The Empty Child

"The Empty Child" is the ninth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on BBC One on 21 May 2005.

It was directed by James Hawes, and was the first canonical episode written by Steven Moffat, who previously wrote the Comic Relief mini-episode "The Curse of Fatal Death" in 1999.

In the episode, the alien time traveller, the Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler arrive in 1941 during the London Blitz, where they find that the city has been terrorised by a strange child in a gas mask repeatedly asking for his mother.

The two-part story has been cited by critics amongst the best of the show, and it won the 2006 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.

Meanwhile, the Doctor returns to the TARDIS to find its phone ringing; despite caution from Nancy, a young woman nearby, not to answer it, he does, only to hear the voice of a child asking "Are you my mummy?"

Jack admits that the crashed cylinder is just a worthless Chula medical transport which he sent to earth in order to con the Doctor and Rose.

[3] The scene in which Rose hangs from the barrage balloon was filmed in a hangar at RAF St Athan and then in the Vale of Glamorgan, on 17 January.

[4] Barry Island and its now-demolished Butlins holiday camp had previously been the filming location of the Seventh Doctor serial, Delta and the Bannermen.

[5] The sound of Dr Constantine's skull cracking as his face changes into a gas mask was considered too horrific in its full form by the production team and was cut before broadcast.

[8] Casting for Captain Jack Harkness began around June with particular consideration to John Barrowman per the request of executive producer Julie Gardener.

The episode was initially smaller in scale and personal with writer Steven Moffat saying that "there was no big enemy and the major fear factor was a little boy looking for his mummy.

[19] Now Playing magazine reviewer Arnold T. Blumburg gave the episode a grade of a B, describing it as "solid" with elements of the original series, though he noted a lot was thrown at the audience and he was not impressed with Barrowman's Jack yet.

[23] In 2011 before the second half of the sixth series, The Huffington Post labelled "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" as one of five essential episodes for new viewers to watch.

[25] "The Empty Child", along with its conclusion "The Doctor Dances", won the 2006 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form).