Overdue Doctor Who Review: The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances

No mummies around here, just us chickens.
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[@andrewbowman4611]

The interesting thing about the typewriter sequence is it intentionally adds nothing to the plot. It was a last minute addition to the script, as it was to be to short, much to Moffat's chagrin. His original script had been written to length, but he was told to cut back some moments as they thought it would overrun. He knew they wrong but did as he was told. So when he was told he needed to write an extra scene the exact length of that which he'd cut... Frustrated wouldn't have begun to cover it, I'd have thought.

[@Maisonikkokufan]

Andrew Bowman also the small detail they added in that scene really makes it great. The fact the kid was actually typing like he couldn’t read or write adds a layer to the scene

[@andrewbowman4611]

Oh yeah, it's a great scene! Beautifully atmospheric. To quote City of Death, "it has no call to be there, but the art lies in the fact that is there."

[@clara_bandicoot]

This is interesting actually. I'd be interested to see what these cut scenes were

[@andrewbowman4611]

I think that Steven Moffat talks about them briefly on the DVD, but it's been a while since I've heard it. Equally, it could have been in Doctor Who Magazine. It's probably both. They definitely weren't filmed though.

[@nightowl8477]

Absolutely correct. I second everything he said.

[@clara_bandicoot]

The moment i think the child talks too much is when he says something along the lines of "coming to get you, coming to find you". It kind of takes away the innocent child vibe and tries to up the pure creepiness too much

[@kristienwhitneyjohns2215]

You clearly dont have children. Or, you have never played with your children

[@lightyagami6794]

Have you ever played hide and seek? "Coming to find you ready or not here I come" hm...?

[@gRinchY-op5vr]

@@lightyagami6794 if the child had said "ready or not, here I come" would have been both innocent and creepy at the same time keeping to the nature of The Empty Child. "Coming to get you, coming to find you"? Nah, just plain creepy

[@englishgiraffe2124]

Definitely Moffat's best script next to Heaven Sent. This story does so much for 9's character and him somewhat moving on from the Time War, but in a subtle way. This story perfectly feels like a Classic Who story in terms of pacing and dialogue. Perfect story, although not my favourite Eccleston story (that goes to Dalek and Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways)

[@williamstarck6863]

My favorite Moffat stories are: Empty Child, Silence in the library and Blink. They are amazing. The others are good at best.

[@KerstinMamma]

I think that you mean this and Hell Bent

[@bun6134]

@@KerstinMamma Heaven Sent is miles ahead of Hell Bent, it's just a far, far better story. (Plus Hell Bent kinda sucks)

[@KerstinMamma]

@@bun6134 hahaha gotcha! :P

[@meris8486]

@@bun6134 Nah dude The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe is way better than Heaven Sent.

[@Lovemypirates11211]

This is definitely my favorite of Eccleston's run, it really is. It really has a perfect balance of emotions. I never fail to laugh at the comments between Jack and the Doctor about the Sonic. "Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks "ooh, this could be a little more sonic?" But the weight of what Nancy is hiding, what happened to Jamie and the resolution and the "Everybody Lives" moment! Perfect!

[@mimnimpetite8681]

“I don’t like the Doctor flirting with his companions,” 👏Thank you! 👏Thank you! Finally, someone who agrees with me! Everyone seems to ship the Doctor with companions apart from me.

[@raindownchoas]

For me it all depends on the chemistry between the Doctor and the companion. Like with some I see it, but with others the flirting would be weird. But I don't think I'll ever like any sexual flirting from the Doctor;from what I've seen they seem to be (typically) an asexual demi-romantic.

[@alim.9801]

I ship the doctor with the tardis lol

[@gRinchY-op5vr]

This is what I liked about Martha becoming a companion, she is definitely into him and tries flirting and he's pretty oblivious to it. And she often put it down to him being hung up on Rose, and maybe that's part of it...but I always figured its because The Doctor doesn't quite know how to as a regular social interaction?

[@kalan0chan]

A really subtle line that’s missed a lot in this episode is when the Doctor is talking to the human doctor and the human doctor says “before the war, I was a father and grandfather. Now I’m neither, but I’m still a doctor” and the Doctor has a quiet moment of acknowledgment. I really like how that directly paralleled the Doctor’s own experiences in a subtle way that seemed to be missing from Moffat in his later years.

[@LokiEris]

"Everybody Lives!" "What about Jack?"

