Talk:Death of the Doctor (TV story)

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The item beginning "A companion called Dorothy(ea)" has several problems:

1. The name is clearly given as "Dorothy something" & can't be "Dorothea something".

2. Dodo "was one of only 2 companions left on contemporary earth not mentioned (the other being Melanie Bush)". Mel, on TV was left nowhere remotely near Earth & was with Sabalom Glitz in his home time, about 2,000,000,000 years from the 20th century. That was her reason/excuse for suggesting that Ace travel with the Doctor -- he could get her back to the 20th century & Glitz couldn't.

3. "This would make this the first on-screen reference to both their real names, Dorothy McShane and Dorothea Chaplet which were established in the novels." This is wrong throughout.

First, Ace's given name was mentioned (admittedly, only once) in her introductory story Dragonfire, when she confided it to Mel & said it was a "naff name".

Second, Sarah Jane didn't give the surname in Death of the Doctor. As noted above, she said, "Dorothy something". Ace's surname has, therefore, still never been mentioned on screen.

Third, Dodo's full first name was also given in her introductory episode, Bell of Doom (episode 4 of The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve) by the character herself, when she's introducing herself to Steven & the Doctor. Only the soundtrack survives but it's clear.

Fourth, Dodo's surname was not only given but was also a major point, implying that Anne Chaplet had not been killed as Steven believed she had. (He was blaming the Doctor for having refused to rescue her).

Ace's full name has still never been given on screen; Dodo's full name was first given long ago (1966).

The assertion that "charity work would fit better with her [Dodo's] personality" is a matter of opinion only & is debatable. Ace was clearly shown to have a caring side & fighters (which she certainly was) have been known to take up charity work. Group Captain Leonard Cheshire, VC, springs to mind.

Given the initials of "A Charitable Earth" (ACE) & point 1, above, there's really not much room to doubt that Ace was meant, not Dodo. --89.240.242.255^{talk to me} 18:03, October 1, 2012 (UTC)

I took out all the stuff about Dodo. First, the subtitles say Dorothy on the DVD, and second DWM's Special Edition on the making of Series 4 says it was a reference to Ace. Case closed. 70.72.211.35^{talk to me} 16:20, June 3, 2013 (UTC)

• And someone put it back again, and I took it out again. Once again: the DVD subtitles say Dorothy, the novelisation based upon the script says Dorothy, and the Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition coverage of the making of the episode says Dorothy. Provide one single piece of evidence to suggest the name Dorothea was uttered that countermands those three. 68.146.70.124^{talk to me} 17:25, January 20, 2014 (UTC)