Doctor Who with a 5-Year-Old: 1.01 Rose

A few months ago I watched The Rings of Akhaten with my five-year-old son, and I blogged about it here. It was fun watching him hiding his face one minute, and asking a million questions non-stop. At that point I decided I'd start watching the entire series with him. And then we got sidetracked by The Sarah Jane Adventures. Well... until an insanely terrifying evil clown popped up near the beginning of season 2, and it scared the bejesus out of him. So we're taking a break from that for a while as I apologized to him that no one had told me the clown from It was going to be in this supposed children's show.

Side note here... when there was a lot of speculation in advance of the announcement of the Twelfth Doctor, he heard my husband and I discussing whether or not the Doctor should finally be a woman, to which my son replied, "But there HAS been a woman Doctor... Sarah Jane!!" ;)

Today we watched "Rose." The first episode of the Ninth Doctor, and the beginning of what we call the New Series (despite the fact it's not exactly new anymore).

Him: Who's that?
Me: That's Rose, she's going to be the Doctor's new companion. Spoilers!
Him: What's a spoiler?
Me: Never mind.
Him: Why is she getting back on the elevator? Is this going to be scary? [pulls blanket up to chin]
Me: I don't know!
Him: I thought you told me you'd seen this before!
Me: I don't want to give away anything, though.
Him: This is going to be scary, isn't it?? [pulls blanket higher]

Me: Nah, it's actually kinda funny.
Him: AH!! The plastic people are alive!!!
Me: OH NO!! AAH!
Him: AH!
Me: Oh! Who just grabbed Rose's hand?!
Him: It's the DOCTOR!!!!
Me: Yay!
Him: Whoa, his sonic screwdriver is blue?! That's AWESOME. [pause] Why are all the people so worried about Rose?
Me: She works at the building that was just bombed, and they were worried she was still in the building.
Him: But she's RIGHT THERE, why are they worried?
Me: I guess it would be like if I heard something had happened down at your school, I'd race down to your school and you and your sister would be just fine, but I'd still be worried and upset because of what I'd thought.
Him: Oh. Ha! The Doctor's back! And... ooh, ah!! The hand's got him! Hahaha, look it's got him, Mommy, and Rose doesn't even notice! AH, now it's got HER!!! Wait... how did he turn it off with the sonic screwdriver?
Me: That sonic screwdriver is pretty magical.
Him: Yeah, it is... what is she typing?
Me: She's on the internet trying to figure out who the Doctor is.
Him: But doesn't she already know? He's famous! I know who he is.
Me: Not in her world, he isn't.
Him: Does he live in our world?
Me: Sadly, no. But we can imagine that he does.
Him: Who's that guy?
Me: She's going to his house because he had a website that said he wanted to talk to anyone who had seen the Doctor. See those pictures? Those are from history. That was a president in the United States and see that car he's in? He was shot and killed that day.
Him: That didn't actually happen in our world, right?
Me: Yeah, it did, unfortunately. But it was a long time ago, when your grandparents were really young.
Him: OH! That garbage pail is going to eat that guy. I just know it.
Me: I don't know...
Him: But I thought you already SAW this episode!! See?! It just ate him!! Don't worry, the Doctor will save him, right? Right, Mommy?
Me: Hm...

Him: Mommy, RIGHT?! The Doctor always saves him. I don't believe you right now... the Doctor will save everyone. Wait... he looks weird, like a doll!
Me: UH OH, it looks like Mickey is made of plastic now!! You know what I can never figure out with this episode??
Him: Why can't Rose tell that he's not real?
Me: THAT. That is what I can never figure out... how come she doesn't realize that's not Mickey?
Him: That's silly... I don't like him, Mommy. He's looking at her in a weird way in the restaurant. I don't want to watch him now.
Me: Look, someone's trying to give them champagne!
Him: I don't think I want to watch, Mommy! [Blanket is being pulled up]
Me: Who's holding the champagne??!!
Him: AH, it's the Doctor! I TOLD YOU he would save them!!!
Me: They're heading for the TARDIS! It's always fun to see a companion walk into the TARDIS for the first time.
Him: He just told her he was an alien! Hahaha... he's not an alien!
Me: He is an alien, actually. The Doctor is from another planet, remember? He has two hearts.
Him: But... he's a good alien, right? Not a bad one. He's not like THE SLITHEEN! [So far, my son's favourite alien, from season 1 of Sarah Jane.]
Me: He's a good alien, yes. And actually, the Slitheen are coming up in an episode this season!
Him: What's that goopy thing??
Me: That's the Nestene Consciousness. It's controlling all the plastic in the world and can bring it to life or not.
Him: I'm scared. They're going to throw the Doctor in there. They won't hurt him, will they? What do you mean, come to life?
Me: Like... if the Nestene Consciousness turned all plastic on right now, those Lego men on the coffee table would come to life and come after us.
Him: They're tiny. I could totally beat them if they did.
Me: True, but... UH OH! Rose's mom is going into the mall!!
Him: The plastic people are coming to life again!
Me: Wait til you see what they have in their hands!
Him: What is that? It's just a hole!
Me: It's a gun, actually, but they're being careful not to make it too scary for you. Look, Rose is swinging on the chain, she's going to save them all!!
Him: Yay, I knew the Doctor would win. The Nis-thing Connellness is going away.
Me: He's asking Rose if she wants to go with him. If the Doctor asked you if you wanted to join him on his adventures, would you go with him?
Him: Hm. I don't know. Would you be able to come with me?
Me: Oh, I don't know. I guess you'd have to ask the Doctor that.
Him: If he would let me bring you with me, then yes, I'd go with the Doctor.
Me: Me too.