Continuity Error in Blink?

[Brendan Moody]

-Aliens of London. Rose's missing poster says she was last seen March 2005, meaning that's when the episode Rose takes place, and Aliens of London is in March 2006.

And therefore the "Six months later" caption at the beginning of "Boom Town" places that episode in September.

Since "Rise of the Cybermen" is February 1, it makes sense that "School Reunion" would be January.

Victor Kennedy arrives on a "Tuesday in March" in "Love & Monsters."

In "The Sound of Drums" the reporter says that "the downfall of Harriet Jones" at Christmas 2006 was "eighteen months ago," putting that story, and "Smith and Jones" and "The Lazarus Experiment," in roughly June 2008.

As for the series four episodes, to quote Mr Mollmann's comments elsewhere:

[In "Turn Left"] when Donna and family are packed off to Leeds, they're asked if they want to spend "another three months" waiting for a place, indicating that that scene occurs three months after "Voyage of the Damned". The Adipose incident seems to occur that same day, or at least not too long later, indicating that "Partners in Crime" should occur in March 2009-- and of course the Sontaran episodes are just "days" later.

The Darkness taking the stars occurs "three weeks" after the Sontaran episodes, which presumably means the finale two-parter [occurred] at the same time.

 

[Stevil2001]

I do my best. But as has been pointed out, there is evidence that the episodes take place in the years of broadcast-- the Harry Potter reference in "The Shakespeare Code", background signage in some episodes, &c.

Reasoning that The Wormhole and Brandon Moody haven't pointed out yet:

"School Reunion" has to occurs between "The Christmas Invasion" and "Rise of the Cybermen".

"Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday" have to occur in June at the earliest since the ghosts appeared two months prior but there was no sign of them in "Love & Monsters".

"Everything Changes" seems to be a few months after "Doomsday"; "They Keep Killing Suzie" is stated to be three months after that so the intervening episodes must distribute between them. "Out of Time" is stated to be around Christmas; "Combat" is shortly after it; and "Captain Jack Harkness" and "End of Days" not much later. (A missing poster on the Torchwood website says that Jack disappears in February.)

All of Season Three's present-day episodes occur in the same week, eighteen months after "the downfall of Harriet Jones", and also pretty close to "End of Days" (when in present-day London, the Doctor says the last place the TARDIS landed, present-day Cardiff, was "right here, right now"). June is a good, if rough, placement.

The exception in Season Three is of course "Blink"-- Kathy Nightingale says she comes from 2007. The epilogue occurs a year later, but presumably before the Week of Saxon.

Also, John Smith says in "Human Nature" that the Family attacked them in 2007; Martha's MySpace says they had popped back to see the 2007 Eurovision when this happened, placing that bit in May.

"Invasion of the Bane" should occur at least eighteen months after "School Reunion" since K-9's been in the black hole that long... but "Turn Left" means that it also has to occur before "Smith and Jones". "Revenge of the Slitheen" is set at the start of a school term, and references to "months" passing here and there meant that I distributed the rest of the season out to December. I had more specific reasons when I watched the episodes, but I don't remember them anymore.

"To the Last Man" has to be less than a year after "Everything Changes" because Gwen has never met Tommy before. I read a decently compelling argument on the OG forums that "Something Borrowed" was set in December; the rest of Torchwood Series Three is pretty arbitrarily distributed over the intervening time. "Adrift" says that the sighting of Jack next to the disappearing boy happened seven months prior, so the episode has to happen in February 2009 or later so that Jack will actually be there. And then "Fragments" and "Exit Wounds" have to occur 21 months after "Doomsday" because of the Ianto flashback.

I think that pretty much covers it!

 

[Nedersong]

So why is it important to know the year an episode took place in?

I'm sure there's better things that can be discussed.

Like why the Doctor gave up the scarf. That was such a useful tool.

And why he can't keep a companion for a long time.

 

[Stevil2001]

He unraveled so he wouldn't get lost in the TARDIS in Castrovalva. Obviously!

 

[The Nth Doctor]

But that was just the yuck maroon one! The Fourth Doctor had several other ones earlier on, plus The Seventh Doctor had his own scarf!

 

[Jim Steele]

Hey! The maroon outfit was ace!

 

[Sci]

In "The Sound of Drums" the reporter says that "the downfall of Harriet Jones" at Christmas 2006 was "eighteen months ago," putting that story, and "Smith and Jones" and "The Lazarus Experiment," in roughly June 2008.

To be fair, it's actually possible that the Jones government might have clung to office for a few more months after Christmas 2006. In fact, because Winters describes himself to the Toclafane as being the US "President-elect," I'm inclined to place "The Sound of Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords" in November 2008, putting the downfall of the Jones government in late April or May 2007, roughly contemporanious with "Love & Monsters" or shortly before it -- which, BTW, I think fits, since "Love & Monsters" features a headline in which Mister Saxon is described as being favored to win if an election were to be held.