[@MrRjhyt]

What I love about this two-parter is the Doctor's ... failure. His instinct is towards kindness, to open the door for the Empty Child. He's not all-knowing, he doesn't see the danger. It's only chance that saves him from contamination by the nanites. A rare scene with peril for the Doctor. An odd point to fixate on, I know. But, that's so important for me.

[@serrasedai]

I feel what you're saying about the Doctor / Rose parts, but I'm on just the other side of it. I'm glad it wasn't her fully coming onto him, but more like an exploration of boundaries, and her realizing that maybe the boundaries she had assumed in place...were not as firmly set as she she assumed. I do think it was mostly teasing, but not the way one might a cousin, but maybe like with an older sibling's friend. Someone older and maybe out of traditional range for 1:1 flirting, but still like a safe person to tease and sort of... Practice flirting. I also read Rose as very comfortable with flirtation, and in a way she's trying to draw that part of the Doctor out, teasing him in a a cheeky way. I think Rose spends a lot of series 1 negotiating with the idea of how she sees the Doctor. She refers to him as a strange man she just went along with who took her to see something crazy (when you're 19 and female, there's a definite subtext to that moment) and she later also calls episode 2 their first date. She also, IIRC, says "it's not like that" when her mother implies that they're a couple. But even then, it's not to the exclusion of the romantic elements, but rather, that being with him is much bigger than just dating someone. He changed her life. And the romantic potential is much secondary to the bigger things the Doctor brings. For me, the problem with almost writing off the romantic tension in this episode as being mere set up for Tennant is that you can't escape the title: The Doctor Dances. I read that as a direct answer to a question. Is the doctor sexual or romantic? Yes. The audience needs to know that, and Rose needs to know that. By the end of the episode, the question is answered. They felt this important enough to make it the title OF A TWO PARTER, when ep 9 title could have been extended to "part 2." I see ep 10 as Rose seeing the Doctor as someone it's not only okay to flirt with, but someone who isn't just asexual or alien-sexual, as she was apparently unclear on til now. That, plus the fact that they have a flirtatious dance and she can see that he is affected by being in a romantic context with her. So there episodes later, when he kisses her to save her life, as an act of love (whatever form you interpret 'love' to be), it's not out of the blue. The flirtation here is a direct set up for how they are in the final two episodes, and in his death/regeneration. It isn't ALL sexual tension, but in the "resonating concrete" scene (lol, GREAT LINE), and with the contrast of dashing Jack, the UST is important. When in doubt, the title tells you what to take away.

[@niroc6018]

Where's mummy? Also, a great intro for Cap'n Jack, the space sloot.

[@RubberyCat]

sloot?

[@niroc6018]

@@RubberyCat Eerrrr... Check urban dictionary my friend.

[@RubberyCat]

@@niroc6018 How about just explaining?

[@niroc6018]

@@RubberyCat I'll laugh if youtube censored that comment

[@RubberyCat]

@@niroc6018 Well, he's effectively fully pansexual, naughty as fuck when given a good enough excuse, to the extent of him at one time having hidden a minipistol up his arse for an uncertain period of time.... and the worst i can find to describe him that is not too far off is possibly a male slut. Essentially, i do not think youtube would censor your explanation.

[@philriversider3563]

Really enjoying these. Your timing is perfect as I’m watching them again with my teenage daughter.

[@mandygf1215]

Thank you very much for this! I love this two-parter, it is one of the reasons why Eccleston is my favourite Doctor and why I fell in love with the show altogether. This was a pretty lovely Halloween surprise :)

[@marcusheil1803]

It's always good to remember the truly great stories of Doctor Who that are still so good over the years. I love it when you do reviews of episodes you like because you're always so vibrant and full of energy and you almost kind of remind me of 9 during the "everyone lives" scene lol. I was wondering tho. Have you done a video showcasing all the geeky stuff in the background of your set? I think it could be really cool if you showed off some of your memorabilia sometime. Anyway. Thanks for doing this review and all the other ones you do. You rock.

[@thelilyvorfeed5551]

This is what I was waiting for when you started these! ❤

[@timenotime]

This was when Moffat didn't make me cringe and sigh in boredom. I think he never should have been given the job to be head writer, he cannot handle the whole universe but does these singular episodes pretty well. One thing he did right was to not bring the empty child thing back at any point because that's one of his biggest faults; he can't keep characters dead.

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

Yeah, given a lot of his standalone episodes, I was thrilled when he was appointed head writer. I was so young and naive back then...

