The Doctor's Wife

Season 6, Episode 4, Aired

Episode Summary

EDIT
go
Netflix
Subscription
Amazon
Buy
iTunes
Buy
Amazon Prime
Free Trial / Subscription
VUDU
Buy
9.3
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Superb
360 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate Now!
A distress signal from an old friend brings the Doctor to a junkyard planet in a bubble universe. A family consisting of Auntie, Uncle Nephew greet the Doctor and their companions, but it is the fourth resident, the seemingly insane Idris, who tries to warn them anyway.moreless
WRITE A REVIEW FAN RECAP

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Watch Online

Netflix
Subscription
Amazon
Buy
iTunes
Buy
Amazon Prime
Free Trial / Sub...
VUDU
Buy

Fan Episode Reviews (13)

See All

  • In a plot that has good ideas but never quite gets off the ground, Neil Gaiman misunderstands Doctor Who.

    4.0
    "Poor"
    By emeraldimp, Sep 18, 2011
    Neil Gaiman combines Doctor Who, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" into a story filled with unrealized potential.

    The Doctor, receiving a distress call, apparently from another Time Lord, rushes the TARDIS beyond the universe to a place almost, but not quite, entirely unlike a soap bubble on the edge of the universe. The TARDIS' matrix is captured by a "family" trio and stored in Helena Bonham Carter (played by Suranne Jones), which allows her (the TARDIS) to finally express to the Doctor how good it is to meet him. Unfortunately, the planetoid-junkyard they've landed on is actually a malevolent TARDIS-devouring space urchin called "The House." The House, upon learning that the Doctor and the TARDIS are the respective last of their kinds, hijacks the TARDIS for a joyride, with Amy and Rory inside.

    After two of the trio, "Auntie" and "Uncle", die for no particular reason, the Doctor and Helena attempt to construct a minimally-functional TARDIS from the half-digested remains strewn about, and the House entertains itself (at Rory's suggestion) by torturing the two humans and apparently killing Rory twice (but it's okay, he picked up some extra 1-Up mushrooms after that nasty bit with the Romans so he's safe). Now en route, the TARDIS and the Doctor telepathically guide Amy and Rory to an archived control room, where they land, and callously obliterate the ood that the House was controlling.

    Finally, the Doctor tricks the House into bringing them all to the main control room ("Don't throw me in the briar patch!"), Helena dies and the TARDIS' matrix regains control of the TARDIS. Everyone lives happily ever after, especially Amy and Rory, since they no longer have to sleep in bunk beds.

    Throughout the entire episode, I just can't shake the feeling that Gaiman doesn't *get* it. His attempts at humor are lame ("humans are bigger on the inside!"), the Amy/Rory chase sequence in the TARDIS is boring, and, while some of the ideas are cool, they just aren't well executed.

    Sadly, everyone else seemed to really enjoy this episode, so I'm sure we'll see more like it.moreless

  • My, my...

    8.0
    "Great"
    By 10thdoctorfan, Sep 18, 2011
    The TARDIS really loves the Doctor, even biting him. Weird... Well, what happens when the Doctor receives a hypercube that should even exist now that he's the last of the Time Lord's? He goes to the bubble unverse to investigate if he really isn't alone in the universe.

    What's weirder than a gree-eyed Ood? Patch-work people jig-sawed togetehr from the remains of dead Time Lords. Talk about making a House call, hahahahaha! Get it? House called the Doctor to his bubble universe. Oh! We get a bit of sneak preview for later in the season this time. The TARDIS tells Rory a secret before Idris dies, "The only water in the forest is the river." Oh, what oh what could it mean? You'll have to stay tuned to Doctor Who to find out.moreless

  • Neil Gaiman delivers a triumph of imagination and character.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By pursuedbybear, Sep 18, 2011
    Since its return Doctor Who has been a program where the writers have been stars as much as the actors. And Neil Gaiman turns out to be a perfect fit to the illustrious series. What's so striking is that Gaiman creates a story that is epic in scale and complexity with a cast of only eight characters (including a disembodied voice and a mute Ood). It's a triumph of imagination and character. Giving voice to the TARDIS is not a new idea, but Gaiman's examination of the relationship between the Doctor and his one constant companion is touching and poetic (and fun). It's easy to concentrate simply of the big ideas and acrobatic dialogue that sustain this episode, but there are also plenty of thrills and shocks as well. And let's not forget the attention given the oft-overlooked Rory. His heart to heart with the Doctor demonstrates that he is more than merely Mr. Pond. Would that more writers gave the character the same consideration. This is an episode that embodies all the best qulaities of Doctor Who, combining imagination and adventure with wimsy and personality. It's brilliant. And it's guaranteed that you will never look at the the TARDIS quite the same way again.moreless

