Sarah -
Well, that was fun! The Lodger is a welcome moment to catch our breath between the emotions of "Vincent of the Doctor" and the oncoming storm of "The Pandorica Opens".
The Lodger is based on a Doctor Who Magazine comic story featuring the Tenth Doctor and Mickey Smith, and adapted by Gareth Roberts.
Harry -
What a lovely little stand alone tale. A little comedy, a little love story, and well teased-out mystery.
Sarah -
The story begins with the Doctor being dumped out of the TARDIS, which dematerializes with a shouting Amy inside. Nearby, at 79 Aickman Road, Craig and his friend Sophie are planning an evening of pizza, drinks, and telly when she’s called away by a distraught friend.
Harry -
Who among us hasn't had many nights of "Pizza Booze Telly" these past couple of pandemic years?
Sarah -
More than we want to admit. Meanwhile, the upstairs neighbor lures a series of passersby into their flat, asking for help. Sophie and Craig discuss a stain on the ceiling, which seems to be coming from upstairs, but don’t take any action.
How cute are Craig and Sophie? They both fancy each other, but neither is able to make the leap. Right on time, the Doctor turns up as Craig’s new roommate, ready to fix everyone’s problems!
Harry -
The Doctor reverses roles with Amy, having to resort to "analogue" technology to avoid alerting the alien presence that threw the TARDIS out of whack, while Amy has all of the TARDIS' technology at her disposal. She wasn't thrilled at the Doctor's repeated hints that the TARDIS might be blown out of all space and time, but at least she didn't have to run any sprints during this adventure. Another great performance by Karen Gillan.
Sarah -
Gillan is just so good. It’s been great watching her post-Doctor Who career take off.
Harry -
Meanwhile, check out the Doctor lighting up the football pitch. And whipping up French cuisine. And starting to turn Sophie's head with his eccentric charm. Watch out Craig, he's stealing your girlfriend! But the Doctor wouldn't do that. He sees there's something between them and tries to help in his own way.
Sarah -
I love the football scene and the around-the-house moments as the Doctor settles in. Matt Smith is just so exuberant in these scenes. Did you notice the van Gogh postcard on Craig’s refrigerator? That was a nice touch.
Harry -
Perhaps mailed from Paris by one of Craig's more well-travelled friends.
Meanwhile, the upstairs neighbour continues to lure people upstairs. I didn't have much recollection of this story so the long-drawn-out reveal was fantastic. At one point I thought it was one monster, then a different monster, and was ultimately blown away by the reveal. Not what I expected at all.
Sarah -
That was completely unexpected. I had forgotten all the details of the alien storyline. Pity it burned through so many humans before the mystery was solved.
Harry -
I also loved that this story was a throwback to times when the Doctor didn't wave the sonic around like a magic wand - one of my criticisms of the Moffat era. Here, he required elbow grease and his own two hands to assemble his latest alien-detector doohickey, and he played detective with the help of his cat informant.
Sarah -
Who knew the cat would save the day. This is such an enjoyable story. Smith and Corden, who were already friends, have great chemistry. The alien menace is dealt with, Craig and Sophie finally express their feelings, and the Doctor is reunited with Amy.
The Doctor asks Amy to write a note to his past self to direct him to the flat. While searching for a pen, she discovers the box with her engagement ring and opens the box. She’s confused and, meanwhile, a crack develops in Craig’s wall.
Harry -
We are about to find out just what all those cracks are about. To the Pandorica!
Sarah -
Best Line:
CRAIG: Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?
DOCTOR: They never really stop.
Favorite Moment: the football game
Lasting Image: The alien-detector doohickey in the Doctor’s bedroom
7/10
Harry -
Best Line:
CRAIG: I love you!
DOCTOR: Well that's good cos I'm your new lodger.
Favourite Moment: the Doctor pops his head up from behind the sofa during Craig and Sophie's tender moment. I had to pause the story from laughing so hard.
Lasting Image: the Doctor playing football
7/10
Our marathon continues with Story #212: The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang...
