Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/The Witch's Familiar


 * how did Davros get the confession dial? how did it end up in a box along with the sunic-glasses (yes, I just coined a phrase)
 * Davros states that Colony Sarff confiscated it.


 * How did the Doctor a)get control of Davros' chair? b)manage to fit in Davros' chair?
 * a) probably by force b) why shouldn't he?
 * a)speaking of "force", Davros' chair was surrounded by a forcefield b)Because the chair was specifically made for Davros, who has no legs. Whereas Capaldi has long legs.
 * a)Many forcefields work against energy weapons but not against physical force (such as the Doctor grabbing Davros and yanking him out of the chair). b) Although Davros had no legs, it doesn't mean there isn't room underneath for the Doctor to put his legs - especially if he just removed some bits of tech that might have been down there.


 * The Daleks understood what "mercy" was in their very first chronological story, Genesis of the Daleks (TV story).
 * Did they? Here's a direct quote from a Dalek in that story: "“Pity? I have no understanding of the word. It is not registered in my vocabulary bank”.
 * Daleks have begged for mercy before. They might not 'understand' a concept, but they know the word and they use it when they think it could help to survive. So I'm also surprised that the Doctor was surprised...


 * Was there any explanation as to why pre-Time War series model Daleks were in this (and the prior) episode?
 * Davros likes the classic designs?
 * Rescued from the Asylum?
 * Perhaps the Daleks repaired some of the city's old production lines when they rebuilt the place.


 * What caused the explosion in the sewers after Missy attacks the Dalek guard? The casing is perfectly fine afterwards when she stuffs Clara inside.
 * That doesn't mean that all systems are still intact, however. Certain parts may well have malfunctioned, just not parts that Clara needed and used.


 * In Asylum of the Daleks (TV story) Oswin, while inside a Dalek casing, is able to both identify herself as "Oswin", and say that she is "human" and "not a Dalek". Yet in The Witch's Familiar, when Clara is inside a Dalek casing, she is unable to tell the Doctor that she's Clara, because Dalek casings ALWAYS translate that to "I-AM-A-DA-LEK!"
 * Oswin was able to hack into the operational systems of the Asylum and even erase any record of the Doctor in the Daleks' memory banks. If she could do this possibly she could reprogram the speech translators in her own casing. Remember too that all the daleks in the Asylum are irreparably damaged and insane.