Monday 8 December 2014

DW 02-01: New Earth

A Guide to Classic Who references in New Who episodes.

Warning: May contain Spoilers for

"New Earth"

Doctor Who (2005) series 2, episode 1 (Story 12).  Rose leave Mickey and goes further with the Doctor that she ever has before.


Viewing Order

  • 01-01  "Rose(Suggested viewing - introduction of characters.)
  • 01-02 "The End of the World(Suggested viewing - story connections.)
  • Children in Need - "Born Againor Christmas Special 2005 - "The Christmas Invasion" (Suggested viewing - reintroduction of character.)
  • Tardisode 1 - "New Earth" (Not recommended - teaser trailer.)

References

[1ST] -  The first appearance of things in Doctor Who series. [NEW] - Things that first appeared previously in the new series.
[OLD] - Things that first appeared in the classic series (or the film.)  Episode List.
  • [NEW]  Bad Wolf - The "Bad Wolf" from "The Parting of the Ways" appears to have mostly faded in the scene in which Rose says goodbye to Jackie and Mickey.
  • [1ST] 5,000,000,023 AD - First appearance of this year.  The Doctor later references events of "The End of the World" which was set in 5,000,000,000 AD (although that year seems less like a rough date now than it did then.
  • [1ST] Galaxy M87 - There is an actually galaxy referred to as M87: Messier 87, named after Charles Messier who discovered it in 1781.  It is also known as Virgo A or NGC 4486.  This is the first time the Doctor has mentioned this galaxy.
  • [1ST] New Earth - First appearance of this planet.  (Unless you count the Tardisode.)  In "The Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (Third Doctor) Sarah Jane Smith was told she was being taken to New Earth, but this was a lie and there was no such planet.
  • [1ST]  Apple Grass - First appearance of this plant.
  • [OLD]  Force-Grown Clone - Cloning is, of course, a staple of science fiction.  It has also appeared before in Doctor Who with races such as the Sontarans being grown in clone batches.  Clones of humanoids were used as slave labour by the Daleks in "Resurrection of the Daleks" (Fifth Doctor).  Clones which would only survive 11 minutes of the Fourth Doctor, Leela and Supervisor Lowe were shrunk and sent into the Doctor's body in "The Invisible Enemy."  Like in the Dalek example clones in science fiction are often seen as second rate beings with no rights and owned by their makers.  Thus using them as slaves or for experimentation is sometimes seen as morally justified.  In this episode this is true of Cassandra's attitude to Chip and the Sister's attitude to their victims.  Force-Grown could imply that the clone was desired to be a certain age and so was aged quickly through childhood.  Chip himself is referred to as being involved in the events of "The End of the World" although he wasn't seen or referenced.
  • [NEW]  The Lady Cassandra O'Brien.Δ17, the Last "Pure" Human - previously appeared in "The End of the World."  She claims that her parents were the last humans buried in Earth's soil.  Humans have been previously shown to have fled Earth in "The Ark" (the First Doctor) and "The Ark in Space" (the Fourth Doctor,) and returned.  (Sub-)species that have evolved from man have previously been shown including the Haemovores, vampire like creatures, mutated by pollution who appeared in the Seventh Doctor story "The Curse of Fenric" (although this timeline may have cancelled itself out).
  • [NEW]  Psychic Paper - Although the psychic paper itself first appeared in "The End of the World" this is the first time we've seen it used for psychic communication.
  • [1ST]  Cat-people - First appearance of this race (unless you count the Tardisode) however, 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]  Sisters of Plentitude - First appearance of this order (unless you count the Tardisode).  They all appear to be cat-people.  Both Sister Jatt and Novice Hame envoke the name "Goddess Santori," so she may be who they worship.
  • [1ST]  Petrifold Regression - First appearance of this disorder which results in people getting stoned.
  • [NEW]  The Face of Boe - Last of the Boekind.  The Doctor's second meeting with the Face of Boe (the first, as the Doctor states, was in "The End of the World.")  He was also announced as being pregnant in "The Long Game" and was a question Rose was actually able to answer on The Weakest Link in "Bad Wolf." 
  • [1ST]  The Lonely God - First appearance of this epithetIn "Boom Town" Blon refers to Time Lord technology as the technology of the gods.  The Ninth Doctor in returned points out he'd make a bad god.
  • [1ST]  Psychograph - First appearance of this device, although mind swapping has appeared previously.  Probably not related to the actual phrenology device from 1905 said to read aptitudes.
  • [1ST]  Marconi's Disease - First appearance of this disorder which you'd guess made you red and floaty, but since the Doctor's suggested he's recovered, probably means this patient is just naturally red and floaty.
  • [1ST] A Cell-washing Cascade -  Since the Doctor's never seen anything like it's safe to say the viewer hasn't either.
  • [1ST] Pallidome Pancrosis -  First appearance of this disorder which even with the Sisters of Plentitude's cell-washing cascade you'd want to get in the hospital or just outside the doors.
  • [1ST]  Clone Meat & Bio-Cattle - First appearance of these terms.
  • [OLD]  "I know a little about medicine myself" - because he's a doctor.  And maybe even a medical doctor.  (See THE DOCTOR'S Title)

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.
Mostly just transport, but it is used for a ontological paradox at the end.  The episode isn't written by Steven Moffat. [.5]
9.  No one can cross their own Time Stream, except when they do.
Cassandra does, but in another body.  [.5]
8.  There's no situation that can't be briefly defused by a non-sequitur.
Yes, yes he does.  [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.
Yup.  [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.  [X]
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.
Young contemporary British female companion (Set in the future and finally on another planet.)  [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.
The cat-nuns seem to think that their victims should be emotioless. They aren't.  [.5] 
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.
Spoils the fact that they visit New Earth.  [.5]
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.
Cassandra and the audience knew stuff before the Doctor, but he, as always works it out.  [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 Doctor, the Face of Boe and, if you go by Cassandra's definition, Cassandra, are the last of their kind.  Cassandra and the Doctor are dangerous, the Face of Boe doesn't seem to be.  The New Humans are dangerous for a while and they're the first of their kind.  [1]
Score:  7/9.
~ 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.

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