6x04 The Doctor's Wife(Grading/Discussion) (SPOILERS!!)

[23skidoo]

Was there not a Prequel for this week's episode?

Since I do not live in the UK and therefore don't have access to the many of the things on the BBC's official DW website, the only way I can get to see the Prequels is to watch them on YouTube, but thus far there has not been one posted for this week. So I was just wondering whether or not one was actually released on the official site that just hasn't made it onto YouTube yet.

They're not doing one for every episode. In fact I think there's only 3 being done for the whole season.

Incidentally, these videos can be accessed on the website. I was quite surprised to learn this, but virtually all the promotional video material on the BBC website this year, including the prequels, those weird "...Are Coming" blipverts, etc., is all available in North America. Someone at the BBC must have either smartened up, or BBC America cut a deal.

(And also, any video posted to the BBC site that isn't accessible outside the UK is always up on YouTube - often on the BBC's own channel - within minutes. So you never miss anything if you know where to look. The only stuff that doesn't tend to work are games, and even then I was able to play Amy's History Hunt last year...)

EDIT: Almost forgot, a nitpick. Didn't Idris say the Doctor's been travelling in the TARDIS for 700 years? I guess if we accept his age as 900 this would mean he was 200 whe he took the TARDIS. But then the Ninth Doctor actually said "900 years of phone box travel" making it clear he's had the TARDIS for 900 years. But then, the Doctor's age is so much a contrived mess that it's only logical the lenght of time he's had the TARDIS would be too.

Apparently on at least 2 occasions Moffat has written dialogue in which the Doctor admits he doesn't know how old he is anymore. It's not official yet because neither occasion has made it on screen (or even into a deleted scene) yet, but it's only a matter of time. I would take Idris' number as definitive because of the nature of the character, but no one's ever equated the Doctor's age with how long he's travelled in the TARDIS. (Also, we don't know everything the Doctor did for the first "200" years of his life - he might have spent much of it piloting TARDISes in a sanctioned way. Maybe that's how Idris (or should we be calling her "Sexy" now? ) was first introduced to the Doctor?

Awww gimme a break. I'm a Pertwee/Tennant fan, so I like a Doctor who wears his heart a bit on his sleeve. Yes hes gotten outraged or upset a handful of times, but far too infrequently for my taste.

The Doctor's not human, so he works by his own rules. Also, remember this is a guy who wiped out his entire race. I think "emotionally damaged" doesn't even begin to cover that sort of baggage (which is actually addressed in this episode, too).

Alex

 

[Checkmate]

I love Neil Gaiman so very much.

Such a wonderful episode, with lots of potential to grow from if they choose.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Another observation. Did anyone else get a serious 'State of Decay' vibe off this one? Powerful alien entity whos fought TimeLords in the past, living underground on a planet in a pocket universe, and keeping a small group of humans alive as servants?
I only mention it because I'm deathly curious to know just what House was.

I'm sticking with Omega as the entity.

The anti-matter universe he was in was a pocket universe, and he definitely hates timelords.

And he could've been faking getting killed off by the TARDIS so as to escape to this universe.

 

[Australis]

So many wonderful lines. "The pretty one?!"

Also liked the fact he TARDIS stole the Doctor as much as he stole her. Very nice.

I'm with Lonemagpie. I voted excellent, but it's a good 9/10 really.

And I liked the scrapbuilt TARDIS. Now THAT would be an exciting way to travel!

Slightly off-topic: don't tery to bait Bones. It's unnecessary and just lowers the tone. Stick to the topic. Like I will from now on.

 

[Cutter John]

Again no mention of Susan.

I wonder if it means he picked her up at some point AFTER he took the Tardis?

 

[Peacemaker]

One of the interesting things about this episode is it reveals the inner thoughts of the TARDIS. She was a rebel in her own right, a vagabond spirit in search of somebody with enough gumption to run away with her. One wonders, then, what the Master's TARDIS may have been / be thinking/thought. Was she (since Sexy calls the graveyard her sisters) a TARDIS with thoughts of universal domination, or a tortured TARDIS like Lucy Saxon?

Also, the most audible voice that the Ood Sphere picks up when the Doctor repairs it sounds remarkably like Paul McGann. Indeed, I believe the voice is uncredited.

 

[RavenCWG]

They're not doing one for every episode. In fact I think there's only 3 being done for the whole season.

Thanks for that info. I was not aware of that. I just assumed that all the episodes this season were going to have prequels. It's kind of a shame they are not going to; but, oh well, we'll take what we can get!

