S4 Over-Analysis Time!
After the Christmas special aired, complete with references to both Rose (veiled ones, anyway) and S2 (through props!), tinuviel428 and I decided that it would be really cool if the "arc word" for season four was actually not a word, but rather references to Rose and/or S1/S2.
So, since I am an incredible geek with a predilection for research and compiling data (history major, woo!), I have been keeping track. My "formal" reaction posts to my own journal have taken list format, and though I won't subject you to the lists of what I loved and didn't love, I thought it might be productive to post what I had so far on the S1/S2/Rose references front and see if anyone would be able to add anything or provide new interpretations of the data.
Obviously, there will be all sorts of spoilers for episodes of S4 which have been aired in the UK, and probably also spoilers for the latter half of the season in the ensuing discussion.
4.01 - Partners In Crime
Season One References
- the cat flap [1.01 - Rose]
- the Shadow Proclamation [1.01 - Rose]
- the noises the nursery ship made were similar to Slitheen-related noises [1.04/1.05 - Aliens of London/World War III]
- a companion giving the Doctor her luggage, although Donna starts with far more than Rose did [1.05 - World War II]
- possible Bad Wolf (illustrations of wolves rather than the actual words, though) sightings in graffiti; these are being debated in various Doctor Who comms on LJ [S1 arc word]
Season Two References
- "I've met cat people..." [2.01 - New Earth]
- the Shadow Proclamation [2.00 - The Christmas Invasion, 2.11 - Fear Her]
- the excerpt from "Doomsday" [2.13 - Doomsday]
- saying that Rose is "lost" [2.13 - Doomsday]
Rose References
- "What about Rose?" / "Still lost."
- This one is a bit of a reach, but when Penny asks Ms Foster "What happened?", Ms Foster replies "I think the Doctor happened." In Utopia, after saying the last thing he remembers was "death by extermination" and then waking up, Jack asks "What happened?" And the Doctor replies "Rose." So Rose "happened" and the Doctor "happened." Like I said, a bit of a reach but the dialogue did nonetheless make me think of a scene which referenced Rose.
Other Things Which Might Be Important
- ATMOS: the sticker in the window of the taxi. Apparently in the commentary for the episode released online, we are told that something about the taxi is important. I am skeptical of ATMOS' importance for the entirety of the season because I believe that it's going to play a part in the episodes with the Sontarans. But still. Shall be keeping an eye out for that, particularly if it continues to pop up post-Sontarans. [NB: Obviously it *did* turn out to be related to the Sontarans, but it does still bear keeping an eye on in case it does pop up after 4.05]
- Red bin bags: I saw someone point this out on doctorwho, and though I think it's probably the longest shot of anything I'm discussing here, the first "Vote Saxon" poster probably looked pretty innocuous as well. Red is not a common color for bin bags, and many if not all of the bin bags we see on the streets of London in this episode were red.
- Disappearing bees: during the course of her monologue describing her efforts to find the Doctor, she mentions that bees are disappearing (incidentally, this is actually real-world trufax, apparently). Of all the things she mentions in her rambling (including UFOs, crop circles, and the Titanic replica flying over Buckingham Palace), the disappearing bees are the only one the Doctor chooses to reiterate/question. There are some theories that global warming will play a role in the final three episodes; it is possible that RTD & Co could use the real-world disappearing bee phenomenon as part of the window-dressing for their plot. The other way this could tie in also connects to Torchwood, where we recently had an episode addressing how the Rift pulls people/things both ways - they can appear in this universe, but also disappear from it. Which brings me to my final Thing to Watch:
- The Adiposean "lost" breeding planet: sure, Ms Foster brushed if off by saying she doesn't pay attention to politics. But again, since we know something of how the Rift behaves and we've seen that although it is unlikely, it is still possible for things to fall through the Void between the two universes (ours and Pete's World; the TARDIS did it twice, once in each direction, in 2.05/2.06)... it's something to keep in mind. Especially considering that Rose seems to have bled through from one to the other without even carrying or wearing a device large enough to be obvious. Some theories (which I find plausible and intriguing) have to do with the possibility that the universes are colliding, which could cause both Rose's ability to hop (apparently temporarily) from one to the other and the disappearance of anything from loads of bees to an entire planet.
