 This story follows on from the previous story "The Girl Who Died" and features the return of Ashildr, now going by the name ‘Me’.
Written by Catherine Tregenna this is the first story, since the 2008 story "The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky", to be written by a woman. This is also Catherine Tregenna’s first script for Doctor Who. Fans though may remember her for writing four episodes of Torchwood:- Out of Time, Captain Jack Harkness, Meat and Adam.
This is Edward Bazalgette’s second full-length Doctor Who that he has directed – the first being the previous story "The Girl Who Died". Edward Bazalgette’s previous directing credits include episodes of The Guilty (2013), DCI Banks (2014) and Poldark (2015). He is also notable for having played lead guitar in the new wave pop group The Vapors, who had a one-hit wonder in 1980 with Turning Japanese!
This marks the first full length Twelfth Doctor story to feature Clara Oswald in a lesser role. She only appears at the very end. There are few notable companion-lite stories, which feature The Doctor travelling with no companions or with his companion on a brief break. Other key examples are "The Deadly Assassin" and "Midnight".
Comedian and actor Rufus Hound, who recently appeared in the series Cucumber, joins the guest cast. His previous involvement with the show was to help reveal Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor in 2013's Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor.
Also starring is BBC Three’s Siblings and CBBC’s Horrible Histories star Tom Stourton.
Also starring are Ariyon Bakare, Simon Lipkin, Ian Conningham, Murray McArthur, Barnaby Kay, John Voce and Struan Rodger - who was previously the voice of the Face of Boe in "New Earth" and "Gridlock".
The read through for this story took place on the 30th March 2015 and it was filmed at the same time as "The Girl Who Died" – as revealed in an interview with Maisie Williams in the Doctor Who Extra segment entitled Me and Ashildr.
According to an interview with writer Catherine Tregenna, in issue 492 of the Doctor Who Magazine, this story is set in Hounslow.
The Doctor is branded ‘whey-faced’ - a term that suggests pallor due to ill-health. A variation of it is used in Shakespeare’s Macbeth when the eponymous military man asks ‘What soldiers, whey-face?’. In the Third Doctor adventure "The Time Warrior", Irongron has the nerve to say to a Sontaran ‘If you’ve lost one of your dumb, whey-faced ninnies, Linx, then look for him yourself!’
The Doctor claims to be working undercover for Scotland Yard ‘I’m an undercover constable from Scotland Yard’. Before wondering if it has been invented yet ‘Do you have a Scotland Yard, yet?’ As this story is set in 1651 it won’t exist for over a century as it was formed in the year 1829!
The Doctor is seen using his sonic sunglasses despite them being broken in the previous story "The Girl Who Died".
The Doctor mentions how much humans matter (see "The Power of Three" and "Deep Breath").
The Doctor again plays his electric guitar (see "The Magician's Apprentice" and "Under the Lake/Before the Flood").
The Doctor again demonstrates he is a skilled horse rider (see "The Masque of Mandragora").
Clara hugs The Doctor but this time he embraces it (see "Deep Breath").
A number of The Doctor’s old friends are name-checked in this story. Aside from the villagers that he helped in "The Girl Who Died" he talks about Captain Jack Harkness who appeared during the eras of the Ninth Doctor and the Tenth Doctor. Clara also later mentions Winston Churchill.
Though not realising it at first, Me points out that The Doctor will only take on companions whose perspectives are different from his own.
Clara is seen wearing her silver bird necklace (see "The Bells of Saint John").
It is revealed that Clara is not with The Doctor because she is taking her Year Seven students to taekwondo. Clara previously told The Doctor she had been taking taekwondo lessons (see "Robot of Sherwood").
Clara is heard to mention to The Doctor that she ‘isn't going anywhere’. Previous companion Rose Tyler had also said this to The Doctor (see the 2006 Tenth Doctor story "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday").
The Doctor has previously met a female highwayman who posed as a man (see the Big Finish Productions audio story "Phantasmagoria").
The Doctor sarcastically calls Me, ‘Zorro’ – a reference to the masked alter ego of Don Diego de la Vega, the fictional hero created in 1919 by Johnston McCulley. The word is Spanish for ‘fox’.
It is revealed that Me took an active role in the Battle of Agincourt, a pivotal confrontation that was fought in the early fifteenth century. In fact the battle took place on 25th October 1415, meaning this story premiered the day before its 600th anniversary.
The Fourth Doctor previously mentioned to his companion Leela, in the 1977 story "The Talons of Weng-Chiang", that she would have loved Agincourt.
The Doctor informs Me that she may come across Captain Jack Harkness in the future given that his life, like hers, is indefinitely extended. The Doctor already expressed his dislike and avoidance of immortals in a conversation with Captain Jack Harkness in the 2007 story "Utopia".
It is revealed that somewhere between the 9th century and the 17th century, Me founded a leper colony, which The Doctor oversaw from afar. She also cured an entire village of scarlet fever, however as a result they attempted to drown her for being a witch.
The Doctor, in an attempt to jog Me's memory, mentions Einarr, and how he called him ‘Chuckles’, as well as the Viking village. Later he is heard to say that he had just tried to save a terrified young woman's life. (see "The Girl Who Died").
The Doctor mentions that he had meant to warn Ashildr about the Black Death in 1348. Ashildr lost her children due to it.
Me is heard to ask The Doctor how many companions he has lost (see "Earthshock", "Absolution" and "To the Death"). Me also asks how many Clara’s he has lost (see "Asylum of the Daleks", "The Snowmen" and "The Name of The Doctor").
Me still has the second Mire medical kit, that The Doctor gave her in "The Girl Who Died", and uses it to save Sam Swift.
The Doctor tries to save Sam Swift with a fake pardon from Oliver Cromwell.
This is not the first time an alien has claimed to have peaceful intentions to be on Earth, but is actually planning a mass invasion (see "The Claws of Axos" and "The Unquiet Dead").
The Doctor calls Leandro ‘Lenny the Lion’ - a possible reference to the famous puppet of ventriloquist Terence ‘Terry’ Hall (1926 –2007). He was an English entertainer who achieved fame in the 1950s regularly appearing on the BBC. Lenny was an amiable but bumbling big cat with the catchphrase ‘Aw, don’t embawass me!’
The Doctor informs Me that the imminent Great Fire of London was caused by the Terileptils. This warlike race was first seen in the 1982 Fifth Doctor story "The Visitation". In that story a fire breaks out as The Doctor battles Terileptils in London 1666. The Terileptils were also glimpsed in the 2014 story "Time Heist". They were also mentioned in "The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang" and "The Time of The Doctor" although they remained unseen in both these stories.
The Doctor states that he is ‘on record as being against banter’. This is a reference to "Robot of Sherwood" when The Doctor chastises Robin Hood and his Merry Men for their lighthearted banter.
A Tryal of Witches at the Assizes and Heaven's Speedie Hue and Cry posters can be seen hanging on a wall at the Tyburn hanging.
The Doctor helps Clara's student meet Winston Churchill. The Second Doctor, Sixth Doctor and Eleventh Doctor have previously met Winston Churchill. (see "World Game", "Players", "Victory of the Daleks" and "The Wedding of River Song").
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The Firsts:
The first full length Twelfth Doctor story to feature Clara Oswald in a lesser role.
The first Doctor Who story to be written by Catherine Tregenna.
The first Doctor Who story, since the 2008 story "The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky", to be written by a woman.
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(Position = 8 out of 9)
