Is Dr Who child-friendly?

[Samiam]

My children just heard about Dr. Who, and want to watch it. I've heard it mentioned here, on FB, etc, so I know it's popular, but haven't paid much attention to it. Is it child-friendly? I mean, no excess bedroom scenes, no unnecessary nudeness? TV shows these days seem to get more and more extreme in terms of what they show. We are okay with affection-showing, then cut-away to the next thing, with the implied "what happened in between" cuz my children wouldn't pick up on the "in-between", but it's the full-on scenes showing nude, movement, etc bedroom scenes that we avoid. Any worries about Dr. Who?

[stephanier.1765]

I can't think of a single thing that isn't child friendly but with no young ones in the house I may not be watching with a very critical eye. To me, Dr. Who is just fun. Plain ol' slap stick humor kind of fun with lots of monsters.

[mom2att]

Dr. Who family here.  My teen got us started on it, and now we watch it as a family.  No sex (other than the very occasional innuendo), no nudity, no crude language.  There is violence in that people die or are in danger, and there are always aliens to kill, but nothing gross or bloody or extreme.  Based on the ages of your kids, I recommend it.  Your youngest might lose interest, but it's certainly not inappropriate for him.

[Joules]

I haven't seen anything objectionable yet, but I haven't seen them all.  I will say that Torchwood is a more adult spin-off and you wouldn't want them to watch that.  (I just mention it because if you watch Dr. Who on something like Netflix, it recommends Torchwood for you.)

[Aiden]

It depends on the child. From the bedroom perspective, it's fine, as far as I can recall--with the caveat that I've only watched the first couple of seasons.

 

However, if the child is sensitive to spooky/paranormal/scary things, then you may want to hold off. I myself am particularly sensitive to that type of thing--I get nightmares. Most of Dr. Who has been fine for me, but there have been a few things that kind of freaked me out.

[Momling]

It definitely has a wide age range of fans. My kids at 10 & 12 love it... Or at least they love the recent incarnations. And I would even say it's good for them. It encourages them to think about right and wrong. Plus it's funny and cute and sometimes awesomely cheesy, but still...

Anyway, there are some scary episodes and occasional adult references, but it is ultimately a family program. I'm comfortable with it for older elementary age. I don't let my 6 yr old watch.

[Slartibartfast]

I think it is fine for kids. There are a few that are a bit scary but there is nothing that I would consider gory or inappropriate.

 

Ds is a bit creeped out by statuary sometimes but other than that the kids don't mind them.

 

 

[JustEm]

Aside from the aliens being scary there isn't anything I would worry about. I'm rewatching the show and will only kick my 4 and 5 year old out of the room if its a particularly scary alien episode.

[Ellie]

I haven't seen anything objectionable yet, but I haven't seen them all.  I will say that Torchwood is a more adult spin-off and you wouldn't want them to watch that.  (I just mention it because if you watch Dr. Who on something like Netflix, it recommends Torchwood for you.)

 

Oh, ITA--Torchwood is *definitely* not family/child friendly!!

[AmyontheFarm]

I am a big baby.  I can't watch this at night, otherwise, I can't sleep.  I don't really like scary shows though, so it's just me.

[albeto.]

I think Dr. Who is an awesome family show. The Doctor is positively, without exception, a pacifist, and will always argue for a mutually respectful conflict resolution. Also, even though his travelling companions are generally women, there exists no weird sexual tension, no unrequited love, no googly eyes when the other isn't looking (well, Martha, but she was cool about it). There's only a platonic friendship. I say this only having seen up to the David Tennant years (once he left, the show jumped the shark, imo, and you get things like the TARDIS incarnated as a beautiful woman, or something :glare:). You might consider watching some of the classic episodes, too. Give Tom Baker a chance. Ultra cheesy acting, campy stories, but so. much. fun!

[SoCalLynn]

My 14 year old loves this show! From what I have seen, there is nothing sexual about it except very occasional light flirtation. Most of the aliens and monsters are quite cheesy, reminding me of the old Land of the Lost characters. Many of the story lines are quite clever, my favorite being the Vincent Van Gogh episode. (I'm not a fan of the show, but my husband and daughter watch marathons, even going back and watching all of the old, old episodes on Netflix.)