  • Getting to know the TARDIS

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By hephastion, Aug 27, 2011
    This was probably the first episode of the "New Doctor" (Smith) I would rate as 9.5. I do not like the guy, I do not like his companion(s) too much - I think they all lack the charisma of the previously two doctors. But this episode was just plain great.
    I make a habbit of not reading a summary prior to watching the episode, I do not know a lot about writers, I just enjoy a good episode or dislike a boring / sensless one. So this one was a very nice surprise, giving a brilliant idea about the Doctor and his 'Wife'. I find the title very fitting.
    There is not much to say in addition to the folks who have given their opionion before me. Just one thing needs to be mentioned that was not made more prominent and which I find rather nice. As the Tardis starts to communicate with Amy and Rory she asks the Doctor "The pretty one?". And from there on it was clear that the Tardis would talk to Rory - we all suspected. Only the Doctor was surprised. So, finally, Rory gets his bit of attention from the one that matters, the Tardis. Thank you, author, for this pice of attention!moreless

  • Bonkers and Brilliant! 95% spoiler free.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By CellBlocknutter, Jul 15, 2011
    Frankly if this episode was just the 30 second scene in which Idris tells him it says pull to open on the Tardis door and he always pushes! Sheer brilliance! As if so many of us never noticed!

    I won't lie, I hyped this episode up in my head so much I was a touched disappointed. But when I stood to the side it was clear that this is one of the finest episodes of the whole show.

    I'd actually give this episode 9.8 if TV dot com allowed it, as once again, as is the case with the Moffat, things go so fast you need a red bull to catch up, and maybe a too loud soundtrack is to blame as well, but it's so easy to miss all the best lines. But knocking .2 off the score, this is still a very small complaint, but it is a trait that could get tiresome very soon.

    But onto the episode...

    NO doubt one of its strengths was it's referencing so much from the past, it serves as the best bridge between new and old Who.

    And then theres the concept. I can say for sure I've never seen anything like this in either Doctor Who or any other show. It exposes just how much stuff in the Whoniverse remains underexploited and I hope it inspires other writers to explore it more. It was about time we got to see whats up those stairs, even if it was a few corridors. The story began as perplexing and totally bonkers, and perhaps it didn't make things clear enough fast enough, but when it did, it became a feast of ideas that were so welcomed. Much like Nintendo says about it's games, this episode isn't what the fans wanted, it's what the fans didn't know they wanted. You really dont want it to end.

    There's also little doubt that there's more great one liners in this than perhaps the last 5 seasons. That's probably not true, but it feels like it!

    Amy and Rory absolutely impressed and their chase in the Tardis was bloody fantastic. That scream! The relationship between Idris and the Doctor was obviously brilliant, I dont think I can add to the praise others have already loaded on them.

    CGI was almost perfect. The Odd cheap Tardis shot but then some absolutely amazing stuff.

    In relation to the other 5 series, this is standout episode because there is no other episode like it. Were all used to the historical episodes and how much the Doc loves the people he meets, and him going to the future and writing wrongs, or seeing the Earth in peril or classic Alien comeback episodes. Truth is it's a pattern that needs breaking and this episode so does this. I suppose he loses his Tardis often, but thats the only cliche I can think of...Well except for the junkyard or corridors, but these repeated themes helped, they didn't hinder or feel worn. Best of all this really felt like getting out there in space and seeing the unseen and doing the not yet done. It's hard to articulate!!!moreless
WRITE A REVIEW
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

FILTER BY TYPE

  • TRIVIA (8)

    ADD TRIVIA

    • The Doctor comments that he had a patchwork umbrella, referring to the multi-colored umbrella that his sixth incarnation used.

    • The concept of deleting TARDIS rooms to generate thrust was first shown in the classic episodes Logopolis and Castrovalva.

    • The old control room that Idris sends Rory and Amy to is the one used by the Ninth and Tenth Doctors (Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant, respectively).

    • The Doctor receives a cube with a Time Lord message in it. A similar cube was seen in the classic serial The War Games when the Doctor sent a message to Gallifrey requesting help.