The Fires of Pompeii
Season One References
- Donna uses the Ninth Doctor's catchphrase, saying that (what she thinks is ancient Rome) is "fantastic!"
- DOCTOR: We're in Pompeii. And it's Volcano Day! [1.10 - The Doctor Dances]
- The exchange between the Doctor and Donna in the escape pod in which they choose to blow up the volcano with the force of a number of nuclear bombs is very similar in tone/theme to the exchange between Rose and the Doctor in World War III when he says he could "save the world but lose [Rose]" and she tells him to "do it" and they blow up Downing Street with a nuclear bomb. [1.05 - World War III]
- The inverse reference to The Doctor Dances with "everyone dies" replacing "everybody lives" [1.10 - The Doctor Dances]
- the mention of a rift in time [1.03 - The Unquiet Dead & 1.11 - Boomtown]
- Donna's scene with Evelina is very reminiscent of Rose's scene with Gwyneth [1.03 - The Unquiet Dead]
- Lucius' stone arm being ripped off by the Doctor references the living-plastic arm of one of the Autons getting ripped off by the Doctor in Rose [1.01 - Rose]
- The Doctor's explanation about how he sees things/time references Rose's description of having the Vortex in her head and the Doctor's exclamation "That's how I see things! All the time!" [1.13 - The Parting of the Ways]
- The Doctor stands in a bright white light, holds his hand out to someone, and says "Come with me." (The family versus Lynda-with-a-y) Thanks to seek_shangrila for pointing this one out! [1.12 - Bad Wolf]
Season Two References
- The Doctor says Donna is from Barcelona. Obviously this is a reference to the 2005 Children in Need special and Ten's suggestion that he and Rose visit Barcelona, the planet not the city. *nods* No, really. It is.
- "That's the burden of the Time Lords" here speaking about how he sees the universe versus "That's the curse of the Time Lords" in 2.03 speaking about how Rose will one day die, breaking the Doctor's heart. Or something to that effect. [2.03 - School Reunion]
- David breaks out the EYEPOKE gesture he did most memorably in Tooth & Claw in response to one of Rose's attempts to get the queen to say she wasn't amused while Donna is doing something similar while speaking to the Roman family whose last name I can't remember, lol. [2.02 - Tooth & Claw]
Rose References
- "Doctor. She is returning." OH YES SHE IS. *DANCES* Of course, if the Doctor spends time thinking of this at all on screen, he will probably convince himself that the soothsayer was talking about Martha when Martha shows up in a bit.
Things That Might Be Important
- "Daughter of London. There is something on your back." This is somehow even more ominous than the Beast in The Satan Pit telling Rose she would soon die in battle, thanks to its sheer vagueness. WHAT is on her back? And what does that MEAN?
- The Doctor insisting he can't go back and save Gallifrey. There has been some speculation that RTD may have broken out the REALLY hardcore crack and decided to bring back Gallifrey. This would have to be done INCREDIBLY well for me to be okay with it from an emotional perspective. Yes, it would be great to see Gallifrey now that the effects and set budgets are actually reasonable. But so much of the focus of the Doctor in the new series has been angsting about Gallifrey, and I feel like that would be shortchanged somehow if RTD retconned his own canon that way. *sigh*
- The Medusa Cascade: one of the soothsayers said the Doctor's name was hidden in the stars of the Medusa Cascade. The Medusa Cascade was mentioned by the Master in 3.13 (Last of the Time Lords), when he says that the Doctor sealed the rift at the Medusa Cascade (thanks to the BBC FactFile and my googlefu for allowing me to search out that little gem). Methinks it could have something to do with the disappearing planets. Which brings me to...
