One of my favourite Doctor Who stories is ‘Inside the
Spaceship’ which for those that don’t know is a two part episode set entirely
inside the TARDIS. Part of the reason was because the idea of using the TARDIS
as part of the story instead of using it merely as a somewhere for the main
characters to leave and arrive in. This story was one that intrigued me just
because of the name. The story sees the TARDIS picked up by scavengers and
whilst the Doctor manages to escape, Clara isn’t so lucky and so the journey to
rescue her begins and to add to the drama there are weird zombie monsters
chasing them.
We finally got the swimming pool and the library which was
mentioned way back in the Big Bang and I must admit I loved the look of the
library. In fact I loved all of the TARDIS, this was the most in depth look
inside the TARDIS ever. The Eye of Harmony was a particular highlight as it was
much improved on the McGann version. Whereas way back in ‘The Invasion of Time’
it was clear that they filmed in an abandoned hospital where the quality of
look of it changed from room to room, in this story it all flowed into one and
I bought into the idea that this was in one place and was probably done in a
studio. The Zombie monsters were well realised as they were creepy and yet the
effect done on screen helped to create a mystery about just what they were. I didn’t
guess what they were but when it was revealed I thought that it was the sort of
bonkers thinking that Steven Moffat would have come up with.
If I had to find a fault with this story then it would the plausibility
of a book about the Time War just being left out in the open. Considering it’s
a part of his history that he’s not fond about talking of, then it seems quite
odd that he wouldn’t just bury it somewhere. However in its defence it does
serve a narrative purpose so this point is more nit-picking than anything else.
This felt like it was building up to the end of the series as Clara knows what
the Doctor’s name is and we will find out at the end of the series.
Mat King did a top job directing this story and must have
thought his numbers had come up when he read the script for this episode. I don’t
think he’s done one of these before but he managed to make the corridor scenes
seem as action packed as the rest of the scenes. This was Stephen Thompson’s
second story for Doctor Who after the 2011 story ‘The Curse of the Black Spot’
which I wasn’t wild about and this was so much better and Thompson has to be
praised for this episode.
The central performances are always a joy to watch and this week’s
episode was no exception. Jenna-Louise Coleman seemed to me like she was going
to have a hard job replacing Karen Gillan but to be fair to her she has
excelled in the role and is possibly my favourite new series companion. She’s feisty
without being irritating and doesn’t have a boyfriend or family to worry about
and so she is the ideal companion and thrives in the episodes that she has been
in. Matt Smith has been really strong this series and continues that here. I
love how Clara is a mystery to the Doctor and despite his hundreds of year of traveling
through time, he still can be baffled with someone or something and Smith does
a good job in portraying this.
This is another cracking story. It was well written, well
acted and well directed. It’s fair to say that Journey to the Centre of the
TARDIS is a fans episode and in the 50th Anniversary year that’s
always a good thing. 
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