New Radio Times reveals new TARDIS interior

[Thestral]

Eh? What in "Rose" gives the impression of the TARDIS as a creature? And anyway, it's not like machines can't be creatures.

Well, the TARDIS does tend to make some rather interesting noises depending on the mood of the character(s) or the situation at hand. Also, Rose Tyler looking into the Heart of the TARDIS, the latter of which was not fully explained.

I'm not saying I like the idea of the TARDIS being a living thing; however, we are talking WHOverse.

Well, I was wondering specifically about the episode "Rose." As the first series goes along, the "TARDIS as a sentient being" motif definitely becomes more prevalent, especially in the last three episodes; but I can't think of anything in "Rose" itself that would give that idea.

 

[John Picard]

Eh? What in "Rose" gives the impression of the TARDIS as a creature? And anyway, it's not like machines can't be creatures.

Well, the TARDIS does tend to make some rather interesting noises depending on the mood of the character(s) or the situation at hand. Also, Rose Tyler looking into the Heart of the TARDIS, the latter of which was not fully explained.

I'm not saying I like the idea of the TARDIS being a living thing; however, we are talking WHOverse.

Well, I was wondering specifically about the episode "Rose." As the first series goes along, the "TARDIS as a sentient being" motif definitely becomes more prevalent, especially in the last three episodes; but I can't think of anything in "Rose" itself that would give that idea.

Understood.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

It doesn't blow me away, but I'm relieved. From the clips, I expected it to be drab and a bit claustrophobic, but it's certainly not either of those things. And maybe I'm a softie, but I'm happy for the little girl that some of her elements were worked in there. There's a story she'll be able to dine on for the rest of her life.

I'm looking forward to seeing it in the context of the show.

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

I've taken time to properly digest the new design and I still love it. The first word that came to my mind was "glorious", and I still think so. There's just so many things about this set to like! It's been designed very well froma production standpoint, to look bigger than it actually is, with plenty of layers, nooks and cranies to make it interesting. Additionally, it has plenty of classic series nods, and lots of what I think are natural evolutions from things we knew of the previous sets. To wit:

IRREGULAR DESIGN - Only the TVM and 9-10 consoles made a real attempt at being a symmetrical shape, and even the TVM only did so in an absctract fashion (with large shadowed walls around a symmetrical console and superstructure). Here we have a mishmash of walls in an almost triangular fashion, with doors and stairs leading off in odd directions. Escher has been referenced on this thread before, and that is very evident. Even the console itself is symmetrical only in that it has six sides, but each panel looks different in size and height.

DIFFERENT WALLS - The 60s console room set had photographic blow-ups for some of its walls. This is brought into the new set in grand fashion, with at LEAST two different wall designs, not including the floor and ceiling. While it was distracting at times to see a large photograph in the back of the old sets, it's almost welcome here to make the set look less regular and bigger as well.

DOORS - If not a REAL door, you'll notice that part of one wall almost looks pushed up and out of the way of the exterior police box door. While I highly doubt the set will have tha wall piece move, it's a nice nod to the fact that we used to have the walls of the old TARDIS open up before you exited through a pair of wooden doors. It's also worth noting that the set doesn't have any internal doors leading off; this maintains a more alien feel to the TARDIS than having a fairly nondescript hinged door.

I can't wait to see where all those stairs go! An earlier post wondered why there were two sets of stairs leading down and off to one side... It looks like one leads off to a lower portal like the one opposite that leads up, and the one with the shallower steps seems to take a turn to lead to the lower level. Moreover, it's probably a cheap way for the show's cast and crew to get onto the set's main level from the floor of the studio.

This leads to my one criticism of this set, which is that it is STILL not a full 360-degree set. As with the previous set, this one is not a fully "closed" set, and seems to incorporate a large section of wall that simply isn't there. This facilitates the production crew having a large gap to place all their cameras and microphones and such (in fact, I'm reasonably certain that the slots in the platform for the missing safety rails may also allow hooking in extensions to the platform for more people to stand on). All the shots we've seen, including the one with the Doctor suspended underneath the main platform, are shot from the missing gap in the set.

The thing is, the set this time is so irregular that they may not be able to "cheat" by using a different wall fo the set to represent the missing walls (as they did recently in the Sarah Jane Adventures crossover last year as well as Tennant's regeneration scene). I could be wrong, and they in fact do have a "wild" wall that they can close off the set with, but somehow I doubt it. Instead, they did a great trick by offsetting the exterior door, which will give them many more camera angle options for entering and exiting the TARDIS than the "pan right" technique that has already been mentioned.

Regardless, I can't wait to see this set in action. I do hope that this thing will take its place as one of the most unique console sets in the series history, along with the TVM and Secondary sets. The previous set was great for its time and for the setup of the series concept, but had numerous faults that became only more obvious as the show went on. Here, we have a very complex set that will take some time for the series to explore with its cameras.