Repeated Important Things
- Disappearing/Displaced/Lost planets: through Lucius the pyro-whatevers describe their planet as "lost" and "gone" and say that "it was taken," which is an interesting addition to the simple "lost" that the Adiposean breeding planet got. All this focus on "lost" planets with the conscious and pointed inclusion of Gallifrey (even Donna mentions it without naming it when she's trying to convince the Doctor to go back and save someone) is what has me thinking that some of the "return of Gallifrey" theories might have credence. However, it could all just be chalked up to the universes colliding and planets from our universe bleeding over into Pete's World.
- The Shadow Proclamation pops up again. Considering that prior to now we only heard of it a few times, to hear about it twice in a row seems important. And with next week's episode being about the Ood and their status as a slave race, it seems likely that a governing body/important set of rules such as the Shadow Proclamation will come up in conversation at some point.
4.03 - The Planet of the Ood
Season One References
We were a little light on these this week, but considering that episodes 4.01 and 4.02 were pretty heavy on them, it's not surprising.
- A glowy red pit has a telepathic alien entity at the bottom (Nestene Consciousness v. Ood Brain) [1.01 - Rose]
- I am pretty sure an Auton got knocked into the Nestene Consciousness just like the infiltrator from the Friends of the Ood got knocked into the Ood Brain [1.01 - Rose]
- A human becomes something not human because of alien intervention [1.09/1.10 - The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances]
Season Two References
For obvious reasons, there are a number of these, lol.
- From 2.08/2.09 - The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit
--- "It was the devil."
--- Donna's "don't the Ood get a say in this" and her subsequent attempts to discuss it with the Ood are very much like Rose and her reaction the Ood in S2 (aside from the amusing wildebeest line)
--- "I was busy! So busy I couldn't save them."
--- The voice that says "Warehouse Fifteen: Door Open" is the same voice that does all the announcements in the flatpack sanctuary base.
--- Lots of Ood saying a creepy phrase in unison ("The beast and his army shall rise from the pit. / And you will worship him." v. "The circle must be broken.")
--- Visual reference: the shot of the Doctor and Donna looking down at the Ood brain was a nearly direct citation of Rose and the Doctor looking down at the Ood in Ood Holding.
- The Doctor using his telepathy on someone (Reinette v. Donna) [2.04 - The Girl in the Fireplace]
Rose References
- DOOMSDAY MUSIC *SNIFFLES*
- Donna's behavoir being similar.
Things That Might Be Important
- The stuff about the Doctor's song ending/every song must come to an end and the Doomsday music playing in the background. My friend Sara thinks it might mean that Rose is coming back evil, but I refuse to believe that RTD would do that to me OR that Billie and David would be as excited about Rose's return as they have shown themselves to be if she were coming back evil. Also, given certain things that I have seen from filming pictures and whatnot, I think there are other ways the Doomsday music and songs ending would tie together in the finale.
Repeated Important Things
- DISAPPEARING BEES. There was no "lost planet" or mention of the Shadow Proclamation, but there was definetely a pointed reference to the disappearing bees, with the Doctor reinforcing the oddness of the situation.
4.04 - The Sontaran Strategem
Season One References
- The observation deck looking out over Earth from the Sontaran ship visually resembles the observation decks from S1, particularly the one Lynda-with-a-y looks out of in the finale [1.02/1.13 - The End of the World/The Parting of the Ways]
- UNIT music [1.05 - World War III]
- Possible Bad Wolf appearance, again in the form of grafitti: it is spray painted on the wall next to where the TARDIS materialises at the beginning of the episode ( screencaps; thanks to ophelia_winters for the link). Thanks shellysmk for pointing this one out! [S1 arc word]
Season Two References
- UNIT headquarters being in the Tower of London [2.00 - The Christmas Invasion]
- Current/former companions meeting, the Doctor referring obliquely to Sarah Jane and Rose fighting [2.03 - School Reunion]
- UNIT music [2.00 - The Christmas Invasion]
- The Doctor names the Sontarans and then says that's reason enough to keep him alive (so they can find out how he knows); Rose does the same with the Daleks in Doomsday. Thanks to captainjen for pointing this one out! [2.13 - Doomsday]
Rose References
- No explicit references, though the Doctor's request for Martha and Donna not to fight is an oblique reference to Rose and Sarah Jane's initial hostility with one another when they met. Since neither Martha nor Donna are currently in love with the Doctor, they bypassed the bickering and went straight to the point-and-laugh stage (which Rose and Sarah also experienced after getting over the bickering), much to the Doctor's distress.
