DW 08-01: Deep Breath

A Guide to Classic Who references in New Who episodes.

The first episode of series 8.  Clara & the Doctor learn to cope with his new regeneration.

Warning: May contain Spoilers for

"Deep Breath"

Viewing Order

• 2-04  "The Girl in the Fireplace" (Required viewing - Plot connection.)
• 6-07  "A Good Man Goes to War"/"Demon's Run: Two Days Later" (Suggested viewing - introduction of characters.)
• 7-06 "The Bells of Saint John" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character, plot connection.)
• '08 Christmas Special - "The Time of the Doctor" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character.)

References

[1ST] - The first appearance of things in Doctor Who series.

[NEW] - Stuff seen previously in the New Series.

[OLD] - Things that first appeared in the classic series (or the film.)  Episode List.
[INJ] - An injoke or a fan theory.
[REF] - A reference outside of Doctor Who.

• [OLD]  A Dinosaur in London - The Third Doctor story "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" featured dinosaurs in London and was set in the 70s or 80s, it's hard to be sure.

• [OLD]  A Dinosaur in the Thames - In the Fourth Doctor story "Terror of the Zygons" a dinosaur-like Zygon creature a cyborg Skarasen (aka the Loch Ness Monster) was in the Thames, it was also set in the 70s or 80s, it's still hard to be sure.
• [NEW]  The Paternoster Gang - Madam Vastra (Silurian), Jenny Fint (human) and Commander Strax (Sontaran).  All three members first appeared in "A Good Man Goes to War" and were first given this name and all shown in this context in "The Great Detective."  Strax's survival is explained in "Demon's Run: Two Days Later."

• [OLD]  Silurians - Madam Vastra is a member of the Silurian race, a humanoid race who lived at the time of the Dinosaurs (as Vastra notes).  They appeared in two episodes of the classic series and have appeared in the new series since Series 5.  Of course, as with giant dinosaurs there is no fossil record of Silurians or their advanced technology.

• [OLD]  Sontaran - A militaristic alien race.  They appeared in four episodes of the classic series and have appeared in the new series since Series 4.

• [1ST]  Jenny's Sonic Gauntlets - First appearance, winner of a competition run by the TV show Blue Peter.
• [OLD] Bad Regeneration - Regenerations haven't always been happy.  As the Seventh Doctor stated about his regeneration:  "You don't understand regeneration, Mel. It's a lottery, and I've drawn the short plank."  This is also the source of the lottery reference the Doctor makes.
• [NEW]  The Twelfth Doctor - This is the first full episode of the Twelfth Doctor (Post-Thirteenth Incarnation Doctor, First Doctor of a New Regeneration Cycle, Thirteenth "body.")
• [NEW]  Handles - was a Cyberman head and companion to the Doctor in the previous episode ("The Time of the Doctor.")
• [NEW]  Speaks Dinosaur - A continuation of the Eleventh Doctor's ability to speak non-traditional languages such as Cat ("The Lodger"), Baby ("A Good Man Goes to War" & "Closing Time") and Horse ("A Town Called Mercy").
• [OLD]  Sleeping - Whether the Doctor is telling the truth, lying or confused by the regeneration, this talks about the Doctor not sleeping - possibly reference to fan theory that the TV21 comics series occurred when Barbara, Ian and Susan were asleep.  This theory was possibly previously referenced The Night & the Doctor mini-episodes most of which includes adventures of the Doctor while Rory & Amy are (meant to be) asleep.
• [OLD]  Telepathy - The Doctor has often displayed limited telepathy, especially telepathic conferences between versions of himself ("The Three Doctors," "The Five Doctors" & "The Two Doctors") and by touch with others ("The Girl in the Fireplace," "Planet of the Ood," "Journey's End" & "The Lodger")
• [NEW]  Speaks Horse - as noted above, previously occurred in "A Town Called Mercy." 

• [1ST]  Vastra's Sonic Hat Pin -  First appearance, winner of a competition run by the TV show Blue Peter.  It can remote lock and unlock carriages.
• [INJ]  The Paternoster Irregulars - continuing the Sherlock Holmes comparison to the Gang, they have their own version of the Baker Street Irregulars.
• [INJ]  The Conk-Singleton Forgery Case - continuing the Sherlock Holmes comparison to the Gang, the Holmes asked Watson to get out the papers on the Conk-Singleton Forgery Case in "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons."
• [INJ]  The Camberwell Child Poisoner - Watson did mention a Camberwell poisoning case, but that was solved by the winding of the victim's watch, so it may not be related.

