If you thought the fantastic build-up in The Empty Child was something, think again: Steven Moffat ends his first proper Doctor Who story with a magnificent payoff that exceeds expectations, even in terms of "horror", cementing his reputation as one of the UK's best television writers.
Following up from the previous episode's cliffhanger, the mysterious Empty Child has infected dozens of people in a hospital. The only problem is, the Doctor, Jack and Rose are in the same building, meaning they have to come up with some unusually clever plan to survive, reverse the unearthly epidemic and get back to the TARDIS. After all, London circa 1914 isn't exactly the best place to die, though it sure beats 1869 Cardiff...
Like its predecessor, The Doctor Dances is a masterclass in tension, with some genuine scares served throughout the 45 minutes, although with a healthy balancing act coming from the typically Doctor-like moments of humor. In particular, Moffat uses the scenario (and, to a certain extent, the new Jack Harkness character) to comment on one of the protagonist's less child-friendly sides: the title, and the whole business about the Time Lord dancing or not, is basically a big fat metaphor regarding the sexual chemistry between the Doctor and his companion(s). Naturally, given the BBC's family-oriented seal on the program, things never enter Coupling territory, with the resolution coming off as light-hearted but extremely funny. In other words, vintage Doctor Who.
