Doctor Who: Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS (2013)
Steve Thompson's previous Doctor Who work has been...flawed to say the least. The Curse Of The Black Spot was dull and even his first episode of Sherlock (The Blind Banker) wasn't as good as Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' work on the show. He wrote the finale to Series Two of Sherlock (The Reichenbach Fall) which was very good so it was difficult to say whether this episode would be good. The trailers for this episode were...dull to say the least and the clips were a bit too short. This episode, however, was surprisingly good.
It opens as the Doctor tries to get Clara to 'bond' with the TARDIS - a funny scene well acted by Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman that really highlights the two characters.
However, the Van Baaleen brothers are introduced and come across as well, annoying. Ashley Walters guest-stars as Gregor, and is as wooden as hell. I do not believe his character whatsoever and it is amazing that he is apparently more famous than Smith and Coleman, despite them (in my opinion) being much better actors. The script actually treats Gregor well and you could actually show him as a guy who took a step too far, but Walters just keeps the same facial expression and tone throughout the episode. Bram is annoying, and when he dies it is a welcome relief. But the real star of the three is Tricky (played by Jahvel Hall), who does a fantastic performance as the cyborg. However, he was introduced previously as playing Tricky Van Baaleen, which ruined his character arc completely.
The sets are fantastic, and so is the lighting. It's nice to see the library (which actually looks smaller than the largest library on Earth), the room with the Doctor's momentous from over the years (which includes Sylvester McCoy's original umbrella!) and the swimming pool. We also see a re-designed Eye of Harmony and the very centre of the TARDIS. Director Mat King has a very unique style of direction which looks fantastic throughout the episode and I hope he returns one day. The lighting makes the corridors look different and highlights the dark corners of the TARDIS. Despite all these strange and fantastic rooms however, we do not see a bedroom or a toilet. Seriously, where do they go when they need to go in the TARDIS?! Does the Doctor even sleep? What about Clara? Oh well.
The cliff scene was something that felt a bit repetative. In Steve Thompson's last episode of Sherlock, Sherlock jumps off a building; Doctor Who Series 6 they jump off a ship; Angels Take Manhattan, Rory and Amy jump off Winter Quay; The Snowmen, Clara falls off the cloud. Coincidence?
Matt Smith is brilliant as a darker Doctor but his reveal near to the end of the countdown being a fake felt way too forced. Not on the actor's part, but the writer's. Jenna-Louise Coleman, however, steals the show as Clara getting across all the needed emotions and lines much better than, say, Ashley Walters. I am not being biased here, I am being HONEST. Coleman gets across the witty dialogue well and interacts brilliantly with Matt Smith, and even seems to try and distance herself from the Van Baaleens (understandable).
Overall, despite very weird creatures that don't make complete sense, this is an enjoyable episode. Not one I'd call a 'classic' but not one I'd skip on the DVD.
It opens as the Doctor tries to get Clara to 'bond' with the TARDIS - a funny scene well acted by Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman that really highlights the two characters.
However, the Van Baaleen brothers are introduced and come across as well, annoying. Ashley Walters guest-stars as Gregor, and is as wooden as hell. I do not believe his character whatsoever and it is amazing that he is apparently more famous than Smith and Coleman, despite them (in my opinion) being much better actors. The script actually treats Gregor well and you could actually show him as a guy who took a step too far, but Walters just keeps the same facial expression and tone throughout the episode. Bram is annoying, and when he dies it is a welcome relief. But the real star of the three is Tricky (played by Jahvel Hall), who does a fantastic performance as the cyborg. However, he was introduced previously as playing Tricky Van Baaleen, which ruined his character arc completely.
The sets are fantastic, and so is the lighting. It's nice to see the library (which actually looks smaller than the largest library on Earth), the room with the Doctor's momentous from over the years (which includes Sylvester McCoy's original umbrella!) and the swimming pool. We also see a re-designed Eye of Harmony and the very centre of the TARDIS. Director Mat King has a very unique style of direction which looks fantastic throughout the episode and I hope he returns one day. The lighting makes the corridors look different and highlights the dark corners of the TARDIS. Despite all these strange and fantastic rooms however, we do not see a bedroom or a toilet. Seriously, where do they go when they need to go in the TARDIS?! Does the Doctor even sleep? What about Clara? Oh well.
The cliff scene was something that felt a bit repetative. In Steve Thompson's last episode of Sherlock, Sherlock jumps off a building; Doctor Who Series 6 they jump off a ship; Angels Take Manhattan, Rory and Amy jump off Winter Quay; The Snowmen, Clara falls off the cloud. Coincidence?
Matt Smith is brilliant as a darker Doctor but his reveal near to the end of the countdown being a fake felt way too forced. Not on the actor's part, but the writer's. Jenna-Louise Coleman, however, steals the show as Clara getting across all the needed emotions and lines much better than, say, Ashley Walters. I am not being biased here, I am being HONEST. Coleman gets across the witty dialogue well and interacts brilliantly with Matt Smith, and even seems to try and distance herself from the Van Baaleens (understandable).
Overall, despite very weird creatures that don't make complete sense, this is an enjoyable episode. Not one I'd call a 'classic' but not one I'd skip on the DVD.
Comments
Post a Comment