Journey to the Center of the TARDIS Review

The beginning of the story is rather confusing to me. The TARDIS is brought onboard with the magna-grab, and the Doctor somehow ends up underneath her beneath a big pile of scrap. He somehow managed to get thrown out of the TARDIS, but Clara gets thrown out clear into some hallways. She somehow ends up deep enough inside that she doesn't know the way out and gets lost trying to find the Doctor. And then, the Doctor manages to climb out from under the pile of scrap very quickly, without making a sound, and without shifting it.

I have a feeling that the theme of "nothing is ever forgotten, not truly" will come into play here. This is foreshadowed when Gregor says he "still has a tiny scrap of decency" left. I think at some point in the next three episodes Clara is going to remember either the Doctor's name or the part about her dying twice before.

I noticed how the umbrella in the memories room (which is supposed to be the one used by the 7th Doctor) is the same as the one Mycroft uses in Sherlock. The BBC just can't be bothered to buy enough props, so they end up reusing them, and you get amusing things like this (and the waving cat in Planet of the Dead, Night Terrors, and Sherlock).

I wished we had seen more of the swimming pool, it looked massive. Maybe we can see it in a future episode (and get a look-see at Clara in a bikini while we're at it). Also, I was wondering whether the windows in the room with the telescope are real. Do those look out through the windows in the exterior of the TARDIS, or are those just screens? Screens would be cool, because then you could simulate the night sky from any vantage point in the universe at any point in history without actually having to go there.

One bit of math I would like addressed is when the Doctor said the TARDIS was infinite. Even with Time Lord technology, assuming the TARDIS was grown at a finite rate, it would still take an infinite amount of time to grow a structure that large. There is the possibility that it was grown at an infinite rate or that the Doctor was exaggerating, but still.

Type 40 TARDIi appear to have several systems in place to protect their occupants. I mean there's the partial materialization in The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith, the time loop in The Big Bang, and now all this stuff. Throughout the entire episode, Sexy was trying to protect the Doctor and his friends. She redirected them into the control room, and froze the exploding engines in time. She's either programmed to protect her pilot at all costs, or is in love with the Doctor and doesn't want anything to happen to him (including suffering the loss of his friends).

Overall this was one of the more confusing episodes (I had to watch it twice to understand the ending), but I do still like how much of the TARDIS we got to see (and Clara's outfit, I mean, look at those legs).

BBC Interview with Jenna-Louise Coleman

BBC Entertainment did recent interview with Jenna-Louise Coleman on Series 7, the Clara mystery, and more.

I was really nervous that day. I think I had been on the show for five months by then, but I didn’t feel completely initiated, explains Jenna as she remembers stepping on to the TARDIS for the first time. For Matt, he got a brand new toy, but I was quite quiet.

But what is like to film on the most of the most famous sets in the world? It’s impossible to keep still while you’re in there as there is so much to look at and play with. It was a fun time for us to have our own little home to inhabit, she concludes.

As the series heads to the epic finale, which will spring board in to the 50th, more of the Doctor’s mode of transport will be revealed than ever before in the aptly titled Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS.  As Clara becomes trapped within the malfunctioning ship, pursued by a dangerous group of Time Zombies, it’s a race against time to escape before the TARDIS self-destructs. 
But what would she like to see at the centre of the time travelling box? I don’t think we should ever see what’s at the centre of the TARDIS as that’s the mystery. I like the sense of intrigue!

Heading from the TARDIS, the next episode sees Mark Gatiss return with The Crimson Horror, which will guest star on screen together for the first time Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling. I loved working with Diana Rigg, exclaims Jenna.  I loved the way she operated and carried herself, I was kind of just giggling the whole way through shoot. I just enjoyed having her around. It was great to sit back and watch how mother and daughter worked and their dynamic together, she concludes.

During this series, Jenna’s character has been faced with lots of new challenges, as she gets to grip with life travelling by the side of the Doctor. The finale, The Name Of The Doctor, will not only take fans to the place the Doctor should never go, but it will also solve the mystery around the impossible girl. Having remained tight-lipped about Clara, will Jenna be happy to finally be able to talk about her character? I am, I can’t wait! The finale story is such a fantastic idea; it’s epic and huge and filled with drama.