[Miss Peregrine]

Things I have heard out of my then 4 yo's mouth: "Moommyyyyyyyy. . . Are you my mommy?"

"Don't blink"

[MrsMommy]

My children torture me anytime we pass an angel statue...they get it from their father.

 

And the two-year-old will pick up anything remotely screwdriver-shaped and pretend to "sonic" things with it.

 

So, yes, for our family, Dr. Who is child-friendly. There is one scary two-parter that the children will never watch again, though...it gave too many people (including me) nightmares.

[katilac]

I would disagree with those who say there isn't any innuendo,  and certainly with the idea that there's no sexual tension, but I do think it would go over most kids' heads. I mean, at least two incarnations kiss their companions, and, if nothing else, Captain Jack is the very definition of innuendo and sexual tension  :lol:

 

A few other things come to mind, like whether someone has a beard, and the answer is no, 'well, a wife . . .' and another epi where someone's girlfriend basically winds up stuck in a picture frame or something, they are just a face, and there's some joking to the effect of that not stopping them, etc. So, yeah, I don't think most kids would catch all that, but it's definitely there. 

 

[Aiden]

Things I have heard out of my then 4 yo's mouth: "Moommyyyyyyyy. . . Are you my mommy?"

"Don't blink"

 

Oh my. That would freak me right out, knowing the context--at least of the first one. I don't think I've seen the episode with the second, though if it's anywhere near as creepy as the first, I'm not sure I could handle hearing my child say it.

 

[Cinder]

I agree it depends on the child. I don't let my 9yo watch the newer show. Some episodes are just a bit creepy, and she still gets creeped out by the basilisk voice in HP Chamber of Secrets. Even my teens got creeped out by some episodes--mostly those that involve The Silence.

 

I think the older episodes--at least the few I've seen--would be fine because they're so much cheesier. An alien made of bubble wrap painted green? Monsters in rubber costumes? Maybe these just remind me of superhero shows I watched when I was a kid--Kikaida, anyone? :D

[Word Nerd]

My 8-year-old watches with me. There are a few episodes I haven't let her watch because I think they're too scary (for example, The Beast is a demon that looks a little like the Balrog in LOTR), but that would depend on the individual child.

[elegantlion]

One of my favorite sentiments from Doctor Who is this one: 

 

[Laura Corin]

I have found some of the shows quite creepy.  And amongst my earliest memories are of hiding behind the sofa while my elder brothers watched Dr Who.  I think it depends on the child.

 

L

[OneStepAtATime]

Love Doctor Who here, but there HAVE been a few episodes of the new run after the hiatus that have creeped out my kids.

 

Ask yourself:

1.  Are my kids used to sci fi violence?

2.  How well do they handle aliens and odd looking creatures?

3.  Do they do well when the lead actors are in what appears to be extreme peril?

4.  How do they do with "scary" things?  

 

Sex is not really an issue with this show.  There are innuendos and sometimes crushes but they are handled tastefully and rarely if ever are obvious.  Once in a rare while there is kissing, but there is a reason that usually has nothing to do with a relationship. Each child may react differently. There are several episodes that are scary.  They are also extremely well done and enjoyable, but still can be scary.  My kids refuse to watch Silence in the Library and its sequel again.  I loved those episodes.  However, Blink, and the other Weeping Angels episodes, which seemed scarier to me, they absolutely love.

 

Agree wtih Ellie, though, Torchwood, which is a spin off series, is NOT IN ANY WAY young kid friendly.  LOTS of overtly implied sex, among other things.

 

You might look at the Sarah Jane Chronicles.  It is the kid friendly spin off.  

 

But the Sarah Jane Chronicles series would make more sense if your family watched the Doctor Who episodes starting with Series 1 of the new run (linked below) and watched through at least School Reunion of Series 2.  

 

http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Complete-First-Series/dp/B000E41MS6

 

FYI: Sarah Jane was a character in the original run of the Doctor Who series in the 70's and was much loved by many.  When she was removed from the show it kind of left things hanging.  School Reunion finally completes that original story line from the 70's, then a spin off series with Sarah Jane as the lead kind of starts right after that.  Later episodes of Doctor Who will include Sarah Jane upon occasion and may have more meaning if you have seen at least the first of the Sarah Jane episodes but it isn't necessary to watch the original 70's run  for the School Reunion episode to make sense.

