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{{about|the ''Doctor Who'' episode|the ''Wentworth'' episode|Fear Her (Wentworth){{!}}Fear Her (''Wentworth'')}}

{{future television}}

{{good article}}

{{Doctorwhobox|

{{use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

|serial_name=180 - Fear Her |doctor=[[David Tennant]] ([[Tenth Doctor]])

{{Infobox Doctor Who episode

|writer=[[Matthew Graham]]

| number = 176

||director=[[Euros Lyn]]

| serial_name = Fear Her

|script_editor=To be announced

| show = DW

|producer=[[Phil Collinson]]

| type = episode

|executive_producer=[[Russell T. Davies]]<br>[[Julie Gardner]]

| doctor = [[David Tennant]] – [[Tenth Doctor]]

|production_code=Series 2, Episode 11

| companion = [[Billie Piper]] – [[Rose Tyler]]

|series=[[List of Doctor Who serials#Series 2 (2006)|Series 2 (2006)]]

| guests =

|length= 45 mins

* [[Nina Sosanya]] – Trish

|date=[[June 24]], [[2006]]

* Abisola Agbaje – Chloe Webber

|preceding=[[Love & Monsters]]

* [[Edna Doré]] – Maeve

|following=[[Army of Ghosts]]

* Tim Faraday – Tom's Dad

|}}

* [[Abdul Salis]] – Kel

'''''Fear Her''''' is an [[list of Doctor Who serials|episode]] of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[science fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It is set to be broadcast on [[June 24]] [[2006]]. The title of this episode was reported in ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' #368.

* Richard Nichols – Driver

* Erica Eirian – Neighbour

* Stephen Marzella – Police Officer

* [[Huw Edwards (journalist)|Huw Edwards]] – Commentator{{efn|Becky Wright voiced the commentator in the 2025 release.<ref name="Radio Times Wright"/>}}

| director = [[Euros Lyn]]

| writer = [[Matthew Graham]]

| producer = [[Phil Collinson]]

| executive_producer = [[Russell T Davies]]<br>[[Julie Gardner]]

| composer = [[Murray Gold]]

| production_code = 2.11<ref name="2006-06-25 SFX" />

| series = [[Doctor Who (series 2)|Series 2]]

| length = 45 minutes

| date = {{Start date|2006|6|24|df=y}}

| preceding = "[[Love & Monsters (Doctor Who)|Love & Monsters]]"

| following = "[[Army of Ghosts]]"

}}

"'''Fear Her'''" is the eleventh episode of the [[Doctor Who (series 2)|second series]] of the British science-fiction series ''[[Doctor Who]]'', first broadcast on [[BBC One]] on 24 June 2006. It was written by [[Matthew Graham]] and directed by [[Euros Lyn]].

The episode takes place in London on the day of the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony]]. In the episode, the alien [[Time travel in fiction|time traveller]] [[Tenth Doctor|the Doctor]] ([[David Tennant]]) and his travelling [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companion]] [[Rose Tyler]] ([[Billie Piper]]) investigate the lonely girl Chloe Webber (Abisola Agbaje), who has the ability to make people disappear by drawing them.

==Synopsis==

When the TARDIS lands in 2012, the Doctor plans to show Rose the [[2012 Summer Olympics|London Olympics]]. But ordinary children are vanishing, seemingly into thin air, whilst a mother living in a seemingly ordinary British household is trying to hide her daughter's unnatural powers from the world. Can the Doctor defeat the evil nestled in the heart of London?

The episode was brought in to be a low-budget replacement for a script by [[Stephen Fry]] that had been pushed back. Location work was filmed mainly in the [[Tremorfa]] area of Cardiff in January 2006, with other scenes shot in Cardiff and in the studio in [[Newport, Wales|Newport]] in January and February. Graham was asked to write an episode primarily for children which would soften the much darker finale that would be broadcast after. The episode was watched by 7.14 million viewers in the UK, and was given an [[Appreciation Index]] of 83. The episode received praise from reviewers for the acting and the housing estate setting, and was criticised for having a "formulaic" and "ordinary" plot which "plods along". Graham received letters from children who enjoyed the episode, while also later discovering that adult fans' reactions were poor.

