**Spoilers** Series 7, Episode 10 - "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS"

pixelburp

Looks like this will be another "bottle" episode, only this time it's the TARDIS, rather than a submarine. Which in itself is a rare occurrence - I think you could count on one hand the number of Who stories ever set along the corridors of the TARDIS; it happened partially in "The Doctor's Wife" from last year, but before that the interior of the TARDIS has always been something of an explored mystery - which is a good thing in my eyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dW3ZJ4Vq5c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFxSy68_n5E

RoryMurphyJnr

It would want to be something special.
Terrible run this series, Jenna Louise is a great assistant but finding the whole thing hard to watch.
And the over reliance on the sonic screwdriver is spoiling it

pixelburp

Disagree on that; 'Rings' was a bit weak sure, but the last two episodes have been pretty strong by and large, if not genuinely excellent.

Wibbs

I recall a Tom Baker story where he went traipsing around the bowels of a factory somewhere outside London the Tardis, including the swimming pool IIRC. I'm looking forward to this one.

Doctor DooM

Got to agree on pixelburp on this one, while I've not found anything amazing this year, there's certainly been nothing as bad as about 30% of the RTD era.

Moffat's run has been consistently good, and occasionally great, imo.

bradyle

I think this series so far has been a bit hit and miss tbh.

I really did like the fist three episodes but thought the power of three and the angels take manhattan weren't great. The Christmas special was great...such a step up from last years!
Then with this half everything's just fallen a little flat of what I thought they could be. The premises are great but the story just didn't get there. Like i did enjoy them but i just thought they could have been more. Although last weeks Hide I really liked so maybe I shouldn't be so harsh!

But I do think theres something up with the sonic...like they're making it be the centre of attention a lot recently...I'm hoping theres going to be something that happens with it rather than they're just using it more than I remember for other seasons!

gufnork

And even when it's not being used for anything specific, he tends to get it out simply to twiddle it and gaze deeply into it's little light. I've never known a doctor whip it out as frequently as this one. It started getting annoying a good while ago for me. I truly hope something terrible happens to it very soon, something that puts it out of action for a good bit would be wonderful.

Doctor DooM

gufnork wrote: »

And even when it's not being used for anything specific, he tends to get it out simply to twiddle it and gaze deeply into it's little light. I've never known a doctor whip it out as frequently as this one. It started getting annoying a good while ago for me. I truly hope something terrible happens to it very soon, something that puts it out of action for a good bit would be wonderful.

Uh... David Tennant? Growing chain link fence?

bradyle

gufnork wrote: »

And even when it's not being used for anything specific, he tends to get it out simply to twiddle it and gaze deeply into it's little light. I've never known a doctor whip it out as frequently as this one. It started getting annoying a good while ago for me. I truly hope something terrible happens to it very soon, something that puts it out of action for a good bit would be wonderful.

I think it's going to break or something and to fix it he'll have to turn it into the one river has in Silence in The Library

pixelburp

Yeah, I don't understand the general cries of overuse about the Sonic - it's still quite prominent yeah, but it has been since day 1 of the new series; to be fair, we've seen it become more like the Doctor's equivalent of the Tri-corder during Moffats run, than the magical fix-all-wand it was during the time of Eccleston & Tennant & the lazier moments of RTD-led writing. So I disagree that it has become worse - quite the opposite.

As Dr. Doom mentioned, it was used to magically create chain-link fencing ffs - if I recall the Doc even claimed it was one of the presets. Sure, the screwdriver was used as a wand during that odd magic-science battle in 'Rings', but otherwise it has definitely been toned down & become more of an analysis tool.

I dunno, maybe there's just an element of audience fatigue about the show that people are jumping on faults and/or features that have always been there. It is in its 7th series of the new run, so perhaps things need to be shaken up a little, beyond simply changing the Doc & TARDIS interior.

bradyle

I don't think he uses it more than the previous doctors, I just think that lately they seem to be focusing on its use a lot more. It's as if every time it's used it gets to be the center of the attention as something really important rather than just a handy tool.

I do think this is a change even maybe from the first half of season 7 and I cant help but think they're drawing notice to it for a reason. Obviously I could be completely wrong but who knows

Wibbs

pixelburp wrote: »

Yeah, I don't understand the general cries of overuse about the Sonic - it's still quite prominent yeah, but it has been since day 1 of the new series; to be fair

True. When you watch the Classic Who, what strikes you is how little he uses it. If you'd asked me before I revisted my youth:D I would have said "ah he uses it all the time", but he didn't. Baker's doc rarely and then as an actual screwdriver half the time and I can't recall Davisons Doc ever using it. Way less than I remembered.

