Doctor Who: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS

There were some great things about this episode, and some things that I didn't care for particularly. I loved seeing more of TARDIS. We got to see the library, the swimming pool, and a book about the The History of the Time War, among other things. I didn't really like the "monsters." It was a bit confusing as to what (or who) they were. And I felt the Van Baalen brothers and their "robot" didn't bring much to the story. It would have been interesting if it were just the Doctor searching for Clara inside the TARDIS and if there were a different kind of threat. However, it was still an entertaining episode, and I loved much of the dialog, as usual. I like Matt Smith's Doctor more and more. I also still like Clara.

Observations:

The key that the Doctor uses to shut the TARDIS own to "basic" mode has "Smiths" written on it. This is Matt Smith's TARDIS  Not any of the other 10 Doctors. Okay, maybe that's pushing it bit too far, but this is my observation on my blog, so... there you go!

So, it's when the TARDIS is in basic mode and the shields are down that you can actually see it flying through space.

How did the Doctor get thrown out of the TARDIS, but Clara didn't?

Good thing that piece of - whatever - that landed on Clara wasn't too heavy. And, she doesn't look like she was hurt by it. That's good. But a little unrealistic. It would have been more dramatic if she had been hurt a bit (other than the burn on her hand). And why is she in a corridor of the TARDIS when she and the Doctor were both together in the console room when the Van Baalen brothers brought the TARDIS in as salvage? How did she get there and the Doctor was outside of the TARDIS?

When Clara sees a red light flashing above a door, she wonders if she should open it or if the red flashing light "means something bad," or "whatever you do, don't open this door." Well, she decides to open it and flames come bursting out of the door. She runs away, and... that's it. The danger is over. Quite anti-climactic.

It looks like this is the first time Clara sees the library and swimming pool. So, what has she seen in the TARDIS so far? I'm sure she doesn't spend all of her time in the console room. She has to have a place to sleep and such.

Clara sees some cool things as she's trying to find her way back to the console room. (I'm sure there are some cool things I missed from the classic Doctor Who days.)

• The Doctor's cradle (the one he gave to Amy for baby Melody)
• The TARDIS Amy made when she was a little girl
• The Encyclopedia Gallifrey in bottles
• A book called The History of the Time War

It's cool that when Bram is in the console room, we hear voices of previous Doctors and companions. We hear Susan's (the Doctor's granddaughter) voice when she named the TARDIS. We hear Amy and Martha, and I was so happy to hear the ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston).

I wonder who wrote that large tome, The History of the Time War? Isn't the Doctor the only one to survive that war (other than the Master, and he doesn't seem like the type of person to write a large history - and if he did, would it be true?)? Was it written before the end of the war?

Clara finds out the name of the Doctor. However, she says "So, that's who..." If you discovered someone's name, wouldn't you say, "So, that's what... [his name is]"? You wouldn't say "that's who... [he is]" unless the discovery is about finding out he's someone she's heard of before, not just discovering what his name is.

The TARDIS must not dislike Clara totally, because it takes Clara to the "safest place in the ship," and where she needs to be for the Doctor to find her.

The Doctor knows what the zombie creatures are. And he's not telling.

I really hate that Gregor says they made Tricky think he was a robot to relieve the boredom. That it was a joke. What kind of  sick people would do something like that to their brother? It makes Gregor and Bram more unlikable.

The Doctor takes them where the Eye of Harmony is. Why does he stop them to explain what it is when they need to get past it quickly? Won't it burn them up? Well, burn them up quicker than it's happening.

I wonder which of the zombie creatures killed Bram.

The Doctor asks Clara to explain herself. Why he's met her twice and she's died twice. But Clara doesn't know. She's just "Clara."

I want to know why the Doctor doesn't want people to know his name. If the majority of people he runs into don't know anything about Gallifrey or Time Lords, then why does his name have to be such a secret?

So, it doesn't really matter that Clara read his name in the book. She won't remember it anyway.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Cop out? Or, "well at least they aren't all going to get burned up." Hmm.

Quotes:

Doctor: You said --
Clara: I know what I said, I'm the who said it.

Doctor: It's important to me you two get along. I could leave you alone together.
Clara: Now you're creeping me out.

Clara: Please tell me there's a button you can press to fix this!
Doctor: Oh, yes, big friendly button.
Clara: You're lying.
Doctor: Yep.
Clara: To stop me freaking out?
Doctor: Is is working?
Clara: Not so much.

Doctor: Hi. I'm the Doctor. And you are... (looks at their uniforms) Van Baalen and... Van Baalen. Van Baalen and Van Baalen. That's going to get confusing later.

Van Baalen (not sure which one): I thought she (the TARDIS) was lying on her side.
Doctor: The TARDIS is special. She has her own gravity. I'd explain if I had some charts and a board pen.

Van Baalen: Whoa. Awesome!
Doctor: Well put. Whoa and awesome.

Doctor: My ship! My rules!

Doctor: Don't get into a spaceship with a madman. Didn't anyone ever teach you that?

Doctor: "Salvage of a lifetime." You meant the ship. I meant Clara.

Doctor: Don't touch a thing. The TARDIS will get huffy if you mess.

Clara (re: the Library): Now, that's just showing off.

Doctor: I can feel a TARDIS tantrum coming on.

Doctor: Ever see a spaceship get ugly?

Doctor: It doesn't know Lancashire.
Gregor: What?
Doctor: It doesn't know sass.

Doctor: Okay, so we're not doing hugging. I know that now.

Clara: What do you keep in here? Why have you got zombie creatures? Good guys do not have zombie creature. Rule 1, basic storytelling!
Doctor: Not in front of the guests.
Clara: Who are they?
Doctor: Friends. Well, people who aren't trying to kill us.

Doctor: And the face. You've got to do the face. "Save her or we all die." I thought I rushed it a bit, but...

Gregor: So, you're telling us we're safe?
Doctor: Ish.

Doctor: Okay, don't panic. Or maybe panic.

Gregor: Where are we going?
Doctor: Detour. Centre of the TARDIS.

Clara: Run?
Doctor: I'm liking how you're thinking.

Doctor: We can only survive a minute or two in there.
Clara: Um, what happens if we stay longer?
Doctor: Our cells will liquefy and our skin will start to burn.
Clara: I always feel so good after we've spoken.
Doctor: Marvelous. Keep this door shut.
Clara: That will not be a problem.

Doctor (to Gregor): Now, you. Don't ever forget this.

Clara: How can you be so sure?
Doctor: Well, I can't.
Clara: Okay, then, well, that's watertight.
Doctor: Hey! Now, Clara, I have piloted this ship for over 900 years. Trust me this one time, please. Okay. Okay. As well as all the the other times.

Doctor: Ready? Geronimo.

Clara: The library. I saw it. You were mentioned in a book.
Doctor: I'm mentioned in a lot of books.
Clara: You call yourself "Doctor." Why do you do that? You have a name. I've seen it. In one corner of that tiny --

Clara: You're being weird.
Doctor: I need to know if you feel safe. I need to know you're not afraid.
Clara: Of?
Doctor: The future. Running away with a spaceman in a box - anything could happen to you.
Clara: That's what I'm counting on.