 

[Stevil2001]

The problem with that is that the Doctor says in "The Sound of Drums" is that the last place the TARDIS landed was "right here, right now"-- and that was Cardiff back in February! London in June is already bad enough. The President-Elect stuff is such a load of tosh in any case-- if he's not the real president, then what's he doing there? Why does everyone call him the president in every other line? Why's he got Air Force One? I'm really reluctant to use it for dating purposes.

Also: "The Sound of Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords" obviously precedes Torchwood Season Two, and we know that "To the Last Man" has to happen before Gwen's finished a full year with Torchwood, making a November date far too late.

But there is indeed a fair amount of wiggle room on this-- in Third Dimension, Stephen James Walker makes a compelling argument that all of the Season Three present-day episodes are set in February 2008!

 

[DWF]

In "The Sound of Drums" the reporter says that "the downfall of Harriet Jones" at Christmas 2006 was "eighteen months ago," putting that story, and "Smith and Jones" and "The Lazarus Experiment," in roughly June 2008.

To be fair, it's actually possible that the Jones government might have clung to office for a few more months after Christmas 2006. In fact, because Winters describes himself to the Toclafane as being the US "President-elect," I'm inclined to place "The Sound of Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords" in November 2008, putting the downfall of the Jones government in late April or May 2007, roughly contemporanious with "Love & Monsters" or shortly before it -- which, BTW, I think fits, since "Love & Monsters" features a headline in which Mister Saxon is described as being favored to win if an election were to be held.

President-elects don't get to ride around in Air Force and for that matter Great Britain doesn't have a Prime Minister, RTD made two mistakes in The Sound Of Drums.

 

[Sci]

The problem with that is that the Doctor says in "The Sound of Drums" is that the last place the TARDIS landed was "right here, right now"-- and that was Cardiff back in February! London in June is already bad enough.

Yeah, but the TARDIS had just crossed 100,000,000,000,000 years -- I think five months is close enough that we can fudge it a bit.

The President-Elect stuff is such a load of tosh in any case-- if he's not the real president, then what's he doing there?

Legally, his position aboard the Valiant making contact with the Toclafane was as "Designated Representative of the United Nations." It actually makes sense to assume that the President-elect of the US would politically outmaneuver the lame-duck US President into getting the job--and the US would probably never allow anyone from any other country to get that job, either.

Why does everyone call him the president in every other line?

Presidents-elect are addressed as "Mister President," too.

Why's he got Air Force One?

To be fair, we only heard the British press call it Air Force One. The planes used for presidential transport are also sometimes used for transporting other major US political figures, though they always carry a different call sign when they do. It's entirely possible that the United States provided one of the Air Force One planes for the transport of the President-elect to the United Kingdom in preparation for boarding the UN vessel Valiant and that the press just got the call sign wrong.

There are contradictory pieces of information either what -- but at the end of the day, I'm more inclined to trust Winters to know his proper title than I am to trust other characters to.

Also: "The Sound of Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords" obviously precedes Torchwood Season Two, and we know that "To the Last Man" has to happen before Gwen's finished a full year with Torchwood, making a November date far too late.

Honestly, considering that a lot of the dating problems seem to stem from Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, I'm inclined to completely ignore contradictory info from the other series. Heck, Jack's departures from the Hub in "End of Days" and "Utopia" don't even match!

Also, sidenote:

I'm thoroughly convinced that "Dalek" has to take place some time before "The Stolen Earth." I can buy the idea that no one knew what those things flying in the skies above London during the Cybermen invasion were called, but after a full-on Dalek invasion where they're everywhere and they identify themselves all the time? No way Van Staten wouldn't know that the Dalek he had was called a Dalek.

Instead, I'll just presume that the Doctor parked the TARDIS in the wrong year again, like he did in "Aliens of London" -- thinking it was 2012 when it was actually more like 2008.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Except that doesn't work with both Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures. "The Stolen Earth" can't take place after "Dalek." I think it's much easier to believe that Van Statten was ignorant (or cocky enough, take your pick) to not know that kind of information. Just like Donna didn't pay attention any of the big events in the UK.

As for the "President-Elect" crap, I think that's best to be ignored because it's obvious Davies made a mistake there.

 

[Sci]

Except that doesn't work with both Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures. "The Stolen Earth" can't take place after "Dalek." I think it's much easier to believe that Van Statten was ignorant (or cocky enough, take your pick) to not know that kind of information. Just like Donna didn't pay attention any of the big events in the UK.

Why can't "The Stolen Earth" take place after "Dalek?" The only source of information we have on the date is from the Doctor himself. There's nothing keeping the Doctor from being wrong, no external info about the date of "Dalek" from the episode itself. There's nothing stopping "Dalek," quite frankly, from taking place any time before "The Stolen Earth."

As for the "President-Elect" crap, I think that's best to be ignored because it's obvious Davies made a mistake there.

Sure, he probably made a mistake, but it actually works. There's no reason that a cunning President-elect couldn't politically marginalize the sitting President -- especially if he's as unpopular as the current real-life one -- and get himself appointed by the UN as its designated representative for first contact.