    • This marks the first time that the TARDIS internal corridors are seen in the new series.

    • When Uncle and Auntie die and the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver, it has a green light as normal. But when the Doctor and Idris run through the junkyard in the next scene (approximately 22:56), it is giving off a blue light.

    • Idris states the Doctor stole the TARDIS 700 years ago. She later says there are instructions on the TARDIS door which he has been walking past and ignoring for 700 years, but the Doctor had already had the TARDIS for a long time before the chameleon circuit broke (in the original series serial An Unearthly Child) and the instructions became a permanent feature.

    • The Doctor offers to take Amy and Rory to the Eye of Orion. In the twentieth season of the original series, the Fifth Doctor made several attempts to travel to that location, finally succeeding in the special The Five Doctors.

  • QUOTES (23)

    ADD QUOTES

    • House: But you haven't answered my question, children. Rory: Uh, question? House: You remember. Tell me why I shouldn't just kill you both now. Amy: Well, because... Rory, why? Rory: Because... killing us quickly wouldn't be any fun. And you need fun, don't you? That's what Auntie and Uncle were for, wasn't it? Someone to make suffer. Had a PE teacher just like you.

    • Idris: Are all people like this? The Doctor: Like what? Idris: So much bigger on the inside.

    • The Doctor: Oh, it's the warning lights! I got rid of those, they never stop.

    • Rory: What is happening? The Doctor: We are leaving the universe! Amy: How can you leave the universe? The Doctor: With enormous difficulty.

    • Rory: What is this place, the scrapyard at the end of the universe? The Doctor: Not end of. Outside of. Rory: How can we be outside the universe? The universe is everything. The Doctor: Imagine a great big soap bubble with one of those tiny little bubbles on the outside. Rory: Okay. The Doctor: Well, it's nothing like that.

    • Idris: Biting's excellent. It's like kissing, only there's a winner

    • The Doctor: I see. This asteroid is sentient. Auntie: We walk on its back, breathe its air, eat its food... Amy: Smell its armpits. House: And do my will.

    • Amy: What do you need from me? The Doctor: My screwdriver, I left it in the TARDIS. It's in my jacket. Rory: You're wearing your jacket. The Doctor: My other jacket. Rory: You have two of those?

    • Amy: I told you to look after him. Rory: He'll be fine. He's a Time Lord. Amy: It's just what they're called. Doesn't mean he actually knows what he's doing.

    • The Doctor: You gave me hope and then you took it way. That's enough to make anyone dangerous. God knows what it will do to me.

    • Idris: I'm the... oh, what do you call me? We travel. I go... (makes dematerialization noise) The Doctor: The TARDIS? Idris: Time and Relative Dimension in Space. Yes, that's it. Names are funny. It's me. I'm the TARDIS. The Doctor: No, you're not. You're a bitey mad lady. The TARDIS is... up and down, it's a big blue box. Idris: Yes, that's me. A Type 40 TARDIS. I was already a museum piece when you were young. And the first time you touched my console... The Doctor: I said you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever known. Idris: Then you stole me. And I stole you. The Doctor: I borrowed you. Idris: "Borrowing" implies you eventually planned to return the thing that was taken. What makes you think I would ever give you back? The Doctor: You're the TARDIS. Idris: Yes. The Doctor: My TARDIS. Idris: My Doctor. Oh, we have now reached the point in the conversation where you open the lock.

    • Idris: You're the Doctor. Focus. The Doctor: On what? How? I'm a madman with a box, without a box. I'm stuck in a black hole at the end of the universe in a stupid old junkyard! Oh. Idris: Oh what? The Doctor: I'm not. Idris: Not what? The Doctor: Cause it's not a junkyard. Don't you see, it's not a junkyard. Idris: What is it, then? The Doctor: It's a TARDIS junkyard. Come on. Oh, sorry. Do you have a name? Idris: Seven hundred years and finally he asks. The Doctor: What do I call you? Idris: What you call me. Sexy. The Doctor: Only when we're alone. Idris: We are alone. The Doctor: Oh. Come on then, Sexy.

    • The Doctor: Burial field of half-eaten TARDISes. You thinking what I'm thinking? Idris: I'm thinking all of my sisters are dead, they were devoured, and we are looking at their corpses. The Doctor: Ah, sorry, no, I wasn't thinking that. Idris: No. You were thinking you could build a working TARDIS console out of broken remnants of a hundred different models. And you don't care that it's impossible. The Doctor: It's not impossible as long as we're alive. Rory and Amy need me, so yeah, we're going to build a TARDIS.

