It only took 14 years, 8 months, and 13 days, but we finally have an answer to, well, what the hell was up with that duck pond Dr Who pointed out in The Eleventh Hour.
Let me refresh you on the exchange. From the eternally invaluable Chrissie’s Transcripts Site:
DOCTOR: What is that?
AMY: It’s a duck pond.
DOCTOR: Why aren’t there any ducks?
AMY: I don’t know. There’s never any ducks.
DOCTOR: Then how do you know it’s a duck pond?
AMY: It just is. Is it important, the duck pond?
(The Doctor clutches his chest.)
DOCTOR: I don’t know. Why would I know?
And why would he know? How? How or why would anyone have known? Surely that’s setting something up, I thought in 2010. I still thought it in 2011. And 2012. But the Moffat era came and went without answers. Even Big Finish hasn’t picked up on it. 14 years, 8 months, and 13 days later, here we are. Reading a prop newspaper from impending Christmas special Joy to the World.
I’ve included it here as big as they’ve released it, it’s pretty legible, but there’s a transcript below the fold.
I’m gonna say, mystery thoroughly solved. I hope those ducks are happy in 1973.