Things That Might Be Important
- The Time War was mentioned explicitly. This isn't something that happens very often, particularly not when the Doctor isn't present. So the fact that it was brought up without the Doctor even being there (even if it was by a Sontaran who, by his very nature, would immediately think of the Time War when faced with the Doctor, but still) makes it a more remarkable mention than it might be otherwise.
Repeated Important Things
- Obviously there was the return of ATMOS, which did turn out to be related to the Sontarans. Whether it also plays into the overall endgame of the season remains to be seen. Out of the first three seasons of the new series, the first two-part episode was only directly linked to the finale in season two, when the Cybermen first gave the Doctor and Rose trouble before returning in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday to, you know, ruin everything. So there's a 33% chance that something in The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky will come back in 4.11-4.13, I guess? Heh.
- The Medusa Cascade was mentioned again, which, to review: it was first mentioned by the Master in 3.13, when he said that the Doctor sealed a rift there. It was then mentioned again by one of the soothsayers in 4.02, when it was said that the Doctor's name is hidden in the stars there. Here the Doctor mentions wanting to take Donna there.
References to S1/S2/Rose were at an all-time low in this episode, but considering that it was stocked up on Classic references and S3 references, it's not that much of a surprise. Besides, there were still some, and even Bad Wolf/Torchwood/Saxon, which clearly were arc words didn't pop up with the same frequency as S1/S2/Rose references have this season. So I think that so far, a third of the way through the season, the theory that they are the "arc word" for this year stands. This season has exponentially more references to prior seasons than any of the prior seasons, even accounting for the fact that there are obviously more prior seasons to reference. If I didn't know that Tennant was doing the 2009 specials, I would be seriously worried that they were gearing up for a regeneration, but since we know that he's doing those... well, I'm not worried yet. Still, I think 4.11-4.13 are going to be very interesting, lol.
List of S1/S2 Episodes Referenced (In Order of Frequency)
1.01 - Rose [ 5 ]
1.05 - World War III [ 4 ]
2.00 - The Christmas Invasion [ 4 ]
2.09 - The Satan Pit [ 4 ]
1.10 - The Doctor Dances [ 3 ]
2.13 - Doomsday [ 3 ]
1.03 - The Unquiet Dead [ 2 ]
2.03 - School Reunion [ 2 ]
2.08 - The Impossible Planet [ 2 ]
1.02 - The End of the World [ 1 ]
1.04 - Aliens of London [ 1 ]
1.09 - The Empty Child [ 1 ]
1.11 - Boomtown [ 1 ]
1.12 - Bad Wolf [ 1 ]
1.13 - The Parting of the Ways [ 1 ]
2.01 - New Earth [ 1 ]
2.02 - Tooth & Claw [ 1 ]
2.04 - The Girl In the Fireplace [ 1 ]
2.11 - Fear Her [ 1 ]
I think it's interesting that of all the episodes referenced, the one referenced the most is the one called Rose. Also, the next two most-referenced episodes ("World War III" and "The Christmas Invasion") both have to do with an invasion of Earth by aliens, for whatever that might be worth.