It was really exciting to sit down and read the script, she continues. There are little bits and pieces, which Steven planted a couple of years ago. It’s just really clever and a crucial moment in the Doctor’s life that you get to explore with the best baddies! I really think they are going to become another Moffat classic, she concludes.

Having had three official introductions as a Dalek, a Victorian governess and in her current form as modern day Clara Oswald, is there a teaser Jenna can leave us with?  All I can say is that Clara hasn’t just met the Doctor three times before...

BBC Interview with Matt Smith

BBC Entertainment conducted a recent interview with Matt Smith about the rest of Series 7.

Having already battled an Ice Warrior and seen off a ghost, the opening episode to the next run of four finds the Doctor exploring the depths of his own home, the TARDIS.  In Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS, a spaceship salvage team drags the TARDIS on board, sending its systems into meltdown. As the Doctor marshals the motely salvage crew outside, he realises Clara is still trapped within his malfunctioning ship, pursued by a dangerous group of ossified monsters. He has just 30 minutes to find Clara and save his TARDIS before it self-destructs.

But what would Matt want to see at the centre of the TARDIS? I think what we’ve achieved in this episode is exactly what I hoped would be at the centre, explains Matt. It is a really interesting take on something that could have been quite obvious and it’s visually stunning.

Mark Gatiss returns to script-writing duty for The Crimson Horror and introduces for the first time on screen together mother and daughter, Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling. It was an intriguing and creative experience watching mother and daughter work together, explains Matt.  Dame Diana has had such an illustrious career and Rachael is a great actress, he concludes.   

The penultimate episode of the series in the show’s 50th year marks the return of one of the Doctor’s oldest foes, the Cybermen. Penned by Neil Gaiman, the Cybermen have been given a makeover – they’re faster and more deadly! Nightmare In Silver sees the Doctor travel to the greatest theme park in the galaxy, Hedgewick’s World Of Wonders... or at least it used to be. Now dilapidated, it’s home to a shabby showman, a chess-playing dwarf and a dysfunctional army platoon. When the Doctor, Clara, Artie and Angie arrive, the last thing they expect is the re-emergence of one of the Doctor’s oldest enemies.  The episode continues the run of stellar guest stars with Warwick Davis, Tamzin Outhwaite and Jason Watkins. 

While mystery surrounds the finale, we do know a couple of snippets. Firstly, that the Doctor will finally find out just what makes his new companion so impossible and secondly, he’ll be put to his ultimate test when his friends start to be kidnapped, leading him towards the one place that he should never go. Making the debut in this episode is a new foe, the Whispermen, which dressed in sartorial finery Matt considers a modern day classic with a brilliant style.  They’re truly terrifying! 

So is there anything Matt can reveal about the finale? With the 50th, this is going to be by far the biggest year in the history of the show. And the finale is just the start. It focuses on a pivotal moment in the Doctor’s life and the life of his companion. It’s a complete game changer and it all starts now.

Behind the Scenes of Journey to the Center of the TARDIS

Behind-the-scenes of today's episode.

BBC Interview With Steven Moffat

Here's a transcript of an interview BBC Entertainment did with showrunner Steven Moffat.

Question: Opening up the final part of this series we get to explore the Doctor’s time travelling machine in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, but what surprises can we expect?
Steven Moffat: We’ve already revealed that the Doctor has a swimming pool and the TARDIS has a problem with Time Zombies, but there’s much, much more than that.  We guarantee there will be surprises, but you’ll have to watch to find out exactly where we’ll be going as we finally explore beyond the console room.  

Q: Why did you decide to introduce creepy new monsters, The Whisper Men, in the last episode?  What was your inspiration for them?
SM: The great dilemma is that Doctor Who is never more like Doctor Who when it is introducing a new monster, but equally when it’s reviving a foe from the classic era.  Having brought back two of the classics, the Ice Warriors and the Cybermen, this year we wanted a brand new monster to create chills in the finale.  And the thought of stylish whispering almost faceless creatures was an idea that firstly scared me and that I thought would work well in an episode that looks forward and back.

