Doctor Who

The Idiot's Lantern - S2-E10

Factual error: One of the programs on the new television set is Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? In 1953, this quiz show was broadcast on Thursdays. But, it's the eve of the coronation, which makes it Monday the 1st of June. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? wasn't on that evening.

The Impossible Planet (1) - S2-E11

Factual error: The Doctor (and the staff on the station) refer to the idea of a planet being in orbit around a black hole as 'impossible'. It is not. Gravity (and physics in general) works perfectly well outside of the event horizon. For all practical purposes - regarding orbiting around it - the black hole might as well be any other object, as long as it has an equal mass. (00:07:15 - 00:08:30)

The Girl in the Fireplace - S2-E7

Factual error: Madame de Pompadour calls herself "Reinette" in 1727, whereas in actual fact, this was a nickname meaning "Little Queen" which was not given to her until 1730. (00:03:45)

The Impossible Planet (1) - S2-E11

Factual error: Ida, the science officer, says that the planet is in geostationary orbit around the black hole. However, the word "geostationary" applies very specifically to objects orbiting the planet Earth. Since a black hole is a type of star, this planet's orbit could be described as astrostationary, or even just stationary, but definitely not as geostationary. A science expert on an interstellar mission wouldn't make this mistake, and she wasn't dumbing things down, either, since "geostationary orbit" is already a pretty obscure topic for people unfamiliar with space technology. (00:07:40)

DavidK93

The Christmas Invasion - S2-E2

Factual error: When the Doctor regrows his hand during the swordfight, he says that he can do this because he's still within the first 15 hours of his regeneration cycle, and there's still residual energy in his body. However: In both this scene, and the episode's opening scene, when the TARDIS arrives in London, it is full daylight. The episode takes place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 3-4 days after the Winter Solstice. London, at 51°N latitude, has a night longer than 15 hours at that time of year, meaning the Doctor should have been out of luck.

The Impossible Planet (1) - S2-E11

Factual error: The graphics depicting the black hole show matter falling directly towards the centre of it. This would only happen if all the matter happened to be heading in that direction already. In reality, matter approaching the black hole at any other angle would swirl around the event horizon, like water going down a plughole.

paolog

The Age of Steel (2) - S2-E9

Factual error: When Rose gets the message there are two things wrong with what you see on the phones screen: firstly on the top right of the screen you can see the icon for mute even though you heard the beep, and secondly that screen is for when you type in the number you want to call (text), not the screen for receiving a text.

Fear Her - S2-E14

Factual error: The Police motorcycle in front of the Olympic runner is an S registration, meaning it was registered in 1998. The episode is set in 2012, and there is no way the Police would have such an old vehicle on active duty.

UKFilmFan

Tooth and Claw - S2-E5

Factual error: The Koh-i-Noor, as depicted in this episode, looks absolutely nothing like the real diamond. The episode's gemstone is about the size of the palm of the Doctor's hand, and shaped in a stereotypical brilliant cut. The real Koh-i-Noor is much smaller and oval-shaped.

The Christmas Invasion - S2-E2

Factual error: The episode kicks off with a reuse of the zoom-in from orbit first seen in "Rose." As the sunny North Pole indicates, the Earth is depicted as if it is the height of Northern Hemisphere summer, even though as the title of the episode indicates, it begins on Christmas Eve, three days after the northern Winter Solstice when the Pole is in darkness. (00:00:05)

Fear Her - S2-E14

Factual error: The Olympic torch relay is presented as if there is only one runner carrying the torch through the entire city of London to the Olympic stadium to light the cauldron. Furthermore, when the torchbearer collapses, the TV announcer reacts as if it is now impossible to get the torch to the stadium, just before the Doctor steps in and picks it up. Any broadcast of any Olympic opening ceremonies would show that that's not how the torch relay has ever worked.

Doctor Who mistake picture

New Earth - S2-E4

Continuity mistake: As the camera zooms out when Rose is captured and Cassandra is about to "go" into Rose, the psychograft disappears, but in the next shot of Rose it appears again. (00:11:45)

LizzieWD

More mistakes in Doctor Who
More quotes from Doctor Who
More trivia for Doctor Who

Chosen answer: The Master knows that deep down, he deserves death for the crimes that he's committed throughout his life, and since he regards The Doctor as his arch-foe, he expects it to be at his hands. The fact that The Doctor is still willing to forgive him for all of his crimes hurts him more deeply than death would.

Captain Defenestrator

More questions & answers from Doctor Who

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.