Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/The Rescue

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This page is for discussing the ways in which The Rescue doesn't fit well with other DWU narratives. You can also talk about the plot holes that render its own, internal narrative confusing.

Remember, this is a forum, so civil discussion is encouraged. However, please do not sign your posts. Also, keep all posts about the same continuity error under the same bullet point. You can add a new point by typing:

* This is point one.
::This is a counter-argument to point one.
:::This is a counter-argument to the counter-argument above
* This is point two.
::Explanation of point two.
::Further discussion and query of point two.

... and so on. 

• There is no back in the TARDIS prop used and consequently the cave wall is visible behind.

It is not cave wall but some silvery reflective crumpled material which is also visible inside the police box prop in episode 4 of 'The Space Museum'.

• In episode 2 a stage hand can be seen behind Vicki's pet.

Production error.

Maybe it was one of the Dido People sneaking a look.

• In episode 2 Ian borrows the TARDIS key to get the Doctor inside, but Susan said in 'The Daleks' that there were 20 (?) ways to put the key in the lock and that using the wrong way would melt the lock.

The Doctor most likely altered the defense mechanism after the lock was removed in 'The Sensorites' in order to allow his companions ease of access to the TARDIS.

• When Barbara fires at Vicki's pet, the firework can be seen to fall off the gun.

It may be faulty.

• Vicki and Barbara need to undertake firearms training, as at one point Vicki, while discussing the gun with Barbara, points it directly at her; later, Barbara examines the gun, at one point looking straight down the barrel.

How is it a continuity error that a female history teacher from strictly-gun-controlled 1960s England doesn't have any experience with firearms? And the same goes for Vicki.

• Although introduced at the beginning as a potential plot point, no reason is given for the Doctor falling asleep during the landing of the TARDIS, described as an unusual thing.

It's probable this is the Doctor somehow reacting to the loss of Susan (just as in real life some people react to stressful life events by going to sleep). It's also possible in retrospect that the Doctor's sudden fatigue could be related to his age.

• If the people of Dido are so peaceful, then why do they have a Hall of Judgment, let alone a spiked death trap?

It has been said that they were not always the pacifists that they are now. As for a hall of judgment, nonviolent crime may still exist.

• Why does Bennett react with such fear to two pacifist Dido survivors?

It could be that he didn't know about their pacifist reputation. It seems from the episode that he reacted quickly to cover his own guilt, and likely did little research on his hosts. And even then, many normally peaceful people will take exception to the mass murder of a great number of their kind.

He seems very sure that he has killed their entire population, and is thus having an understandable "Macbeth" moment to see a couple of them bearing down on him. While it is most likely his bomb just missed a couple of them, the eerie atmosphere of the scene and the silent, relentless behavior of the Didonians could be taken to imply something more supernatural at work.

• The Doctor says the mask and robes are used only in ceremonial occasions. Then why is Sandy wearing such a costume?

Clearly the costume was inspired by the way the Sand beasts naturally look.

• Were those 2 dido people just sitting around in the hall of judgements waiting around? Why didn't they do anything in the time between Bennet's explosion and the doctor showing up?

Its possible they were injured in the explosion that killed all the others, and needed time to survive, then spent a period searching for other survivors, and upon realising they were the last decided to face the one who killed their entire race.

Benet does spend the majority of the story, in the possession of a very powerful weapon. As angry as the Dido's are, they clearly have enough sense to know he would just shoot them if they tried attacking him and perhaps weighing their options. Then the doctor manages to disarm him and break the weapon, so without his advantage they are able to strike.