[@patrickt.6492]

I'm in the minority in that I think even Blink and Girl in the Fireplace are somewhat overrated, but I like this episode. The "Everybody lives!" moment wouldn't work as well with any other Doctor. If anyone needed something to go right for a change, it was 9.

[@calibaby6913]

Same, he is someone who is better at short-form stories like this and his other standalone episodes, long-form just never worked for him. He would always set up interesting season arcs but then always failed to stick the landing, the only season of his that felt fleshed out and complete was the fifth the other seasons had their moments of course but like you most of the time I was either cringing or bored or a combo of the two during his run.

[@caleb7551]

I disagree, I like the Moffat era as well as his RTD episodes. I also think RTD is extremely overrated

[@roxxychik06]

I should be asleep but I've been actively waiting for this episodes. This is definitely my favorite episode(s) of season 1 but it's also one of my all time favorite pairs. I freaking love these episodes. It's just so beyond amazing and I love just the way he says it at the end. Everybody lives rose, just this once everybody lives.

[@ViperSRT1008]

Great review of a great episode! Keep up the good work!

[@MrLegendofLP]

Man what perfect timing putting this episode on Halloween! This episode is so freaking good.

[@tylerbailey9329]

LOL, we've got like 15 minutes left of Halloween in New Zealand! Love the review!

[@rachelzahava8292]

I think the real build up to "everybody lives" is the fact that we know at this point that he is the last Time Lord and we have gotten hints about the pain of that loss and what the war was like for him. SO really everybody lives is about the loss of war he has been living with and the fact that he doesn't tend to count the people he saves, just the people he looses. I think thats more true for 9 then other doctors, but its really a thing for all of them. And just once he doesn't have any losses at all so he actually feels like a hero this time and he hasn't felt like a hero in so long. Thats also why it doesn't matter how many times after this everybody lives because this is the first time after the time war when it comes up thats why its bigger.

[@serrasedai]

Agree 100%! Since what most of the current/new audience knows about the show is what we've seen so far in the last 9 episodes, the shadow of the Time War is heavy behind all of Nine's emotional reactions. I think it also is contextualized by his meeting with the Dalek in ep 6, where many people died and where he almost killed out of anger.

[@xYourssTrulyy]

Definitely the best of series 1! Also, have a good Halloween, Nathaniel!

[@joepegel]

Great review! The thing I love about Nine is the character arc, and this story is such a big moment in that arc. From "Why don't you just die!" to "Everybody lives!". And then onto the final episode where he refuses to sacrifice humanity to kill the daleks, and then sacrifices himself to save Rose. Yeah, that's why Nine is my Doctor.

[@DaleRibbons]

My favorite 9th Doctor story as well. I wish there was something I could say but you've pretty much captured my feelings for this story.

[@Temptation666]

I always waver between this and the Library to be my favorite two parter. Both got so much going for them. They are both such wonderful stories. I love them both so much. Looking at the Doctor alone, would make me pick this one over the other because Eccleston is My Doctor, and probably always will be, And Jack is introduced here so that's also a plus. But....... I also love Tennant who is my number 2 Doctor, and in the Library we get an amazing introduction to River who I LOVE. And Donna, my favorite companion, is in it. ... I don't know. I have watched both over and over again over the years, and will in the future. So what does it really matter. Both are fantastic

[@captaincrumpet5558]

Amazing piece of television.

[@julialinnea8592]

I really love the cliffhanger between these two episodes and when the second episodes starts with Nine telling them to go to their room.

[@bohdan_lvov]

12:35 "Practically all he says is "are you my money?"".

[@cap_anileven]

I just can’t talk about this story without mentioning the «the tape’s up» scene. I love how the horror factor is perfectly built up, so it can be used as a kinda excellent jumpscare, and I mean, aah! I just really low that scene. It really gives me the chills

[@yourcoolboihassavedyou5158]

Doctor Who is Fantasticly Awesome!

[@remixccccbc7768]

YourCoolBoi HasSavedYou You’re first as well I think

[@AndyVonTube]

I love this story. And I cheer every time they do a callback to it in later episodes (the one with Unit and the one in the Orient Express are what I remember)...

[@wolf1066]

Wow! Watching an older episode of Council of Geeks from 2021 is like having my own TARDIS! Yeah, this is one of my all-time favourite stories from NuWho. Hard to know who was creeped out more - me or my kids. And of course my kids would delight in asking "Are you my mummy?" in the creepy voice.

