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The end is in sight.\u00a0 The grand two-part finale of the most anticipated series since 2005 is just around the corner, but before we get the Moff\u2019s kitchen sink thrown at us we must first sit patiently through the curtain raiser.<\/p>\n
Episode 11, or sometimes 10, is traditionally experimental (to varying degrees of success), with deliberately humble production values and the reduced participation of one or both of the Leads.\u00a0 It used to be known as the \u2018Doctor-less episode\u2019, but in the case of The Lodger<\/em>, the very reverse is true.\u00a0 More than any other episode to date, this is \u2018The Doctor Show\u2019; to the extent that this week\u2019s \u2018alien menace is very much sidelined by what would normally be the \u2018B\u2019 plot \u2013 the \u2018human\u2019 interest story.\u00a0 Gloriously centre-stage is the Doctor trying to live as \u2018an ordinary bloke\u2019 until he can be reunited with the two significant others in his life (both making as much noise as each other during Amy\u2019s brief but loud scenes in the runaway TARDIS).<\/p>\n This is a rich seam which Gareth Roberts exploits well for its comedic value, bringing back the soccer stardom and electric toothbrush\/sonic screwdriver confusion of his original comic strip.\u00a0 The episode itself is a refreshingly fun take on the Human Nature\/Family of Blood<\/em> scenario, making an episode-long gag of the Doctor\u2019s attempts to be human. It\u2019s a strong enough idea to have supported entire series in the past, from My Favourite Martian<\/em> to Mork and Mindy<\/em> and beyond, and very few tricks are missed here.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I really should stop making comparisons with David Tennant, but the tenth Doctor, who fell in love at least three times and even became homo sapiens<\/em> briefly, was by far the most human, whereas Matt Smith is very much continuing the legacy of Tom Baker, who felt duty-bound to constantly surprise the audience with the Doctor\u2019s alien-ness. The Lodger<\/em> is a tour-de-force for Matt Smith and his unpredictable, increasingly delightful performance.<\/p>\n The eleventh Doctor completely misses the minutiae of human society: air-kissing everyone he meets and un-self-consciously regurgitating wine (disgustingness is a recent trait, apparently) but he sees straight to the heart of the larger, more important issues.\u00a0 The Doctor immediately understands Craig\u2019s relationship dilemma, when to let a difficult customer go and even how to inspire Sophie to follow her dream.\u00a0 Perhaps if Rusty was still holding the reigns he\u2019d find a way to create another spin-off series \u2013 \u2018Matt about the House\u2019, anyone?<\/p>\n But being Doctor Who<\/em> there is also an alien threat to be dealt with, lurking at the top of Craig\u2019s stairs. Passers-by anxiously climbing towards that flickering, buzzing room is a nightmarish image, reminiscent of a carnivorous plant luring insects into its lethal clutches, but its power becomes a little diminished after the third or fourth repetition.\u00a0 This time the menace is of the non-adversarial kind, a mechanism blindly carrying out its programming in the way that Moffat often employs in his stories.\u00a0 Visually, it\u2019s nice to see echoes of the TV Movie<\/em>, and given Amy\u2019s \u2018contribution\u2019 to this story it\u2019s appropriate that another scene featuring lots of sparks and shouting should also take place on a set which looks like a TARDIS.<\/p>\n The Lodger<\/em> is ultimately a warm, happy and extremely funny episode (wouldn\u2019t The Three Doctors<\/em> have been so much more amusing if the eleventh\u2019s method of psychically imparting information had been used back then?\u00a0 I don\u2019t doubt Troughton and Pertwee would have risen magnificently to the occasion).\u00a0 This script is a Godsend for Matt Smith and he seems to know it, pitching every nuance, line and gesture perfectly.\u00a0 And he can even talk to cats \u2013 the Doctor rocks, indeed!<\/p>\n Garnished with nods to the past reaching as far back as The Time Monster<\/em> (I\u2019ll resist making a list, but do have to mention \u2018Jubilee Pizzas\u2019) and topped with the third \u2018past Doctors roll call\u2019 this year, The Lodger<\/em> is an extremely satisfying entr\u00e9e to savour before the colossal main course and dessert arriving next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n AH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The end is in sight.\u00a0 The grand two-part finale of the most anticipated series since 2005 is just around the corner, but before we get the Moff\u2019s kitchen sink thrown at us we must first sit patiently through the curtain … Continue reading