Written By: Steve Thompson
Directed By: Mat King
The Story: A space salvage team capture the TARDIS, trapping Clara in the bowels of the machine, and forcing the Doctor to take a deadly journey through the damaged time and space ship…
The Verdict: It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for. Ever since that glimpse of the TARDIS interior way back in THE DOCTORS WIFE (2011), us Whovians have been chomping at the bit to see more. Enter SHERLOCK scribe Steve Thompson, who this week makes up for his previous disappointing venture into writing for DOCTOR WHO by delivering yet another barnstorming episode in this series.
What’s great about JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE TARDIS is just how creepy it is. The clever conceit of essentially making the TARDIS itself the monster of the week is inspired, whilst the time-zombies (they may have another name, I’m going with time-zombies though) are incredibly disturbing creations (their creepiness factor increased tenfold by the minimalist direction of Mat King, who excels this week).
The ticking clock element keeps things moving nicely, and the design team do themselves proud with the TARDIS interior designs. And there’s some great performances all round, especially from Smith & Coleman, who really relish the chance to play the more untrusting Doctor and Clara, leading to some great scenes between the two travelling companions.
There’s plenty to love about JOURNEY – the action, the TARDIS interior designs, some solid visual effects work, and plenty of lovely fan boy references to spot (adding elements of old and recent WHO-lore like the Eye of Harmony and the Cracks in time are a great touch). There are also plenty of fun little hints as to where things are heading as we move into the latter half of the season, some you’ll have spotted and some you may not have…
It’s another damn fine episode of DOCTOR WHO, one that balances the old and the new delicately whilst at the same time being tremendous fun and creepily claustrophobic. Another cracker of an episode in a season that just seems to be getting better and better each week!
Best Bit: The Doctor, Clara and the Van Baalen brothers getting trapped with the Eye of Harmony, and the Doctor revealing to Clara her previous deaths, only to reveal – that she’s died again, along with the Brothers, becoming the time-zombies that are trying to kill them! Wibbley-Wobbley, Timey-Wimey plotting at it’s best, creepy as hell, and a great leap forward in the relationship between the Doctor and his mysterious new companion.
Did You Spot: Anyone clock the voices of the Jon Pertwee (the 3rd Doctor), Christopher Eccleston (the 9th Doctor) and Carole Ann Ford (Susan) when Bram tore open the TARDIS control panel? We’re sure there are others we missed, so answers on a postcard to the usual address!
Star Performance: All three of the Van Baalen brothers deliver excellent performances, especially HUSTLE’s Ashley Walters as Gregor and Jahvel Hall as Tricky. The scene between them when the Doctor makes Gregor reveal the truth to his brother is subtle but bloody marvellous.
Best Line(s): Clara: “You’re like one of those guys who can’t go out with a girl unless his mother approves”
THN’s Doctor Who Series Blog returns next Saturday.