 

If you choose to try Doctor Who it isn't necessary to go back and watch the zillions of original episodes, although those are fun and campy and might fill in gaps in background knowledge.  I do recommend starting with Series 1 of the new episodes, though, since that gives a great introduction to the series as a whole (see link above).  There are several story arcs within story arcs going on.  Starting in the middle may make it harder to follow what is happening and references to past stories may get confusing without at least starting with Series 1..

 

Best wishes.

[JustEm]

Oh there are certainly sexual innuendoes more so in the earlier seasons (of the current show) I think. But that would go over most kids heads. 

[Erica in OR]

Agree that it depends on the child. My 9 year old son recently had a friend over who loves Dr. Who, so they decided to watch the first three or four episodes so my son could see what it was all about (my DH watches the show). He refused to sleep by himself for several nights after that—it seemed mainly because of the kid/gas mask episode. I walked in to see part of that episode and agree it was super creepy.

 

Erica in OR

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I can only think of one episode that scared my boys, otherwise it's been fine here.

[bobbeym]

I agree with the PP. There is some sexual tension and innuendo that will likely go over younger kids' heads. Some of the monsters might be scary. I can handle the beast but the puppets/clowns/dolls creep me out. Overall it's a family show though.

[Seeking Squirrels]

I think it's fine for kids who can deal with a little scary. My almost 6 will not watch it. She tried watching a couple episodes with us but she is very sensitive and gets freaked out pretty easily. She decided doctor who is "way too scary". Bonus though, if she won't stay in bed I just throw on that and she high tails it back to bed and stays so she doesn't accidentally see the show. :)

[smudge]

My 8 and 6 yr olds both love it. When we went to Comic Con they could recognize all the people who had Dr Who themed costumes. The Weeping Angels are creepy!

DON'T BLINK!!!!

[KarenNC]

We still haven't approved Torchwood for our 13 yo yet, though it's a great show.

 

Commonsense Media lists Doctor Who as a go for 10 and up, 7 or 8 and up depending on the child. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/doctor-who

[TracyP]

I think it depends on the kid. Way too scary for my 6yo. He had nightmares from watching only one episode.

 

My 8yo and 10yo are fine with it. Perhaps even more fine than I am, lol.

 

Things I have heard out of my then 4 yo's mouth: "Moommyyyyyyyy. . . Are you my mommy?"
"Don't blink"

 

Haha, I would have to ban that. The mommy one really bothered me. Yes, I am a wimp. :lol:

[Lady Florida.]

For your seven year old there are some episodes that might be scary. On the whole it's child friendly, but I know adults who were creeped out by some episodes (weeping angels anyone?). If either of your younger two are sensitive you might just want to check the descriptions of individual episodes and possibly skip a few. 

 

BTW, I'm going on the assumption that you're talking mainly about the current version, from the 9th doctor on. I've never watched any of the older stuff.

[Word Nerd]

If you want to avoid most of the innuendo, you could skip the episodes with Captain Jack—but what would be the fun of that?

[Word Nerd]

I think it depends on the kid. Way too scary for my 6yo. He had nightmares from watching only one episode.

 

My 8yo and 10yo are fine with it. Perhaps even more fine than I am, lol.

 

 

Haha, I would have to ban that. The mommy one really bothered me. Yes, I am a wimp. :lol:

 

That's one of my favorite episodes.

[*Lulu*]

My crew discovered Dr. Who this past year and loves it.

 

There have only been a couple of episodes that scared the youngest.

 

(We had to ban covering your eyes and freezing or asking people if the were your mummy after the supper hour.)

 

Although, it really depends on the child. Punk would never have been able to handle it at Bug's age or even Sister's.

[Seasider]

Well, you might find yourself having to explain about Captain Jack.

[*Lulu*]

Well, you might find yourself having to explain about Captain Jack.

Truth.

 

However, it sparked some awesome conversations with my oldest child.

 

And it went straight over the heads of the others. (Not that I would have been opposed to having a version of those conversations with them.)