Five years ago, a production crew member suggested that the last set was the Doctor's patched up 1970s VW minivan, all rusty and held together with bailing wire and duct tape... If that's the case, then this one is his restored 1950s Chevy, complete with hot rod fins and dice in the mirror. You can tell it's been through a lot, but damned if it hasn't been made to look awesome again, under the hand of a new guy who cares an awful lot about his ride.

Mark

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Are there any hi-res shots out there?

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Very interesting. It looks huge! Not as big as the Torchwood Hub but much bigger than the previous TARDIS control room. I like the stairs leading off to other parts of the TARDIS. The only thing that I think is missing is a somewhat more... livable space. I felt this even more so about the previous console room, that it just looked like the control room of a space-time ship and not like the Doctor or his companions actually lived there. I just feel like there needs to be a couch somewhere off to the side to make it feel more... homey.

 

[Stevil2001]

RTD had stated that he didn't want bedrooms in the TARDIS-- he wanted the Ship to be a travel machine, not a home.

I wonder if it might just be a little too busy-- I never got a grip on how the Hub was laid out because there was just so much of it-- but I like it, aside from the partially covered time rotor. Especially the under-floor and the roof. And the interior stairs!

 

[Messianni]

RTD had stated that he didn't want bedrooms in the TARDIS-- he wanted the Ship to be a travel machine, not a home.

That's such a strange sentiment considering it is the home of The Doctor and his companions.

I like it fine but I have a feeling it will probably look better "in motion". There isn't much for a visual comparison or context right now (especially with the lighting, I have a feeling it isn't as red as some pictures make it out to be). I also find it odd how the time rotor is so covered up on the upper-half of the console. However I love the stairs and how wide open it feels.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It has kind of a Willie Wonka look about it.

 

[Mitty]

I'm trying to remember, in one particular episode Rose needed to change into a more period costume, and the Doctor told her to go "through there", seeming to indicate a door that we never saw. Does anyone remember what episode that was?

 

[Captain Pike]

The Unquiet Dead ?

 

[Sci]

If one extends the 'desktop theme' allegory, then it would be similar to a pc with broken/jerry-rigged software components. Changing the desktop theme on the pc does not fix the problems 'under the bonnet', so to speak - it merely changes the overall superficial look of the thing..

But the problem is, most of the repairs we saw the Doctor use in the RTD TARDIS were repairs to the interface mechanisms, not the actual works-the-mojo parts. And, sure enough, all of those same interface mechanisms look fixed now. So if the interface mechanisms could be so easily repaired by changing the desktop theme, why'd the Doctor not, y'know, just change the desktop theme?

Plus, how can a time machine ever be boring or unspecial? It's a time machine!

There are a thousand and a half time machines in science fiction. One of the things that made the TARDIS interesting the first time I watched "Rose" was that, well, it was as much a time creature as a time machine.

Eh? What in "Rose" gives the impression of the TARDIS as a creature?

The fact that the TARDIS was obviously made of living, organic material. It was rather obviously a life-form, just from looking at it. That made it much more mysterious and alien and, well, interesting, than just another ol' mechanical device.

Agreed - and a natural death after 26 years is nothing to be ashamed of in television.

It can be. Some shows really should be allowed to die natural deaths instead of dragging them on long after their prime. (Case in point: Scrubs should have ended last season.)

The overall Deco design of the new interior doesn't bother me - it's a bit over the top, but I like Deco fine. Certainly the perspex (we say "plexiglas" or "acrylic," the latter being the material name rather than a brand like the first two) is not a problem. That said, sticking a Victrola horn and a 1950s TV set onto the top of the console, while it may tickle some long-time fans of the franchise, goes beyond camp and veers into twee. Blech.

Well, even the last four years of Who have had plenty of occasions with a tint of the ridiculous - a sense of "Really?!" And Moffat after all gave us Rose and Jack dancing on a spaceship tethered to Big Ben in the midst of the Blitz, and the Doctor crashing through a mirror to have the "Meet my lover the King of France/Yeah, well I'm the Lord of Time" exchange.

Those aren't scenic design choices.

RTD had stated that he didn't want bedrooms in the TARDIS-- he wanted the Ship to be a travel machine, not a home.

That's such a strange sentiment considering it is the home of The Doctor and his companions.

The entire point of the Doctor is that he's always on the move. He never stays; he's a wanderer, a nomad. Giving the TARDIS too much of a sense of "home" undermines that sense of the Doctor-as-wanderer.

Plus... the point is to get out of the TARDIS and start the adventure.

 

[Thestral]

Eh? What in "Rose" gives the impression of the TARDIS as a creature?

The fact that the TARDIS was obviously made of living, organic material. It was rather obviously a life-form, just from looking at it. That made it much more mysterious and alien and, well, interesting, than just another ol' mechanical device.

