Bloodiest Doctor Who episodes....

[Joel_Kirk]

'Attack of the Cybermen' still strikes me as violent episode that actually shows blood in the episode, as the character Lytton is converted partially into a Cyberman.

It surprised me when I first saw it on PBS back in 1986(?)

I don't recall any classic or nuWho that was as violent or bloody; however, the #9 episode 'Bad Wolf' (or was it 'The Parting of Ways') had a high body count of characters the audience could identify with...(No literal blood, but those characters we identified with where not coming back).

Where there any other WHO episodes that were as bloody/violent as 'Attack of the Cybermen'?

 

[captcalhoun]

in terms of blood spilt, probably not. in terms of bodycount, The Sound of Drums and its literal decimation of the population is high up the list - although of course it gets reset. then again, Stolen Earth must have a high bodycount too.

 

[Lonemagpie]

in terms of blood spilt, probably not. in terms of bodycount, The Sound of Drums and its literal decimation of the population is high up the list - although of course it gets reset. then again, Stolen Earth must have a high bodycount too.

In terms of total bodycount, Logopolis still holds the record, as a large chunk of the universe dies out, including the whole of the Traken Union.

On-screen, I think it's Resurrection Of The Daleks, with something like 84 onscreen deaths (though this number includes Daleks themselves)

 

[Timofnine]

Some guys face melts in Dragonfire ala Indiana Jones

 

[Bones2]

Two guards get chucked in acid in Vengeance on Varos. Which is a very good episode.

 

[Mr. Sin]

The Brain of Morbius had quite a bit of blood when Condo gets shot.

The early Tom Baker and Colin Baker seasons were often attacked for their violence by Mary Whitehouse, a moral crusader of sorts. She's actually interviewed on a few Doctor Who documentaries!


The earliest WHO complaints about violence seemed to be directed at Tomb of the Cybermen, I believe, which had Toberman rip off a Cybermen's chest piece, causing it to spout foam. Not really that violent, but still enough to worry some people I suppose.

 

[The Badger]

I recall a claim by RTD that to keep things fantastical he wouldn't have blood on screen or humans pointing real guns (as opposed to lasers, blasters etc.) at other humans. So I was quite surprised to see both in VOTD.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I forgot to mention:

There is a flash 'episode' on the WHO site called 'Real Time'. It features the 6th Doctor against the nuCybermen; very bloody/gory...

As for just bodycount: There is 'Horror of Fang Rock' which has the entire supporting cast--save for sexy Leela, and The Doctor--die.

I recall a claim by RTD that to keep things fantastical he wouldn't have blood on screen or humans pointing real guns (as opposed to lasers, blasters etc.) at other humans. So I was quite surprised to see both in VOTD.

VOTD?

I'm sorry, I haven't been keeping up with the latest episodes...

Two guards get chucked in acid in Vengeance on Varos. Which is a very good episode.

Yes, I like 'VOV' myself....

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

'Attack of the Cybermen' still strikes me as violent episode that actually shows blood in the episode, as the character Lytton is converted partially into a Cyberman.

And yet the video release was passed uncut as a U certificate, so it can't be all that bad...

 

[Sci]

In terms of nuWho, I imagine that the highest body count probably remains with "The Parting of the Ways." Dozens of denizens of the Game Station are exterminated, as is the entire staff, and 100001st Century Earth itself is so devastated by the Daleks' bombardment that the shapes of the continents themselves are severely distorted, implying a body count in the billions.

I suppose "Parting" is probably rivaled by "Utopia"/"The Sound of Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords." Not only is all life in the Universe ending because of the heat death, but 10% of the population of present-day Earth is killed, and then the entire populations of whole countries, including all of Japan, are killed in the year of the Master's reign.

"The Stolen Earth"'s body count is probably also quite high, but I doubt it's as high as those two. The Daleks seemed to restrict their attacks to military targets and a few key cities, and they seemed to withdraw once they'd gotten enough test subjects for their Reality Bomb. ... although it occurs to me that "Turn Left" established that, because time runs faster in some alternate dimensions, the Reality Bomb's effects manifesting themselves in those other dimensions probably means that there were entire alternate dimensions being wiped out before the Bomb's detonation was prevented. The prevention probably means those deaths were un-done, though, so I'm not sure if they count.

 

[23skidoo]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Remembrance of the Daleks, in which the Doctor destroys an entire planet (leading the production notes commentary on the DVD to ask, quietly, "What about the Thals?"). There are also a couple of rather nasty deaths - including I believe the first use of the "see-through skeleton" death effect for people hit by the Daleks' death rays (which I remember being rather shocking the first time I saw it), and one character after being killed is shown dead with his eyes open, which is rather atypical for Doctor Who.

Alex

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

The earliest WHO complaints about violence seemed to be directed at Tomb of the Cybermen, I believe, which had Toberman rip off a Cybermen's chest piece, causing it to spout foam. Not really that violent, but still enough to worry some people I suppose.

Ah Cyberdeath, the best sort

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Remembrance of the Daleks, in which the Doctor destroys an entire planet (leading the production notes commentary on the DVD to ask, quietly, "What about the Thals?"). There are also a couple of rather nasty deaths - including I believe the first use of the "see-through skeleton" death effect for people hit by the Daleks' death rays (which I remember being rather shocking the first time I saw it), and one character after being killed is shown dead with his eyes open, which is rather atypical for Doctor Who.

Alex

Speaking of the Daleks, I think 'Resurrection of the Daleks' was pretty bleak. (I recall those acid gas scenes and the crew aboard a starship).

The earliest WHO complaints about violence seemed to be directed at Tomb of the Cybermen, I believe, which had Toberman rip off a Cybermen's chest piece, causing it to spout foam. Not really that violent, but still enough to worry some people I suppose.

Ah Cyberdeath, the best sort

^^

I like that scene...

Of course, there is one later on that involves The Master and a big chess or checkers board...as well as The Cybermen.

 

[Phillip Culley]

'Attack of the Cybermen' still strikes me as violent episode that actually shows blood in the episode, as the character Lytton is converted partially into a Cyberman.

And yet the video release was passed uncut as a U certificate, so it can't be all that bad...

In the UK maybe, but I have a feeling it got a higher rating in Australia

 

[Davros]

Not so much blood but death in Horror At Fang Rock. Only the Doctor and Lela survive.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

On-screen, I think it's Resurrection Of The Daleks, with something like 84 onscreen deaths (though this number includes Daleks themselves)

Correct, although, as others have already pointed out, Horror of Fang Rock has the highest percentage. It's interesting to note that Resurrection of the Daleks has a higher bodycount than the original Terminator.