History Recap / DoctorWhoNSS4E2TheFiresofPompeii

** Often leads to hilarious 'where have I heard these names before' moments for new Latin students using the Cambridge Latin Course. [[MissedMomentOfAwesome Unfortunately, referencing this episode in the Book I test is unlikely to net you extra points.]]

* MissedMomentOfAwesome: Given the reference to "Volcano Day" it would have been great, even in a deleted scene, to have The Doctor suddenly have to duck behind a pillar in order to avoid being seen by Jack Harkness from his con-man days strolling past.

* TruthInTelevision: Caecillius and his family were doomed after hiding in their home. In the real-world Pompeii, Pompeiians who hid were either buried, burned, or crushed, and the only survivors were the ones who ran to beach and into the water.

* TruthInTelevision: Caecillius and his family were doomed after hiding in their home. In the real-world Pompeii, Pompeiians who hid were either buried, burned, or crushed, and the only survivors were the ones were ran to beach and into the water.

Oh, and KarenGillan ([[RetroactiveRecognition who would go on to play future companion Amy Pond]]) is in it.

* AncientRome: sort of.

The marble-worker who bought it is then attacked by a massive magma-thing (which is stopped by a bucket of water) and it is revealed that his oracle daughter is turning to stone. The Doctor confronts the oracles (with a water pistol... '''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome oh yes]]'''.) and finds out why someone ordered a bunch of marble power-converters. If Pompeii doesn't erupt, then since the [[MonsterOfTheWeek alien menace of the week]] hasn't been destroyed, a race of lava golems will turn humans into more golems, boil the ocean, and go conquer the world. The Doctor and Donna make like bananas and split (fixed point in time and all that) but Donna convinces the Doctor to go back and save the marble-worker and his family. Because not everyone is an uber-depressed near-suicidal Time Lord, and sometimes the Doctor forgets that.

* UniversalTranslator: A staple ability of the TARDIS.

* TearJerker: [[spoiler:A crying Donna trying - and eventually managing - to convince the Doctor to save at least some of the people.]]

* ArcWords: Medusa Cascade, Shadow Proclamation.

* TranslatorMicrobes: Not only does the TARDIS translate English into Latin, it translates Latin into Celtic.

Except they land in Pompeii, 23 August of 62 A.D., which means that Pompeii's streets are about to get re-paved with lava. The Doctor claims to be unable to do anything about this: he doesn't ''say'' "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E6TheAztecs You can't change history, Barbara; not one line]]", but he is probably thinking it.

* CreatorInJoke: Latin students everywhere stand a chance of recognizing Caecillius and his family. They feature in a widely used Latin textbook.

So they go for the ''other'' Secret Time Lord manoeuver: running away. Unfortunately, the TARDIS is missing; it's been sold to a local marble merchant with a taste for avant-garde art[[hottip:*:It's not the first time [[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath the TARDIS has been mistaken for an art installation.]] Maybe the production team is going for a very very subtle running gag.]].

*RetroactiveRecogniton: KarenGillan appears as the soothsayer who stalks Donna and the Doctor at the beginning of the episode.

** KarenGillan appears as the soothsayer who stalks Donna and the Doctor at the beginning of the episode.