[@ThePeter444]

Has always been my pick for the best story from Series 1. Also like you I always enjoy rewatching this one

[@bizarrebunny5579]

I mean it just so happened this was uploaded on Halloween 😂 but this was an amazing episode and I love it so so so so so so much. However I feel bad for you because Boom town is next 😂 😭

[@Ahui87]

Re-watched this one a few days ago. I love it soooo much. I watched it years ago for the first time, don't know what I thought about 'seeing the Doctor' then. Today: yes, it is a bit misleading, but that is also perfectly in line with how you talk about it in a community (I grew up in the country side and nobody would ever say 'You have to visit Dr. XYZ.', unless he/she is a certain specialist). Therefore I don't blame Moffat for that little mislead of the viewer. And I liked the confusion on Eccleston's face :D

[@Lovemypirates11211]

And I know what you mean about realizing you're the same age as John Barrowman when he first appeared as Jack Harkness. I just realized yesterday that I'm the same age Catherine Tate was when she first appeared as Donna Noble. Another reason I identify more with her than some of the other female companions, I think.

[@KerstinMamma]

Am I the only one that thinks that "just this once, everybody lives" is ruined a little bit on a rewatch because Moffat killed of and brought everyone back too many times that it just became the norm?

[@quinnsinclair7028]

Nope. Everybody lives only had value when the norm was for at least one person to die.

[@DPS31762]

KerstinMamma, I agree, but that's a criticism of some of the stories from Moffat's time as showrunner, not of this story. It's not my favorite moment in the story, though. I think my favorite is when the phone on the Tardis rings and Eccleston is like, "How can it be ringing?". Which also gets ruined a little bit during Moffat's tenure as showrunner when he puts a working phone on the Tardis. But here, it's the scene that hooked me on NuWho, Another favorite is the scene when the gas mask grows out of Dr. Constantine's face. It's hard to get much creepier than that. I also liked when Jack refers to the Doctor as "U-boat captain". Not a favorite moment, but just a welcome little bit of comic relief in an intense story.

[@leslieshafer6343]

That wasn't the case when the story came out, so no to me it isn't ruined.

[@KerstinMamma]

@@leslieshafer6343 I think you are missing the point of a rewatch and fresh eyes.

[@leslieshafer6343]

@@KerstinMamma It's true I was basing my reaction on my initial viewing.

[@class87fan54]

Ah, the good old days when Stephen Moffatt could actually write good stories! This two-parter has always been a favourite of mine. The creepy feeling you get from the Empty Child and the dark, brooding wartime setting really make these episodes stand out.

[@bashoijtingh2866]

Heya! Happy Halloween! Just wondering, have you ever listened to Big Finish's The 8th Doctor Adventures? The two parter that starts it (Blood of the Daleks part 1 and part 2) is great! Definetely recommended since you like Paul McGann's Doctor :D

[@findoherty6148]

Bas Hoijtingh I’ve literally just heard that today and it was my first big Finish it’s a lot better then I thought plus I really like the character of Lucy 😋

[@bashoijtingh2866]

@@findoherty6148 Lucy is such a treat :D

[@findoherty6148]

Bas Hoijtingh I know right 😂

[@BryanWicks]

“Horror of Glam Rock” was my first Big Finish audio adventure.. LOVED IT. Went back to the beginning of the series and consumed everything going forward. Couldn’t agree more with the sentiments about the Eighth Doctor (my favorite, TBH). Paul McGann just rocks the role so well. He could do worse than to visit the Lucie Miller adventures. 👍🏾

[@bashoijtingh2866]

@@BryanWicks Glam Rock was a good one too yeah, I definetely agree there!

[@lauraclark1562]

I'm not sure if you'd be interested/have the time but I think you'd really enjoy BBC's Merlin. It's my absolute favourite show of all time (which is saying a lot cause I'm one goddamn huge nerd), despite growing up with things like Doctor Who and Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, Merlin is home to me. Also there are very few youtube reviews out there and I'd love to hear your opinion. Bear in mind that series one was very low budget but it really does only ever get darker and better. Love watching your channel, we share many interests and also I think you're a great person with good morals so good job on being a wonderful human :)

[@trevorisherwood6323]

Love this two parter very spooky and scary acting from The doctor and rose. Great intro on to Captain Jack such a fantastic character too By the Way Nathenial do you think the recent cancelation of iron fist and luke cage and possibly the other two series could mean they are just moving the shows on to their Disney streaming service when that goes live?? Great Cameo by richard wilson by the way!!! The way he changed into the gas mask monster was uber creepy

[@KerstinMamma]

I really felt that adjourned at the end there.

