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I didn’t quite appreciate the violation of innocence angle as a kid but I was so creeped out by the concept of him constantly following you around, you’re never quite sure where he is, every time the camera panned to Nancy I was afraid he’d jump scare us. Great analysis though absolutely love this two parter
I can’t believe we didn’t tackle that angle in the vid because i remember experiencing that exact feeling when Nancy and the kids were hiding in her makeshift home and the empty child typed his messages on the typewriter you knew he was in perpetual pursuit of Nancy you just never knew how close he was at any given moment, that’s a great shout for another factor making him so terrifying
I remember being absolutely terrified of the empty child as a kid 😂 great to relive exactly why I was so afraid years later love looking back at some of these classic episodes
The Ninth Doctors' Season is my favorite, truly. I can watch it over and over again, and it would never get dull. Especially this episode. He was the only one to actually treat Jamie like a child in this condition, and not a mere warrior. Nancy said to the other kids, "He's not after you all. He's only after me." The Doctor was the first to realize that Nancy was his mother. He never tried to hurt the kid, even switching Jack's blaster with a banana. He knew how scared he was. It wasn't just some empty child. His name was Jamie. Even after rewatching series one. All the things attacking him, Rose, and humanity could be representing his built-up trauma as a whole. The Nestene Consciousness was the last of his kind, and he mentioned the Time War, blaming it all on The Doctor. Literally having to see someone who actually cared about him and said how sorry for his loss she was, burn to ash because of the end of a planet. The Gelth, talking about a war to manipulate the Doctor for their own good. The Slitheen episodes. We all know that the Timelord government is completely corrupt, so the similarities are there already. Dalek. Just that. The Long Game. With how much media covers war and blinds sides with falsehoods, I don't know how people can't see the connection. Fathers' Day. He literally sacrificed himself even though he didn't know if Pete Tyler would fully commit to that final decision. He'd rather protect others living happier, more mundane lives because somewhere he knows he can't get that back. Previous 2 parter explained above. Boom Town Second chance at life for another renegade. Yet the Doctor is actually pleased because he'd rather not have to kill anyone again. The last 2 parter. Everything. Just... All of the above is dead center now.
This is one of my favorite storylines, with my favorite Doctor. If I'm remembering correctly, it's also the first episode in NuWho that tells us that the Doctor was a father. It's directly stated in his conversation with Dr. Constantine, but you can see it in his interactions with the Empty Child and the other kids. Series 1 is very much about the Doctor and the Time War, and having a small child running around war-torn London adds another layer of what he lost in the War.
It’s one of my favourites as well, I think there’s an audio story where the 8th doctor confirms he had a child but I think this is the first tv one, the episode gives off similar vibes to Tennant in “fear her” for me, but it’s done so much more effectively here because of the setting itself. Has to go down as one of the most iconic episodes (as a two-parter) of the franchise
It was that transformation process that really added to how terrifying they were as well it rivalled the gas mask transformation for me! Definitely worth a deep dive
the empty child is one of the greatest doctor who villains to exist (i dont think monster is quite the right word but who knows) it is just some healing stuff repairing what they think is the right finish and mind set. and when you put it like that it seems simple but when watching the story it is so effective and the transformation is horrifying as well. as someone that has to be careful with certain things being explained or shown (due to tourettes, most often its cleaning but can also get to the part of even if i know it wont, worrying it will happen. doesnt also help i go to the very last detail.) that was unsettling, creepy and scary as a kid. (not enough to set off the tourettes thankfully but still scary.) it does remind me a little of the hendanyn death mask in star wars (i saw the empty child and the doctor dances way way way before finding out about the death mask but they are similar in concept) where they mold itself to the wearer's face and become part of the skull. it would also with hold the wearer's memories so it could quite literary be you put on their mask and you can see their memories.
I struggled with what to call him, maybe creature or antagonist, but because of the child angle it seems harsh to refer to him as a creature, what makes him so great for me though is how there’s no one specific thing that makes him terrifying, it’s a combination of everything, his aesthetic, the disease, the transformation, the WWII setting, that all just make him so unsettling a concept. Also that Hendanyan mask concept incredibly interesting never heard of that before but I’ll have to look into it because it fits the empty child perfectly seeing as everyone who develops the mask after catching the zombie mask plague basically adopts the empty child’s consciousness, not a far cry away from them adopting someone’s memories.
Monster (a being sent to warn people of problems with the environment) is the more appropriate compared to Villain. A monster has no intrinsic morality. It just is.