==Plot==

<!--Plot summaries should have no more than 400 words per MOS:TVPLOT-->

{{spoiler}}

In London, on the day of the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|opening ceremony]] of the [[2012 Olympic Games]], the [[Tenth Doctor]] and [[Rose Tyler|Rose]] investigate the disappearance of three children and a spot of fresh tarmac which cars momentarily break down on. They realise that the source of the problems is a solitary 12-year-old girl named Chloe Webber. She has the unique ability to cause people to disappear by drawing them, causing Dale Hicks, Danny Edwards and Jane McKillen to go missing. The Doctor hypnotises Chloe and finds out that she is possessed by an immature Isolus, an alien that travels through space with a family of four billion siblings. Six days ago, this particular Isolus crashed its pod to Earth due to a solar flare. The Isolus relates to and befriends Chloe, who had a troubled childhood. The Isolus has also caused Chloe to draw a life-sized, exaggerated figure of her late, abusive father.

[[Image:Fearher.jpg|thumb|350px|"If living things can become drawings, then maybe drawings can become living things..."]]

(not yet broadcast)

[[File:Dr. Who Exhibition at the Kelvingrove (4005470131).jpg|thumb|Chloe's image of her father, on display at a ''Doctor Who'' exhibition]]

{{-}}

The Doctor explains that if they can find the Isolus pod and provide it power, the alien will leave Chloe. A frantic Chloe draws the [[TARDIS]] and the Doctor, trapping them both in one of her sketches and forcing Rose to try to find the pod herself. She rationalises that the pod is located on the hottest spot on the street, a patch of fresh tarmac, and digs it up with council equipment. Meanwhile, Chloe has caused the entire crowd at the Olympic stadium to disappear and now is set on making everyone in the world disappear. Rose realises that the pod is powered by both heat and emotion and throws it towards the Olympic Torch—a symbol of hope, fortitude, courage, and love—as it passes down the street. The missing children and the crowd at the Olympics reappear, and Rose realises that the drawing Chloe had made of her father will similarly come to life. Chloe and her mother, Trish, are able to calm Chloe by singing the "[[Kookaburra (song)|Kookaburra]]" song, causing the unseen monster—having fed off of Chloe's emotions and fears—to disappear.

As the torch bearer approaches the Olympic Stadium he collapses, and the Doctor promptly and suddenly appears, picks up the torch, and completes the run to light the Olympic Flame. The heat of the flame and the emotion of the crowd power the pod, allowing the Isolus to leave Chloe and return home.

==Production==

===Writing===

"Fear Her" was an overcommissioned episode, which replaced a planned but unproduced script, known as "[[List of unmade Doctor Who serials and films#Doctor Who and the Green Knight|Doctor Who and the Green Knight]]", by [[Stephen Fry]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/episodes/?episode=s2_11&action=factfile|title = BBC – Doctor Who – Fear Her – Episode Guide}}</ref> Writer [[Matthew Graham]] was told by showrunner [[Russell T Davies]] that it was going to be an inexpensive episode and had to take place on a housing estate, but Graham was nevertheless thrilled to be asked to write an episode. Graham stated in 2011 that they "set out to do right from the start" making the episode more aimed at children, rather than adults and older ''Doctor Who'' fans, as the much darker finale would be broadcast following it. Davies specifically asked Graham to write for his seven-year-old son.<ref name="Graham2011">{{cite web|first=Simon|last=Brew| url=http://www.denofgeek.com/television/891987/matthew_graham_interview_on_writing_doctor_who.html|title=Matthew Graham interview: on writing Doctor Who|publisher=Den of Geek|date=18 May 2011|access-date=12 February 2012}}</ref>

Early drafts of this episode were titled "Chloe Webber Destroys the Earth", and later, "You're a Bad Girl, Chloe Webber",<ref>{{Cite journal | last = Arnopp | first = Jason | date = 19 July 2006 | title = TV Preview: Fear Her | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]]|publisher=[[Panini Comics]]|___location=[[Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent]]| issue = 371 | pages = 25}}</ref> with one such draft having the episode take place on another planet.<ref name="insidestory">{{cite book|last=Russell|first=Gary|year=2006|title=Doctor Who: The Inside Story|___location=London|publisher=[[BBC Books]]|isbn=0-563-48649-X|page=230}}</ref>

===Casting and filming===

[[File:Glanmor's Gap, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.jpg|thumb|The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was used for the Olympic Stadium.]]

