The Bells of Saint John

I have to admit Steven Moffat writes some of the sweetest moments on television. The prequel to The Bells of Saint John is one of them.

The Bells of Saint John covers most of the self referential aspects of the episode along with a few notes on production.

 

One production moment mentioned is when the Doctor changes his clothes.

 

 

What they don't tell you is how in forty eight seconds the moment goes from whimsical and cute to "Oh My God, Matt is killing me in that suit." Just when you thought he couldn't get any more good looking. ;)  You can also learn more about behind the scenes by watching below

 

 

One self referential moment  that is mentioned is the reoccurrence of Clara's infamous phase. We can see it's first appearance in the episode below.

 

 

It does not, however, mention the Doctor wearing Amy's glasses and the Doctor handing his fez to a kid on the street.  They also don't mention the cute exchange between Clara and the Doctor as she talks to him out the window and asks if he is guarding her and he replies yes (much like the Centurion and Amy). It also  doesn't mention the significance of "101 Places To See" with the leaf that we see in The Rings of Akhaten.

 

There is also a nod to The Power of Three where they mention Twitter.

 

Doctor: There's something in the Wi-Fi.
Clara: Ok
Doctor: This whole world is swimming in Wi-Fi. We're living in a Wi-Fi soup. Suppose something got inside it. Suppose there was something living in the Wi-Fi harvesting human minds. Extracting. Imagine that. Human souls trapped like flies in the world wide web. Stuck forever. Crying out for help.
Clara: isn't that basically Twitter?

They do, however, mention the infamous question.

 

 

There is also a cute moment with Clara and Artie.

 

Clara: Which chapter are you on?

Artie: Ten.

Clara: Eleven is the best. You're going to cry your eyes out.

 

Some of my other favourite moments from the episode are:

 

1. The titles and computers at beginning are cool. Reminds me a bit of A Study in Pink.

2. The opening monologue, "Peoples souls are being uploaded to the internet. It's like people get stuck. Their minds, their souls trapped in the wi-fi. Like echoes, bursts, sometimes you can hear their screams. Radio, on the telly, on the net. This is real. This is not a hoax or joke or story. This is real and I know that cuz I don't know where I am. Please, please if you can hear me. If you can hear me, I don't know where I am."

 

3.  Clara: When you say mobile phone, why do you point to that blue box?
Doctor: Because it's a surprisingly accurate description.

 

Not only does it make me laugh, it reminds me a bit of the exchanges you would see between Colin Morgan and Bradley James on Merlin.

4. Doctor: I'm the doctor. I'm an alien from outer space. I'm 1000 years old and I have two hearts and I can't fly a plane. Can you?

5. Doctor: It's a time machine. You never have to wait for breakfast

6. Doctor dances

7. Doctor: You know the thing about a time machine, you can run away all you like and still be home in time for tea. So what do you say? Anywhere. All of time and space just outside your doors.
Clara: Does this work?
Doctor: Hey?
Clara: Is this actually what you do? Do you just crook your finger at people and people jump in your snog box and fly away?
Doctor: It is not a snog box.
Clara: I'll be the judge of that.
Doctor: Starting when?
Clara: Come back tomorrow and ask me again.
Doctor: Why?
Clara: Because tomorrow I might say yes.

 

This could be a reference to the last time he asked Clara to run away with him and she said yes immediately or it could be just a cute way to show them flirting. I think it works.