BBC defends Doctor Who episode 'Dark Water' following more than 100 complaints
Viewers have been upset by some of the life and death themes explored in the sci-fi drama
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The latest Doctor Who episode, which saw sidekick Clara Oswald’s boyfriend killed in a car crash and an invasion by Cybermen, has prompted complaints from viewers.
The first in a two-part series climax discussed issues of life and death and suggested that dead people could feel the pain of cremation.
The BBC has defended the storyline which it says is “appropriate” in the context of the show.
Broadcast on Saturday night, the drama saw dead bodies transformed into an army of Cybermen.
Missy, who is revealed to be the latest incarnation of ‘The Master’, tells Peter Capaldi’s Doctor: “All the graves on Earth are about to give birth.”
In a response to the complaints, the BBC said it was stated within the episode that some of theories about the afterlife could be "distressing" and later proved to be a "con".
"Doctor Who is a family drama with a long tradition of tackling some of the more fundamental questions about life and death,” the BBC said in a statement.
“We were mindful of the themes explored in Dark Water and are confident that they are appropriate in the context of the heightened sci-fi world of the show.”
"The scene in which a character reveals 3W's unconventional theory about the afterlife was preceded by the same character warning the Doctor and Clara several times that what they were about to hear could be distressing.
It continues: "When the Doctor does hear these claims, he immediately pours scorn on them, dismissing them out of hand as a 'con' and a 'racket'. It transpires that he is correct, and the entire concept is revealed to be a scam perpetrated by Missy."
It is understood that 118 people complained about the show to the BBC. The audience for Saturday night's programme numbered around five million.
Ofcom revealed it received 9 complaints about Saturday's Doctor Who. "We will assess these complaints before deciding whether to investigate," it said in a statement.
The storyline reaches its conclusion on Saturday.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments