Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that Doctor Who often seems lighthearted, but underneath the Doctor's always-cool exterior and his jovial approach to circumstances are some decent moral messages. Selfishness, evil, and the urge to dominate others are always frowned upon, while honesty, loyalty, and integrity often tip the balance in the protagonists' favor. Expect a lot of sci-fi action with fighting, perilous predicaments, and some death, though the main character always manages to escape his own demise through a twist of fate or regeneration. You'll see some kissing and alcohol use, none of which has a big role in content that's appealing to a wide range of ages.

Sexual Content

Some kissing between adults, but physical contact stops there.

Violence

The Doctor uses his wits, not his fists, to battle his foes, though he often employs some really cool space-age tools. Many episodes feature creepy creatures and scary scenarios, such as giant crab-like monsters who snatch and digest cars out of the fast lane on a futuristic freeway. Chase scenes often end in injuries or death, though the time-warp element always casts suspicion on whether those deaths will hold as time progresses.

Language

Rarely "hell."

Social Behavior

As the last of his kind, the Doctor is a true individualist, dedicated to defeating evil. Honesty, loyalty, and integrity always win out in the end. He's often painted as the only character who understands the true nature of the episode's villain, which means he typically must subvert the well-intentioned but misguided plans of authority figures, who usually come to realize that his plan is the best plan. He keeps secrets, but for good reason, as they help keep safe the people he cares about.

Consumerism

The show is part of a long-running franchise that has multiple seasons' worth of DVDs and plenty of memorabilia.

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Occasionally adults consume what's implied to be mixed drinks, but as they're often on other planets with unfamiliar beverage ingredients, they bear little resemblance to what we know as alcohol.