Abisola Agbaje, who portrayed Chloe, was discovered at an after-school drama club,<ref name="confidential desktop">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/confidential/index11.shtml|title=Confidential Desktop: Episode 11 – The Fright Stuff|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 February 2012}}</ref> where casting director Andy Pryor had held auditions for the part.<ref name="CBBC"/> Agbaje had to play both Chloe's normal character and her character while being possessed by the Isolus, which Agbaje felt was "weird".<ref name="CBBC">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5090000/newsid_5098400/5098406.stm|title=Q&A: Abisola Agbaje|publisher=[[Newsround]]|date=22 June 2006|access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref> When performing as the Isolus she had to whisper, and an echo was added in post-production. Agbaje found it "a bit hard to whisper" because she had a husky voice.<ref name="CBBC"/> A hand double for Agbaje drew the pictures, while the series's storyboarder Shaun Williams drew the father in the cupboard.<ref name="confidential desktop" />

==Broadcast and reception==

"Fear Her" was broadcast in the United Kingdom on [[BBC One]] on 24 June 2006. Overnight UK figures for the first broadcast of "Fear Her" was 6.6 million viewers, with a 39.7% audience share.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gallifreyone.com/news-archives.php?id=6-2006#newsitemEEVEFpElFEqRfhGYmB |title=Fear Her Overnights, Army of Ghosts Trailer |first=Shaun |last=Lyon |publisher=[[Outpost Gallifrey]] |date=25 June 2006 |access-date=7 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070323034233/http://www2.gallifreyone.com/news-archives.php?id=6-2006 |archive-date=23 March 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Final consolidated ratings rose to 7.14 million, making it the twelfth most-watched programme on the channel for the week.<ref name="barb">{{cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/weekly-top-30?|title=Top 30 Programmes|publisher=[[Broadcasters' Audience Research Board]]|access-date=27 March 2013}} Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 19–25, 2006", listed under BBC1</ref> The episode received an [[Appreciation Index]] of 83.<ref name="DWMComp">{{cite journal |date=9 November 2006 |journal=Doctor Who Magazine: Series Two Companion |issue=14 – Special Edition |title=none|publisher=[[Panini Comics]]|___location=[[Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent]]}}</ref>

=== Critical reception ===

[[IGN]]'s Ahsan Haque gave the episode a 5 out of 10 rating, calling it "flat and formulaic" and everything about it was "slightly underwhelming", though he thought what did work was the mother-daughter teamwork at the end and Agbaje being "sufficiently capable and creepy" as the possessed Chloe Webber. He also noted "annoying self-aggrandizing moments that made no sense and served only to make the episode feel unnecessarily campy", such as the audience disappearing from the stadium and the Doctor carrying the torch. Comparing the episode to "[[The Idiot's Lantern]]" in terms of plot, he felt that the latter was "far more entertaining" and that "Fear Her" lacked originality and humour.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ahsan|last=Haque|url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2006/12/18/doctor-who-fear-her-review|title=Doctor Who: "Fear Her" Review|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=18 December 2006|access-date=29 October 2018}}</ref> Dave Bradley of ''[[SFX (magazine)|SFX]]'' awarded "Fear Her" three out of five stars, describing the plot as "ordinary" but thought it was "a decent breather before grander adventures to come". He particularly praised the dialogue and thought "the claustrophobic effect of limiting the action to one household works".<ref name="2006-06-25 SFX">{{cite web|first=Dave|last=Bradley|url=http://www.sfx.co.uk/2006/06/25/doctor_who_2_11_fear_her/|title=Doctor Who 2.11 Fear Her|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006145212/http://www.sfx.co.uk/2006/06/25/doctor_who_2_11_fear_her/|archive-date=6 October 2014|work=SFX|date=25 June 2006|access-date=29 October 2018}}</ref> Arnold T Blumburg, writing for ''[[Now Playing (magazine)|Now Playing]]'', gave the episode a grade of B+. He felt that the guest cast were "only just adequate", describing Agbaje's acting as "decent but not impressive", and that the story "plods along in places", but the story worked because of the "delightful" interactions between the Doctor and Rose and the feel-good ending.<ref>{{cite web|first=Arnold T|last=Blumburg|url=http://www.nowplayingmag.com/content/view/4080/47/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060703213215/http://www.nowplayingmag.com/content/view/4080/47/|archive-date=3 July 2006|title=Doctor Who: Series 2 – "Fear Her"|work=[[Now Playing (magazine)|Now Playing]]|date=29 June 2006|access-date=27 March 2013}}</ref>

