Doctor Who Series Eleven: Comprehensive callback guide

Series Eleven was a fresh start for Doctor Who. But there were still many callbacks throughout the series to previous stories.

(Image credit: Doctor Who/BBC. Image obtained from: official Doctor Who website.)

While primarily focused on telling new stories with a new team and even new monsters, Doctor Who’s eleventh series still featured plenty of callbacks to its long history. Here, we break down every one we could find.

Series Eleven feels disconnected to much of what has come before in Doctor Who. With new teams off and on camera, this series was creatively constructed to be a jumping-on point for new audiences and in so doing, kept continuity to a minimum.

But, we all love a cheeky callback to days gone by. With a show like Doctor Who, a property that has existed for over half a century – there’s an embarrassment of riches in terms of material to draw from.

Despite being a fresh era, largely being isolated from prior material, there were still a few callbacks to prick many a fan’s ear. This article shall collate all the little references that were in this series in episode order. So grab a snack and we shall begin right from when a certain woman fell to Earth…

The Woman Who Fell To Earth

In a befuddled post-regenerative mania, our new Thirteenth Doctor is a little perturbed by Yasmin Khan’s use of the word “madam” before realising she’s regenerated from her Twelfth incarnation: “Oh yeah, I remember. Sorry, half an hour ago, I was a white-haired Scotsman!”

Upon realising she’s lost her exploding TARDIS, the Doctor exclaims it could be the end of the world. A call back to her Eleventh incarnation, when his TARDIS exploded and caused the Cracks in Time in The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang.

The Gathering Coil implants DNA Bombs, a technological device previously seen in Torchwood episode Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.

Not sure this is even a deliberate bit of continuity – but as the Doctor constructs her new sonic screwdriver she holds up and enthusiastically smiles at a spoon. Something her previous Twelfth incarnation had a penchant for.

When jumping from crane to crane the Doctor recalls having longer legs. Probably referencing her more gangly Eleventh incarnation.

The Ghost Monument

The Doctor uses Venusian Aikido to paralyse Epzo. Venusian Aikido is a martial art that has been more commonly used by the Doctor’s Third and Twelfth incarnations.

Upon entering her new TARDIS console room, the Doctor says “You’ve redecorated!” to express happiness with the design. Many incarnations of the Doctor such as the First, Second and Tenth have used the same phrase but in a disparaging way.

While heavily focused on major history, Rosa still took the time to reference earlier Doctor Who stories, too.

(Image credit: Doctor Who/BBC. Image obtained from: official Doctor Who website.)

Rosa

The Doctor mentions to her companions that the TARDIS utilises Artron Energy as a main source of power. A common part of Doctor Who lore that goes way back to Fourth Doctor story The Deadly Assassin.

Krasko has a vortex manipulator to travel through time. Vortex manipulators were a basic form of time travel created by the Time Agency in the 51st century. Time Agents were equipped with one, such as Captain Jack Harkness. The Doctor echoes her Eleventh incarnation by referring to it as “cheap and nasty time travel”.

Krasko utilises a perception filter on his suitcase of weapons, a piece of telepathic technology which misdirects the senses. It was first used in Torchwood, but would later be seen on Doctor Who proper. Many alien races in New Who have used perception filters to obscure themselves or objects associated to them.

Krasko reveals he was imprisoned in “Stormcage”. The Stormcage Containment Facility was a high-security prison in the 52nd century – River Song was imprisoned there on the false belief that she killed the Doctor.

Arachnids In The UK

For the first time in Series Eleven, the Doctor uses her psychic paper. A frequently used piece of technology in New Who – in particular the Russell T. Davies era, first seen in The End of the World.

The Tsuranga Conundrum

When accessing the ships data on the Pting, various creatures from Doctor Who history are rapidly shown as the ship searches its databanks. Creatures seen are: Davros, a Cyberman, an Ood, a Weeping Angel, a Raxacoricofallapatorian, a Sontaran, a Silent, a Silurian and a Zygon.

From the TARDIS circuits to the Doctor’s previous incarnations, Demons of the Punjab certainly made its callbacks clear.

(Image credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: official Doctor Who website.)

Demons of the Punjab

The Doctor mentions the TARDIS’s telepathic circuits, a piece of technology deployed throughout Doctor Who history. It was first used on screen by the Third Doctor. More recently the Twelfth Doctor used them in episodes such as Listen.

The Doctor jovially states how much she loves weddings, much like her Tenth and Eleventh incarnations.

During the female wedding preparations, the Doctor remarks how she wouldn’t have done this as a man, recalling all her prior male incarnations.

When encountering the Thijarians, the Doctor exclaims that Earth was under her protection. A sentiment that was echoed frequently by her Eleventh incarnation.

Kerblam!

The Doctor receives a late delivery. The parcel contains a fez; this was presumably bought during her Eleventh incarnation that had a particular love for the attire.

Yasmin bets that the Doctor was the type of child to poke a wasp’s nest just to see what would happen. In response the Doctor replies:

"Talking about wasps… Did I ever tell you about me and Agatha Christie?"

This recalled her adventure in her Tenth incarnation – Series Four story The Unicorn and the Wasp.

The Doctor mentions that “some of her best friends are robots”. Likely recalling characters such as K9, Kamelion and Handles.

For the second time this series, the Doctor uses Venusian Aikido, this time to disarm Jarva Slade.

Twirly mentions that the Doctor has high blood pressure. In Series Ten story Smile, the Twelfth Doctor mentions that a Time Lord’s binary vascular system leads to high blood pressure, especially compared to one hearted species.

The Doctor’s respiratory bypass system came up in The Witchfinders.

(Image credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: official Doctor Who website.)

The Witchfinders

The Doctor once again refers to her previous male incarnations, frustratingly exclaiming that she would have sorted things out faster if she was a “bloke”.

The Doctor uses her respiratory bypass system, an element of Gallifreyan physiology which allows Time Lords to restrict their breathing for long periods of time. This was first seen in Spearhead from Space when the Third Doctor used it to survive being strangled by the Nestene Consciousness.

It Takes You Away

The Doctor claims that one of her grandmothers, ‘Granny 5’, accused ‘Granny 2’ of being a secret agent for the Zygons.

Yasmin suggests that the Doctor should “reverse the polarity”. In response, the Doctor gleefully says, “Yasmin Khan. You speak my language”. The phrase “reverse the polarity” has become something of a Doctor Who catchphrase. Many incarnations have said it, but it was said most frequently by the Third Doctor.

The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos

The Doctor once again brings up the TARDIS’s telepathic circuits.

The Doctor mentions how she used her TARDIS to pull the Earth across the universe to its original orbit, which references the events of Series Four finale Journey’s End.

The Doctor mentions how the TARDIS helped regress a member of the Slitheen to an egg. This was done to Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen in Ninth Doctor escapade Boom Town.

Next. The peculiarity of Classic Who’s only Christmas episode. dark

We hope you enjoyed reading this extensive list of callbacks to Doctor Who‘s history. What was your favourite reference in Series Eleven? Did any particular nod to the past grab your attention, or have you wondering more about Doctor Who‘s long history? Let us know in the comments below.

Home/Doctor Who