Maybe I'm looking too deeply at all of this, but if nothing else, it's been enjoyable for me to compile all the information (because that's just the kind of geek I am, lol). I hope y'all get something out of this, too! Feel free to suggest additional references or even dispute some of the more tenuous ones I've listed, lol. And of course, discuss what all this might mean for the end of the season :D If y'all want, I can continue to post my lists to the community after each episode :)
So, since I am an incredible geek with a predilection for research and compiling data (history major, woo!), I have been keeping track. My "formal" reaction posts to my own journal have taken list format, and though I won't subject you to the lists of what I loved and didn't love, I thought it might be productive to post what I had so far on the S1/S2/Rose references front and see if anyone would be able to add anything or provide new interpretations of the data.
Obviously, there will be all sorts of spoilers for episodes of S4 which have been aired in the UK, and probably also spoilers for the latter half of the season in the ensuing discussion.
4.01 - Partners In Crime
Season One References
- the cat flap [1.01 - Rose]
- the Shadow Proclamation [1.01 - Rose]
- the noises the nursery ship made were similar to Slitheen-related noises [1.04/1.05 - Aliens of London/World War III]
- a companion giving the Doctor her luggage, although Donna starts with far more than Rose did [1.05 - World War II]
- possible Bad Wolf (illustrations of wolves rather than the actual words, though) sightings in graffiti; these are being debated in various Doctor Who comms on LJ [S1 arc word]
Season Two References
- "I've met cat people..." [2.01 - New Earth]
- the Shadow Proclamation [2.00 - The Christmas Invasion, 2.11 - Fear Her]
- the excerpt from "Doomsday" [2.13 - Doomsday]
- saying that Rose is "lost" [2.13 - Doomsday]
Rose References
- "What about Rose?" / "Still lost."
- This one is a bit of a reach, but when Penny asks Ms Foster "What happened?", Ms Foster replies "I think the Doctor happened." In Utopia, after saying the last thing he remembers was "death by extermination" and then waking up, Jack asks "What happened?" And the Doctor replies "Rose." So Rose "happened" and the Doctor "happened." Like I said, a bit of a reach but the dialogue did nonetheless make me think of a scene which referenced Rose.
Other Things Which Might Be Important
- ATMOS: the sticker in the window of the taxi. Apparently in the commentary for the episode released online, we are told that something about the taxi is important. I am skeptical of ATMOS' importance for the entirety of the season because I believe that it's going to play a part in the episodes with the Sontarans. But still. Shall be keeping an eye out for that, particularly if it continues to pop up post-Sontarans. [NB: Obviously it *did* turn out to be related to the Sontarans, but it does still bear keeping an eye on in case it does pop up after 4.05]
- Red bin bags: I saw someone point this out on doctorwho, and though I think it's probably the longest shot of anything I'm discussing here, the first "Vote Saxon" poster probably looked pretty innocuous as well. Red is not a common color for bin bags, and many if not all of the bin bags we see on the streets of London in this episode were red.
- Disappearing bees: during the course of her monologue describing her efforts to find the Doctor, she mentions that bees are disappearing (incidentally, this is actually real-world trufax, apparently). Of all the things she mentions in her rambling (including UFOs, crop circles, and the Titanic replica flying over Buckingham Palace), the disappearing bees are the only one the Doctor chooses to reiterate/question. There are some theories that global warming will play a role in the final three episodes; it is possible that RTD & Co could use the real-world disappearing bee phenomenon as part of the window-dressing for their plot. The other way this could tie in also connects to Torchwood, where we recently had an episode addressing how the Rift pulls people/things both ways - they can appear in this universe, but also disappear from it. Which brings me to my final Thing to Watch:
- The Adiposean "lost" breeding planet: sure, Ms Foster brushed if off by saying she doesn't pay attention to politics. But again, since we know something of how the Rift behaves and we've seen that although it is unlikely, it is still possible for things to fall through the Void between the two universes (ours and Pete's World; the TARDIS did it twice, once in each direction, in 2.05/2.06)... it's something to keep in mind. Especially considering that Rose seems to have bled through from one to the other without even carrying or wearing a device large enough to be obvious. Some theories (which I find plausible and intriguing) have to do with the possibility that the universes are colliding, which could cause both Rose's ability to hop (apparently temporarily) from one to the other and the disappearance of anything from loads of bees to an entire planet.
