DW 08-06: The Caretaker

A Guide to Classic Who references in New Who episodes.

The sixth episode of series 8.  Clara's too lives meet at last.

Warning: May contain Spoilers for

"The Caretaker"

Viewing Order

• 7-06 "The Bells of Saint John" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character, plot connection)
• 8-01 - "Deep Breath" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character.)
• 8-02 - "Into the Dalek" (Suggested viewing - introduction of character.)
• 8-04 - "Listen" (Story reference.)

References

[1ST] - First appearance in Doctor Who.
[NEW] - Stuff seen previously in the New Series.

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

• [1ST]  Vibro Cutters - First mention of this device.  Would have been the first appearance but Clara left them in her other jacket.
• [1ST]  Sand Piranhas - First mention of these presumably friendly creatures.

• [OLD]  Fish People - Presumably the fish people who appeared in the Second Doctor story "The Underwater Menace." They had been operated on in order to survive underwater and to help the Altanteans farm plankton making them people who were, it seems, also fish.

• [OLD]  John Smith - An alias often used by the Doctor.  The first time on screen was by companion Jamie McCrimmon who told people it was the concussed Doctor's name, in the Second Doctor story "The Wheel in Space" and most notably the name he used when exiled on Earth as a scientific advisor to UNIT as the Third Doctor.

• [OLD]  Coal Hill Secondary School - Appeared in the first episode of Doctor Who ("An Unearthly Child") in which one of the students (Susan) is described as unearthly by a science teacher (Ian Chesterton) and history teacher (Barbara Wright).  By the end of the episode all 3 are travelling with the Doctor and become his first companions.  Soon after (in "Remembrance of the Daleks," an episode filmed 25 years later) the Seventh Doctor returns to the school with the original series's final companion, Ace, to reclaim the Hand of Omega and fight Daleks.  In "The Day of the Doctor" an episode filmed 25 years later (but partially set the full 50 years later) Clara is first shown working at this school and has been ever since.

• [NEW]  Courtney - First appeared in "Deep Breath," as the student Clara was having problems with in the flashback.  She was also a topic of dinner conversation between Oswald and Pink in "Listen."

• [OLD]  The Caretaker - The Doctor was happy to call himself this in "The Doctor, The Widow, and the Wardrobe."  Here he prefers to be called "the Doctor."  The Seventh Doctor was also asked if he was applying for the job of Coal Hill caretaker in "Remembrance of the Daleks."

• [NEW]  River - Of course, a reference to River Song.

• [OLD]  Policeman & Junkyard - First image of the series was a policeman walking past a junkyard - 76 Totter's Lane - where the TARDIS was housed.  Later in this episode the Doctor says "Home Sweet Home" when entering the yard.
• [1ST]  Jane Austen - First mention on screen.  He has, of course, met other writers and loves dropping names.

• [OLD]  Math teaching ex-soldier - In the Fifth Doctor story "Mawdryn Undead" the Doctor had difficulty accepting that the Brigadier had retired from UNIT and become a maths teacher.

• [NEW]  Orson Pink - A reference to the events of "Listen."  Call me crazy, but I do think he looks a little like Danny Pink.

• [OLD]  Teacher - Could a reference to the First Doctor's companion, Barbara Wright.
• [1ST]  Skovox Blitzer - First appearance of this alien killing machine.

• [OLD]  Artron Emissions - Artron energy residue is linked to characters who have traveled through the time vortex.  In the Fifth Doctor story "Four to Doomsday" the Doctor mentions it having something to do with the functioning of the TARDIS.

• [OLD]  Enough around here - As. mentioned above, has appeared in televised 2 stories in the classic series and more now Clara lives here.  That's a lot of Artron Energy floating about.
• [1ST]  Invisiblity Watch/Light Shield - First appearance of this device, however it may relate to the Holographic Filter (to create fake clothes) in "The Day of the Doctor" or Hologram Shell from "Time Heist."

• [OLD]  Chronodyne Generators - First appearance of these devices, however, in the Fourth Doctor story "The Armageddon Factor" the Doctor used some Chronodyne to temporarily complete the Key to Time of which he only had 5 of the 6 parts.

• [NEW]  Frost Fair - In "A Good Man Goes to War" when Rory asked for River Song to join them at Demon's Run, River is returning from a frost fair with the Doctor and Stevie Wonder.  The frost fairs were held on the frozen river Thames during the "Little Ice Age" in the 17th to 19th century.
• [NEW]  Olveron Cluster - First mention of this location.

• [NEW]  Promised Land - Another reference to this arc term..
• [1ST] Nethersphere - A new name for the Promised Land.

The 10 Rules to Doctor Who.

10.  TARDIS:  The TARDIS is used for basic transport, but Moffat only co-wrote it.  [.5]

9.  Meeting Yourself:  No one tries.  [X]

8.  Non-sequiturs:   A few.  [1]

7.  Serious/Frivolous:  Certainly.  [1]

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

5.  Companion:  Clara, contemporary British female, pseudo-companions Danny and Courtney.  (Contemporary British story).  [1]

4.  Emotionless:  Robot, so obviously emotionless, but it doesn't come up. [.5]

3.  Title Spoilers:  The title isn't a real spoiler.  A mild one for the job the Doctor assumes.  An even bigger one for the job Danny Pink takes up. [.5]

2.  The Threat:  The Doctor knows about the threat prior to us seeing him.  [1]

1.  Last of It's Kind:  No last of it's kinds but the Doctor.  [.5]

Score:  6/8.

~ 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.