[@samanthareninger4667]

Was my first Dr Who episode ever!...so from that moment on I was hooked!!!

[@jonathan.palfrey]

This is not just my favourite 9th Doctor story, I think it's the best Doctor Who story of all time (so far)-and I've been watching since 1964, on and off. However, there is one serious problem: the gas masks. I don't know how the 'nanogenes' are supposed to work, but if they're intelligent enough to repair a species they haven't previously encountered, they should be intelligent enough to realize that a gas mask isn't part of the human body. It's not permanently connected to the body; it's not even made of the same materials as the body! It's an item of clothing-like the other items of clothing that don't get copied from person to person. Moffat wanted the gas mask for creepiness, but there isn't really any rational justification for it. Then, as you say, it doesn't really follow that the Empty Child can operate dead telephones and typewriters remotely. Moffat's great asset was his imagination; his problem was that he thought of technology as indistinguishable from magic, and magic works however you want it to work for the sake of your story. Mere technology isn't that convenient. 'Nanogene' is a bad name, incidentally: it seems to suggest very tiny genes. I'm no biologist, but I don't think that makes sense. Furthermore, genes by themselves don't do anything, they just carry information. I think 'nanogene' is meaningless technobabble. It's irritating, but it's not too badly irritating, I can tolerate it.

[@MrLegendofLP]

Jonathan Palfrey well weren’t gas masks at the time made of leather? I know the nanogenes make the gas masks bone, but it might confuse a bunch of nano-computers designed to heal and enhance a different species. As for the telepathy, it’s explained that the nanogenes are battle healers and were programmed when they found Jamie to enhance their user with super strength and the ability to hack into communications. The typewriter was dumb but I never had an issue with the telephones and radios.

[@jonathan.palfrey]

@@MrLegendofLP As far as I can tell from information on the Web, British WW2 gas masks were made mainly of black rubber, with some metal parts I think; and the filter probably contained asbestos, which was a health hazard, but they probably weren't aware of that at the time. If the nanogenes can manage to distinguish other items of clothing from the human body (which they evidently could), they should be able to distinguish the gas mask too. OK, thanks, I'll accept the explanation of communication with radios etc.; it still seems like magic, but I could give it the benefit of the doubt, it might be advanced technology.

[@MrLegendofLP]

Don't forget Arthur C. Clarke's third law of writing about the future: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

[@jonathan.palfrey]

@@MrLegendofLP I'm familiar with Clarke's memorable comment, but it's not an all-purpose excuse for lazy sf writers. In this case, even if nanogenes work by magic, it still remains very strange and inconsistent that they can distinguish between ordinary clothing and the human body, but they can't distinguish between a gas mask and the human body. The remote activation of the typewriter COULD be future technology rather than magic. But it's the job of the sf writer to make it plausible: to make us believe that it's not magic.

[@MrLegendofLP]

@@jonathan.palfrey The clothing and Typewriter is definitely internally inconsistent, but the radio makes sense with the explination given. Hacking into communications to me would mean radio waves and soundboards, which means the phones and radios make sense. The typewriter was definitely a bit of a stretch.

[@FitzyCify]

Of all things, I've found myself quoting "Nobody here but us chickens" lately. I have no idea why. Also, easily the most disturbing sequence is the first time you see somebody fully transform. The way he struggles to speak, the eyes glazing over as they turn into goggles, the respirator slowly pushing its way out of the mouth... haunting stuff! Hell, even the obvious CGI adds to the uncanny effect! As for funny moments... just everything involving Jack's Sonic Blaster versus the Sonic Screwdriver!

[@ianmason6867]

I choke up and cry every time he says "Everybody lives, Rose. Just this once. EVERYBODY LIVES!" It's happy and sad crying but, that moment...you feel how bad his losses must be and how triumphant he is in that moment.

[@jrbaskind]

When The Doctor says “Everybody lives!” , I immediately thought “What about Captain Jack?” My point being that until The Doctor catches up with Captain Jack and saves him, the line would have been false.

[@MagnusThiHan]

I mean, he has a time-machine. He could take a spa trip on mars and still catch up with cpatain jack.

