page_title: The Empty Child
section_title: Production
hierarchical_section_title: The Empty Child / Production
caption_attribution_description: Are you my mummy? Doctor Who Experience
context_page_description: "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 the first episode written by Steven Moffat, who later became the showrunner and main writer of the series in 2010 following Russell T Davies' departure, and was directed by James Hawes. "The Empty Child" is the first of a two-part story, which concluded with "The Doctor Dances", on 28 May.
  In the episode, the alien time traveller the Ninth Doctor and his travelling 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 episode marks the first appearance of John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness, who would become a recurring character in Doctor Who and the lead character of the spin-off series Torchwood. "The Empty Child" was watched by 7.11 million viewers in the UK. 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.
context_section_description: This episode had the working title "World War II". Early versions of this script quoted this episode's title as being "An Empty Child". This is a reference to "An Unearthly Child", the very first episode of Doctor Who. The episode's television listings information and the DVD cover also mention that "London is being terrorised by an unearthly child". In Davies's initial pitch, Captain Jack was originally called 'Captain Jax', an interstellar alien soldier. The name Jax was eventually dropped, as was Jack's original characterisation, instead being a human conman from the 51st century.
  The filming took place during the fourth production block. Special effects shots were completed at Unit Q2 in Newport on 17 and 18 December 2004. From 4 to 8 January and from 11 to 14 January scenes at Cardiff Royal Infirmary were filmed. On 9 and 10 January scenes shot in alleyways were filmed in Womanby Street, Cardiff. The bar scenes were also shot on 10 January at Headlands School in Penarth. 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. From 18 to 20 January filming involving Jack's ship and the TARDIS took place at the studio at Unit Q2. Extra TARDIS scenes were shot on 7 February.  Scenes in the Lloyd's house were filmed on 28 January. Glamorgan House in Cardiff was used for the officers' club scene on 8 February. Location filming also took place at the Barry Tourist Railway. Barry Island and its now-demolished Butlins holiday camp had previously been the filming location of the Seventh Doctor serial, Delta and the Bannermen.
  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. However, writer Steven Moffat claims on the DVD commentary to this episode that the sound was discussed but never put on. According to the Doctor Who Confidential episode "Fear Factor", the effect was added in the version of the episode presented on The Complete First Series box set. Casting for Captain Jack Harkness began around June with particular consideration to John Barrowman per the request of executive producer Julie Gardener.
  Unlike previous episodes, the "next episode" trailers were shown after the end credits instead of immediately preceding them, possibly in reaction to comments after "Aliens of London" about having the cliffhanger for that episode spoiled. This trend has continued for most two-part stories in the new series.
  Frequently in this episode, Rose makes references to the Star Trek character Mr. Spock. This is the first televised Doctor Who story to make a direct reference to Star Trek. Writer Steven Moffat says in the DVD commentary for this episode that the Doctor's reply to Rose asking him what she should call him ("Doctor who?") was originally going to be, "I'd rather have Doctor Who than Star Trek," a metafictional dig at the latter programme. The Chula ships are named after Chula, an Indian/Bangladeshi fusion restaurant in Hammersmith, London where the writers celebrated and discussed their briefs on the scripts they were to write for the season after being commissioned by Russell T Davies. This meeting was videotaped, and is available on the DVD release of Doctor Who — The Complete First Series.
  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. Doctor Who can be small and domestic, and brilliantly effective."
caption: The titular Empty Child, as shown at the Doctor Who Experience.
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