The Fires of Pompeii
Season One References
- Donna uses the Ninth Doctor's catchphrase, saying that (what she thinks is ancient Rome) is "fantastic!"
- DOCTOR: We're in Pompeii. And it's Volcano Day! [1.10 - The Doctor Dances]
- The exchange between the Doctor and Donna in the escape pod in which they choose to blow up the volcano with the force of a number of nuclear bombs is very similar in tone/theme to the exchange between Rose and the Doctor in World War III when he says he could "save the world but lose [Rose]" and she tells him to "do it" and they blow up Downing Street with a nuclear bomb. [1.05 - World War III]
- The inverse reference to The Doctor Dances with "everyone dies" replacing "everybody lives" [1.10 - The Doctor Dances]
- the mention of a rift in time [1.03 - The Unquiet Dead & 1.11 - Boomtown]
- Donna's scene with Evelina is very reminiscent of Rose's scene with Gwyneth [1.03 - The Unquiet Dead]
- Lucius' stone arm being ripped off by the Doctor references the living-plastic arm of one of the Autons getting ripped off by the Doctor in Rose [1.01 - Rose]
- The Doctor's explanation about how he sees things/time references Rose's description of having the Vortex in her head and the Doctor's exclamation "That's how I see things! All the time!" [1.13 - The Parting of the Ways]
- The Doctor stands in a bright white light, holds his hand out to someone, and says "Come with me." (The family versus Lynda-with-a-y) Thanks to seek_shangrila for pointing this one out! [1.12 - Bad Wolf]
Season Two References
- The Doctor says Donna is from Barcelona. Obviously this is a reference to the 2005 Children in Need special and Ten's suggestion that he and Rose visit Barcelona, the planet not the city. *nods* No, really. It is.
- "That's the burden of the Time Lords" here speaking about how he sees the universe versus "That's the curse of the Time Lords" in 2.03 speaking about how Rose will one day die, breaking the Doctor's heart. Or something to that effect. [2.03 - School Reunion]
- David breaks out the EYEPOKE gesture he did most memorably in Tooth & Claw in response to one of Rose's attempts to get the queen to say she wasn't amused while Donna is doing something similar while speaking to the Roman family whose last name I can't remember, lol. [2.02 - Tooth & Claw]
Rose References
- "Doctor. She is returning." OH YES SHE IS. *DANCES* Of course, if the Doctor spends time thinking of this at all on screen, he will probably convince himself that the soothsayer was talking about Martha when Martha shows up in a bit.
Things That Might Be Important
- "Daughter of London. There is something on your back." This is somehow even more ominous than the Beast in The Satan Pit telling Rose she would soon die in battle, thanks to its sheer vagueness. WHAT is on her back? And what does that MEAN?
- The Doctor insisting he can't go back and save Gallifrey. There has been some speculation that RTD may have broken out the REALLY hardcore crack and decided to bring back Gallifrey. This would have to be done INCREDIBLY well for me to be okay with it from an emotional perspective. Yes, it would be great to see Gallifrey now that the effects and set budgets are actually reasonable. But so much of the focus of the Doctor in the new series has been angsting about Gallifrey, and I feel like that would be shortchanged somehow if RTD retconned his own canon that way. *sigh*
- The Medusa Cascade: one of the soothsayers said the Doctor's name was hidden in the stars of the Medusa Cascade. The Medusa Cascade was mentioned by the Master in 3.13 (Last of the Time Lords), when he says that the Doctor sealed the rift at the Medusa Cascade (thanks to the BBC FactFile and my googlefu for allowing me to search out that little gem). Methinks it could have something to do with the disappearing planets. Which brings me to...
