7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOILERS)

[sttngfan1701d]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

It's gotta be budgetary issues or something. One thinks that if they could, they'd show us the Tardis interior on a regular basis, if just to shake it up. They possess a green screen after all. Show the Doctor and Clara hanging out in the library, or in a sitting room, or playing racquetball. Why MUST we always see the console room?

 

[Gepard]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

What a frustrating episode.

I was enjoying the hell out of it for the first half, up until the weird 'reveal' of the not-android crewman, who I had assumed from the start was a human with a few cybernetic implants. That we were supposed to have taken him for an android at all came as a surprise to me, rendering the 'twist' moot. Then things just got weirder with the time echoes and whatever the hell was happening in the Eye of Harmony, none of which made sense even by the stroy's own rules.

But! Then the Doctor told Clara the truth and they had a heart-to-heart and golly, Moffat and company are actually progressing this arc, aren't they? That's great.

Oh, wait. And now a reset button to wipe it all out? Jesus.

This could have been great if they hadn't chickened out and let the Doctor/Clara relationship evolve. It was the perfect opportunity for it. I do not understand why, but everything they chose to do in the last act fucked everything up.

 

[Brent]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

1.) I was hoping we'd see bigger sets for the inside of the TARDIS, back in the classic series Tom Baker's Doctor walked through what were brick warehouses sized rooms, like shipping and receiving warehouses. The inside hallways also seemed bigger. There were lots of more interesting workshop rooms. And I've always wondered what happened to the Zero room, if it ever came back.

2.) I was hoping we'd see a big cathedral room for the eye of harmony, like the '96 movie, but, I guess maybe a huge star in a perpetual state of decay of exploding before it becomes a black hole isn't too shabby I always thought though the eye of harmony was a black hole.

3.) Not happy with a bit reset button, would have liked it better if he had fixed the engine by reversing time or something right then and there, something, and that way all the character development over the course of the episode would have remained.

4.) Why did Clara's clothes change at the end? After the reset she's wearing a completely different outfit from the episode.

I'm not sure how I feel about the episode, it wasn't as good as I was hoping. I will have to watch it again before I can grade it. I need to watch it with headphones on this time, I couldn't hear some of the dialog with the overly loud music and sound over the dialog.

 

[Mr Awe]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Largely, it feels like a bunch of missed opportunities combined with a weak plot. The biggest homage to the past was an umbrella and some dubbed voices that you could barely make out! The inside of the TARDIS wasn't that impressive, although I liked the visual for the Eye.

But, it's mostly about what wasn't in the episode!

Mr Awe

 

[Brent]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Average. I was a bit underwhelmed, actually. The story wasn't the great. Really, the grabbed the TARDIS at the exact moment he lowered the shields? Convenient. Really, he needs the help of salvagers to find Clara in his own ship? Weird. The solution was a bit out there, and literally used a reset button!

I also was not impressed with the interior of the TARDIS. In some ways, I actually preferred Tom Baker's romp through the TARDIS in The Invasion of Time. We mostly got corridors and echoes of the control room. We got extremely brief glimpses of the library and pool and a couple of minor rooms. I actually prefer the cozier feel of the TARDIS in the classic series. The new hallways are just kind of bleh. Just sort of there.

I agree completely, that's the serial I'm referencing, the TARDIS felt much more "comfy" back then. Even in the first first season of Doctor Who, everyone had rooms, we saw Susan's room, and some others, the kitchen, and it looked like quite a comfy place to stay.

 

[TechnoBoY]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Any Animorphs readers on this board? I had to look it up but the monsters reminded me of a species in those books. Anybody remember the Howlers?

"Howlers have cracked, black skin that resembles hardened lava; beneath the black, in the cracks and creases of the flesh, are bright, red lines."

http://animorphs.wikia.com/wiki/Howler

 

[Brent]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

I will say this though, not directly related to the episode, I like Clara as a companion. She is becoming one of my favorites in the new series.

 

[Stevil2001]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

I thought I could hear the voices of the third and fifth Doctor during the scene where the salvage crew member was opening up the console. Did anyone else notice this?

I heard several Doctor's including the Fourth saying "not even the hordes of Genghis Kahn could get thru those doors".