Hmmmm Maybe that's it... Moffat and RTD are around my age and if I was tasked with writing a Doctor story he'd be whipping it out every chance he got because of my faulty memory. Daleks are another one. Again if you asked me how often did the Docs of my youth took on the Daleks I'd have sworn blind it was all the time, yet Tom Baker's Doc only fought them twice in what was it seven seasons(I think he only met the cybermen once IIRC)? If you magically rejuvenated the forth Doc and stuck him in the New Who, he'd be "ah FFS lads, not bloody Daleks again, colour me sorry I didn't kill them at birth when I had the chance" and "so you're telling me I can get romantic with my assistants now? Damn, missed out on Leela and Sarah Jane. Feck!".

Mr.Saturn

I've seen this kinda episode rumoured as a '****e! overbudget' episode for the entire run of Nu-Who. Though, from the trailer, it doesn't look like an ep that's me scrimped on.

The sonic's lack of emphasis in the original series may have had a lot to do with the fact that they needed quite a bit of padding to fill up a 2/4/8/10 (depending on the Doc/story)-parter; it would've killed the running time had the Doctor just removed the plot-block.

bradyle

Here's another clip from tomorrows show

Worked out how to imbed youtube clips and it only took me like 4 goes...super impressed :P

Pixelburp you could maybe throw this up with your two and I'll remove it might make things neater...or we can leave it here...doesnt really mater I suppose

Sooooooooo... I'm not the only person who doesn't know just what happened on Who?

McLoughlin

Swear I heard The voice of The Third Doctor have to go and re watch it.

TheIrishGrover

Well that was all over the place.

flazio

Deleted User wrote: »

Sooooooooo... I'm not the only person who doesn't know just what happened on Who?

Stuff happened, the Doctor pressed a Reset Button, Stuff didn't happen. Is next weeks the Neil Gaiman episode?

BlitzKrieg

Its the end of season 3 all over again.

Lots of interesting and fun things happened, things were really given potential to go in new and unusual ways

and then it was all reset.

Lots of little teasers and nods (including audio from the first doctor, his granddaughter and others)

I liked it but I never get such a hang up over reset endings, they annoy me, but I enjoy the ride (hence why I still stand by series 3 having a great finale)

Again good use of practical effects.

My biggest criticism was the absolute horrid way of handling the android/brothers revelation. It just felt odd how they delivered that information bit by bit (and that it was obvious from the shot at the beginning of the episode showing the photo)

Coldzone

flazio wrote: »

Stuff happened, the Doctor pressed a Reset Button, Stuff didn't happen. Is next weeks the Neil Gaiman episode?

Next week is Mark Gatiss episode, Neil Gaiman is week after isnt it

Bit all over the place but not too bad

I don't think anything else is going to top his Rings monologue...

BuffyBot

Concept and execution were good. Nice to see the pool, and the library (and not the pool in the library) and the CGI wasn't too shabby. Seemed odd that he would just leave a book sitting in there with his name in it, if it's such a terrible, terrible thing.

Didn't really care for the brothers, or the whole android thing. A lot of it was all over the place though, and the reset lazy. 6/10 episode for me.

Killer_banana

I missed the first five or so minutes, is that why the end was so confusing or did it just make feck-all sense?

T-Bird

Did he set it all up so that he could question her as to who she was? Dunno, perhaps just trying to find a reason not to make it a reincarnation of old stories.

hmm, also another thought on reincarnated stories.

Perhaps the whole thing is a bit singing dectivey? Maybe it is all the mad imagination of an old mad man trapped in a “blue police box” in Trotter Street. He is being tormented by people outside the box and is making up stories in his head to escape? Perhaps he “Dr J Smith” played by David Bradley walks out? Hope not…

bradyle

They had such a chance to go somewhere great with her knowing his name and him telling her she existed before...but no they undid it all.
I'm just worried she'll start getting flashbacks of it or something because if time was rewritten it really didn't happen.

bradyle

Killer_banana wrote: »

I missed the first five or so minutes, is that why the end was so confusing or did it just make feck-all sense?

Did you miss the bit where the metal thing was the object that allowed the salvage crew to grab the TARDIS and they could get it on board becuase the Doctor had let the shields down so Clara could fly the TARDIS.
So by telling past doctor about it past doctor was able to turn of the metal thing andd they couldnt be grabbed

Why doesn't he just do a mind meld on her like the last doctor could do
:pac:

connemara man

bradyle wrote: »

They had such a chance to go somewhere great with her knowing his name and him telling her she existed before...but no they undid it all.
I'm just worried she'll start getting flashbacks of it or something because if time was rewritten it really didn't happen.