• [1ST]  Strax's Sonic Lorgnette - First appearance, winner of a competition run by the TV show Blue Peter.  It's a medical device in keeping with his background as a nurse.

• [OLD]  Scarf - A reference to the Fourth Doctor's scarf.

• [OLD]  Recognise the face - The actor playing new Doctor, Peter Capaldi, previously appeared as Caecilius in "Fires of Pompeii."  In the original series, Colin Baker (who later played the Sixth Doctor) played Commander Maxill in the Fifth Doctor story "Arc of the Infinity."  In the Fourth Doctor story "Destiny of the Daleks" the Doctor's companion Romana deliberately regenerates and choose to look like Princess Astra, a character from the previous story "The Armageddon Factor."  The Doctor's regenerations have never seemed to be that controlled.  The Second Doctor coincidentally looked like the politician Salamander in "Enemy of the World" (both were played by Patrick Troughton).  Peter Capaldi also appeared as Frobisher in the Torchwood story "Children of Earth."
• [NEW]  Attack eyebrows - The Twelfth Doctor's attack eyebrows first appeared in "The Day of the Doctor."

• [OLD] Scottish - Capaldi is using his natural Scottish accent.  Previously the Seventh Doctor, played by Sylvester McCoy, had used his slight Scottish accent.  The actor who played the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant, conversely, didn't use his (except in "Tooth & Claw.")
• [NEW]  The Doctor's Favourite Watch - In previous scenes the Twelfth Doctor is seen wearing the Eleventh Doctor's wristwatch, and is no longer wearing it.
• [NEW]  Amy - Obviously a reference to the Doctor's previous companion who first appeared in "The Eleventh Hour."
• [NEW]  Droids harvesting spare parts - As the episode later makes clear the threat in this episode is related to the threat in "The Girl in the Fireplace."
• [1ST]  The Promised Land - First reference to this place.

• [OLD]  Vegetarian - After the events of the Sixth Doctor story, "The Two Doctors," the Sixth Doctor decided to become a vegetarian.  This, obviously, is no longer the case.

• [OLD]  The Round Things - Until the Doctor Who movie the console room set was dominated by Roundels.  In a couple of episodes the Fifth Doctor had one open and was working on circuitry behind it.  The Tenth and Eleventh Doctor previously discussed them in "The Day of the Doctor."
• [NEW]  The woman in the shop - A reference to the "The Bells of St John."
• [NEW]  The Eleventh Doctor - As the flashback shows, this moment is set between the Doctor's regeneration energy destroying the Daleks and Clara entering the TARDIS in "The Time of the Doctor."
• [1ST]  Missy - Seems to be the first appearance of this character.

The 10 Rules to Doctor Who.

10.  TARDIS:  The TARDIS is used to travel on a number of trips.  It also accidentally transports a Dinosaur to to Victorian London.  There's time travel implied by the threat, but it isn't gone into.  Episode by Steve Moffat but isn't about Time Travel.  [0]

9.  Meeting Yourself:  No one tries, but the Doctor is around when Clara gets a phone call from him.  [.5]

8.  Non-sequiturs:   Yes.  [1]

7.  Serious/Frivolous:  His post-regeneration confusion makes him act in both a dangerous and confused manner.  [1]

6.  Series Final:  This is not a series final.  [X]

5.  Companion:  Clara, contemporary British female and the Paternostra Gang aren't.  (Victorian-era, London story).  [.5]

4.  Emotionless:  The threat is an emotionless droid, but the Doctor speaks to the human in the cyborg. [1]

3.  Title Spoilers:  No real spoilers. [1]

2.  The Threat:  The viewer sees the threat before the Doctor, but the Doctor gets most of the information at the same time.  He's actually pretty slow and forgetful because of the regeneration. [.5]

1.  Last of It's Kind:  The Doctor is the last of his kind, obviously.  Madam Vastra (to a degree) and the dinosaur.  The threat could could be, too.  All are pretty dangerous [1]

Score:  6.5/9.

~ DUG.

The Time Crash blog was created to help New Who fans understand Classic Who references - and to know if something isn't a reference but a new idea.  If there's a reference I missed or a subject that you feel needs more explaining, please comment.