Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/The Sontaran Stratagem


 * If, at the begining of the episode, 'ATMOS cannot be disabled', why does it have a 'Disable' button?
 * The ATMOS device at the beginning of the episode was being controlled by the Sontarans to kill the reporter. Ordinarily, it can probably be switched off, like any other GPS.


 * The ATMOS devices are meant to stop cars from expelling gases so how come we can see such exhaust fumes coming out of the UNIT jeep?
 * The fumes may be other less harmful gases which CO2 could somehow be reacted to produce.


 * The field used by Sontarans to stop firearms apparently works by making the copper jacket expand, this would likely cause the firing pin to still engage the cartridge, causing an explosive misfire.
 * In real life, misfires are rarely explosive.
 * Especially in the smaller size rounds, such as those used by the UN, and therefore likely UNIT. If the copper is being manipulated it is more likely that it simply jams.


 * In Aliens of London, the Ninth Doctor says that UNIT are "Good People". Why now does he have such distain for them?
 * He has not been involved with new UNIT on screen until this episode so he would not know what they have been doing. He probably thought they were still UNIT of old.
 * Many of the people that the Doctor knew before were killed by the Slitheen. The people in charge now are different people.


 * The Doctor also claims to be uncomfortable around people with guns. The Brigadier carried a gun often and is one of the Doctor's best friends.
 * The Doctor also frequently chastised the Brigadier for using weapons. It is very consistently established that the Doctor does not approve of the use of guns and weapons unless absolutely necessary, and even then he does not like them.
 * Each incarnation has different attitudes. The Ninth was willing to use guns to kill a Dalek.
 * Also, there is a significant difference between the Doctors back then and the Doctor now; the Time Lords were still around during the Classic Series, but the ninth-eleventh Doctors thought that they'd died because of the Time War which the Doctor fought in. The fact that he believed he committed planetary genocide made him rather unnerved while around people with weapons (whether they be on his side or not).


 * The UNIT mobile command post is shown to be carried around in a semi-trailer, yet the inside layout appears considerably larger than the outside would suggest.
 * The trailer has a fold out side. This is shown when they enter and inside where the ceiling angles down. It still looks larger than it should, however this can be attributed to the camera lens which often makes interiors seem larger than they really are.


 * The UNIT crest still reads U.N.I.T. but given the newly stated name, it should read UN.I.T.
 * Perhaps the renaming occurred recently and the crests were left unchanged. Or they kept it for sentimental or branding/trademark reasons. Military units often retain historical insignia even if their official designations change.
 * It would cost a considerable amount of money to re-cloth all the soldiers simply for a rename.


 * Luke Rattigan accuses the Doctor of uttering a tautology by saying "ATMOS system". However, the phrase "atmospheric emissions system" is a pleonasm, not a tautology. A tautology is a statement whose meaning is circular, such as "paper burns because it is inflammable".
 * A pleonasm is a tautology so both statements are true.
 * Just because Luke Rattigan is an annoying pedant doesn't mean he can't make mistakes. How many times have you seen someone write, "Your an idiot, you forgot an apostrophe" or the like?


 * Considering the Doctor holds distain for UNIT, it's odd that he would have arranged for Martha to get a job with them.
 * It's not 100 percent confirmed that he did get her the job, although she clearly believes that to be the case. Regardless, she does say her intent is to change the organization from the inside. Perhaps the Doctor had this in mind when he recommended her - perhaps inspired by Jack Harkness' success in reforming Torchwood. Also he doesn't have distain for UNIT, only for its militaristic methods, which is consistent with the Doctor's attitude from his very first encounter with them.
 * Martha was rushed through her exams to become a Doctor. Perhaps this was the Doctor's plan.
 * The Doctor is always in need of friends in high places and friends on the inside.


 * Rattigan remarks on how all Sontarans look alike and asks how they can tell each other apart. As it happens, the only two "bare-headed" Sontarans seen in this and the following episode look nothing alike and sound nothing alike.
 * Aside from the fact that the idea of "identical clones" is more a science-fiction cliché than something rooted in fact, this was more likely intended as an in-joke for viewers.
 * He's probably referring to the fact that Skorr had a helmet that is identical to all other Sontarans and yet Staal recognised him.


 * The Doctor and Wilf act as if they haven't seen each other since their brief encounter in Voyage of the Damned, yet didn't they see each other at the end of Partners in Crime?
 * Wilf, maybe, though he might not have got a clear look at the Doctor as he was too excited. And unless the Doctor has super vision, he would be unable to clearly see wilf, from his distance.


 * Why is the sonic screwdriver considered low-tech and a simple trick?
 * Grace pretty much also made that observation about the TARDIS in the TV movie, and she was a human from 20th century San Francisco who couldn't set an alarm clock.


 * The Sontarans clearly know about the concept of regeneration. Why do they want the Doctor to unleash that kind of power?