    • The Doctor: Yes, I have actually rebuilt the TARDIS before, you know. I know what I'm doing. Idris: You're like a nine-year-old trying to rebuild a motorbike in his bedroom. And you never read the instructions. The Doctor: I always read the instructions! Idris: There's a sign on my front door. You have been walking past it for seven hundred years. What does it say? The Doctor: That's not instructions. Idris: There's an instruction at the bottom. What does it say? The Doctor: "Pull to open." Idris: Yes, and what do you do? The Doctor: I push! Idris: Every single time. Seven hundred years, police box doors open out the way. The Doctor: I think I have earned the right to open my front doors any way I want. Idris: Your front doors? Do you have any idea how childish that sounds? The Doctor: You are not my mother. Idris: You are not my child.

    • Idris: You ever wonder why I chose you all those years ago? The Doctor: I chose you. You were unlocked. Idris: Of course I was. I wanted to see the universe so I stole a Time Lord and I ran away. And you were the only one mad enough.

    • The Doctor: You're doing it, you sexy thing. Idris: So you do call me that! Is it my name? The Doctor: You bet it's your name!

    • The Doctor: Uh, Amy, this is, well, she's my TARDIS. Except she's a woman. She's a woman and she's a TARDIS. Amy: She's the TARDIS? The Doctor: And she's a woman. She's a woman and she's a TARDIS. Amy: Did you wish really hard? The Doctor: Shut up, not like that. Idris: Hello. I'm... Sexy. The Doctor: Oh, still shut up.

    • House: Doctor. I did not expect you. The Doctor: Well, that's me all over, isn't it? The lovely old unexpected me.

    • House: We are in your universe now, Doctor. Why should it matter to me which room you die? I can kill you just as easily here as anywhere. Fear me. I've killed hundreds of Time Lords. The Doctor: Fear me. I've killed all of them.

    • Idris: Doctor, are you there? It's so very dark in here. The Doctor: I'm here. Idris: I've been looking for a word. A big, complicated word but so sad. I found it now. The Doctor: What word? Idris: "Alive." I'm alive. The Doctor: Alive isn't sad. Idris: It's sad when it's over. I'll always be here, but this is when we talked. And even that has come to an end. There's something I didn't get to say to you. The Doctor: "Goodbye." Idris: No. I just wanted to say... Hello, Doctor. It's so very, very nice to meet you.

    • Amy: Are you going to make her talk again? The Doctor: Can't. Rory: Why not? Amy: It's spacey-wacey, isn't it? The Doctor: Well, actually, it's because the Time Lords discovered that if you take an eleventh-dimensional matrix and fold it into a mechanical... (Rory shorts out two wires) Yes, it's spacey-wacey!

    • The Doctor: Two more minutes and we're off. The Eye of Orion's restful, if you like restful. I never really got the hang of "restful." (to the TARDIS) What do you think, dear, eh, where should we take the kids this time? Amy: Look at you pair. It's always you and here, isn't it, long after the rest of us are gone. A boy and his box, off to see the universe. The Doctor: Well, you say that if it's a bad thing. But honestly, it's the best thing there is.

    • The Doctor: The House deleted all the bedrooms. I should probably make you two a bedroom. You'd like that, won't you? Amy: Okay, um, Doctor, this time could we lose the bunk bed? The Doctor: No, bunk beds are cool. A bed with a ladder. You can't beat that.

  • NOTES (5)

    ADD NOTES

  • ALLUSIONS (0)

    ADD ALLUSIONS

Doctor Who (2005) Forums


Add a Topic See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch Doctor Who (2005) Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 6 Episodes

See All
Ep 13
The Wedding of River Song
Ep 12
Closing Time
Ep 11
The God Complex
Ep 10
The Girl Who Waited
Ep 9
Night Terrors
Ep 8
Let's Kill Hitler (2)
Ep 7
A Good Man Goes To War (1)
Ep 6
The Almost People (2)
Ep 5
The Rebel Flesh (1)
Ep 4
The Doctor's Wife
Ep 3
The Curse of the Black Spot
Ep 2
Day Of The Moon (2)
Ep 1
The Impossible Astronaut (1)

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
TV.com Properties | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use