Doctor Who: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (7x10)

I feel like I waited forever for this episode to happen. Ever since Season 6, when we got that awesome episode "The Doctor's Wife," I have been waiting for another episode that really explored the TARDIS. And... well... I don't know. I think this episode had a lot of good stuff going for it, but I just wanted... more!

Okay, so here was my idea. Tell me this wouldn't be awesome. What if this concept had been used for the 50th anniversary? It would be a small, contained episode focusing on old characters coming back, and there would be a good reason for it: something goes wrong with the TARDIS and time starts leaking. What if echoes of other characters and moments came back? And the walls between time started breaking down? And that's why David Tennant and Billie Piper are there? Okay, someone must write this fic.

I just felt like the time leaking idea was such a cool one, and then they only used it to replay clips from earlier within the same episode. What a waste! But that's not to say there weren't great things about this episode. I'll start with my two favorite elements:

1. The design of the TARDIS -  Properly menacing. Really nicely done. Everything from the lighting to the tunnels to the cool outdoor cliff thing at the end. I really felt like I was in this endless maze.

2. The Doctor and Clara. This may be the most interesting relationship between the Doctor and his companion ever. Now, hear me out: Clara isn't my favorite companion of all time. If I had to pick, I'd say that distinction goes to Donna. Or maybe Rory. But the relationship between them is unlike any other I've seen. Here's what makes it interesting: Clara, more than anyone else, is disturbed by the Doctor. She's afraid of the man he is. Even when other companions have touched on this, it's usually been quickly brushed over. Clara sees the Doctor for what he really is. She trusts him, sure, but she's also pretty darn scared of him. She doesn't see beauty and majesty everywhere they go. She sees a lot of darkness, and she seems to think that time travel is a bit twisted in its very nature. The Doctor, in turn, is endlessly fascinated by Clara as a puzzle, but also just as a person. He wants to know who she is and how she's possible, but he also just gets along with her really well and has great chemistry with her. He also has the most adorable companion-crush on her. I don't necessarily want them to fall in love, or anything, but I do love how much they care about each other already.

Now that I've listed the things that I liked, let me move on to the worst part of the episode: the stupid retcon at the end! Clara and the Doctor have this awesome intense moment by a cliff where he yells at her and she says my favorite line of the episode: "I think I'm more scared of you right now than anything else on that TARDIS." And then... the Doctor just resets everything so it never happens. I really didn't appreciate them going back like that.

I also didn't love the salvage crew... there was nothing truly terrible about them, but they weren't well developed, I didn't care at all about the brother subplot, and I just felt like they ultimately distracted from the coolness of the premise. Sometimes Doctor Who episodes have really great guest characters, like in "Hide," but this week's characters just didn't do much for me.

I'll end my review by listing some of my favorite brief quotes/moments.

Clara: "You're like one of those guys who can't go out with a girl unless his mother approves." To which the Doctor responds that it's important to him that Clara and the TARDIS get along!

I loved the Doctor's panicked moment of realization that Clara wasn't with him. So cute!

"Salvage of a lifetime?" "I feel pretty confident I can deliver on that."

The Doctor on Time Lords: "No dress sense, dreadful hats, but smart!" 

After Clara almost gets killed by the zombie thing: "Clara, I'm so so sorry. Sorry. Please please forgive me, Clara." *Clara punches him* "Ow! Okay so we're not doing hugging, I get that now!"

Clara:  "Good guys do not have zombie creatures, rule one, basic storytelling!"

The Doctor: "Do you feel safe?" Clara: "Of course!"

In all, I felt like this episode was a lesson in missed opportunities. It could have been one of those legendary Doctor Who episodes that everyone talks about forever, but instead it was only just okay. Too bad! I'm excited to see what the future holds, though.

7/10