Theory:Doctor Who prose discontinuity and plot holes/Spiral Scratch

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

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• Why does Mel not recognise Evelyn when she has met her in Intruments of Darkness and/or Thicker Then Water ?

Gary Russell specifically took the line that there is no single "Doctor Who Universe", but rather various parallel realities lying side by side. In fact that's the whole point of Spiral Scratch in the first place! In the climax, Mel also sees the Sixth Doctor from Real Time, the Sixth Doctor from the DWM comics etc. All these Sixth Doctors exist in different "universes". The same idea is also explicitly stated during the Big Finish Audio "Zagreus".

But if Spiral Scratch is the Sixth Doctor from the BBC Novels, Mel should still recognize Evelyn, having met her in the PDA Instruments of Darkness.

Maybe Spiral Scratch and Instruments of Darkness simply take place in two separate universes. After all, there are other BBC PDA(such as Scream of the Shalka and The Infinity Doctors) that take place in separate universes.

Actually re-read Chapter 15 of Spiral Scratch now, and it does not say that Mel doesn't recognise Evelyn. All that is stated is the narrative describing some of the various parallel reality Sixth Doctors(and companions). Mel is not surprised to see a Sixth Doctor with Peri and a Sixth Doctor with Evelyn. What does surprise Mel is to see another Sixth Doctor with an Evelyn with "metallic implants down the left side of her head, arm and chest, like some kind of Cyborg"(Real Time), and a Sixth Doctor "talking to...a penguin"(Frobisher). So, the "Mel doesn't recognise Evelyn" bit is untrue. The narrative describes Evelyn, but what startles Mel is that there are two Evelyns(one with Cyber implants) and Frobisher.