Quiz : Planet from Doctor Who or Hair Care Product

, in Interactive, Popular or Notable, Rant, Science Fiction

A cool spash image to provide visual interest
A cool spash image to provide visual interest

Marketing and Scifi have a problem in common - coming up with cool sounding names for made up stuff. It is perhaps no surprise that so many hair care products sound exactly like planets from Doctor Who.

Take my little quiz to see if you can tell the difference. I've tried to be fair and use only non-obscure planets from the TV show, ignoringas one probably should the seventy thousand novels, comics and audio plays.

Question 1
Nexxus

"Our story began in 1979 when our founder Jheri Redding, scientist, cosmetologist and inventor of the modern day conditioner, made known his pioneering belief that when hair was treated with protein it became reinvigorated with life."

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Question 2
Akhaten

Akhaten is the living planet that the Doctor and Clara encounter in The Rings of Akhaten. It sustains itself by feeding on the memories of other sentient beings but can be placated by songs and killed by vegetation, apparently.

Not every episode can be a classic.

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Question 3
Minoxidil

Minoxidil is the generic name for the product better known as Rogaine (itself a fine Doctor Who-esque name).

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Question 4
Peladon

The Doctor and Jo Grant visited Peladon in 1972s The Curse of Peladon just in time to sort out a troublesome political problem involving aliens and monsters that was in no way related to England joining the EU.

Oddly, this story also features a monster that can be placated by song.

Peladon is one of the few planets that The Doctor has visited twice, returning with Sarah Jane in 1974 in a story that was certinly not about the crippling 1972 miners strikes.

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Question 5
Skonnos

The Skonnan empire was fading when the bull-like Nimons arrived on Skonnos to help out in a totally altruistic and no-strings-attached fashion.

Luckily The Doctor, Romana, and K9 arrive to eventually sort things out.

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Question 6
Fructis

"Hey, do you want to smell like you slept in an apple barrel last night? If so, we have the product for you!

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Question 7
Beta-Glucan

Beta-glucan is supposed to be good for soothing irritated skin. I don't know why it is also in this shampoo.

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Question 8
Nioxin

By identifying the 3 signs of hair thinning (Derma, Density and Diameter), NIOXIN delivers a complete program and unique personalized solutions for a tailored treatment that works.

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Question 9
Telos

Telos was just one of the many planets that The Doctor encountered the dreaded Cybermen. The Tardis visited Telos in The Tomb of the Cybermen(1967) and then again in Attack of the Cybermen(1985) to reduced dramatic effect.

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Question 10
Sassoon

For almost 4 decades, Vidal Sassoon was consistantly voted Most Likely to a Bond Villian Rather Than a Real Person based on his name, relinquishing the title only recently to Elon Musk.

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Well, that was a total waste of time. Be thankful you only took the test instead of writing it.