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Listen (Doctor Who)

245 – "Listen"
Doctor Who episode
Listen Doctor Who.jpg
Promotional image for the episode
Cast
Others
Production
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon
Written by Steven Moffat
Script editor David P Davis
Produced by Peter Bennett
Executive producer(s) Steven Moffat
Brian Minchin
Incidental music composer Murray Gold
Series Series 8
Length 45 minutes
Originally broadcast 13 September 2014 (2014-09-13)
Chronology
← Preceded by Followed by →
"Robot of Sherwood" "Time Heist"
List of Doctor Who serials

"Listen" is the fourth episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One on 13 September 2014. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon.

In the episode, alien time traveller the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) attempts to track down a creature with the perfected ability to hide, while his companion Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) struggles with her relationship with her boyfriend Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson).

"Listen" was originally watched by 4.81 million viewers in the UK and received critical acclaim for its script, direction and performances.

The Doctor, alone in the TARDIS, talks aloud to himself, pondering whether it is possible that an entity exists with the perfect ability to hide. He muses that the entity would never be seen, and questions what this entity would do should it exist. Meanwhile, Clara Oswald meets with fellow Coal Hill teacher Danny Pink for their first date at a restaurant. They mutually offend each other due to a lack of understanding regarding Danny's army career, and she decides to leave to avoid further confrontation.

Clara returns home to find the Doctor waiting for her. The Doctor would like Clara's help to investigate why every living being in the universe, including himself, seems to have a dream about a hand reaching out from under their bed for them. He asks her to use the TARDIS' telepathic link to take the time machine back to her youth, but her errant thoughts on the failed date with Danny lead them to landing near a children's home in Gloucester in the 1990s. They find one of the children there is young Danny, at that time going by the name Rupert. Rupert is frightened by something he believes is under his bed. They witness a figure under the bed that scampers out of the room when they look away. Though the Doctor suspects it is a fellow child teasing Rupert, he tells Rupert that he should use his fear to enable himself, allowing the adrenaline to overcome his obstacles and fears. Clara further suggests Rupert should place his toy soldiers around his bed for protection, unintentionally giving Rupert the idea of changing his name to Danny and joining the army when he identifies the lead soldier as "Dan the Soldier Man". With Rupert drifting off to sleep in his bed, the Doctor wipes his memory of the night's encounter, leaving him with nothing but the illusion of a dream inspiring him to become "Dan the Soldier Man".


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