Doctor Who: 5 Opportunities Afforded By The Newest Companion

4. Something Old, Something New

Does "Coal Hill School" sound familiar to anyone? If you're a fan of Classic Who, like the oft-professed fanboy Steven Moffat, the answer's probably yes. And if not, there's no reason to worry. The location will apparently figure prominently in Series 8 €“ as it did in the beginning of the series back in 1963. As you might have noticed during the opening sequence of the 50th, Clara Oswald is a teacher at the very same school where the First Doctor's companions Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright were, and where Sarah, the Doctor's granddaughter, attended classes. Considering Moffat's affinity for nods to the classic series, the use of the locale isn't a huge surprise in and of itself. Still, it is a nicely-placed nod to the show's history and a surprisingly subtle one at that. It's shaping up to be unobtrusive, but interesting €“ the sort of Easter Egg that will please classic fans, while not alienating newer ones who might not recognize its relevance to what's come before. It's even possible €“ although not probable €“ that we could see a cameo by Ian Chesterton himself. After all, the first thing we learned in the Anniversary special was that Chesterton is the current "Chairman of the Governors" of the school. Odds are that's as far as that little tidbit will go, but if not, reintroducing Coal Hill is a great first step.