[@johnukey]

I always enjoy your reactions, never agreeing with you 100% (that person has yet to be born) but I got close on this one. Nicely reasoned and expressed.

[@anitrahooper5031]

I think the part about going to see the doctor is simply a play on how doctors are trusted as being all knowing. Which is why his "name" grants him nearly immediate authority in most situations in the entire series. The thought that he may meet himself is smaller.

[@byMidnyt]

yeah, it never occurred to me that he was going to run into himself at all. And this scene gave me one of my favorite lines. CONSTANTINE: "Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither. But I'm still a doctor. " DOCTOR: "Yeah. I know the feeling." While he doesn't dwell on it, he just radiates the weight of that loss.

[@garyhicks4143]

I recall reading, or hearing, somewhere that "The Doctor Dances" is the first episode in Doctor Who history (since inception in 1963) that no on screen character died at all.

[@suzannemenuet947]

Eccleston is not even close to being my favorite doctor, but I LOVE these 2 episodes. I still get completely freaked out at watching that doctor transforming into 1 of those things. And "Everybody lives!" chokes me up every time.

[@leslieshafer6343]

That moment where the Doctor is pleading, I guess with the universe, really got to me as well.

[@foldedcontact]

this was the second episode of Doctor who i ever watched, and is pretty much the reason I started watching it altogether

[@lucypreece7581]

I love this two parter. It is so good. You have said all the reasons why it is good. I dont need to say anymore. Best two parter of that series if not in all of Doctor Who in general.

[@williamstarck6863]

Definitely. I've only seen new Who though.

[@lucypreece7581]

@@williamstarck6863 same for me. I should have clarified the general and new who as i jave only seen nee who as i am not old enough to remember classic who.

[@blahchop]

This was a good episode.. God I miss this good stuff.

[@jaredabrahamson6347]

These were the episodes that made me realize I loved this show

[@quinnsinclair7028]

My one problem with this episode is that it was the start of “the sonic can do anything”. They didn’t use it to fill plot convenience like they would later but just the fact that it could reattach barbed wire and had all these settings opened the door for it to do literally anything down the road.

[@serrasedai]

Yeah but it couldn't resonate concrete for sh*t, lol

[@montiellopezbeatriz4796]

this was my first doctor who story,the first and i founded ramdomly in tv , and i fell in love with it

[@VortexTraveller]

This is my all time favourite episode of Doctor Who, as it is the episode that turned me from someone who was casually watching Doctor Who into a Doctor Who Fan.

[@Ben-vf5gk]

One of my favourite Doctor Who stories of all time.

[@remixccccbc7768]

I know you like this one. Happy Halloween as well. Have a good day.

[@chrisirwin6913]

This is the second most creepy story I've seen with Dr Who. Still not as bad as the Weeping Angels. I still can't get near angel statues... Hehe. But that "Are you my mommy" was intensily creepy. The first time, I was like, ok, lost kid. And then the repeats... Made me think of horror games I've played.

[@lightyagami6794]

There was one thing I was a little confused with. I hope someone can explain it to me a bit? How is the child able to set off the typewriter, the monkey toy, radio etc, plus how did he climb a 15ft box or smth when they never establish how he's doing all this superhuman stuff? Like what about the nanogenes gave him that power? I believe there was a single line which mentioned that he must be able to get into the speakers the same way Jack does, but my question is why, still? What gave him the ability to do that about the nanogenes? It's been ticking me off a little. Does anyone know? I've rewatched it so many times since I adore it and I've answered a lot of my questions through watching it repeatedly, but I still can't work this one out.

[@CouncilofGeeks]

The typewriter specifically is something Moffat himself has flat out said doesn't make sense with the explanation given in the episode. He made a calculated risk: that the "oh crap" nature of the moment would effectively override the logistical question. And for most people it does.

[@maxeyre2024]

Such good episodes!

[@NostalgiaBrit]

I love Eccleston as The Doctor, and these are - I think - the very best of his episodes.

[@barbquesos]

I know this is a little off topic, but are you going to do a Daredevil Season 3 review once you finish it?

[@oldBourney]

next, can you try "gawd bless you Mary Poppins"?

[@bneisasmiler4942]

Rose...... I'm resonating concrete. I laugh every time!

[@craigmacdonald539]

Definitely the best 9th Doctor story. "Everybody lives!" is a great moment, and the kid with the gas mask is incredibly spooky. Bit of a shame that most of Moffat's best stories (Blink, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead included) were in RTD's own era rather than his own.