Shell have an inkling of something because didnt the brother star acting nicer to the younger one.

bradyle

connemara man wrote: »

Shell have an inkling of something because didnt the brother star acting nicer to the younger one.

Yea I noticed that and really hoped it was just a coincidence...

Like it didn't happen...They cant remember it!

gufnork

Well I loved it. I thought it was great. It's the over-use of the sonic screwdriver that gets me. I just wish they'd stop doing that. Apart from that though, seeing the Tardis like that was fantastic. It was exciting, and Clara is a joy to watch, especially with all the mystery surrounding her. Nice. Nothing will ever top Tom Bakers reign of course, but I'm enjoying Matt Smith and Jenna.

Wibbs

bluewolf wrote: »

Why doesn't he just do a mind meld on her like the last doctor could do
:pac:

Yea well he was cuter so less likely for the ladies to say GTFO with that Spock stuff.

pixelburp

I think I enjoyed that; I think anyway, I'm not sure. It seemed like a bit of a mess plot-wise, but had enough going for it that it kept me entertained. Most of that was due to seeing the interior of the TARDIS & by and large, they didn't screw that up. Whilst some of the corridors were just a tad too claustrophobic, there was enough grandeur and mystery that you could see why it would be a pretty awesome place to travel in. Loved the library, I hope we return there (side note: I think the telescope that was spotted was the one from series 2, the werewolf episode?); and how epic was the Eye of Harmony? It has been mentioned so often in Who lore yet never seen - shush to anyone who mentioned the US TV movie - and it didn't disappoint in it's proper maiden appearance. It really sold the idea of the TARDIS as both amazing yet scarily powerful (and on that, once again the FX was pretty strong)

The time-zombies didn't make a whole lot of sense, though the concept itself was pretty damn horrible / creepy when you realised Clara was being chased by a horribly mutated version of herself *shudder* (side note: being a gaming nerd, I was reminded of a near-identical concept from a game called Singularity, where people got mutated by timey-wimeyness into shambling, burning beasties)

As for the climax, yeah I'm not a fan of reset buttons as resolutions, but on the other hand if the chief concept of your TV series is time-travel, I kinda accept that resets will play into things at some point.

My only real quibble was the acting by the three VanBalen brothers - they were all uniformly bad. The writing wasn't great either, the twist pretty uninteresting & pointless really, but it wasn't helped by such flat, stilted performances.

On the question of the Doctor's name, well I agree: I suspect Clara will 'remember' seeing it - after-all, series 5 ended with the Doctor brought back to existence through Amy remembering him - and was put there as a link to the final episode.

Wibbs

I liked how he switched the Tardis into basic mode by turning an old clock key belonging to a Smiths clock. Shades of John Smith maybe? Regardless, nice touch by the props dept. And if they want a stunt double down the line I have one.

Coldzone

Did anyone else think the History Of The Time War book having the Doctor's name just written there for anyone to see was just wrong?

Also with it being the history of the time war shouldnt it have been in Gallifreyan? and also the Gallifreyan encyclopedia. This may be a link to who Clara is as before with the doctor's crib Gallifreyan wasnt translated by the Tardis

Doctor DooM

Wibbs wrote: »

Yea well he was cuter so less likely for the ladies to say GTFO with that Spock stuff.

Also, the last time the current Doctor did the mind meldy stuff to someone, he headbutted them. Can't see that going over well with Clara...

stevenmu

So the Tardis engine exploded and created cracks in time, and again a future Doctor comes back to save the day.

Does this have any connection to the Tardis exploding and time cracks from season 5, or is it just a separate instance of the same mechanic in action again?

Das Kitty

I think I enjoyed that. There was a lot going on! It will require a rewatch.

I'm also confused that Clara could just read his name in a book. Surely that can't be right? If it is, it really makes 10 into a very melodramatic ding-dong in Silence in the Library.

He must have gone back to Demon's Run for his old cot at some stage too.

I do reckon he was still testing Clara, teaching her to fly the Tardis when he didn't trust her.

I lol'd at his oddball mention of liking human skin because it's like parchment.

(Hopefully this post is not quite as confusing as the episode!)

MrVestek

stevenmu wrote: »

So the Tardis engine exploded and created cracks in time, and again a future Doctor comes back to save the day.

Does this have any connection to the Tardis exploding and time cracks from season 5, or is it just a separate instance of the same mechanic in action again?

I was wondering that too, I'd kinda hope as a fan that they link it back to that occurrence in some way shape or form or that we'll see some instances of the cracks again in the future that will tie back in to season 5 but knowing typical Moffat misdirection I doubt it'll turn out that way.

Das Kitty

Ah rewatch!

When she reads the book she says, "Ah. So that's Who."