Repeated Important Things
- Disappearing/Displaced/Lost planets: through Lucius the pyro-whatevers describe their planet as "lost" and "gone" and say that "it was taken," which is an interesting addition to the simple "lost" that the Adiposean breeding planet got. All this focus on "lost" planets with the conscious and pointed inclusion of Gallifrey (even Donna mentions it without naming it when she's trying to convince the Doctor to go back and save someone) is what has me thinking that some of the "return of Gallifrey" theories might have credence. However, it could all just be chalked up to the universes colliding and planets from our universe bleeding over into Pete's World.
- The Shadow Proclamation pops up again. Considering that prior to now we only heard of it a few times, to hear about it twice in a row seems important. And with next week's episode being about the Ood and their status as a slave race, it seems likely that a governing body/important set of rules such as the Shadow Proclamation will come up in conversation at some point.
4.03 - The Planet of the Ood
Season One References
We were a little light on these this week, but considering that episodes 4.01 and 4.02 were pretty heavy on them, it's not surprising.
- A glowy red pit has a telepathic alien entity at the bottom (Nestene Consciousness v. Ood Brain) [1.01 - Rose]
- I am pretty sure an Auton got knocked into the Nestene Consciousness just like the infiltrator from the Friends of the Ood got knocked into the Ood Brain [1.01 - Rose]
- A human becomes something not human because of alien intervention [1.09/1.10 - The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances]
Season Two References
For obvious reasons, there are a number of these, lol.
- From 2.08/2.09 - The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit
--- "It was the devil."
--- Donna's "don't the Ood get a say in this" and her subsequent attempts to discuss it with the Ood are very much like Rose and her reaction the Ood in S2 (aside from the amusing wildebeest line)
--- "I was busy! So busy I couldn't save them."
--- The voice that says "Warehouse Fifteen: Door Open" is the same voice that does all the announcements in the flatpack sanctuary base.
--- Lots of Ood saying a creepy phrase in unison ("The beast and his army shall rise from the pit. / And you will worship him." v. "The circle must be broken.")
--- Visual reference: the shot of the Doctor and Donna looking down at the Ood brain was a nearly direct citation of Rose and the Doctor looking down at the Ood in Ood Holding.
- The Doctor using his telepathy on someone (Reinette v. Donna) [2.04 - The Girl in the Fireplace]
Rose References
- DOOMSDAY MUSIC *SNIFFLES*
- Donna's behavoir being similar.
Things That Might Be Important
- The stuff about the Doctor's song ending/every song must come to an end and the Doomsday music playing in the background. My friend Sara thinks it might mean that Rose is coming back evil, but I refuse to believe that RTD would do that to me OR that Billie and David would be as excited about Rose's return as they have shown themselves to be if she were coming back evil. Also, given certain things that I have seen from filming pictures and whatnot, I think there are other ways the Doomsday music and songs ending would tie together in the finale.
Repeated Important Things
- DISAPPEARING BEES. There was no "lost planet" or mention of the Shadow Proclamation, but there was definetely a pointed reference to the disappearing bees, with the Doctor reinforcing the oddness of the situation.
4.04 - The Sontaran Strategem
Season One References
- The observation deck looking out over Earth from the Sontaran ship visually resembles the observation decks from S1, particularly the one Lynda-with-a-y looks out of in the finale [1.02/1.13 - The End of the World/The Parting of the Ways]
- UNIT music [1.05 - World War III]
- Possible Bad Wolf appearance, again in the form of grafitti: it is spray painted on the wall next to where the TARDIS materialises at the beginning of the episode ( screencaps; thanks to ophelia_winters for the link). Thanks shellysmk for pointing this one out! [S1 arc word]
Season Two References
- UNIT headquarters being in the Tower of London [2.00 - The Christmas Invasion]
- Current/former companions meeting, the Doctor referring obliquely to Sarah Jane and Rose fighting [2.03 - School Reunion]
- UNIT music [2.00 - The Christmas Invasion]
- The Doctor names the Sontarans and then says that's reason enough to keep him alive (so they can find out how he knows); Rose does the same with the Daleks in Doomsday. Thanks to captainjen for pointing this one out! [2.13 - Doomsday]
Rose References
- No explicit references, though the Doctor's request for Martha and Donna not to fight is an oblique reference to Rose and Sarah Jane's initial hostility with one another when they met. Since neither Martha nor Donna are currently in love with the Doctor, they bypassed the bickering and went straight to the point-and-laugh stage (which Rose and Sarah also experienced after getting over the bickering), much to the Doctor's distress.