[@jessjohnson6561]

This was great. “Everybody lives!”, so powerful for season 1. Eccleston was great, Billie was alright...but the story was wonderful. The idea of a small child with that much power, terrifying!!!!

[@twilliamspro]

The everybody lives moment is even better given the hindsight we have that he thinks he blew up gallifray

[@chrisrusso6541]

When I was watching it for the first time I didn't think I was going to like it but that endding makes it a great story and well worth getting though everything you don't like about it just to get to the doctor joy of everyone living just this once and the feel of how much it hurts him when he can't save people that is a powerful moment and my favorite series one story

[@ShadowQuickpaw]

My most quotable from this two-parter: "Okay, this thing functions as a sonic cannon, a sonic blaster, and a tri-fold sonic disruptor! Doc; whatcha got?!" "Oh well I have this sonic uh-never mind." "What, what is it?" "It's SONIC, alright?! Let's just leave it at that!" "A sonic pistol, cannon? WHAT?!" "It's SONIC, alright?! TOTALLY SONIC!! I am SONICED UP!!" "A sonic WHAT?!" "SCREWDRIVER!!!!!!!!!" Jack looks at him askance.

[@Dolly_the_Witch]

I agree, this episode is pretty awesome!

[@crashfan9997]

Moffat's best episodes are: The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances Blink Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead The Eleventh Hour The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon Asylum of the Daleks The Angels Take Manhattan The Time of the Doctor Deep Breath Extremis World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls

[@RichardM-kv4uu]

I hope we see Jack again soon. I'd have had him as a permanent companion personally!

[@anaiglesias9972]

This is one of my favorite Doctor Who episode.

[@louella72]

So appropriate for Halloween

[@mschrisfrank2420]

These two episodes were the first ones I showed my boyfriend to get him hooked and it totally worked.

[@sarahahmed9917]

Happy Halloween.ARE YOU MY MUMMY?

[@tomchaney6085]

Bold choice to attempt the accent in that opener. I like it, but bold choice nonetheless.

[@cScottD]

Such a great story!

[@M-E_123]

I really enjoyed this story. Not much more to say really - I think I preferred this version of Jack - by the time of Torchwood some elements of his back story seem to be dropped. I liked the runaway kids and Nancy robbing food during air raids. I liked that the Dr was apart from Rose for big parts of this story - feels like one of the few times early on where they managed give them both interesting and (seemingly) separate misteries to solve (the Empty Child & Captain Jack). I like Dr Constantine and Nancy in particular as guest characters - 2 very good performances. The kids weren't annoying - which is always a risk with kids this young. Overall can't really fault much about it. Disagree with your nitpicks: 1. Dr Constantine felt like a complete throw away "joke". 2. The Empty Child - I never noticed this anytime I've watched this. Everybody Lives - I think it was a satisfying conclusion and Eccleston gives a good performance but don't like it quite as much as you do. Good video.

[@serrasedai]

FUN STORY: I was playing D&D and we were trapped in a castle with a giant mutation monster of the sons of the evil dead king... and I, being a gnome, had "small illusions" magic. I said to the DM, "I'd like to speak to the monster, right into their ears, in the voice of their father. Tell them I am disappointed, and to go to their rooms." He made me roll for intimidation, I got it, and WE AVOIDED A TOTAL BOSS FIGHT. The monster of the sons fled to the tower and into one of our traps, and we escaped with a bunch of loot. THANK YOU, NINTH DOCTOR!

[@anthonybenson3252]

gO tO yOUr ROOm

[@kennethnystrom593]

You should do a rewiev of the arc of the episodes/serial "Silver Nemesis" Girl in the fireplace" "Journey into the TARDIS/Name of the Doctor" & the minisode "Good night" These episodes above contains the key to understand...

[@scaper8]

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing a direct connection or arc in those particular stories. Care to elaborate?

