History Recap / DoctorWhoS27E9TheEmptyChild

Also the first one to have the NightmareFuelStationAttendant extraordinaire in the writer's se- mmm... mum... mum-my...

Mummy...?

Are you my mummy?

Also the one with th- m... mum... mum-my...

[[WMG:[[center:[-'''RECAP:'''\\
[[Recap/DoctorWho Index]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E1Rose 1]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E2TheEndOfTheWorld 2]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E3TheUnquietDead 3]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E4AliensOfLondon 4]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E5WorldWarThree 5]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E6Dalek 6]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E7TheLongGame 7]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E8FathersDay 8]] | '''9''' | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E10TheDoctorDances 10]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E11BoomTown 11]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E12BadWolf 12]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E13ThePartingOfTheWays 13]]]]-]]]
'''Series 1, Episode 09:'''

'''Air date:''' 21 May, 2005\\
'''Production code:''' 1.9

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Sixth Doctor Creator/ColinBaker has said that in his opinion, this episode (and its second part, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E10TheDoctorDances "The Doctor Dances"]]) is the best ''Who'' story ever filmed. This becomes even more notable when you realize that elements of this story (notably the creepy child in pursuit of his lost parent) share similarities with the Big Finish audio drama "[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWho014TheHolyTerror The Holy Terror]]" — a story that writer Steven Moffat called his favorite Sixth Doctor story, ever.

[[Recap/DoctorWho Index]] | '''1''' | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E2TheEndOfTheWorld 2]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E3TheUnquietDead 3]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E4AliensOfLondon 4]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E5WorldWarThree 5]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E6Dalek 6]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E7TheLongGame 7]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E8FathersDay 8]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E9TheEmptyChild 9]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E10TheDoctorDances 10]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E11BoomTown 11]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E12BadWolf 12]] | [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E13ThePartingOfTheWays 13]]]]-]]]

'''Original air date:''' May 21, 2005

'''Production code:''' 1.9

** Although we know the Time Lords are gone, the page quote is the first indication that ''Susan Foreman'' is dead, despite being left on Earth rather than Gallifrey.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: InUniverse, the Doctor gets on stage at a nightclub and asks if anything has fallen from the sky recently. There's a long, long pause, then the audience decide he ''must'' be joking and start laughing. The Doctor is confused. Then the air raid sirens start blaring and, as everyone heads for the bomb shelters, the Doctor notes the 40s attire and posters for the war effort.

* DutchAngle: When the child manages to take over the phone line inside the butcher's house.

** "Before this war began I was a father and a grandfather; now I am neither."

* SupernaturalPhone: The Child manages to activate the fake telephone on the outside of the police box, much to the Doctor's amazement.

* TwoLinesNoWaiting: The Doctor and Rose split up early on, and the plot follows both characters simultaniously during their encounters with Nancy and Jack respectively.

* FriendlessBackground: The Doctor knows what it's like, being the only kid left outside.

This [[TwoPartEpisode two-part episode]] is the first story Creator/StevenMoffat wrote for the revived ''Doctor Who''. In what would become a continuing theme for Steven Moffat, it's very scary, contains tons of UnresolvedSexualTension, and instantly won a Hugo Award.

The one where we [[Creator/JohnBarrowman meet]] the [[ExtremeOmnisexual all-loving]] [[LoveableSexManiac Lothario.]]

* BigBad: The Child appears to be this, by seeming to have some influence over the other gas mask zombies and as the one who [[PatientZero spread the infection]]. The second episode will reveal things are more complex.