repeats it a couple of times. Mum can tell that this is going to replace his favourite quote of "Run for your life!"
(39) Samuel is amused by the idea that there's no escape pod on the spaceship. He's enjoying Captain Jack's calm demeanour in the face of certain doom: "He's going to have a drink before he dies!" says Samuel in an admiring tone. "Hang on, why hasn't it blown up yet - oh wow, they're in the TARDIS!"
(40) Amy frowns at the sight of the Doctor and Rose dancing, "That's silly". Harry laughs. "The Doctor's dancing. Hey, that's what it's called".
(41) Next week's trailer... and the boys are wild with excitement. Samuel: "Oooh! Slitheen! It's the Slitheen family back again!" Adam: "And it's on the rift... like the Gelth! Supreme cool!" Samuel: "It's really, really funny!"
Amy gets up and dances to the music briefly but as Harry doesn't join in she sits down again. Harry's very excited to see the trailer for the next episode. "Oh wow. Look Amy it's a Slitheen. That's going to be so great. I can't wait."