10 Times Doctor Who Has Broken Its Own Rules

When 2007's Blink introduced audiences to the Weeping Angels, fans praised their original, instantly memorable and unique set of powers. Able to move faster than lightning when unobserved, and zap prey into the past, it wasn't before long that the Angels became overused, confusing, and inconsistent.

2010's The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone introduced the concept that any image of a Weeping Angel becomes a Weeping Angel. However, this new rule raised some eyebrows, especially since images of Weeping Angels have been seen throughout the series. Notably, Blink's Sally Sparrow was a photographer who had captured images of the Angels, but they hadn't come to life. Obviously, this rule hadn't been created yet, but some forgetful writing set it in stone.

This strange rule also caused problems for fans when 2012's The Angels Take Manhattan revealed that the Statue of Liberty, one of the most photographed structures in the world, was also a Weeping Angel. If the Angels did indeed infect photos with new Angels, you would think the world would be overrun by evil Statues of Liberty. This doesn't seem to be the case, as the Whoniverse hasn't seen any reports of postcards or holiday snaps coming to life and attacking tourists.

Photos of the Angels have also been since in episodes such as 2015's Time Heist and in various minisodes, showing this power to be inconsistent - and possibly forgotten. Other inconsistent and forgotten powers include the Angels' ability to infect victims by looking directly into their eyes. This wasn't a problem in Blink, also not invented until the next episode, but subsequent appearances haven't fretted with this particular danger.

This just proves that the Angels are more consistent - and more effective - when their iconic abilities aren't overcomplicated.