Incidentally, these videos can be accessed on the website. I was quite surprised to learn this, but virtually all the promotional video material on the BBC website this year, including the prequels, those weird "...Are Coming" blipverts, etc., is all available in North America. Someone at the BBC must have either smartened up, or BBC America cut a deal.

I just tried it again, and your right, they are accessible now. That's very interesting, because I tried accessing the first prequel at the DW website numerous times for several days after it was first posted, but it just kept giving me the usual "this video can not be accessed in your region" crap so finally I gave up and hadn't tried it again since. It's nice to know they are finally giving us non-Brit DW fans full access to the video clips on their site!

 

[Shatnertage]

That was a great episode that I really liked. No one can convince me otherwise.

Since I've been pointedly avoiding anything close to spoilers, I had no idea this was the Neil Gaiman episode. To be honest, I didn't even know Neil Gaiman had actually written an episode. So I went into it with no expectations and was really pleased.

Not much else to say, except that I hope they do more like it.

 

[Brent]

This episode was bloody fantastic! Geronimo!!!!!!!!

So sad the swimming pool got deleted, was hoping to see it again.

I loved that this was a TARDIS focused episode, that is something that has been missing since the entire series returned. Back in the old series, they had TARDIS'centric episodes, in fact in the first season alone they had one that totally took place inside the TARDIS, something about the doors opening in space.

It was finally nice to see more of the inside of the TARDIS, even if it was just corridors. I hope we get to see more rooms though, and I wonder if the big ole warhouse bricked rooms are still there.

So in all, how much of the TARDIS was jettisoned in this episode? The doctor jettisoned 30% at first getting there, then the House jettisoned 30% again to get back to the universe. So has now 60% of the TARDIS been jettisoned? That's quite a lot, but I guess it gives them the ability to construct more rooms and show different and new areas and change up the whole look of the rest of the TARDIS.

I heard a classic Doctor Who sound when The Doctor was fiddling with the control room that he constructed. Oh, and I wish he had mentioned The Eye of Harmony as the power source for the TARDIS, when it lost power.

Did anyone else think that the scrapyard that the Doctor and the TARDIS women were looking out to, on that hill, were parts of the TARDIS outside of their shells, i.e., phased into that universe. I got the vibe that those huge columns and parts were the outside of the TARDIS not in its pocket universe, but dead, and laying there on the field. Like what it looks like on the outside. Like the pillars of Destiny/Corinthian columns etc...

This episode really was great, not one thing wrong with it, very happy with it, and I really enjoyed it. Good character moments too.

 

[Slugboy]

Bunk Beds are cool, a bed with a ladder

Considering that Rory started riding around in the TARDIS with Amy before they got married (and hence the room was probably programmed from that time), I wonder if the creation of the bunk beds is a continuation of the Doctor's prudish streak that we first say in The Eleventh Hour . . . "You were a little girl five minutes ago!"

 

[David cgc]

Did anyone else think that the scrapyard that the Doctor and the TARDIS women were looking out to, on that hill, were parts of the TARDIS outside of their shells, i.e., phased into that universe. I got the vibe that those huge columns and parts were the outside of the TARDIS not in its pocket universe, but dead, and laying there on the field. Like what it looks like on the outside. Like the pillars of Destiny/Corinthian columns etc...

That was my impression. Scraps of the inside left over from what House ate.

 

[DAK]

Spectacular episode, absolutely loved it! I thought it hilarious that the TARDIS chose him because she wanted to see the universe and the Doctor was the only one mad enough to "borrow" her. What a breath of fresh air after last week's episode.

Oh, and Matt Smith is a freaking amazing actor. Just wow.

Do Timelords need sleep? I wonder if he has a Bunk Bed

He's probably got one of those cool ones with a ladder and a slide, and a fort underneath.

Huh, only 4 options? And why's the poll not public? I'd like to see which posters vote for what.
Anyway, I voted "Good" because it was well made and I liked some elements of it - especially the interaction between the Doctor and the TARDIS on the planet and the part with Amy and Rory in the corridor - but it ultimately left me somewhat cold. Maybe I should wait for the next Doctor?

You may have to. I understand how difficult it is to enjoy the show 100% when there's a Doctor you don't like, even if the episode is stellar. I fell in love with the show all over again when Tennant finally left and Matt Smith took over.

 

[Skywalker]

Brilliant, fantastic, amazing, great, wonderful, etc. Best episode since "Vincent and the Doctor."

I really loved how it was a TARDIS story. As someone who's only seen nuWho, I've been wanting to see and learn more about the TARDIS for years. I hated how they basically just treated the 9th/10th TARDIS like a one-room vehicle the Doctor just used to travel in. With 11th's TARDIS they've mentioned multiple rooms several times, but until now we hadn't actually seen any of it beyond the control room. Even though we only saw corridors, it was still nice, and makes me hopeful that we'll see more in the future.

