THE RUNAWAY BRIDE: Fear Factor 3 (Very Scary)

How scary is Doctor Who? Our brave Fear Forecasters present a minute-by-minute guide to The Runaway Bride.
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Amy (5)
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Harry (7)
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Samuel (9)

Adam (13)

(0) Expectations are met immediately. "It always starts like this," grins Harry. "Is Mickey in this one?" asks a hopeful Amy. We zoom in to the Earth: "Oh, it's a different place this time," observes Adam.

(1) "That's how she got into space," states Amy, with authority. She then spends the title sequence making sure that her toy, Frosty the Snowman, is sitting comfortably. Harry meanwhile spots some changes from the norm.

(2) Donna isn't at all pleased. Harry is baffled by her attitude. Adam says: "Am I bovvered" (about seventeen times). "Is you saying that my friend's an alien?" says Dad. "Shut up, dad," says Adam.

(3) Looking at the universe through the TARDIS doors. "I'm glad the TARDIS has some sort of forcefield," says Adam, "or they'd get sucked out into space." The view impresses Samuel: "Coool!"

(4) The Doctor gets a slap! Amy and Frosty give Donna a hard stare. "That was Rose's," notes Amy, sadly pointing at the discarded top.

(5) Donna's mum is scandalised. "Well, that was some kind of showing off!" says Adam. Samuel is making Christmas connections: "If she's Donna, then where's Blitzen." Adam and Samuel laugh heartily at this gag.

(6) The TARDIS bounces around a bit. Adam: "It's got indigestion!"

(7) Samuel tells Donna: "The Doctor's NOT a martian!"

(8) Something looks familiar as a taxi drives past. "The sign on the front looks like the Doctor Who symbol," says Adam. Samuel's more impressed by the way the Doctor gets the taxi to stop. "Wow! He's a sonic whistler!"

(9) The Doctor does something a bit naughty with a phone box. Then he joins the queue for the cash machine, and hops from foot to foot with impatience. "Does he need the toilet?" wonders Samuel.

(10) Oh no! It's the scary Santas! All the children exchange worried glances...

(11) "Not that one!" warns Harry as Donna gets into scary Santa's cab. The Doctor escapes with an ingenious trick: "Hey, it's a cash cannon!" grins Adam.

(12) Amy is surprised. "Woah! I never knew it could do that!" says Harry as the TARDIS speeds along the motorway. "Great chase!" agrees Samuel.

(13) Santa's a robot! Big laughs from the children. When the kids in the car mouth "jump!", everyone laughs.

(14) Samuel pretends to be one of the kids in the back of the car: "Daddeeee... can I have one of those blue boxes for Christmas... I want one that can flyyyy!"

(15) Like the kids in the car, Harry punches the air in delight as Donna is rescued. "She's still late for the wedding though" Amy reminds him.

(17) If only the Doctor had a time machine, says Donna. Adam and Samuel exchange knowing looks. Everyone laughs when Donna demands "Stop bleeping me!"

(18) Poor Lance is being nagged by Donna. Amy and Samuel thinks it's hilarious, but Harry frowns.

(19) "Merry Christmas Everybody!" The kids sing along. meanwhile, Torchwood makes an unexpected appearance. "That's the other programme that Dad won't let me watch," grumbles Samuel.

(20) Harry cringes as Donna goes into one at the reception. Amy concentrates hard, getting tips on how to behave at weddings.

(21) Donna cries and winks. Amy looks at Dad, grinning triumphantly. Dad worries about the future!

(22) Old familiar faces, old familiar names. "I know who the baddie is. Its Cassandra!" guesses Harry.

(23) The Santas are back! The kids start nibbling their nails in unison. They are delighted by the remote control - "Just like on our model Dalek!" says Adam.

(24) "It never did that that before!" whispers Harry in horrified fascination, as the baubles rise up from the Christmas tree. Explosions, mayhem, a table overturned. "I see they've cut the cake now," observes Adam laconically.

(25) Good vibrations! The kids love it, and wobble along with the Santas. "Who is that man?" asks Donna's mum. "He's a Martian, inne?" Samuel tells her.

