The Lodger (TV story)

The Lodger
Doctor:	[[doctor::Eleventh Doctor]]
Companion(s):	Amy Pond
Main enemy:	The Auto Pilot
Main setting:	Aickman Road, 2010
Key crew
Writer:	Gareth Roberts
Director:	Catherine Morshead
Producer:	Tracie Simpson
Release details
Story number:	211
Release number:	Series 5
Premiere broadcast:	12th June 2010
Format:	1 x 45 minute episode
Production code:	1.11

The Lodger is the eleventh episode of Series 5.

Synopsis

The Doctor forgets to set the TARDIS controls leaving Amy trapped inside as she ends up travelling one week into the future, without the Doctor. This leaves the Doctor trapped on Earth as he awaits the return of his TARDIS. While the Doctor waits, he discovers there's a house on Aickman road with a staircase that people go up, but never down... To solve the mystery of the man upstairs, the Doctor must pass himself off as a normal human being, and share a flat with Craig Owens.

Plot

To be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Matt Smith
• Amy Pond - Karen Gillan
• Craig Owens - James Corden
• Sophie - Daisy Haggard
• Auto Pilot - Darrell Heath
• Steven - Owen Donovan
• Sean - Babatunde Aleshe
• Michael - Jem Wall
• Sandra - Karen Seacombe
• Clubber - Kamara Bacchus

Production crew

to be added

References

• The Doctor wears a shirt with 11 on when playing a football match, both referencing him being the Eleventh Doctor and this being the eleventh episode of Series 5.

• This may also be a reference to the fact that Matt Smith originally wanted to become a professional footballer before a leg injury, causing him to focus on acting instead.
• The football match may also be a reference to the FIFA World Cup England vs USA match that was on after The Lodger.
• A post card advertising a Vincent Van Gogh art display is stuck to the fridge, a reference to the previous episode. DW: Vincent and the Doctor
• The Doctor making Craig an omelette may be a reference to Matt Smith's culinary talents - At the age of nine, Matt won at Junior Masterchef. However it may also be a reference to Gavin and Stacy, the series which James Corden starred in and wrote, in which the only food Stacy's mum ever seem to cook is omelets.

Story notes

• This episode was mistakenly entitled Reality Check, A Clinical Finish, Don't Go Up The Stairs, and Something At the Top Of The Stairs.
• "The Lodger" is also a comic strip story by Gareth Roberts. Roberts has confirmed this story is an adaptation of the basic premise of the other, however he has stated that they differ quite a lot in that the comic was written for different characters (the Tenth Doctor and Mickey Smith) and focused on the "domestic set-up" while the TV story involves "something at the top of the stairs".[1] This wouldn't be the first time that a non-televised story had been adapted on the TV series, the Human Nature story being an example of adaption to the TV series.
• The Doctor will wear a football kit and play on a football team with Craig in the episode.
• The Doctor gets blown out of the TARDIS.
• The Doctor will wear some kind of ear piece as seen in the trailer and the picture above.
• The football team the Doctor and Craig play for is called the King's Arms.
• The Doctor was good in sports in DW: Black Orchid when he played good during a game of cricket.
• Four clips of the episode show the Doctor saying that he doesn't know why people call him the Doctor and Craig Owens showing him the dampness in the corner of the wall, Craig showing him his room and cooking a meal, after eating the meal, giving him his keys and looking at the dampness in the corner of the wall again and the Doctor and Craig playing football, the Doctor playing very well, Sophie taking a liking to him and Craig feeling bad because Sophie is really liking the Doctor because he scored a goal, were all released on the BBC Doctor Who website on the 10th of June 2010.
• A teaser has implied that several Doctors including the First and Second will appear, mentioning a character appearing for the fourth time (First Doctor) this series, another for the third time (Second Doctor), and others for the second (all the other Doctors). [2]
• This will be an Amy-lite episode, possibly with Amy mostly being in the final episode of the series.
• After Craig is poisoned by the wall, the Doctor feeds him Tea, with the intention of 'reversing the enzyme decay' in Craig's body.

Ratings

to be added

Rumours

• It is rumoured that either the Timoreen, the Ha'rik, or the Skarkish will appear – primarily because these were all listed as "new aliens" to appear in Series 5. None of them appeared (Although they might appear in the finale.)
• This episode will be the one that features the Blue Peter Competition TARDIS console. The design itself did not appear, but another ship console design did.
• As this episode is before the finale, it most likely will have a foreshadowing (like in Template:DW and Template:DW) or link right into the finale (like Template:DW and Template:DW). This was proved true.
• It is likely that this episode will lead directly into the next as Claudio played by Marcus O' Donovan is listed to appear in both this episode and the following one, DW: The Pandorica Opens. The episode did not directly lead to the next, but it did have something very related to the next episode. (However Claudio did not appear in this episode).
• Another reason to suggest that it leads into the finale is because Craig has a van Gogh ticket on his fridge, and a van Gogh painting will have something to do with the finale. See the above rumour. A Roman never appeared too.
• Amy will remember, or begin to remember, Rory by the end of the episode. Although she never remembered him enough to say it, she did find her wedding ring in the Doctor's coat.

Filming locations

to be added

Production errors

to be added

Continuity

• On Craig Owen's fridge is a ticket to the Vincent van Gogh exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay, which the Doctor, Amy and later van Gogh himself visit in the previous episode. (DW: Vincent and the Doctor)
• This is not the first time the Doctor has showered himself on screen. (DW: Spearhead from Space)
• The Doctor once again mentions that Bow ties are cool. (Template:DW et al)
• Craig says "Geronimo!" much like the Doctor did during his first two adventures.
• The Doctor refers himself again as the Oncoming Storm again. (Template:DW et al)
• While searching the Doctor's pockets, Amy finds her old engagement ring from Rory (DW: Cold Blood), although it is currently uncertain if this will spark memories of Rory or if she will assume that the Doctor intends to propose to her himself.
• After the Doctor 'shares' his knowledge with Craig, he sees brief flashes of, among other images, the first, second,third,ninth and tenth doctors.
• The Doctor seems to have regained the fondness for cats embraced by his Sixth incarnation and later reverted into a dislike by his Tenth (DW: Fear Her). Over the course of the adventure he is seen using one to spy on the upstairs flat, and conversing with it afterwards on its findings.

Home video releases

BBC Video - Doctor Who Series Five - Volume Four will feature The Lodger, The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang. It will be released on Monday 6th September 2010 (UK Only) on DVD and Blu-ray.

See also

to be added

External links

to be added