10 Dumbest Doctor Who Controversies

It might not seem like a big deal nowadays, but the British Board of Film Classification's decision to award Dalek a 12 rating on DVD in 2005 made the news. Previously, the only Doctor Who story to receive a 12 certificate was the TV Movie, mainly due to all that gun violence at the start.

The BBFC stated that Dalek promotes "violence and cruelty as a way of dealing with problems", which it absolutely doesn't. A Dalek ultimately rejects violence by ending its life and ascends to a higher level of being, for goodness' sake! They were also concerned that the Doctor, a role model for children, used torture and intimidation tactics towards a – *checks notes* – Dalek.

Writer Robert Shearman said that he was even asked to appear on breakfast TV to discuss the violence in the episode, a request he rightly turned down.

There was a flutter of concern after broadcast of Dalek about the torture scenes - I know I was invited to go on Breakfast TV to defend it. (And didn't!) I don't know how much of that concern was real, and how much was manufactured - but we got a 12 certificate because of it.

— Robert Shearman (@ShearmanRobert) September 3, 2023

19 years later, it all feels like a storm in a teacup, especially when you consider the types of Doctor Who stories being passed by the BBFC around the same time.

The Deadly Assassin, which includes the Fourth Doctor being drowned, shot at, and trapped in some rail tracks, was given a PG rating upon its DVD release in 2009. Go figure.