In 2011, ''SFX'' published an article stating arguments for and against the episode. The "Defence" stated that, while some minor roles were played "broadly", Sosanya and Agbaje were "extremely good", defined Rose's role as an [[Inspector Lewis]] to the Doctor's [[Inspector Morse|Morse]] as "great to see", and opined that the unusual things happening in a typical housing estate and the lack of appearance from a monster were effective. The "Prosecution", on the other hand, described it as a "cheap filler" with a "cheesy" finale and called the lack of a monster a "severe disappointment".<ref>{{cite web|first=Dave|last=Golder|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/isne28099t-it-about-time-you-gave-doctor-whoe28099s-e2809cfear-here2809d-another-chance/|title=Isn't It About Time You Gave Doctor Who's "Fear Her" Another Chance?|work=SFX|date=26 February 2011|access-date=29 October 2018}}</ref> [[Topless Robot]] named it the third worst Tenth Doctor episode.<ref>{{cite web|first=Rob|last=Bricken|url=http://www.toplessrobot.com/2009/10/the_5_best_and_5_worst_david_tennant_doctor_who_ep.php?page=2|title=The 5 Best (and 5 Worst) David Tennant Doctor Who Episodes|publisher=[[Topless Robot]]|date=5 October 2009|access-date=12 February 2012}}</ref> In a poll conducted by ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' in 2009 which asked readers to rank all 200 stories that had been released, "Fear Her" fell at 192 out of 200, making it the lowest-ranked story of the revived series.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Mighty 200! |last=Griffiths |first=Peter |pages=18–42 |magazine=[[Doctor Who Magazine]] |issue=413 |publisher=[[Panini Comics]] |date=14 October 2009 |editor-last=Spilsbury |editor-first=Tom |editor-link=Tom Spilsbury }}</ref>

Graham was happy with the episode himself and received letters from "loads of kids" who enjoyed it. When discovering that older fans had reacted negatively, he thought, "Well, it's a shame that they have, but it wasn't meant for them".<ref name="Graham2011" />

===Huw Edwards controversy===

In August 2024, the episode was removed from [[BBC iPlayer]] after guest star [[Huw Edwards]] pleaded guilty to [[Protection of Children Act 1978#The "making" offence|making indecent images of children]].<ref name="huw">{{cite news |last1=Thapa |first1=Renu |title=Huw Edwards hometown mural painted over by artist |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cye0ennkkgzo |access-date=2 August 2024 |work=BBC News |date=1 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Doctor Who episode featuring Huw Edwards pulled from BBC iPlayer|first=Emma|last=Tinson|work=[[Digital Spy]]|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a61774869/doctor-who-huw-edwards-bbc-iplayer-episode-removed/|date=2 August 2024|access-date=2 August 2024}}</ref> The episode was reinstated in February 2025, with Edwards's voice performance replaced by Becky Wright.<ref name="Radio Times Wright">{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-fear-her-huw-edwards-removed-newsupdate/|title=Doctor Who episode Fear Her returns to iPlayer – Huw Edwards cameo removed|first=Morgan|last=Cormack|publisher=[[Radio Times]]|date=2025-02-13|accessdate=2025-02-13|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213134313/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-fear-her-huw-edwards-removed-newsupdate/|archivedate=2025-02-13}}</ref>

==Notes==

{{notelist}}

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External Cast links==

{{Wikiquote|Tenth Doctor}}

*[[Doctor (Doctor Who)|The Doctor]] — [[David Tennant]]

* {{DoctorWhoTV}}

*[[Rose Tyler]] — [[Billie Piper]]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060620070823/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/doctorwho/ram/tardisode11?size=16x9&bgc=CC0000&nbram=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1 TARDISODE 11]