 

[Stevil2001]

The problem with that is that the Doctor says in "The Sound of Drums" is that the last place the TARDIS landed was "right here, right now"-- and that was Cardiff back in February! London in June is already bad enough.

Yeah, but the TARDIS had just crossed 100,000,000,000,000 years -- I think five months is close enough that we can fudge it a bit.

Except that the Doctor makes a big deal over the fact that the Master could only take the TARDIS back eighteen months at most from where they are-- "the last place the TARDIS landed". And, indeed, he doesn't go eighteen months before the "Utopia" teaser, he goes eighteen months before "The Sound of Drums".

But like I said-- there's a lot of wiggle-room, and you can construct a compelling argument for anything between February and November 2008! Anything you say, though, requires you to accept some facts/implications and ignore some others.

I'm thoroughly convinced that "Dalek" has to take place some time before "The Stolen Earth." I can buy the idea that no one knew what those things flying in the skies above London during the Cybermen invasion were called, but after a full-on Dalek invasion where they're everywhere and they identify themselves all the time? No way Van Staten wouldn't know that the Dalek he had was called a Dalek.

I think this is a case where we have to assume that history's been rewritten-- "Dalek" probably unfolds slightly differently now, with them knowing what it's called, and indeed, Van Statten gloating that he's got his hands on one of those things that invaded the Earth a few years back. Though now that I think about it, that would cause its own problems.

Instead, I'll just presume that the Doctor parked the TARDIS in the wrong year again, like he did in "Aliens of London" -- thinking it was 2012 when it was actually more like 2008.

Though he returns Adam to 2012 no problem in "The Long Game".

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Except that doesn't work with both Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures. "The Stolen Earth" can't take place after "Dalek." I think it's much easier to believe that Van Statten was ignorant (or cocky enough, take your pick) to not know that kind of information. Just like Donna didn't pay attention any of the big events in the UK.

Why can't "The Stolen Earth" take place after "Dalek?" The only source of information we have on the date is from the Doctor himself. There's nothing keeping the Doctor from being wrong, no external info about the date of "Dalek" from the episode itself. There's nothing stopping "Dalek," quite frankly, from taking place any time before "The Stolen Earth."

Because, as I said, of Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures.

Spoiler: Torchwood Season 2 finale

Both Tosh and Owen had recently perished and Gwen and Ianto are clearly still mourning their deaths. Additionally, their replacements haven't come in.

Spoiler: Season 2 of Sarah Jane Adventures

Maria departs after the first story in season 2. In "Stolen Earth," Luke indicates that Maria and Clyde are safe. If Maria is gone, why mention her specifically and not mention Rani (no, not the Time Lady) who replaces Maria in season 2?

Add those facts to Steve's timeline for those two shows and thus "Stolen Earth" can't have taken place after "Dalek."

 

[tenmei]

I'm not seeing why either of those examples stops Dalek from taking place before The Stolen Earth.

 

[Stevil2001]

I think Emh is assuming that Sci wants to move "The Stolen Earth" later-- as opposed to moving "Dalek" earlier.

 

[The Wormhole]

Hey, van Statten's stupidity can just be explained as Jack and Torchwood somehow releasing the retcon drug on a world-wide scale. There, problem solved.

 

[captcalhoun]

President-elects don't get to ride around in Air Force and for that matter Great Britain doesn't have a Prime Minister, RTD made two mistakes in The Sound Of Drums.

uh, what? someone tell Gordon Brown, quick!

 

[DWF]

President-elects don't get to ride around in Air Force and for that matter Great Britain doesn't have a Prime Minister, RTD made two mistakes in The Sound Of Drums.

uh, what? someone tell Gordon Brown, quick!

I might've gotten that backward but I seem to remember some kind of problem with how the Master said the title.

 

[David cgc]

I'm thoroughly convinced that "Dalek" has to take place some time before "The Stolen Earth." I can buy the idea that no one knew what those things flying in the skies above London during the Cybermen invasion were called, but after a full-on Dalek invasion where they're everywhere and they identify themselves all the time? No way Van Staten wouldn't know that the Dalek he had was called a Dalek.

I don't think so. Sure, he'd know Earth was invaded by the Daleks, but how many of them left their spaceships? The ones who stormed military installations like UNIT in New York and the Valient, and the ones rounding up Londoners to test the Reality Bomb. They didn't really seem to be marching in the streets worldwide like the Cybermen. They didn't even have a single Dalek on the ground in Cardiff- they had to dispatch a saucer to drop one off at Torchwood. And I doubt anyone in a place under Dalek martial law would be taking lots of photos.

van Statten might've recognized the voice, but it's just as easy to assume he didn't, especially since the only sound his metaltron made was screaming. You can watch the episode with the idea that he recognizes the name once he hears it, and just doesn't care about what the Daleks have done in the past. He certainly didn't lose any sleep over the dangers posed by a Cyberman's head.