A beloved sci-fi series named as an unlikely gateway towards horror fandom

We’re in the middle of a long-lasting horror renaissance, with the spine-chilling genre continuing to dominate the box office as studios hunt for the next incredibly profitable smash-hit franchise. But there are still some squeamish viewers who don’t want to be scared out of their skin for fun, so what if there was a gateway drug to ease them into it?

Enter Doctor Who. The BBC show has spent sixty years terrifying viewers and has a deserved reputation for making its viewers hide behind the sofa as they watch. Since the 2005 revival, showrunners Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffat, and Chris Chibnall haven’t been shy about introducing some genuinely eerie monsters and storylines, with the undisputed highlight the Weeping Angels (don’t blink!).

Now, horror fans have taken a look at the show and are wondering if it’s the ideal starting point for a lifetime of scares:

The Weeping Angels are an all-time great horror concept:

Back then, even the goofy rubber monsters were scary and while the Daleks are a pop culture icon now, they’re still extremely unnerving:

Other than monsters, Doctor Who has always had a nice line in existential terror too:

But for some it’s still much more of a “goofy” show:

Doctor Who will return with a bang this year to celebrate its 60th anniversary. David Tennant and Catherine Tate are returning to the TARDIS for three specials that’ll air in November, with that storyline also debuting Ncuti Gatwa’s hugely anticipated Fifteenth Doctor. After a rough few years, we’re hoping Doctor Who will once again be must-watch television and the dream team of Russell T Davies, Tennant and Tate should deliver in style.