(26) "It is Cassandra, I know it!" asserts Harry

(27) Amy grimaces as a gruesome creature is revealed. "Maybe it's not Cassandra." Samuel: "Woooah! Impressive!"

(28) An explanation of why Donna appeared in the TARDIS confuses the kids. Amy frowns as it's revealed that Donna is actually a pencil. The kids love the fact that Donna seems to have missed the invasion of Earth while scuba diving.

(30) In the lift. "Love honour and obey," the Doctor tells the reluctant Lance. "Too right," says mum, eyeing dad. "Why have they got a button for a secret floor?" asks Adam.

(31) "Look at that green light. And Cassandra was at the bottom of the lift, remember?" recalls Harry. "Oh wow!" agrees Samuel, "It's just like the New Earth hospital!" recalls Samuel. The kids smile at the silly transportation.

(32) The Thames Barrier. "What is it with Torchwood and famous landmarks?" ponders Adam. Donna asks the Doctor: "Am I safe?" "Yes," says the Doctor reluctantly. "No!" Samuel contradicts him.

(33) Another slap! This time, Amy finds it funny. Lance seems to be running away. "Scaredy cat!" chants Samuel.

(34) "What's down there," wonders a worried Harry. It's a BIG hole.

(35) Harry looks on it horror. Amy checks to make sure that Frosty is OK. The Empress impresses Adam: "A vampire spider!"

(36) The axe man cometh. Harry retreats to the far side of the room, while Amy concentrates hard on fiddling with her socks.

(37) Worrying times. Lance is a baddie! The kids are appalled.

(38) "This time it's personnel," says Lance. All the adults groan in appreciation. The children look at their parents, baffled.

(39) "Take Aim!" Amy clutches her cushion in anticipation. "I hope Lance gets eaten," snaps Adam.

(40) Donna is very sad. Amy is sad, too. Harry hasn't noticed. Lance is in the firing line: "Take that, traitor!" cheers Adam.

(42) The start of planet Earth! Harry is fascinated. Amy takes it in her stride. "I think that's the Isle of Wight," jokes Donna. "It didn't look like that when we went," Samuel says.

(43) Nails are being chewed again as Lance gets a drink.

(44) A big cheer for the reappearance of the extrapolator!

(45) Everyone has suddenly noticed the way that the Empress's eyes all blink at the same time. "Eww!" says Samuel. "And they're so black!"

(46) Lance falls! The 'children' are on the way! The watching children are all entranced and move closer to the TV. "Here we go!" breathes Samuel. Lance gets dropped in first for bad-mouthing his fiancee. "See how important it is to be polite boys," says dad. The boys are too busy watching to acknowledge this very sound advice.

(47) Chaos on the streets of London. A little girl stands and screams as the scorching light gets nearer. "Get out of the way you idiot! yells Samuel.

(48) Donna swings! There are gasps, clenched cushions... then cheers and laughter.

(49) "Relax," says the Doctor. Harry laughs and punches the air again. A big cheer when we learn that the Doctor's pockets are bigger on the inside.

(50) Lots of serious faces as fire and water rage through the building. "My children! My children!" wails ther Racnoss Empress. The watching children stare in amazement.

(53) A tank turns up and blows up the Racnoss ship. The children cheer.

(54) The Doctor has drained the Thames. "What about the ocean?" asks Samuel, who knows that rivers end up somewhere else. "The Thames Barrier probably helped with that," explains Adam.

(55) "A snow bomb!" laughs Adam. The kids are far too close to the TV and watch, a little sadly, as Donna and the Doctor say goodbye. Should Donna travel with him? "Certainly not," says Adam, "she'd never shut up."

(56) The TARDIS launches into the air. "Ooh, it can fly!" says dad. "Well, duhhhh!" the children tell him.

(58) Huge enthusiasm for the trailer at the end. "The pig! The face of Boe! Rhino Sontarans!" yell the kids, pointing wildly at the screen. "Next episode please!" Amy nods Frosty's head in agreement.
The Fear Factors
  1. Mildly Scary
  2. Quite Scary
  3. Very Scary
  4. Chilling
  5. Terrifying