Doctor Who
Warning : This article contains spoilers for the 2023Doctor WhoChristmas special , " The Church on Ruby Road . "
Summary
The 2023Doctor WhoChristmas special , " The Church on Ruby Road , " ignored an significant part of the show ’s canon , but there could be an in - universe reason . Doctor Whohas Brobdingnagian sum of lore due to its 60 - yr story , so sure aspects are bound to clash with others or even be forgotten entirely . However , " The Church on Ruby Road " featuresa line of duologue that could instantly oppose a central part of theDoctor Whouniverse .
Ncuti Gatwa ’s first full outing as the Fifteenth Doctor bear on the show onwardahead ofDoctor Whoseason 14 , while also respecting much of the show ’s account . The possible basic subject regarding the late Christmas special stem from a few words from an oracular new character . However , the mystery surrounding the show ’s new additioncould also twine up explaining what seems to be a mishandling of the traditional knowledge ofDoctor Who .
It may seem that Doctor Who ’s Christmas episode set off with the show ’s forward-looking era , but as it turns out , Doctor Who Christmas started in the 1960s .

Mrs. Flood Can See The TARDIS Despite Its Perception Filter
The event could result in aDoctor Whoplothole.
To avoid the mien of the big , blue box rousing the suspiciousness of passersby , Doctor Who ’s TARDISis fitted with a twist called a perception filter . This does n’t render the Doctor ’s ship invisible , but it does disport people ’s care . However , a sensing filter tends to be rendered ineffective to those who have already see whatever it ’s hold back — include the TARDIS . In " The Church on Ruby Road , " Mrs. Flood , one of Ruby ’s neighbour , can see the TARDIS with relief and openly complains about it being in the mode . This does not draw up with how the ship unremarkably hide itselffrom poke eyes .
The Doctor Who Christmas Special introduced Anita Dobson as Mrs. Flood - and congeal up a mystery that will certainly continue in Doctor Who season 14 .
Doctor Who Teases That Mrs. Flood Knows What A TARDIS Is
Mrs. Flood isDoctor Who’s mysterious new character.
A perception filter is not always good . For instance , those who are cognisant of the existence or presence of a TARDIS will in all likelihood not have any military issue with seeing one put before them . Otherwise , the Doctor and their fellow traveler would never be capable to find their ship . One stemma from Mrs. Flood strongly implies she has get a line a TARDIS before , even if it was n’t the Doctor ’s TARDIS to which she was come to .
present the line " Never seen a TARDIS before ? " decently down the television camera electron lens only add together to the intrigue surrounding her quality andMrs . Flood ’s succeeding inDoctor Who . The fact that she refers to the TARDIS by name and is unfazed when it dematerialise would seem to suggest that she has indeed been in the front of one before . If so , a perception filter is unlikely to have any core on Mrs. Flood . As a resultant , the lore about the TARDIS ’s camouflaging equipment would remain in position if she has indeed had previous encounters with the Time Lords ' mode of transport .
Doctor Who ’s classic episodes are usable on Tubi , and the modern running play is rain cats and dogs on HBO Max . The sixtieth - anniversary episodes and beyond are stream on Disney+ .

The TARDIS' Perception Filter Could Be Broken
Russell T Davies is unlikely to make a mistake withDoctor Wholore
Although Mrs. Flood ’s pre - existent knowledge of what a TARDIS is remain the most probable account , there could be another reason she ’s capable to perceive the Doctor ’s craft . The sensing filter is n’t the TARDIS ’s only line of defensewhen it comes to observe itself hidden . There ’s another portion known as the chameleon circuit , which is designed to allow the TARDIS to take the bod of something invisible from the time and space in which it shoot down . It ’s what first allowedthe TARDIS to take the kind of a down in the mouth police box .
The Doctor has previously stated that the chameleon electrical circuit is break , and that is why the TARDIS is unable to change its physique . Therefore , it would n’t be unreasonable to take up that other parts of the TARDIS could malfunction or break as well , especially given the ship ’s vast age . A broken percept filter would allow anyone to see the TARDIS when it set ashore , which would explain Mrs. Flood ’s response .
Returning showrunner Russell T Davies , who wrote " The Church on Ruby Road , " has an telling eye for contingent . responsible for for laying the foundation for slow - growingDoctor Whoarcs such as time of year 1 ’s Bad Wolf story , Davies would be unconvincing to overlook a contingent as important as the TARDIS ’s perceptual experience filter . Therefore , the explanation for Mrs. Flood ’s ability to see the TARDIS likely has a desirable explanation in the coming episode ofDoctor Who .

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