Things That Might Be Important
- The Time War was mentioned explicitly. This isn't something that happens very often, particularly not when the Doctor isn't present. So the fact that it was brought up without the Doctor even being there (even if it was by a Sontaran who, by his very nature, would immediately think of the Time War when faced with the Doctor, but still) makes it a more remarkable mention than it might be otherwise.
Repeated Important Things
- Obviously there was the return of ATMOS, which did turn out to be related to the Sontarans. Whether it also plays into the overall endgame of the season remains to be seen. Out of the first three seasons of the new series, the first two-part episode was only directly linked to the finale in season two, when the Cybermen first gave the Doctor and Rose trouble before returning in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday to, you know, ruin everything. So there's a 33% chance that something in The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky will come back in 4.11-4.13, I guess? Heh.
- The Medusa Cascade was mentioned again, which, to review: it was first mentioned by the Master in 3.13, when he said that the Doctor sealed a rift there. It was then mentioned again by one of the soothsayers in 4.02, when it was said that the Doctor's name is hidden in the stars there. Here the Doctor mentions wanting to take Donna there.
References to S1/S2/Rose were at an all-time low in this episode, but considering that it was stocked up on Classic references and S3 references, it's not that much of a surprise. Besides, there were still some, and even Bad Wolf/Torchwood/Saxon, which clearly were arc words didn't pop up with the same frequency as S1/S2/Rose references have this season. So I think that so far, a third of the way through the season, the theory that they are the "arc word" for this year stands. This season has exponentially more references to prior seasons than any of the prior seasons, even accounting for the fact that there are obviously more prior seasons to reference. If I didn't know that Tennant was doing the 2009 specials, I would be seriously worried that they were gearing up for a regeneration, but since we know that he's doing those... well, I'm not worried yet. Still, I think 4.11-4.13 are going to be very interesting, lol.
List of S1/S2 Episodes Referenced (In Order of Frequency)
1.01 - Rose [ 5 ]
1.05 - World War III [ 4 ]
2.00 - The Christmas Invasion [ 4 ]
2.09 - The Satan Pit [ 4 ]
1.10 - The Doctor Dances [ 3 ]
2.13 - Doomsday [ 3 ]
1.03 - The Unquiet Dead [ 2 ]
2.03 - School Reunion [ 2 ]
2.08 - The Impossible Planet [ 2 ]
1.02 - The End of the World [ 1 ]
1.04 - Aliens of London [ 1 ]
1.09 - The Empty Child [ 1 ]
1.11 - Boomtown [ 1 ]
1.12 - Bad Wolf [ 1 ]
1.13 - The Parting of the Ways [ 1 ]
2.01 - New Earth [ 1 ]
2.02 - Tooth & Claw [ 1 ]
2.04 - The Girl In the Fireplace [ 1 ]
2.11 - Fear Her [ 1 ]
I think it's interesting that of all the episodes referenced, the one referenced the most is the one called Rose. Also, the next two most-referenced episodes ("World War III" and "The Christmas Invasion") both have to do with an invasion of Earth by aliens, for whatever that might be worth.
Maybe I'm looking too deeply at all of this, but if nothing else, it's been enjoyable for me to compile all the information (because that's just the kind of geek I am, lol). I hope y'all get something out of this, too! Feel free to suggest additional references or even dispute some of the more tenuous ones I've listed, lol. And of course, discuss what all this might mean for the end of the season :D If y'all want, I can continue to post my lists to the community after each episode :)