Doctor Who history: Beyond the console room - the stories that explored the TARDIS

Story versus production

The Fourth Doctor’s era provided us with some interesting exploration of the TARDIS. One example that stands out - although not entirely for the best reasons - is The Invasion of Time. While most of the story takes place on Gallifrey, the last episode is set deep within the TARDIS, as the Doctor and his friends find themselves on the run from the Sontarans.

In theory, this should’ve been an incredibly exciting look into some of the deepest areas of the Doctor's ship. But when viewing these scenes, it’s clear that they’re all on location, with very little set dressing added to make the brickwork corridors feel like the interior of a spaceship. As a result, it works against the illusion rather than adding to it.

For an equal yet opposite example, the Matt Smith episode Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS stands out. Visually, the deep dive into the many levels and corridors of the TARDIS looks fantastic, with every room we see looking like a natural part of it thanks to excellance.

But while visually it’s an improvement from what was seen in The Invasion of Time, the story sadly doesn’t quite live up to it. Featuring three very forgettable brothers as the antagonists, a “twist” that honestly feels meaningless, and a reset ending, it's not exactly a memorable episode. (Although to be honest, the fact that it’s resolved with a literal reset button does make the last aspect more forgivable.) An episode that’s worth watching purely for the visuals, not the story.