That the Christmas Day episode of Dr Who isn't suitable for DS?

[Chippednailvarnish]

My DS (7) loves Dr Who, we watch them before he does to check they are suitable. As a treat we let him watch tonight's Christmas episode, but he has found it too scary and asked to turn it off. AIBU to have wanted a "nice" family episode on Christmas day?

YANBU. That was way too frightening for Christmas. Those aliens, stuff about dying, being dead etc. Way too much for the day and time.

Its fine me and ds (7) really enjoyed it

My kids aged 16 down to 7, loved it.

I didn't think it was that scary as Doctor Who episodes go. I would say a Fear Factor of about 6/10. Nowhere near the likes of Midnight' or 'The Empty Child'.

My DS has been watching it since he was two. He's nearly eight now and we've not come across one too scary yet.

Stampysladygarden : Best Mn name I've seen all year.

Maybe DS is just a wimp!

Could someone explain the plot to me. I missed the beginning but where were the people with the alien rip off monsters on their faces?

it was too scary for my ds (6)

DS 7 asked for it to be turned off too. We recorded it so he said he wants to see it during the daytime. I was really looking forward to it but we had to watch Harry Potter instead!

My DS (7) enjoyed it, but ran out of the room crying at Santa Paws, a U rated disney film.

It's Dr Who. It's always been scary. YABU why would they do a "nice" one just because it's Christmas?

Doctor Who boxset is rated 15. Some of the episodes are not appropriate for child viewing. "Blink" and all its follow-ups certainly spring to mind... and the new Doctor certainly seems to take a darker spin on things. However, considering the BBC are still trying to market it as "family viewing"... yes, it would not be unreasonable to expect it to actually BE viewable by the entire family.

Even I peek from behind the pillows from time to time.

I think the timing suggested it would be family viewing- aside from the incomprehensible ploy it was horrible and half the kids left the room.

I thought it was a fantastic episode and the DCs (aged 5 to 10) all loved it too.

... Dr Who box sets are all rated 12 or PG as far as I can see (not 15 as mentioned above).

It was the first Doctor Who DS3, 6yo, has watched. He, and I, thought it was fine.
Incidentally, DS1, 13, also watched it. It is the first one he has ever msnaged to watch the whole way through without bring too scared. However, he really is a wimp!

It was depressing and confusing, like much of bbc's content yesterday. Not scary exactly but not fun family viewing.

Doctor who can be dark and scary... Isn't that part of why kids love it? It would be surprising if it was always just on the safe side, but still managed to challenge them.

My DD's 7 and was totally unfazed but she got bored and went into her room and played with her presents halfway through. I think it depends on the child.

When I was 7 or 8 my parents used to let me watch Sapphire and Steel - when I watch it back now it's bloody terrifying and I wonder what on earth they were thinking letting me watch something that dark and scary. When I was 7 though, I loved it, every scary second!

Maybe children don't associate scary stories with the real fear and horror that grown ups unfortunately know pervades real life.

It's Dr Who for god's sake. It's whole reason for existing is to tantalise, tease and scare.

The watching it from behind the couch/cushion stories of yesteryear are all true, you know! It is so much more anodyne these days, which says a lot about telly programming. I want the scariness back. The honest to god, fairy story scariness. But having seen what publishers have done to Grimm I am not holding my breath.

Grrrrrr!

Sapphire and Steel - now there was a good scare