In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery, in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England, and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to haunt him
NOTES
The Zygon homeworld was destroyed during the first part of the Last Great Time War.
While confronting a rabbit in Elizabethan England, he briefly believes to be a Zygon in disguise, the Tenth Doctor says that he is 904 years old.
When asked how old he is by the War Doctor, the Eleventh Doctor says that he doesn’t know and has lost track, settling on “Twelve hundred and something, I think, unless I’m lying.” He goes on to say that he is so old he couldn’t remember if he was lying about his age.
At this point, shortly before the end of his life, The Doctor who fought in the Time War says that he’s 400 years younger than the Eleventh Doctor when he gives his age as “Twelve hundred or something, ” making him somewhere between 800 and 900 years old.
A future incarnation of the Doctor arrives to join the other twelve in saving Gallifrey. Only a brief glimpse is shown, enough to make out that he has an older appearance, salt and pepper hair and a piercing stare with grey hair.
The story uses the original opening sequence, modified to include a BBC logo.
With the regeneration of the War Doctor into the Ninth Doctor, every incarnation of The Doctor up to the Eleventh Doctor has been depicted onscreen.
This episode marks the sixth televised multi-Doctor story, not counting the times he met a past or future version of himself in the same incarnation.
Two specially recorded scenes were shown before the special in its showing in cinemas. The first featured Dan Starkey as Commander Strax, accompanied by his Sontaran clone batch, lecturing the viewers on cinema etiquette. The second featured Matt Smith and David Tennant as the Eleventh and Tenth Doctors instructing viewers to put on their 3D glasses.
The episode’s first few seconds are in black and white, just like the first episode of The Two Doctors, the previous full length televised multi-doctor story.
Since the Zygons are shapeshifting creatures, it could be said that, apart from Aiden Cook and Paul Kasey, Jemma Redgrave, Joanna Page, Ingrid Oliver and Jonjo O’Neil are also portraying them.
A short deleted scene on the BBC Doctor Who website features the War Doctor, Tenth and Eleventh arriving at the towerof London in ankle shackles, the Eleventh says his shoes ‘bring the cool’ and that the Tenth wouldn’t understand the cool’, the War Doctor exasperated declares they havent drawn breath (stopped talking) since Richmond.
Clara is now a teacher at Coal Hill School. A sign shows that Ian Chesterton is chairman of the school’s Board of Governors. The sign for the I.M. Foreman Junkyard is still in existence next to the school. (An Unearthly Child)
A painting of the Tenth Doctor wearing Elizabethan clothing, including a large collar, is shown alongside a portrait of Elizabeth I’s. Although Elizabeth I married the Tenth Doctor, she met both the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. While investigating a time anomaly in Victorian London, there was a statue of the Eleventh Doctor in Elizabethan clothing. Eleven said he thought that Elizabeth I had made him wear the clothing, which he thought was for private portrait. (The Eternity Clock)
The Tenth Doctor, when returning to his own timeline, tells the Eleventh Doctor that he is glad his “future is in good hands.” These are the exact same words the First Doctor says to the Fifth Doctor upon the former’s departure. (The Five Doctors)
The Tenth Doctor, upon hearing of Trenzalore, says they need to take a different direction as “I don’t want to go.” His successor notes that “He always says that.”, being his last words before his regeneration. (The End of Time Part 2)
When the War Doctor enters the Tenth Doctors TARDIS he says he really ‘let it go’, the Eleventh comments that this was his grunge phase. When the Eleventh Doctor enters the Tenth Doctors TARDIS Console Room he loads his own ‘desktop’ changing the TARDIS design, The Tenth declares he doesn’t like it. Both of these reference the Second Doctor when he saw the Third Doctor’s TARDIS (The Three Doctors), and the Eleventh Doctor when visited Craig Owens in his new home. (Closing Time)
The TARDIS told The Doctor that she archived past and future versions of the console room in The Doctor’s Wife. While changing the theme the Console Room briefly features a hybrid of the Tenth Doctors Console Room and the original TARDIS roundel design, the War DoctorsTARDIS is later seen using this theme during the envelopment of Gallifrey.
immediately prior to his regeneration into the Second Doctor. (The Tenth Planet). He then hopes that “the ears will be a little less prominent this time”, the Ninth Doctor makes a reference to the size of his ears in Rose, which presumably takes places shortly after from the Doctor’s point of view.
The Tenth Doctor uses a machine similar timey-wimey detector (Blink), this one detects shapeshifters.
The Eleventh Doctor calls to Clara through a wormhole, referring to her as the “Wicked Witch of the Well.” Hila Tacorien was previously referred to by this name due to the wormhole in Caliburn House. (Hide)
Kate Stewart asks forone of her fathers files, she says it may be filed under the 70s or the 80s”depending on the dating protocol”, a clear reference to the UNIT dating controversy.
Clara had not previously visited the Black Vault however she was surprised to find she had previously been vetted and granted high-level access. Photos of her and Kate Stewart are pinned to a board showing all of the Doctor’s companions, however this is the first time they have met from Clara’s point of view.
Kate asks Osgood to tell “Malcolm” to change the batteries in the robotic ravens outside the Towerof London, and later calls Malcolm to request some of her father’s files.
This could be a reference to Malcolm Taylor, a UNIT scientist the Tenth Doctor met during his time on San Helios with the Swarm. (Planet of the Dead)
The access code for the vortex manipulator is 1716231163, this is a reference to the time (17:16) and date (23/11/63) of An Unearthly Child.
The Time Lords in the War Room mention that the High Council are holding an emergency session, and that they have plans of their own. This session is presumably the one
An eccentric, Doctor-like character who went by the name “The Curator” appeared in the story Summer Falls, which was marketed as being written by Amelia Williams.
Christopher Eccleston decided against returning for the regeneration, just as Colin Baker previously did for Time and the Rani..
