History Trivia / DoctorWho2022CENThePowerOfTheDoctor

* FandomNod: "The Master's Dalek Plan" gag (as in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E4TheDaleksMasterPlan The Daleks' Master Plan]]'') had previously been common in fandom reactions to "The Magician's Apprentice"/"The Witch's Familiar". It's also the name of a [[AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho Big Finish]] ''Doctor Who'' audio story.

** Creator/PaulMcGann returns as the Eighth Doctor nine years after his last appearance in [[Recap/DoctorWho50thPrequelTheNightOfTheDoctor "The Night of the Doctor"]].
** Creator/KatyManning returns as Jo Jones 12 years after her last appearance in [[Recap/TheSarahJaneAdventuresS4E5E6DeathOfTheDoctor "Death of the Doctor"]], an episode of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures''. (unless you count the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2NID_9KcWw mini-episodes]] they do for the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1rHwBiVyJQ Blu Ray Boxed Sets]] of course.)
** Creator/PeterDavison returns as the Fifth Doctor for the first time since [[Recap/DoctorWho2007CiNSTimeCrash "Time Crash"]] 15 years prior.

** Creator/SophieAldred returns as Ace 33 years after her last on-screen appearance in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E4Survival "Survival"]], the GrandFinale of the Classic Series.
** Creator/BonnieLangford returns as Mel Bush for the first time since [[Recap/DoctorWhoS24E4Dragonfire "Dragonfire"]] 35 years prior.
** Creator/ColinBaker returns as the Sixth Doctor for the first time since [[Recap/DoctorWhoS23E4TheUltimateFoe "The Ultimate Foe"]] 36 years prior.
** Creator/JanetFielding returns as Tegan Jovanka 38 years after her last appearance(s) in Season 21 (her last mainline appearance was in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E4ResurrectionOfTheDaleks "Resurrection of the Daleks"]], but she still made a newly-recorded cameo during the Fifth Doctor's regeneration in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E6TheCavesOfAndrozani "The Caves of Androzani"]] two serials later).

** The official BBC release of [[https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/tv-drama/doctor-who/ the script]] for the episode revealed numerous scenes or lines that were either cut or changed in the final release. Some notable examples include the Master turning out to ''be'' the actual historical Rasputin [[note]]Which would mean that the Boney M. song he dances to is actually about ''him''[[/note]], Yaz demanding the Doctor "Give me that respect", and the regeneration scene was supposed to have the Doctor end her speech with, "I bet it's going to be brilliant", as a {{Book End|s}}, regenerate while sitting down on the cliff, and the episode was to end before we see who the new Doctor is, presumably because it wasn't yet known who would be taking over the show.

** This episode ended up being the last new episode of ''Doctor Who'' to air on BBC America, and on Creator/TheABC in Australia after Creator/DisneyPlus [[ChannelHop signed a deal with the BBC]] for exclusive broadcasting rights for the Fourteenth Doctor onward worldwide except in the UK and Ireland. Both broadcasters even managed to BookEnd their time with the show: BBC America started airing it in 2008 for David Tennant's final episodes as the Tenth Doctor and finished by broadcasting his first appearance as the Fourteenth Doctor, while the ABC began with the First Doctor all the way back in ''1965'' and ended with an episode featuring a cameo by his original companion, Ian Chesterton.

** The MeaningfulLook between the Dalek and the Cyberman was improved by the costume operators, but was found too funny to drop.

** Creator/KatyManning returns as Jo Jones 12 years after her last appearance in [[Recap/TheSarahJaneAdventuresS4E5E6DeathOfTheDoctor "Death of the Doctor"]], an episode of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures''.

* TrollingCreator: It was originally announced that Creator/NcutiGatwa was going to be "the next Doctor". While various news sites that shared this were quick to call him "the Fourteenth Doctor", the official announcement [[GodNeverSaidThat never called him by a number]], which fans picked up on and speculated that there might be more to it. Turns out that was entirely intentional to hide the twist that ''Creator/DavidTennant'' will be playing Fourteen and Gatwa will be playing ''Fifteen''.

** Behind the scenes example, but Creator/SophieAldred returns as Ace and also portrayed the other Doctors against whoever was on screen during the Guardians of the Edge scene.
* AscendedFanon: Graham's group for ex-companions canonises the common {{Fanon}} that there is a covert social network between most or all of the Doctor's 'contemporary Earth' companions.

* FandomNod: The "The Master's Dalek Plan" gag (as in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E4TheDaleksMasterPlan The Daleks' Master Plan]]'') had previously been common in fandom reactions to "The Magician's Apprentice"/"The Witch's Familiar". It's also the name of a [[AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho Big Finish]] ''Doctor Who'' audio story.

