Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/The Curse of Peladon


 * How and when exactly did the Doctor find out that Hepesh had obtained his live Aggedor specimen from a 'high mountain', as he explains to the surviving delegates at the start of Episode Four?
 * It was a logical assumption. After all, the animal had to have come from somewhere and then been trained.


 * The Doctor is nearly hit by the swinging secret passage door in Episode One.
 * If it's a secret door, he probably couldn't predict how it would open.


 * Jo's hair straightens when she climbs back into the citadel.
 * Yeah that sometimes happens between pre-filmed sequences and those recorded some time later on VT, really only a continuity error.


 * Why don't the delegates use Arcturus' radio?
 * Perhaps Arcturus' radio was built into his traction unit, and it was destroyed along with him in the blast from Ssorg's sonic gun.


 * There's only one bed in the Ice Warriors' quarters.
 * Ssorg may simply be accommodated elsewhere in the citadel.
 * The Warriors may sleep in shifts. On the other hand, Who is to say they don't sleep together?


 * If Alpha Centauri's a hexapod, how does it walk?
 * It might have a slimy 'foot' like a snail. The bottom of Centauri is covered by cloth.


 * The delegates from Alpha Centauri and Arcturus are not called by name or by what they call their own planets but by the Earth designations for their star systems. But the Doctor is not called "Earth" and Izlyr is not called "Mars".
 * The Doctor and Izlyr introduce themselves by name, hence those names are used. They are still called "the delegate from..." at times, which is consistent with Alpha Centauri and Arcturus being referred to by the name of the places they represent. Peladon, of course, actually has the same name as his planet.


 * The corpse of High Priest Hepesh is visibly breathing.
 * That's because his race's primary organs are controlled by an independent nervous system which can operate for some time after death. Ok, seriously: That's a production error, not a plot or discontinuity error.


 * Arcturus looks, sounds and even has a similar weapon to the Daleks
 * There is little resemblance, however there's no reason to assume that some similarity in technology is an inconsistency.


 * When the TARDIS falls, aside from the obvious fact of there being a model, there is no sign of the Doctor or Jo.
 * That's clearly a production error, not a plot error.


 * Why does the Ice Warrior jump to the conclusion that the Doctor is the Earth delegate?
 * He is a stranger who looks like an Earthling, and they are expecting the Earth delegate to arrive.


 * A decision for the galactic federation can be made with only FOUR (and after Arcturus dies THREE) people?
 * They are the duly appointed representatives of their governments.
 * Presumably under Federation law three representatives is the minimum required for a quorum. Considering their entire purpose there is to represent the Federation, yes, presumably they have been duly delegated to make necessary decisions on behalf of the Federation and their governments up to a certain point.


 * From the end of episode 3 to the beggining of 4, the Doctor has magically managed to climb out of the pit without help.
 * He climbed.
 * Having "proven" his innocence in the combat, and with the real enemies having exposed themselves - he would not have been expected to make his own way out of the pit. He would certainly have been helped.


 * It's not magic. It's called a cut-scene. A common technique in film-making to keep the story moving along. It's quite obvious he would be helped out of the pit before the charcters take stock of the situation and decide what to do next.


 * the Arcturan makes a noise when its around, it is the same sound the Morpho-Brains make, could they be related?