 This story was written by Mark Gatiss who previously wrote the 2005 Ninth Doctor story "The Unquiet Dead", the 2006 Tenth Doctor story "The Idiot's Lantern" and the 2010 story "Victory of the Daleks". This is his first modern day story for Doctor Who.
Mark Gatiss told Radio Times that he had always been scared of dolls, and was surprised that Doctor Who had never used them before. He was especially interested in peg dolls, which he said were ‘the stuff of proper nightmares’.
This story is directed by Richard Clark who also helmed the 2007 Tenth Doctor story "Gridlock", "The Doctor's Wife" (earlier in this season) and the 2007 Tenth Doctor story "The Lazarus Experiment". The latter story starred Mark Gatiss as Professor Richard Lazarus.
In order to achieve a greater variety of stories in the first half of this season, "Night Terrors" was moved from the first half, having originally been planned to be the third story shown. Because it was intended to feature in the first seven episodes of this season it originally included a moment where viewers glimpsed Madame Kovarian.
Mrs Rossiter talks about going down the stairs like Sherpa Tenzing when she's chatting to The Doctor. Tenzing Norgay (1914-1984) is believed to be one of the first two individuals to reach the summit of Mount Everest/Mount Qomolangma.
The psychic paper makes a return. It was first seen in the 2005 Ninth Doctor story "The End of the World". It was also used by the Tenth Doctor and was first employed by the Eleventh Doctor when he met young Amelia Pond in the 2010 story "The Eleventh Hour".
Jamie Oram, who plays George, also features in the Adventure Game "Doctor Who: The Gunpowder Plot" released in October 2011.
It is revealed that George is a Tenza who is able to match himself to people's needs and create perception filters.
When The Doctor explains to Alex that George is using a perception filter, he stops in the hallway to look in a mirror and makes the same face he did when he first saw his reflection in the 2010 story "The Vampires of Venice".
At one point The Doctor says they're going to visit the scariest place in the universe. Steven Moffat (Doctor Who's head writer and Executive Producer) has revealed that Mark Gatiss first raised the idea of this story by asking him what the scariest place in the inverse was, saying it was a child's bedroom.
When The Doctor knocks on the door to address Alex, a ring can be seen on his wedding finger. Whether this is a production error or a hint at a future story remains to be seen.
The Doctor repeats his fondness for tea and Jammie Dodgers from another Mark Gatiss written story, "Victory of the Daleks". He also mentions Jammie Dodgers in "The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon").
It has been revealed that the business with the fridge, in the scene where The Doctor and Alex discuss George, was improvised by Matt Smith and Danny Mays.
Rory suggests The Doctor might be ‘back there in EastEnders land’. In fact, The Doctor did visit Albert Square in the 1993 Children in Need special, "Dimensions in Time".
Inside the dollhouse Rory is heard to state ‘we're dead again’. This is a reference to his previous death in the 2010 story "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood" and Amy's in the 2010 story "The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang". He also believes at one point that the TARDIS is altering time and space again (see "The Doctor's Wife").
The Doctor refers to ‘Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday’, ‘The Three Little Sontarans’ and ‘The Emperor Dalek's New Clothes’ as being among his childhood nursery stories. The first is a reference to a stage play called "Doctor Who and the Daleks in The Seven Keys to Doomsday" (also known as "Doctor Who: The Seven Keys to Doomsday"). This stage show premiered in December 1974 and co-starred Wendy Padbury (who played companion Zoe during the Second Doctor’s era).
The Doctor is heard expressing his irritation that his sonic screwdriver still does not have ‘a setting for wood’, a criticism also made by Rory in "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood" and "The Curse of the Black Spot" and by Donna Noble in the 2008 Tenth Doctor story "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead ".
The scene where The Doctor and Alex are being sucked into the cupboard is very similar to the movie Poltergeist where the daughter is sucked into the spirit realm through her bedroom cupboard.
When The Doctor and Alex wake up in the dolls house, Alex wonders how it can be bigger on the inside. The Doctor is then heard to say ‘More common than you'd think, actually’, referring to the TARDIS.
Before the broadcast of this story a myth existed where it was thought that Amy would be turned into a doll. This was proven true.
The Eighth Doctor was previously turned into a doll by the Celestial Toymaker in a similar manner to Amy in the Big Finish Productions’ Companion Chronicles audio story "Solitaire".
This story’s final shot continues the story arc for the second half of the series, showing the Teselecta data file on The Doctor's date of death from "Let's Kill Hitler".
Following on after this story, on BBC3, was the ninth chapter of the sixth series of Doctor Who Confidential. Titled "About a Boy" it was presented by Russell Tovey and looked into the making of this story.
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The Firsts:
The first modern day Doctor Who story written by Mark Gatiss.
Caroline Holder's first involvement in the show as Script Editor.
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(Position = 11 out of 13)
(Position = 189 out of 241)