That was the ninth Doctor, in "Rose," actually. I also picked out Susan and the third Doctor.

4.) Why did Clara's clothes change at the end? After the reset she's wearing a completely different outfit from the episode.

A little bit of time has passed and she's taken a shower/bath-- hence the new clothes, wet hair, and towel.

 

[sttngfan1701d]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

I will say this though, not directly related to the episode, I like Clara as a companion. She is becoming one of my favorites in the new series.

She already IS my favorite, even in this short time. I really hope they keep her around awhile and not do this one "mystery" arc and then kill her again in the 50th anniversary or something. That would piss me off.

 

[tomalak301]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

I'm becoming frustrated with this season. From the homages to the classic series I don't get (What was the popular thing de'jour last week? ) to having this big overall story arc which doesn't seem to be going anywhere, it feels like two completely different seasons from the first half to now.

Tonight's story could have revealed so much to move the overall story forward and instead it was just a romp through the Tardis with three guest stars who couldn't act their way out of a paper bag. It was like the writers said "let's get three muscular men, we don't care if they have talent, and have your conventional ship in a bottle show".

When I first heard about the title, I was excited in that maybe this would be a pure Clara and Doctor show with no guest stars. It would be a show where we got to learn more of the mythos of the Doctor while at the same time learn a lot about Clara and focus the entire episode on the Tardis, which doesn't seem to happen that much anyway. Well, this episode sure was not that.

With that said, there were parts of the episode that I did like and I gave the episode an Average. Seeing the Library was interesting, as well as Clara going to the book. Also liked that this episode did take place entirely on the Tardis, but they've made this ship from a blue box that looks cool into a complicated crapped mess. Maybe it might have been for the best that I didn't see things other than the main room.

I just wish we would address this mystery again and the Doctor and Clara can build this relationship. Has this show turned into fanwank city now? I remember in past years how while there were homages to the classic series, new fans can enjoy it too. The last two weeks, honestly, I've been bored with this show. Everyone is talking about the freaking 50th anniversary, and I just want the show to be the best I know it can be right now. I remember in past seasons (Season 1, 4, 5), I loved the show every week. I can't say that this time around. I love Clara though, and I like the relationship between her and the Doctor, but I would love to see more of it and really expand on Clara's distrust of him. They went there tonight in the scene on the cliff, but then they reset the episode so that makes that scene pointless. I so wanted it to be real.

 

[Aldo]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

I like manipulative Doctor. Reminded me of the Seventh Doctor .

I feel bad for skipping all the other discussion just so I can reply to this. But this is exactly what I thought of as well. The Doctor got those guys to help him so easily.

As for the episode itself, I enjoyed it immensely. I realize it was kind of reset at the end of the episode, but that didn't bother me. To be honest it didn't really bother me in Voyager either.

The stand out for me was the Library. I hope we see that room again, although I realize we probably won't. And oh yeah, I loved that we finally glimpsed the swimming pool we've heard so much about. Too bad we couldn't see the garage though, be funny if he had a bunch of cars and various classic alien ships loaded about.

 

[Capn Flukie]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Was that the Doctor's crib when Clara entered the library?

I give it 'Good', for the same reasons as everyone else, dumb salvage crew and reset button. I did enjoy it though, just didn't have the fizzle I would have liked. Teenage Angry Lava Claras didn't make any sense.

 

[sttngfan1701d]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

I love Clara though, and I like the relationship between her and the Doctor, but I would love to see more of it and really expand on Clara's distrust of him. They went there tonight in the scene on the cliff, but then they reset the episode so that makes that scene pointless. I so wanted it to be real.

That was the single most frustrating thing for me. We FINALLY have a companion that does not mug at the Doctor, who distrusts him, and is even a little afraid of him. Martha and Donna touched on it a bit, but Clara is feisty enough to stand up to him and voice it more often. And she goes and sees his real name, and he actually tells her that she's Clara v3.0, and instead of EXPLORING that, it's ripped away. All because the only person who can know his real name is annoying River Song. Frustrating.

Unless they are going to approach it again in the finale, that is.