** It was also officially touted as the 300th Doctor Who story (counting “The Trial of a Time Lord” and “Flux” as one story each, but counting “Let’s Kill Hitler”, “The Woman Who Lived”, “Hell Bent” and the second and third parts of the Monks Trilogy as separate to their first parts, along with discounting the unfinished “Shada”)
* RefittedForSequel: The Doctor's regeneration back into a previous incarnation (in this case, Creator/DavidTennant) was an idea originally proposed by Creator/SydneyNewman, the show's own creator, in 1986 when BBC One controller Michael Grade asked him if he had any ideas to reformat the series after Creator/ColinBaker's firing. Newman envisioned Creator/PatrickTroughton returning to the role for one season before regenerating into a female incarnation; the idea fell through at the time due to CreativeDifferences between Newman and the BBC's Head of Drama, Jonathan Powell, not to mention Troughton's own death in 1987. Also doubles as RetCanon since the expanded universe is full of stories where a Doctor retro-regenerates into a previous incarnation for a brief period, though this is the first time where the retro-regeneration counts as a new incarnation as opposed to just popping back to an earlier incarnation.

** For Chris Chibnall's 5-year and 3-season (plus specials) tenure as showrunner and Jodie Whittaker's tenure as the first female Doctor in the show's history. It also marks the end of long-time producer Nikki Wilson, composer Segun Akinola and costume designer Ray Holman being associated with the show.
** This episode ended up being the last new episode of ''Doctor Who'' to air on BBC America in, well, America, and on Creator/TheABC in Australia after Creator/DisneyPlus [[ChannelHop signed a deal with the BBC]] for exclusive broadcasting (not just streaming) rights for the Fourteenth Doctor onward worldwide except the UK and Ireland. Both broadcasters even managed to BookEnd their time with the show: BBC America started airing it in 2008 for David Tennant's final episodes as the incumbent Doctor and finished by broadcasting his first appearance as the new incumbent Doctor, while the ABC began with the First Doctor all the way back in ''1965'' and ended with an episode featuring a cameo by both him and one of his original companions, Ian Chesterton.

** When the BBC uploaded [[https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/tv-drama/doctor-who/ the script]] for the episode it revealed that a few well loved moments (such as Kate's joke about just signing the lease on the new UNIT HQ and a notable amount of Thasmin moments) were either improvised or added to the script at the last minute.
** The "What? What? What?" ending was scripted but David Tennant added the line, "I know these teeth".
** The MeaningfulLook between the Dalek and the Cyberman was unscripted but too hilarious to drop.

** The official BBC release of [[https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/tv-drama/doctor-who/ the script]] for the episode revealed numerous scenes or lines that were either cut or changed in the final release. Some notable examples include the Master turning out to ''be'' the actual historical Rasputin [[note]]Which would mean that the Boney M. song he dances to is actually about ''him''[[/note]], Yaz demanding the Doctor "Give me that respect", and the regeneration scene was supposed to have the Doctor end her speech with "brilliant" as a {{Book End|s}}, regenerate while sitting down on the cliff, and ends before we see who the new Doctor is, presumably because it wasn't yet known who would be taking over the show[[note]]And there was the very real possibility that it would be the final episode of Doctor Who for a long time[[/note]].
** Creator/TomBaker was approached about appearing along with the other classic Doctors, though he turned out to be unavailable. [[note]]At least they didn’t [[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors replace him with a waxwork]] this time![[/note]]

* TrollingCreator: It was originally announced that Creator/NcutiGatwa was going to be "the next Doctor". While various news sites that shared this were quick to call him "the Fourteenth Doctor", the official announcement never called him by a number, which fans picked up on and speculated that there might be more to it. Turns out that was entirely intentional to hide the twist that ''Creator/DavidTennant'' will be playing Fourteen and Gatwa will be playing ''Fifteen''.

* IKnewIt: After Creator/DavidTennant's return for the 60th Anniversary was announced, many fans theorized that he wasn't coming back as the Tenth Doctor, but was going to play a new Doctor between Creator/JodieWhittaker and Creator/NcutiGatwa's incarnations. The speculation only intensified when location filming photos were revealed and Tennant was spotted in a brand new coat that was similar to but noticeably different from Ten's, along with what appeared to be a new sonic screwdriver, while Gatwa was nowhere to be seen on set. This theory was first confirmed by a ContentLeak of this episode's ending before its official airing solidified it.

** The Master dancing was also not intended. Sacha Dhawain misinterpreted something in the script that caused him to think he was supposed to, and the crew rolled with it when he started.

** Jodie Whittaker also plays both her Doctor and the hologram version, as do Creator/PeterDavison as the Fifth and Creator/SylvesterMcCoy as the Seventh Doctors and the hologram when it changes form to them for Tegan and Ace, respectively.

* MilestoneCelebration: This episode tied in with the BBC's 100th anniversary, hence the cavalcade of character cameos from the classic series.

