DW 08-04: Listen

A Guide to Classic Who references in New Who episodes.

The fourth episode of series 8.  The Doctor looks for something with the ability to hide perfectly. 

Warning: May contain Spoilers for

"Listen"

Viewing Order

• 7-06 "The Bells of Saint John" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character.)
• 8-01 - "Breath Deep" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character.)
• 8-02 - "Into the Dalek" (Suggested viewing - introduction of character.)

References

[OLD] - Things that first appeared in the classic series (or the film.)  Episode List.
[NEW] - Things mentioned previously in the current series.

• [OLD]  Meeting oneself - Multiple versions of the same people have appeared together before, especially multiple version (different regenerations) of the Doctor in "The Three Doctors" (Third Doctor story featuring the Second Doctor and appearances by the First), "The Five Doctors" (Fifth Doctor story featuring the First, Second and Third Doctors and an appearance by the Fourth), the "Two Doctors" (Sixth Doctor story featuring the Second Doctor), the mini-episode "Time Crash" (Tenth Doctor story featuring the Fifth Doctor) and "The Day of the Doctor" (Eleventh Doctor story featuring the War Doctor and the Tenth Doctor).   The Eleventh Doctor and Amy met themselves in "The Big Bang" but it wasn't a problem and all of time and space was already collapsing in upon itself.  A significant appearance by two versions of a companion was the Brigadier in the Fifth Doctor story "Mawdryn Undead", where there is an energy discharge and memory loss associated with meeting yourself (which is called the Blinovitch Limitation Effect which the Doctor wanted to avoid) and two Roses (one a baby) in the the Ninth Doctor story "Father's Day" in which Reapers feed on the energy discharge.

• [OLD]  Dad Skills - The First Doctor originally travelled with his granddaughter Susan, imply he had children.  Some episodes in the new series he has mentioned being a father (or having been one.)  It's probably mind control, as shown by this and other Doctors previously (see "Deep Breath.")

• [OLD]  Laws of Time - The Time Lords specifically mention breaking the First Law by allowing the Second and Third Doctors to meet in "The Three Doctors."  Later references suggest that interfering in history is breaking the first law.

• [NEW]  The Space Suit - Orson Pink wears a spacesuit similar to the Sanctuary Base one the Doctor wore in "The Impossible Planet" and has worn again a few times since.  Clara saw the Eleventh Doctor in this (or a similiar) suit (sans the SB6 logo) in "Hide."  Orson's suit appears to have the logo in the news footage the Doctor shows Clara.

• [OLD]  22nd Century Time Travel - In the Fourth Doctor story "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" it was said that time travel was still in the experimental stage in the 51st century.  Then again, this experiment was less than successful.

• [OLD]  The Last Planet - In the Tenth Doctor episode "Utopia" Malcassairo and Utopia were among the last habitable planets left in the year 100,000,000,000,000.  Many episodes from the classic series, such as the Fifth Doctor story "Frontios" feature handfuls of humanity surviving in the far future, probably before "Utopia."  This means that this episode may feature the chronologically latest events in the show.

• [OLD]  "Sontarans perverting the course of human history" - Said by the Fourth Doctor during his post-regeneration confusion in "Robot," referring to the events of the Third Doctor story "Time Warrior."

• [OLD]  The Time Lord Academy - In "The Sound of Drums" it is said that young Gallifreyans are initiated into the Academy at the age of eight by being made to look into the Untempered Schism (in the Tenth Doctor story "The Sound of Drums" there was a flashback to the Master's initiation into the Academy.)  References to the Doctor's schooling appear throughout the classic series.  Because it features a young First Doctor before his time at the Academy it may feature the earliest events in his personal history in the show.

• [NEW]  The War Doctor - shows a clip from "The Day of the Doctor" and refers to this barn as the barn from that episode.

The 10 Rules to Doctor Who.

10.  TARDIS:  The TARDIS is used to travel on a number of trips, timeline crossing and paradoxes.  Of course, Moffat wrote it.  [1]

9.  Meeting Yourself:  Seems like someone will - no one does.  [.5]

8.  Non-sequiturs:   Yes, a little.  [1]

7.  Serious/Frivolous:  It's the episode's MacGuffin.  [1]

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

5.  Companion:  Clara, contemporary British female.  (Wide-ranging story).  [1]

4.  Emotionless:  No actual threat. [X]

3.  Title Spoilers:  Generic sounding name. [0]

2.  The Threat:  No actual threat. [X]

1.  Last of It's Kind:  The Doctor is the last of his kind, obviously.  Orson is technically the last of his kind but not at all dangerous. [.5]

Score:  5/7.

~ 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.