 

[Nightowl1701]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

"It's the way all of this is set up, Spock. I can't put my finger on it but it just feels so...soooo....set up! We keep finding out...just...enough...to make...choices."
- Captain Kirk, Star Trek: Judgment Rites (1993)

The only reason there would be a book called The History of the Time War there in the library, in a conspicuous spot, in English, with the Doctor's real name in it, would be for Clara to find and read it. The Doctor certainly wouldn't write such a book and certainly wouldn't put his real name in it. If it had been there before Clara, any Companion from Rose on could have found it and read the name. (Amy, being a reader, certainly would have found it.) Ergo: The TARDIS wrote it.

As we've seen many times (including this episode), if Sexy doesn't want you in (or out of) a certain room, she doesn't let you into (or out of) it. Sexy let Clara into the library.

Conclusion: Clara's totally misreading the TARDIS's attitude toward her. Sexy wants Clara off-balance, suspicious and questioning. She wants Clara to know the Doctor's name. And given that the Van Baalen brothers remembered something from their experience with the Doctor, I strongly suspect Clara will as well - and in fact may be the one to actually say the Doctor's name at Trenzalore.

Which would then raise the question: Why would the TARDIS want the Doctor's biggest secret revealed?

Capn_Flukie: Yeah, that was the Doctor's crib all right.

 

[Psion]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Oddly, I wasn't bothered by the big reset button because it literally was a big reset button.

And it wasn't.

Not everything reset. The one brother said of his android shipmate, "Maybe I've just got a little tiny scrap of decency" -- echoing the Doctor's words from earlier. And did anyone notice the photo of the brothers? In the beginning, Android brother's image had been torn off, but after the reset, there was Dad and his three boys.

Clara seemed surprised when she found the pool, after the reset she was dressed in swimming clothes with a towel 'round her neck.

This reset left echoes.

Also ... was that telescope in the observatory the Endeavor from "Tooth and Claw"?

 

[Mr Light]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

3/4

Multiple kudos for finally having an episode set inside the Tardis! I've been waiting and waiting for this with only "Doctor's Wife" giving me a brief taste. When I was a kid "Invasion of Time" was my all time favorite episode because I always fascinated by Gallifrey, the Time Lords, and the interior of the Tardis.

So was the time crack and the Tardis exploding entirely separate from the Season Five storyline, and just Moffat recycling his own ideas for the umpteenth time?

I'm so glad they actually showed the Eye of Harmony! And better yet, they showed RTD's unpublished History of the Time War book haha

 

[Slugboy]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Oddly, I wasn't bothered by the big reset button because it literally was a big reset button.

And it wasn't.

Not everything reset.

A much less subtle non-reset is that there is a high probability (in my opinion) that the Doctor remembers everything that happened, most significantly the result of the aggressive questioning he gives Clara on the fake cliff, about who she really is (he finally seems to believe her assurance that she is real). As a Time Lord, he should be aware of such temporal rewrites. (this ability has been established in episodes of both the new and classic series)

In this episode, at the end, he mentions two days crammed into one, indicating that he was aware of the first version of events.

So even if Clara truly forgets everything, the Doctor will still remember, and so the episode is not necessarily a reset from a character point of view.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Without echoing too much, the salvage crew and their story was not compelling. 'The Edge of Destruction' was a far better Tardis in the face of imminent destruction than this or the Crack from the first season of Matt's'. TEOD kept everything to the Tardis crew, and did a crackerjack development of the characters, especially between Barbara and the Doctor. It is such a shame that the reset button took away Clara's revelations about the Doctor. As others have mentioned, it's tedious that only River-Sue can know about the Doctor's secrets. Hopefully, something remains from her time in the Library. That reset, and tossing away the character development between Clara and the Doctor brought this episode down to average. The salvage crew angle almost made this go even lower on the scale.

 

[Aldo]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Am I the only one who liked the Salvage crew? I felt they were a nice foil to the Doctor and I enjoyed it when the TARDIS was fighting back against their attempted salvage.

 

[Cutter John]

Re: 7X10 Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS(Grading/Discussion)(SPOIL

Am I the only one who liked the Salvage crew? I felt they were a nice foil to the Doctor and I enjoyed it when the TARDIS was fighting back against their attempted salvage.

The 'android' was okay. The brothers were a couple of bastards though. I wouldn't have minded seeing them developed more though.