** Creator/JanetFielding returns as Teagan Jovanka 38 years after her last appearance(s) in Season 21 (her last mainline appearance was in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E4ResurrectionOfTheDaleks "Resurrection of the Daleks"]], but she still made a newly-recorded cameo during the Fifth Doctor's regeneration in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E6TheCavesOfAndrozani "The Caves of Androzani"]] two serials later).

* RoleReprise: Many former cast members return to the main series, some decades after departing the show[[note]]Not counting their appearances in Big Finish audios[[/note]]:

* RefittedForSequel: The Doctor's regeneration back into a previous incarnation (in this case, Creator/DavidTennant) was an idea originally proposed by Creator/SydneyNewman, the show's own creator, in 1986 when BBC One controller Michael Grade asked him if he had any ideas to reformat the series after Creator/ColinBaker's firing. Newman envisioned Creator/PatrickTroughton returning to the role for one season before regenerating into a female incarnation; the idea fell through at the time due to CreativeDifferences between Newman and the BBC's Head of Drama, Jonathan Powell, not to mention Troughton's own death in 1987. Also doubles as RetCanon since the expanded universe is full of stories where a Doctor retro-regenerates into a previous incarnation, though this is the first time where the retro-regeneration counts as a new incarnation as opposed to just popping back to an earlier incarnation.

** The official BBC release of [[https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/tv-drama/doctor-who/ the script]] for the episode revealed numerous scenes or lines that were either cut or changed in the final release. Some notable examples include the Master turning out to ''be'' the actual historical Rasputin [[note]]Which would mean that the Boney M. song he dances to is actually about ''him''[[/note]], Yaz demanding the Doctor "Give me that respect", and the regeneration scene was supposed to have the Doctor end her speech with "brilliant", regenerate while sitting down on the cliff, and ends before we see who the new Doctor is, presumably because it wasn't yet known who would be taking over the show[[note]]And there was the very real possibility that it would be the final episode of Doctor Who for a long time[[/note]].

** The official BBC release of [[https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/tv-drama/doctor-who/ the script]] for the episode revealed numerous scenes or lines that were either cut or changes in the final release. Some notable examples include the Master turning out to ''be'' the actual historical Rasputin [[note]]Which would mean that the Boney M song he dances to is actually about ''him''[[/note]], Yaz demanding the Doctor "Give me that respect", and the regeneration scene was supposed to have the Doctor end her speech with "brilliant", regenerate while sitting down on the cliff, and ends before we see who the new Doctor is, presumably because it wasn't yet known who would be taking over the show[[note]]And there was the very real possibility that it would be the final episode of Doctor Who for a long time[[/note]].

** This episode ended up being the last new episode of ''Doctor Who'' to air on BBC America in, well, America, and on Creator/TheABC in Australia after Creator/DisneyPlus [[ChannelHop signed a deal with the BBC]] for exclusive broadcasting (not just streaming) rights for the Fourteenth Doctor onward worldwide except the UK and Ireland. Both broadcasters even managed to BookEnd their time with the show: BBC America started airing it in 2008 for David Tennant's final episodes as the incumbent Doctor and finished by broadcasting his first appearance as the new incumbent Doctor, while the ABC began with the First Doctor all the way back in ''1965'' and ended with an episode featuring a cameo by him.

** Creator/TomBaker was approached about appearing along with the other classic Doctors, though he turned out to be unavailable. [[note]]At least they didn’t [[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors replace him with a waxwork]] this time![[/note]] Some have speculated that he's still sore over how he was treated by the crew of [[Recap/DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor "The Day of the Doctor"]] and didn't want to experience it again.

* RoleReprise: Many former castmembers return to the main series, some decades after departing the show[[note]]Not counting their appearances in Big Finish audios[[/note]]. Special mention must go to Creator/WilliamRussell who returns as Ian Chesterton ''57 years'' after his last appearance, all the while being in his late nineties.

** Creator/TomBaker was approached about appearing along with the other classic Doctors, though he turned out to be unavailable. [[note]]At least they didn’t [[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors replace him with a waxwork]] this time![[/note]] Some have speculated that he's still sore over how he was treated by the crew of ''The Day of the Doctor'' and didn't want to experience it again.

** Creator/TomBaker was approached about appearing along with the other classic Doctors, though he turned out to be unavailable. [[note]]At least they didn’t [[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors replace him with a waxwork]] this time![[/note]]
*** Some have speculated that he's still sore over how he was treated by the crew of ''The Day of the Doctor'' and didn't want to experience it again.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Creator/RussellTDavies remarked in an interview that the Doctor's costume changed into a gender-appropriate wardrobe during the regeneration sequence because the show, unfortunately, is made in a place with transphobic tendencies and they would object to a man in drag, so David Tennant would not be wearing women's clothes. Ultimately, this is also a DoubleStandard, because Jodie Whitaker got to wear Peter Capaldi's outfit since a female could wear it without raising much alarm.