You say obvious as though it's, well, obvious - if it's so obvious, I wouldn't have asked you what in "Rose" gives that impression. It's not obvious at all from the first episode from where I sit - the TARDIS isn't even as organic as a White Star, let alone a Shadow or Vorlon ship, and nowhere near a Moya, Talyn, or Gommtu. On the scale of "organic, obviously living" space vessels, the TARDIS doesn't rank all that high - and even by the point of "Parting of the Ways," it's still more akin to the Andromeda Ascendant.

Agreed - and a natural death after 26 years is nothing to be ashamed of in television.

It can be. Some shows really should be allowed to die natural deaths instead of dragging them on long after their prime. (Case in point: Scrubs should have ended last season.)

Well the nice thing about a show like Doctor Who is that, like a soap opera, there may not be a point of "natural death" except declining ratings and interest - which is what put Who off the air the first time round.

Well, even the last four years of Who have had plenty of occasions with a tint of the ridiculous - a sense of "Really?!" And Moffat after all gave us Rose and Jack dancing on a spaceship tethered to Big Ben in the midst of the Blitz, and the Doctor crashing through a mirror to have the "Meet my lover the King of France/Yeah, well I'm the Lord of Time" exchange.

Those aren't scenic design choices.

Eh? So? It's still a sense of whimsy and playing-with-camp.

And besides then, Starship Titanic? Hospital on the Moon? The Brainwashed Kids' Computer Room? The Dalek Genetic Engineering Chamber Beneath the Empire State Building?

That's such a strange sentiment considering it is the home of The Doctor and his companions.

The entire point of the Doctor is that he's always on the move. He never stays; he's a wanderer, a nomad. Giving the TARDIS too much of a sense of "home" undermines that sense of the Doctor-as-wanderer.

Plus... the point is to get out of the TARDIS and start the adventure.

The TARDIS is Appa.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

RTD had stated that he didn't want bedrooms in the TARDIS-- he wanted the Ship to be a travel machine, not a home.

That's such a strange sentiment considering it is the home of The Doctor and his companions.

The entire point of the Doctor is that he's always on the move. He never stays; he's a wanderer, a nomad. Giving the TARDIS too much of a sense of "home" undermines that sense of the Doctor-as-wanderer.

Plus... the point is to get out of the TARDIS and start the adventure.

But where do they sleep? Or do they just squeeze in a few minutes of shut eye during their numerous stints in alien dungeons?

 

[Samurai8472]

I'm sure the Doctor's room would be a fan wank.

"OMG! He's got the mirror from episode 108! scene two!"

>_>

"A draw full of screwdrivers! anyone see Bakers?"

 

[Classic Fan]

I'm sure the Doctor's room would be a fan wank.

"OMG! He's got the mirror from episode 108! scene two!"

>_>

"A draw full of screwdrivers! anyone see Bakers?"

 

[Sci]

That's such a strange sentiment considering it is the home of The Doctor and his companions.

The entire point of the Doctor is that he's always on the move. He never stays; he's a wanderer, a nomad. Giving the TARDIS too much of a sense of "home" undermines that sense of the Doctor-as-wanderer.

Plus... the point is to get out of the TARDIS and start the adventure.

But where do they sleep? Or do they just squeeze in a few minutes of shut eye during their numerous stints in alien dungeons?

Oh, I'm sure they spend plenty of time in the TARDIS. But the point is, we don't see that time because it's not important to the stories being told.

 

[davejames]

I'm not one of those people dying to see an entire story told within the TARDIS, but it would be nice to see the characters exploring or hanging out in some other area at the start of an episode besides just the console room. Halfway through Tennant's run, that was already getting a bit tired and predictable.

Plus I like the idea of seeing the TARDIS more as the Doctor's home, and not just a time machine he flies around in like it's the Delorean from BTTF (which is what it often felt like during the RTD era).

 

[John Picard]

The entire point of the Doctor is that he's always on the move. He never stays; he's a wanderer, a nomad. Giving the TARDIS too much of a sense of "home" undermines that sense of the Doctor-as-wanderer.

Plus... the point is to get out of the TARDIS and start the adventure.

But where do they sleep? Or do they just squeeze in a few minutes of shut eye during their numerous stints in alien dungeons?

Oh, I'm sure they spend plenty of time in the TARDIS. But the point is, we don't see that time because it's not important to the stories being told.

Although, it would be nice to see a TARDIS-centric episode, a-la the ST:TNG episode, Data's Day.

 

[ClayinCA]

Plus... the point is to get out of the TARDIS and start the adventure.

Moffat has basically said this as well - I forget the exact quote, but he basically said, "Kids want Narnia, not the wardrobe," which I think is as succinct a way to put it as possible!