 

Actually, Dr. Who has been the catalyst for a good many conversations at our house, and not just confined to topics of sexuality.

[TracyP]

That's one of my favorite episodes.

 

The episode as a whole was pretty good. That is where we meet Captain Jack, isn't it? That is definitely worth something. And it has a happy ending which would make it easier to watch a second time. Some time when I'm feeling brave... :tongue_smilie:

[marbel]

Oh there are certainly sexual innuendoes more so in the earlier seasons (of the current show) I think. But that would go over most kids heads. 

 

I agree about the innuendo but it depends on the kid if it goes over their heads.   We love Dr Who here, but there was a point during which the innuendo definitely did not go over my kids' heads, and they were embarrassed by it.  I think it was a short time in their lives, and I don't remember their ages, but it was there.  That bothered them more than the scary monsters, because scary monsters are fake.  I  suspect most kids must go through a period of time like that?  

 

We previewed the show for a while.  There is still one our kids haven't seen, referred to above, about the woman who is just a face stretched as on a canvas and her boyfriend who makes a reference to their love life.  That was boring to us anyway so it was not a great loss. 

 

[mommymilkies]

A few episodes are a little creepy.  But I haven't found any other objectionable content, myself.  My kids 3-13 LOVE it. 

[mommymilkies]

Well, you might find yourself having to explain about Captain Jack.

What's there to explain?  My kids have seen John Barrowman in drag, and he looks much nicer in a dress than I do.  But that's just not an issue to my kids, so YMMV. 

[mrsrevmeg]

My kids all love it. My 10 year old is a little freaked out by a few episodes. He always says that it is really just aliens, not monsters. We get cracked up at the cheesiness of some of them sometimes. Some of the monster/alien things actually look like they'd be at home in an episode of Power Rangers.

[HRAAB]

We love Dr. Who.  My twins were 10 we first started watching it, and there was nothing in it that I found objectionable for them at that age (or even if they had been younger) as long as they are comfortable with it and not frightened.  They're fine with it and are complete Dr. Who fanatics.

[Ipsey]

Things I have heard out of my then 4 yo's mouth: "Moommyyyyyyyy. . . Are you my mommy?"

"Don't blink"

 

HAHAHAH! Cool kid.

My kiddos love the Doctor. My 7-year-old likes to watch, but runs upstairs if things get too exciting.

He did ask for a gas mask for Halloween though. :D

[Momofeat]

Dh & I watch the newer espisodes with our 14yo dd, and the younger dc watch the older episodes. (They started with the first episode ever and are now in the second season with the first doctor. They just watched the episode where Susan is left behind, and dd is devastated.) Both of our girls love it, and my son talks like he loves it, but he often leaves the room in fear--and he's watching the episodes from the 1960s, lol!

 

I agree with the posters who said it depends on the kid. Obviously, ds is not ready for the creepiness in the new series. Middle dd would ask questions about the innuendos, and I don't want to answer those questions yet  :P, so we'll probably have her wait another year or two. 

[Kevin'sMom]

We watched two episodes of Dr. Who this morning....the Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and the Black Cubes one. I found nothing objectionable, and my 10-year-old is hooked on them now. I can see how we may be quoting from them very soon... in a British accent, of course.

 

Robot 1: You're going straight on the naughty step!

[Cindy in FL.]

The only episodes that come to mind that might be too creepy for young ones would be Blink, the one where the weeping angel was talking through the dead guy, and the one with the kid in the gas mask asking "are you my mommy". It's actually intended to be a kids' show, so generally ok.

[Cindy in FL.]

Dp

[fraidycat]

Things I have heard out of my then 4 yo's mouth: "Moommyyyyyyyy. . . Are you my mommy?"

"Don't blink"

Part one of this show creeped me right the heck out! I still haven't watched part two! My kids have far surpassed me in the Dr. Who watching which was originally started as sonething the kids and I could do together since DH does the video games with them.

[Shellydon]

Not for our family.  It is pretty creepy.

[albeto.]

Things I have heard out of my then 4 yo's mouth: "Moommyyyyyyyy. . . Are you my mommy?"

 

 

 

Mummy?

[katilac]

  It's actually intended to be a kids' show, so generally ok.

 

I would say that it was originally intended to be a kid's show.