DW 12-01: Spyfall, part 1

A guide to classic Who references in new Who.

Doctor Who Series 12, episode 1 in which the Doctor becomes a spy.

May contain spoilers for 

"Spyfall, part 1"

References

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

The following are also covered:

[1ST] - The first appearance of this thing.

[NEW] - Things that first appeared in the new series.
[OTH] - Things that first appeared in other material.

Ongoing References...

The TARDIS

• [OLD] The Doctor's time and space travel vehicle.  It stands for Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space.  Like a lot of the Doctor's race's technology, it is "bigger on the inside."  The Doctor stole her second-hand TARDIS when fleeing her homeworld.  It is an older model ("Type 40") and unreliable, often ending up in the wrong location, and being unable to blend into its environment (a feature TARDISes should have). Usually things are able to get into without permission.

The Doctor

• [OLD] The main character of Doctor Who, classic series and new. This is the Thirteen Doctor. The previous Doctors were all male.

Sonic Screwdriver

• [OLD] The Doctor's favourite tool: the sonic screwdriver. First shown to be used by the Second Doctor in "Fury of the Deep" (Doctor Who (1963) season 5), it has been used almost constantly since. She built her current version in "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" (Doctor Who (2015) series 11). It can usually read everything.

UNIT

• [OLD] First appeared in the classic series, and has regularly appeared in the new series, as well as appearing in Torchwood and the Sarah Jane Adventures. Revealed to have been disbanded in "Resolution" (Doctor Who (2005) New Year's Eve Special 2019).

TORCHWOOD

• [NEW]  An organisation created by Queen Victoria after the events of "Tooth and Claw" (Doctor Who (2005) series 2).  Torchwood-1 (London) was destroyed by the events of "Doomsday" (Doctor Who series 2), Torchwood-2 (Glasgow) was stated to have disappeared in "Everything Changes" (Torchwood series 1), and Torchwood-3 (Cardiff), was destroyed in "Children of Earth, Day One" (Torchwood series 3). An American version of Torchwood formed in Torchwood series 4.

THE MASTER

• [OLD]  An enemy snd childhood friend of the Doctor, first introducted in the classic series. Like The Doctor and other Time Lords the Master can regenerate. She was last seen died, murdered by a past version of himself for deciding to stand with the Doctor in "The Doctor Falls" (Doctor Who (2005) series 10). Because both the Doctor and the Master use time travel these Master has previously met the Doctor prior to those events, however it is unclear when this occurs in the Master's timeline.

TISSUE COMPRESSION ELIMINATOR

• [OLD]  On-again off-again weapon of choice of the Master, which kills people by compressing thier tissue (and thus shrinking them.

~ DUG.

[Doctor Who (2005) episodes]
[Torchwood episodes][Sarah Jane Adventures episodes][Class episodes][Comic Book Stepping On Points|The Film Rules|Internet Truth Debunked|The Completist|Truly Fiction|Name the Film|What Should Tomorrow Be][Doctor Who (1963) information]

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.