There’s no question that Doctor Who is a long time essential speculative fiction world. The 2005 reboot propelled the title into the lives of a new generation of people, building a wonderful world of a unique mesh of science fiction, fantasy, and, yes, horror. My first exposure to the Doctor came from horror, namely the season four double episode Silence in the Library. I found myself completely captivated.
Season one runs a gambit between goofy hijinks, science fantasy twists, and what I consider true horror. I’ve always especially enjoyed stories that combine speculative elements, or present tropes in different ways. Some of the horror stars of this season are sneaky and existential.
Episode One, “Rose” features living mannequins trying to destroy the world. Episode Two, “The End of the World” sneaks in some dread under science fiction drama. The Doctor takes Rose, his human companion to the end of the world, the end of her world. Earth has been preserved scientifically, but now the money has run out, so nature is being allowed to take its course. The typical Doctor Who episode plot leaves space for Rose to process the end of the planet almost as a witness for the whole race, who of course, doesn’t really exist anymore.
Episode Three, “The Unquiet Dead” completely embraces horror tropes in 1869 from being set in a funeral parlor, to the reanimated dead, a seance, Charles Dickens, and a psychic who pins it all together. It veers in for a science fiction conclusion, but the sandbox is definitely horror.
Episode Six, “Dalek” goes for science fiction tropes with a horror spirit as the Doctor and Rose encounter a badly damaged dalek. Both the Doctor and the Dalek are forced to confront their violent, monstrous pasts, and ultimately bonding with Rose’s humanity traps the dalek in one of the most horrific themes of all, guilt.
Episode Seven, “The Long Game” presents a dystopic world where an alien intelligence controls humanity’s access to the media and information. Episode Eight, “Father’s Day” presents the age old time travel dilemma of changing the past, when Rose chooses to save her father from a hit and run driver. Again the dressing is science fiction, but the soul is in the horror, facing the inevitability of death.
Episodes Nine and Ten, “The Empty Child” and “The Doctor Dances” respectively is the biggest horror standout of the season. It’s set during the World War II Blitz where humanity struggles to cope and survive with the overt dread of Germany bombing their city. The story isn’t on the war itself, but on one teen named Nancy who lost her brother to a bomb and is trying to keep the orphans of London alive and safe despite all the horrors of ordinary life, and war around them. However they are being exhaustively hunted by a dead boy in a gas mask, saying only “Are you my mommy?” who seems able to spread the trauma he suffered by touch. Even after watching this episode a number of times, and knowing how it all plays out, this is still a terrifying story.
Episode Twelve, “Bad Wolf” returns the Doctor and Rose to Satellite 5, which now controls humanity not through the news, but rather through entertainment, with Rose, the Doctor, and Captain Jack trapped in various reality tv shows which now end in disintegrations rather than release from the show.
I consider Doctor Who essential spec fic watching, and these first season are the stars. You can look for the deep themes and meanings, or just enjoy the adventurous camp. Either way it should be a must have for library collections for sure.