Q: We know that the Cybermen return with an updated design, why did you decide to change them?
SM: One of the things that the Cybermen historically like to do before involving themselves in a new military campaign is run up a new outfit. Throughout the classic series they always changed their appearance and we’ve been very consistent with them.  I thought it was time that they went back to their tailor and had a re-model!

Q: How was it having mother and daughter Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling on set for The Crimson Horror?
SM: It’s obviously a great honour to have either of those actors on the show, but to have them acting together for the very first time on anything is quite extraordinary.  Only Doctor Who can do this and possibly only when Mark Gatiss is behind it.

Q: What can you tell us about the finale?
SM: It’s full of surprises and questions that have never been answered in the history of Who, including the Doctors greatest secret. We’re not pretending, we’re not kidding, it’s actually going to happen.  The episode is called The Name of the Doctor and involves our hero in a conflict that is very, very personal to him.  Usually he’s saving other people, but this time he might be the one who needs to be saved.  We’ll also find out what makes his new companion so impossible and there’s a surprise that no one has got right so far, and one that will change the course of Who forever!

Source

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS Spoiler Summary

Here is my weekly (sort of) spoiler summary for Journey to the Center of the TARDIS.

videos

• Next Time Trailer
• BBC America Trailer
• Promo Pics
• Clip 1
• Clip 2
• Introduction

teasers

• Doctor Who TV 1
• Doctor Who TV 2
• Cultbox 1
• Cultbox 2
• Doctor Who Spoilers

The Doctor and Clara are aboard the TARDIS when it is brought onboard a salvage vessel. The salvage vessel damages the TARDIS and the Doctor locks the trio of brothers who run the vessel in the TARDIS and threatens to blow it up if they don't help him find Clara. Meanwhile, everyone's being chased by a horde of ossified monsters.

Introducing Journey to the Center of the TARDIS

Matt introduces this week's episode.

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS: Second Clip

Second clip for Saturday's episode.

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS: First Clip

The BBC has released the first clip for this week's episode, Journey to the Center of the TARDIS.

36 New Images for Journey to the Center of the TARDIS

BBC Pictures has released over 30 new images for this week's episode, Journey to the Center of the TARDIS.

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS Trailers

Next-time trailer



BBC America trailer

Three More Movie Posters

The movie artwork for Journey to the Center of the TARDIS, The Crimson Horror, and Nightmare in Silver has been released.

There's still nothing on the finale. We've received almost no news or spoilers about it. Not even the name.

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS Synopsis

The official full synopsis of Journey to the Center of the TARDIS has been released. The episode airs the week after next at an unspecified time.

A spaceship salvage team drags the TARDIS on board, sending its systems into meltdown. As the Doctor marshals the motley salvage crew outside, he realises Clara is still trapped within his malfunctioning ship, pursued by a dangerous group of ossified monsters. He has just 30 minutes to find Clara and save his TARDIS before it self-destructs.

Series 7, Part 2 Episode Details

BBC South Africa has revealed some details on the remaining episodes of Series 7, Part 2

The Rings of Akhaten

The Doctor whisks Clara off to the planet Akhaten, where the inhabitants are holding a ceremony that demands a sacrifice...

Cold War

On a damaged Russian submarine in 1983, a frozen alien warrior is waking up - just as the TARDIS materialises.

Hide

Something terrifying is hiding in Caliburn House, and the Doctor finds himself part of the ghost hunt.

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS

The TARDIS has crashed, Clara is lost inside, and the Doctor has 30 minutes before his ship explodes!

The Crimson Horror

Something ghastly is afoot in Victorian Yorkshire, as bodies are found with their skin a waxy, glowing red.

Nightmare in Silver

Hedgewick's World of Wonders: the perfect theme park day out - and ground zero for a deadly silver resurrection.

Finale

Someone is kidnapping the Doctor's friends, leading him towards the one place in all of time and space that he should never go.