Monday 9 March 2015

DW 02-11: Fear Her

A Guide to Classic Who references (and other references) in New Who episodes.


Doctor Who series 2, episode 11 (Story 20).  Rose & the Doctor visit London in 2012.

May contain spoilers for:

"Fear Her"


Viewing Order

  • 01-01  "Rose(Suggested viewing - introduction of characters.)
  • Children in Need - "Born Againor Christmas Special 2005 - "The Christmas Invasion" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character.)

References

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

For context, the following are also featured:
[1ST] -  The first appearance of things in Doctor Who series.
[NEW] - Things that first appeared previously in the new series.

  • [NEW]  2012 AD - Rose and the Ninth Doctor previously visited this year in "Dalek."

  • [NEW]  Dale Hicks - This character's disappearance was mentioned in the Tardisode.

  • [NEW]  Jane McKillen - This character's disappearance was mentioned in the Tardisode.

  • [OLD]  Cat Person - The Doctor is specifically referring to events that Rose is familiar with from "New Earth."  He has had other issues with Cats, and especially Cat People:  the Fourth Doctor met the time-sensitive lion-people called the Tharil (in "Warrior's Gate") and the Seventh Doctor met the teleporting cheetah-people who are called (for reasons yet unclear) the Cheetah People (in "Survival").

  • [1ST]  Isolus - First appearance of this race.

  • [NEW]   I know what it's like to travel a long way on your own - Another reference to the Doctor being lonely.

  • [OLD]  I was a dad once - Little is known about the Doctor's family from televised episodes, however, his first companion was his granddaughter Susan, suggesting a child to parent the grandchild.  The First Doctor left Susan on Earth in the 22nd Century ("Invasion of the Daleks"), but she later appeared on Gallifrey ("The Five Doctors.")  There's no televised final fate of Susan, or any other member of the Doctor's family, however in the new series he tells of destroying Gallifrey during the Last Great Time War and being the last of the Time Lords, suggestion he believes his family dead.

The 10 Rules to Doctor Who.

(Read the rules here.)

10.  The TARDIS is for arriving at the location of the story at the beginning of the episode and leaving at the end.  This is because Time Travel is the excuse for the story, not that the story is about.  Unless the episode is written by Steve Moffat, then it's definitely about Time Travel.
Some fun and games with the TARDIS, but it's just for travel.  [1]

9.  No one can cross their own Time Stream, except when they do.
No one tries. [NA]

8.  There's no situation that can't be briefly defused by a non sequitur.
As usual.  [1]

7.  The Doctor is both the most serious and most frivolous person in the room - any room - at the same time.  And he does that without becoming insane.  Mostly.

As usual.  [1]

6.  The last episode of every series must contain the Master or at least one Dalek.  Every time.  However briefly.
Not a series final.  [NA]

5.  The main companion will be a young contemporary British female.  Although, to be
fair, almost everyone in the Universe is British and most things happen in contemporary London.
Rose is a young female contemporary companion.  (Near Future London setting.)  [1] 

4.  The more emotionless a species, cyborg or robot the more likely they are to be destroyed by emotions.  This is true of the Daleks.  It is particularly true of the Cybermen.
Actually emotion (love & loneliness) is the problem.  [0]

3.  Even if the episode title contains the words "Dalek(s)" or "Cyberman/men" the presence of the Daleks and or Cybermen will at the beginning be treated as a mystery and their revelation a surprise.
Generic title.  [1]

2.  The nature of the threat will be revealed to the audience before the Doctor.  The truth behind the threat will be unknowable by the audience until it is explained by the Doctor.
Very much so.  From the beginning it was clear to the viewer that Chloe Webber was stealing children with her drawings, but the Doctor brought up the Isolus stuff from nowhere. [1]

1.  The most dangerous creature in any situation is the last of its kind.  This sometimes also applies to aliens other than The Doctor.
The creature is dangerous because it is lonely, although others exist somewhere.  The most dangerous creature was a lonely child.  [.5]

Score:  6.5/8.

~ DUG.



2 comments:

  1. I wonder how classic Doctor Who would stack up to these rules?

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    Replies
    1. Probably pretty well. I'd probably replace "Steven Moffat" with "Douglas Adams" in #10, though.

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