Sunday 11 June 2017

DW 10-09: Empress of Mars

A Guide to Classic Who references in new Who.



Doctor Who series 10 episode 9 in which Bill and the Doctor visit Mars.


Warning: May contain spoilers for

"Empress of Mars"


Viewing Order

  • DW 10-06 "Extremis" (Suggested viewing - Missy's status explained.)

References

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

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


Ongoing References...

  • [OLD]  The Doctor - The central character of both series of Doctor Who.  This is the Twelfth Doctor, the thirteenth face he's had.  Because it comes up a couple once in this episode: he's an alien (from the planet Gallifrey).

  • [NEW]  Nardole - River Song's assistant in the  "The Husbands of River Song(Doctor Who (2005) 2015 Christmas Special).  In that episode is head was removed and used by the robot body of the Hydroflax.  In his second appearance, ("The Return of  Doctor Mysterio" (Doctor Who (2005) 2016 Christmas Special)) Nardole noted:  "You cut me out of Hydroflax because you were worried you'd be lonely".  "The Pilot(Doctor Who (2005) Series 10) suggests he now has some robot parts, although in "The Pyramid at the End of the World" (Doctor Who (2005) Series 10) that he is close enough to human, but not close enough to admit to being one.



  • [OLD]  The TARDIS - The Doctor's time and space travel vehicle.  TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space.  Like a lot of Time Lord technology, it is "bigger on the inside."  The Doctor stole his Tardis when fleeing Gallifrey.  It is an older model ("Type 40") and unreliable, often ending up in the wrong location and the chameleon circuit - designed to make the Tardis appear inconspicuous in any surroundings it appears has failed so it always appears as a police telephone box from 1960s England, which, to be fair was inconspicuous when the show was first made in 1960s England.

  • [NEW]  The Vault - The Quantum Fold Chamber has appeared or been mentioned ever since "The Pilot" (Doctor Who (2005) Series 10), apart from the previous episode.  It was named for the first time in "Extremis" (Doctor Who (2005) series 10) and its contents confirmed to be...

  • [OLD] Missy - The named used by the current body of the Master, the Doctor's childhood friend and mortal enemy.   After yet another attempt was made to execute her, she was consigned to the Quantum Fold Chamber (shown in flashback in Extremis) and is claiming to now be trying to be good.  She has appeared (usually as a male character) in old Who [Foes: The Master] and new.

  • [OLD]  Sonic Screwdriver - A sonic device first used by the Second Doctor, and used in various forms until early in the life of the Fifth Doctor.  The Seventh had one near the end of his life and one was used by successive Doctors.  

This episode...

  • [OLD]  Mars - A planet near Earth.  It has been shown to be the home to the Ice Warriors [See Foes: The Ice Warriors], as well as a waterborne virus known as The Flood (the Tenth Doctor story "The Waters of Mars" (Doctor Who (2005) 2009 Special).   A race called the Osirans built pyramids there and on Earth to use as receivers (the Fourth Doctor story "The Pyramids of Mars" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 13).


  • [OLD]  Mars missions - In the 70s or 80s Mars Probe 7 was sent to Mars, and when that mission failed, Recovery 7 was sent to find out what happened (The Third Doctor story "The Ambassadors of Death" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 7)).  In 2006 a mission to Mars was intercepted by the Sycorax ("The Christmas Invasion" (Doctor Who (2005) Christmas Special 2005)).  Sarah Jane Smith sabotaged a Mars rover (possibly the actual rover, Spirit) in "The Vault of Secrets Part 1" (The Sarah Jane Adventures Series 4) and implied she may have interfered with other Mars missions.  Eventually there is manned mission to Mars, which established Bowie Base One, it did not end well ("The Waters of Mars" (Doctor Who (2005) 2009 Special)).

  • [OLD]  The Ice Warriors - A warrior race from Mars.  They appeared in a number of old Who episodes [Foes:  Ice Warriors] and a few new Who episodes.  He really does know their people of old.

  • Honorary Guardian of the Tythonian Hive - The Tythonian was a giant blob race in "The Creature of the Pit" (Doctor Who (1963) season 17).



  • [OLD]  Queen Victoria The Third Doctor claimed to have been present at her coronation ("The Curse of Peladon" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 9)).  The Fourth Doctor claimed that she had traveled with him in  "The Pyramids of Mars" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 13).  An assassination on Queen Victoria attempt was stopped by the Seventh Doctor in "Ghost Light" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 26).  She appeared in "Tooth & Claw" (Doctor Who (2005) Series 2), where she knighted and banished the Doctor.


  • [1ST]  Ice Queen - First appearance of a Martian empress.

  • [OLD] Alpha Centauran - A hermaphroditic race from Alpha Centauri, and members of the Galactic Federation in ("The Curse of Peladon" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 9) and "The Monster of Peladon" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 11), an organisation that included the Ice Warriors.  The Fourth Doctor claimed to be an honorary member of the Alpha Centauri Table Tennis Club ("Robot" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 12).


Previous: "Lie of the Land" (3)


~ 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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