Tardis:ParentPage

We're for the whole family. Not just kids.  Doctor Who is a family programme. It's not kids' television. People of all ages watch it. That means some stories are for kids — but some aren't. Especially now that Doctor Who has spun off the decidedly more adult Torchwood.

Because we aim to cover the whole of the Doctor Who universe (DWU), we do not censor our content on this site.

DWU characters have had every kind of sex imaginable. And they regularly die violent deaths — sometimes while chewin' tobacco, drinkin' whiskey and/or smokin' a joint, man. As a parent, you should remember that Doctor Who is a time travel show. That means it regularly depicts things we now frown on, because they used to be commonplace. In the same way features offices thick with cigarette fog, you should expect that the Doctor will sometimes, for example, relish brandy with a 17th century pirate.

The only thing we can promise parents is that we will ruthlessly root out any pornography, violent imagery, racial hatred, or other unsavoury things that are not a part of DWU stories. Our motto is that if it ain't on the show, it ain't on this site. If you ever see any material on this site that's objectionable for children, but has nothing to do with the DWU, please contact one of our administrators immediately. 

Comics
In the nearly 50 year history of Doctor Who comic stories, almost none have been formally rated by any comics authority. Of course, few, if any, are at all troubling for parents. Doctor Who comics are typically mild, with almost no hint of sexuality and little in the way of gory depictions of violence. Language in Doctor Who comics is very mild.

That said, modern Doctor Who comics are split into two basic reading levels, if not content levels. IF you're looking for comics that are easier for your younger child to read, you probably want to give the Doctor Who Adventures comic stories a try. Doctor Who Magazine comic stories and IDW stories are written to more of a teenage/young adult standard.

Games
Video games haven't been a huge part of the DWU experience, but none have received anything greater than an ESRB "E for everyone" rating. Most games, however, weren't written in the 21st century and so weren't rated, and didn't contain graphics sophisticated to be objectionable to anyone. (Except embarrassed game designers.)

Novels
Doctor Who novels range the gamut from books for young readers to books for adults. Like comics, Doctor Who books are written to various reading standards. Target novelisations and New Series Adventures are typically for younger readers. Quick Reads can also be enjoyed by kids who are under 12, but they're actually written for adults with literacy issues.

The tricky books for parents are those written from about 1992 to 2004 — that is, the period of time when Doctor Who was off the air. In particular the Virgin New Adventures line was interested in "pushing the envelope". Although there is no formal book rating "system" out there, parents are advised to read these novels first before allowing children under the age of 15 read them. The same applies to Torchwood novels.

Short stories
Short stories are also written for different audiences. Those in Doctor Who annuals are definitely written with kids in mind, and parents are unlikely to find objectionable content there, other than simplistic plots. Those stories written for the Short Trips and Decalog are intended for older readers. It would be laborious in the extreme, however, to point out which of the individual stories offer which specific parental concerns. If you're worried about the short stories your child is reading, we recommend that you at least skim them for yourself.