Which to me at least would be an unusual thing to say upon discovering someone's name. So it's possible she was remarking on something else. Maybe.

Then later she says, "you have a name, I saw it in a book." So maybe she saw the fact that he has a name in the book and not the name itself?

// Grasping at straws

pixelburp

hehe; what I love most about Dr. Who, is that with little moments like the book Clara reads in the library, you're never quite sure whether it's just a continuity goof (which aren't exactly uncommon), or if they're a little clue or hint towards big things in future episodes

Aoifums

Das Kitty wrote: »

I think I enjoyed that. There was a lot going on! It will require a rewatch.

I'm also confused that Clara could just read his name in a book. Surely that can't be right? If it is, it really makes 10 into a very melodramatic ding-dong in Silence in the Library.

He must have gone back to Demon's Run for his old cot at some stage too.

I do reckon he was still testing Clara, teaching her to fly the Tardis when he didn't trust her.

I lol'd at his oddball mention of liking human skin because it's like parchment.

(Hopefully this post is not quite as confusing as the episode!)

I don't think that's possible

I'm joking mainly. I liked it but it was confusing and I really should watch it again. The zombies creeped the hell out of me. If the zombies were other versions of themselves, why were they trying to hurt them? Or were the zombies just there and the non-zombies over-reacting? I'm confused, hence the need for a rewatch.

Aoifums

Aoifums wrote: »

I don't think that's possible

I'm joking mainly. I liked it but it was confusing and I really should watch it again. The zombies creeped the hell out of me. If the zombies were other versions of themselves, why were they trying to hurt them? Or were the zombies just there and the non-zombies over-reacting? I'm confused, hence the need for a rewatch.

One of the zombies killed a brother so they were killing them
Maybe because they were crazy zombies

Manach

bluewolf wrote: »

Maybe because they were crazy zombies

I believe the correct PC term is "Living impaired individual". As for calling them crazy ....

K-9

Need to watch it again as I missed a good part of the first 10 minutes dishing out a roast beef, serious clash of priorities. Loved the library and the Eye of Harmony.

Read a review that gave it 10/10 and it just didn't hit me as a classic, maybe a rewatch will, it was no Cold War, but I love Russians, submarines and spy stuff! Watched the Doctors wife on Sunday with the young lad, much better.

Doctor DooM

Actually enjoyed this way more on a second viewing.

The brother's acting leaves a lot to be desired though, they come across mad stilted.

Das Kitty

The eldest/tallest brother especially. The way he spoke was really jarring.

Keogg

I quite enjoyed this episode, especially on a re-watch. I've read and agreed with a few theories as to how this is all going to tie together, I guess I should spoiler it in case anyone doesn't want any speculation..

Clara learns the Doctors name in the library, and I think that the TARDIS must have let her get in there, I doubt it's a public library open to any companions. So the TARDIS doesn't like Clara because she knows that Clara will be the one who knows the Doctors name/asks him the question on the Fields of Trenzalor. But the TARDIS also brings the Doctor to 'wherever he needed to go' so his running into her again and again is because she has to learn his name, forget it, and remember it again at the worst possible time

I guess it kinda makes sense :v I believe the brother remembering something the Doctor said to him is the inkling we get that it will happen again.

Duggys Housemate

Das Kitty wrote: »

Ah rewatch!

When she reads the book she says, "Ah. So that's Who."

Which to me at least would be an unusual thing to say upon discovering someone's name. So it's possible she was remarking on something else. Maybe.

Then later she says, "you have a name, I saw it in a book." So maybe she saw the fact that he has a name in the book and not the name itself?

// Grasping at straws

Did you capitalise Who for a reason?

Das Kitty

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Did you capitalise Who for a reason?

'Twas an accident. But maybe it's a sign!

Duggys Housemate

bradyle wrote: »

Did you miss the bit where the metal thing was the object that allowed the salvage crew to grab the TARDIS and they could get it on board becuase the Doctor had let the shields down so Clara could fly the TARDIS.
So by telling past doctor about it past doctor was able to turn of the metal thing andd they couldnt be grabbed

That's not correct. The metal thing was used to control the Tardis but from outside.

The device which appeared from nowhere on the Tardis at the start of the episode was thrown there by the doctor through a rift in time ( we were watching the second loop of this event) It had an engraving on it called Big Friendly Button so they would hit the button. Clara had just asked for one.

Unfortunately the present day doctor didn't pick it up, Clara did and dropped it. It burned the phrase into her hand though. Realising this at the end of the second loop the doctor realised he had done this before but this time he had to go through the rift ( which killed him as it happened)

As for what it did - it probably reversed the effect of the external device.

Clever.