Things You Could Be Afraid of Thanks to Doctor Who

Recently I was on an episode of the Fangirl Chat podcast discussing Doctor Who and one of the topics we broached was the scary elements of the show. Sometimes the show does things within an episode or season that will defang some of those scarier bits, but fi that’s not enough I also suggested listing out all the things you would have to be afraid of if you took the show at its word. That way you can tell yourself it would be tough to be afraid of all those things on a daily basis – not to mention the energy required to remember them all. And as Aaron of Bad Wolf Radio mentioned, it’s also good to remember that overall Doctor Who is a fairly light-hearted show.

Doctor Running (Doctor Who)
“I am the Doctor. And I am afraid.”
On the podcast I rattled off a list of potentially scary things that instantly came to mind and host Teresa Delgado asked me to make her a bigger list. So here it is. Now what follows is by no means a complete list and is limited to New Who (aka Doctor Who episodes from 2005 – present).

Things You Could Be Afraid of Thanks to Doctor Who

The Library
“Books are the best weapon in the world.”
  • mannequins
  • anything made of plastic, really
  • gas (passed or as fuel)
  • rich people who don’t really realize what they’re collecting
  • whomever is controlling the news
  • children wearing gas masks
  • children who draw things
  • children who are afraid of things
  • pretty much most children
  • Cardiff
  • wasps (if you weren’t afraid of them already)
  • The Weakest Link
  • Christmas
  • snowmen
  • losing a bunch of weight
  • libraries
  • teachers
  • some schools
  • traffic
  • GPS
  • robots (especially if they’re silver)
  • clocks
  • TV sets
  • phone headsets
  • Wifi
  • parties
  • Eleventh Doctor Reads a Book
    If it does get too scary, you can stop and read a book.
  • Shakespearian plays
  • song lyrics
  • tally marks
  • having to wait
  • statues
  • shadows
  • water (Martian, dark, and otherwise)
  • astronauts
  • space stations or bases
  • the moon
  • Utah and Florida
  • the second floor of a building
  • stains on the ceiling
  • cracks in a wall
  • what’s in the wardrobe
  • what’s under your bed
  • what’s on your bed
  • dreaming
  • nightmares
  • sleeping in general
  • Eleventh Doctor and Clara
    Or have a cup of tea.
  • closing your eyes, even momentarily (aka blinking)
  • breathing
  • turning your back on something/someone
  • not knowing where you are
  • forgetting something
  • eyepatches (especially if they help you remember something)
  • questions
  • your past
  • your future

I know I’m not the first to make a list like this. And I won’t be the last. Some people like to end their list with “Steven Moffat”. Even if I don’t write him down he’s already on there in many forms. But as Clara says “If you’re very wise and very strong fear doesn’t have to make you cruel or cowardly. Fear can make you kind.” Or just give it some time and these things lose their power over you. These are only pieces of the show and not the whole story.


Kay grew up wanting to be an astronaut (but not an Impossible Astronaut). After seeing Star Wars, she wanted to be Princess Leia, Han Solo, and an astronaut (still a regular astronaut). A voice actor, photographer, and artist who also consults in communications and marketing, Kay spends the little bit of free time she has reading, reviewing, and, of course, making pew pew noises. She would pick up more jobs, hobbies, and fitness routines if she was a Time Lord. You can follow her on Twitter.

Kay

Kay

She grew up wanting to be an astronaut. After seeing Star Wars, she wanted to be Princess Leia, Han Solo, and an astronaut. Life’s taken her on a bit of a different path, but she’s okay with that. Kay is FANgirl's resident geek fashion expert and co-host of the Hyperspace Theories podcast. She reviews books and movies for the site with a heart for storytelling and a mind that likes to analyze. Kay's been a guest on various podcasts sharing her love and knowledge of storytelling, film-making, fashion, and of course, Star Wars. Most days are filled with her work as a creative services professional - designing websites & branding, photographing, voice acting, editing, and more. Kay spends the little bit of free time she has reading, costuming, and, of course, making pew pew noises. She would pick up more jobs and hobbies if she was a Time Lord.