*Maeve — [[Edna Doré]]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060720180701/http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/fear-commentary.mp3 Episode commentary by Euros Lyn, Abisola Agbaje and Steffan Morris] (MP3)

*Trish — [[Nina Sosanya]]

*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2006/flash/homepages/index-fear.shtml "Fear Her" episode homepage]

*Dad — [[Tim Faraday]]

*{{BBCDWnew | year=2006 | id=fearher | title= Fear Her}}

*Neighbour — [[Erica Eirlan]]

*{{IMDB episode|0756446}}

*Policeman — [[Stephen Marzella]]

*Driver — [[Richard Nicholls]]

*Kel — [[Abdul Salis]]

*Chloe — [[Abisola Agbaje]]

{{Doctor Who episodes|N2}}

== Notes ==

{{Navboxes|list1=

#This is a replacement for a script by [[Stephen Fry]] and will be set on modern-day Earth, but be "different from anything we've ever seen before".

{{Tenth Doctor stories|selected=Television}}

#In the [[15 April]] edition of the ''[[Radio Times]]'', Russell T. Davies reported that "It's a bit like a ''[[The Twilight Zone|Twilight Zone]]'' tale of an ordinary family", and compared the set-up to the film ''[[Edward Scissorhands]]''.

{{Rose Tyler stories}}

#According to ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' #366, this episode will be released with ''[[Army of Ghosts]]'' and ''[[Doomsday (Doctor Who)|Doomsday]]'' as a basic [[DVD]] with no special features.

}}

#The year 2012 was the year the 2005 series episode ''[[Dalek (Doctor Who)|Dalek]]'' took place, the native time period of [[Adam Mitchell]].

#Nina Sosanya previously acted with David Tennant in the 2005 BBC production of ''[[Casanova (2005 TV serial)|Casanova]]''.

#According to issue 6 of children's magazine [[Doctor Who Adventures]], the unnatural child will have the power to make people vanish by drawing pictures of them - the children will become the pictures. The magazine also reported that something "loud and scary" would be hidden inside a cupboard. This is also seen in the [[TARDISODE]] for the same episode and the trailer for the episode shown after [[Love & Monsters]].

#David Tennant described this episode as being like "''[[The Exorcist (film)|The Exorcist]]'' meets ''[[Brookside]]''".

#The episode takes place in "Dame Kelly Holmes Close", in [[Stratford]], which will host the Games. [[Kelly Holmes]] is a British athlete who won 2 gold medals at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in [[Athens]], again tying in with the Olympic theme.

#The episode uses the "[[:Image:London-2012-logo.svg|Ribbon Thames]]" logo to represent the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]. However, this is technically incorrect, as the logo applies only to the [[London 2012 Olympic bid|Olympic bid]]; a separate logo, as yet unchosen, will be used for the Games themselves.

#The futuristic setting of the episode is emphasized by signage. For example, the [[registration plate]] number UY61LJW is seen in a clip in the trailer, representing a vehicle registered between September 2011 and March 2012, whilst the "Missing" notice refers to an "East London Constabulary" rather than the [[Metropolitan Police Service|Metropolitan Police]], tying in with the local authority for the area: East London Council, rather than one of the currently-existent [[London borough]] councils.

#The opening ceremony used in the episode is in fact that of the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]] held in [[Manchester]].

#The Olympic Torch for the [[2012 Olympic Games]] has also yet to be announced.

#The description for the [[Totally Doctor Who]] episode that would air the Thursday following this episode's premiere mentioned "Isouls" appearing in this episode. It is unknown what these may be, although they may be the name for the children transported into the drawings.

[[Category:Tenth2006 DoctorBritish episodes|Feartelevision Herepisodes]]

[[Category:2012 Summer Olympics]]

[[Category:Doctor Who stories set on Earth]]

[[Category:fiction set in 2012]]

[[Category:Olympic Games in fiction]]

[[Category:Television episodes about child abuse]]

[[Category:Television episodes about spirit possession]]

[[Category:Television episodes set in London]]

[[Category:Television episodes set in the 2010s]]

[[Category:Television episodes written by Matthew Graham]]

[[Category:Tenth Doctor episodes]]