And there were so many great lines. I really hope Neil Gaiman comes back to write another episode (preferably more than one) some day. It's not like he's got anything else to do with his time, right?

 

[Jax]

I hated how they basically just treated the 9th/10th TARDIS like a one-room vehicle the Doctor just used to travel in.

In fairness to the 9th Doctor, it was probably due to budget reasons that the Tardis was like a 1 poor lit console room vehicle. I agree though its nice the 11th Doctor shows off more of his sexy

 

[Brent]

Bring back the big bricked warehouse rooms of the TARDIS!

Pic

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I thought this was an extremely entertaining episode, though I can't say I was totally convinced with Suranne Jones' performance. She certainly wasn't bad, but I thought her acting was a bit stagey. Adrian Schiller and Elizabeth Berrington were brilliant, however.

 

[TimmyWl]

It was a great story. I loved how the whole Tardis angle and the Doctor was explored. It was really lovely to see that love story going back to some place that hasn't been mentioned - such as the question of the Doctor's name - and so on.

 

[od0_ital]

Just finished watchin' it and I gotta say, this is my new favorite episode with Matt Smith as the Doctor.

So glad there's finally one better than 'The Eleventh Hour'!

"Did you wish really hard?" and "Bunk beds are cool! It's a bed, with a ladder!" are the best lines of the season!

 

[MacLeod]

This episode was bloody fantastic! Geronimo!!!!!!!!

So sad the swimming pool got deleted, was hoping to see it again.

I loved that this was a TARDIS focused episode, that is something that has been missing since the entire series returned. Back in the old series, they had TARDIS'centric episodes, in fact in the first season alone they had one that totally took place inside the TARDIS, something about the doors opening in space.

It was finally nice to see more of the inside of the TARDIS, even if it was just corridors. I hope we get to see more rooms though, and I wonder if the big ole warhouse bricked rooms are still there.

So in all, how much of the TARDIS was jettisoned in this episode? The doctor jettisoned 30% at first getting there, then the House jettisoned 30% again to get back to the universe. So has now 60% of the TARDIS been jettisoned? That's quite a lot, but I guess it gives them the ability to construct more rooms and show different and new areas and change up the whole look of the rest of the TARDIS.

I heard a classic Doctor Who sound when The Doctor was fiddling with the control room that he constructed. Oh, and I wish he had mentioned The Eye of Harmony as the power source for the TARDIS, when it lost power.

Did anyone else think that the scrapyard that the Doctor and the TARDIS women were looking out to, on that hill, were parts of the TARDIS outside of their shells, i.e., phased into that universe. I got the vibe that those huge columns and parts were the outside of the TARDIS not in its pocket universe, but dead, and laying there on the field. Like what it looks like on the outside. Like the pillars of Destiny/Corinthian columns etc...

This episode really was great, not one thing wrong with it, very happy with it, and I really enjoyed it. Good character moments too.

From memory and maybe th bigger who fans can tell me if'm right or wrong, but 25% of the TARDIS was jettiosned in "Castralova".

But just to point out when House jettionsed 30% it was 30% of the new size. Still it's infinate inside, so maybe it has a secondary pool, just like it has a secondary control room.

 

[saturn5]

Fan-bloody-tastic! Family of Blood aside possibly my favourite ep of New Who.

Anyone else think House and co remind them of something from Samuel Beckett? So great that even the Timelords use the 'shave and a haircut' knock. Would love to have met The Corsair, sounds like an interesting fellow (or girl? maybe Timelords can regenerate crossgender?), you feel for the Doctor's loneliness at discovering they're all gone, much more personal than trapping Gallifrey. Shouldn't he have freed the messages? The sound of these all powerful timelords scared was pretty unnerving.
I'd have liked to have seen some more of the old console rooms, especially the Paul McGann one.
The Doctor wants to be forgiven for his actions in the Time War ('Don't we all?'). And the Tardis considers Rory 'the pretty one'?
2 things wrong with it. House chasing Amy and Rory around for sport is such a pointless cliche. Also why more Ood, haven't we had enough of them?
But still, brilliant, just as Dawn is actually the love of Buffy's life, the Serenity is the love of Mal Reynolds life and the greatest love on BSG is between Togh and Adama the real love the Dr's other half is actually the Tardis. And once again it's hinted that she has been finding trouble for him all these years, that's why he always lands him in the chaos because he subliminally wants it.
Wouldn't it be nice if from now on the Doctor pulls the Tardis door open rather than pushes?