[@kennethnystrom593]

@@scaper8 in short Lady Penforte/Madame Pompadore/Clara & Amy all experienced the effects of being exposed to the Timevortex/Timewindows/Crack in her wall and they all could "remember" thier other lives in other Universetimelines due to that. =Amelia Pond with no period only remembered Rory thru her memories of her other life (This Amelia was the one with the wedding dress..for a wedding wedding with a man she had never meet because Rory didn't exist before the Doctors enemies extracted him from her memories (in the classic Universetimeline) And the reboot/ creation of the new Universetimeline. (That we have mostly been seeing since series 3 (with the exception of a large part of series 5 and possibly series 10) If you watch the above episodes One should be able to understand that every single time (from end of series 2 where the Big Bang happend outside the TARDIS) something related to a wedding was shown in the show. The Doctor switched/jumped between Universetimelines. In Eleventh Hour the 11th jumped twice between Universetimelines (this is the "real" reason he was late) but the 10th also did it just in the end of his run to go see his sister/companion/god (Bad Wolf)/companion/fellow Timelord (Romana)/God (White Guardian) one last time. (And he jumped bk over into the classic Universetimeline =when 11th shouted Geronimo he was bk in the classic Universetimeline. And if you really get the above you could realise Jodie Whittaker just returned to the new Universetimeline after Peter Capaldi last scene took place just after we saw him in the 50th special dragging away Gallifrey from the classic Universetimeline thru the void (happend during PC last speech) into the new Universetimeline =The reason the TARDIS threw her out like that was because it was dragging Gallifrey with it.

[@kennethnystrom593]

@@scaper8 and it answers: Why a pond with no ducks is called a "duckpond" (answer: when they are remembered from a different Universetimeline/life)

[@aaronbruce5568]

No, the factory shut down. There's a banana grove there now. I like bananas. Bananas are good.

[@kemmdog4444]

GO TO YOUR ROOM!!!!!

[@williamstarck6863]

Just this once, everybody lives!

[@TheMarcHicks]

2nd best Moffat story of all time (Blink will always be best) & definitely in my top 5 Doctor Who episodes of the reboot era.

[@mjh-xp2ez]

Pls do a title sequence ranking of nuwho

[@highvoltage7797]

mjh1119 It could do all of them. He has seen the classics.

[@katemarsh9219]

Why couldn't they make more episode's like this one

[@meganvincent5381]

I watched this when I was six, god have mercy on my child soul

[@Polycomical]

Ugh! This episode freaked the crap out of me and I was mocked for it. I will now need to go back to my quiet place.

[@corbinvickers9993]

I was 8 when I first watched this, and OMG i had nightmares for weeks. I’ve rewatched it so many times, and it just is as good as the first time. The “doctor” moment didn’t bother me at all, but I do feel the child speaks a little too much. Especially when he says “I’m coming to find you” it’s a little too much. Nether the less still 11/10. My favorite story of the show

[@johnmoraites6020]

I like Captain Jack better with #9 C Eccelston than with #10 D Tennant

[@harrybrowne4552]

One of ecclestone's best beaten only by the parting of the ways

[@historymysteries4134]

Interesting that you say you are fine with Fires of Pompeii as it’s not going back in time to spend it with a historical figure. There’s no other figure to go to the eruption of Vesuvius with than Caecilius.

[@jonathan.palfrey]

It seems that the real Caecilius had a different first name and profession, so it's not a genuine use of a historical character, more of an amusing nod in his direction.

[@historymysteries4134]

Jonathan Palfrey But he was a real person. Who else would a British author pick for the eruption of Vesuvius?

[@jonathan.palfrey]

@@historymysteries4134 I think the historical character you're referring to was Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, a wealthy banker who lived from about 14 to 62 AD, probably dying in the earthquake of 62. Vesuvius erupted 17 years later, in 79 AD. In "Fires of Pompeii", we meet a sculptor called Lobus Caecilius in 79 AD, who is clearly not the same person as the dead Lucius, although they have the same surname.

[@historymysteries4134]

​@@jonathan.palfrey I know Caecilius was a banker and what his three names were. (NB Romans did not have "surnames"; they had "nomina") and the current theories on his death. However, considering I just had to google both of the facts you mentioned to check them, they are not made that clear in the episode. I was clearly referring to the character as he appears in the Latin textbooks, as being pedantic about the life of the real banker would have ruined the jokes in the episode.

[@jonathan.palfrey]

@@historymysteries4134 Yes, I also checked up on Roman names, and found that the nomen was the equivalent of an English surname-it went with the family; so, as I was writing in English, I translated it to "surname". I agree that the episode doesn't make it clear whether he was or wasn't a historical figure, but after checking the facts it seems clear that he wasn't.

[@Companion92]

Still my favourite story with nine.

[@willtoye2516]

That english accent makes me smile

[@froklsnt]

Just this once! 😂