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|scene analysis = "It's Bigger On The Inside!" - Doctor Who Series 10 | |scene analysis = "It's Bigger On The Inside!" - Doctor Who Series 10 | ||
}}{{you may|The Pilot Episode}} | }}{{you may|The Pilot Episode}} | ||
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the first episode of [[Series 10 (Doctor Who)|series 10]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. [[Steven Moffat]] | '''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the first episode of [[Series 10 (Doctor Who)|series 10]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It was written by [[Steven Moffat]], directed by [[Lawrence Gough]] and featured [[Peter Capaldi]] as the [[Twelfth Doctor]] and [[Matt Lucas]] as [[Nardole]] and introduced [[Pearl Mackie]] as the new companion [[Bill Potts]]. | ||
It | It marked the first time that a Revived Series episode opened without any music or dialogue for a few minutes, leaving only the sound of a clock in the background. | ||
According to [[Steven Moffat]] in a video introduction, "Series 10 sort of begins the show again. [''The Pilot''] introduces everything you need to know about ''Doctor Who'', and tips you into the [[Doctor Who universe|universe]]". Indeed, through Bill's eyes now, new viewers are introduced again to the character of [[the Doctor]], [[the TARDIS|his TARDIS]], his enemies the [[Dalek]]s, and his versatile tool, the [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]], much like they did through [[Rose Tyler]] in [[ | According to [[Steven Moffat]] in a video introduction, "Series 10 sort of begins the show again. [''The Pilot''] introduces everything you need to know about ''Doctor Who'', and tips you into the [[Doctor Who universe|universe]]". Indeed, through Bill's eyes now, new viewers are introduced again to the character of [[the Doctor]], [[the TARDIS|his TARDIS]], his enemies the [[Dalek]]s, and his versatile tool, the [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]], much like they did through [[Rose Tyler]] in [[Series 1 (Doctor Who)|Series 1]]'s 2005 "pilot", ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', or through [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] and [[Barbara Wright|Barbara]] in the original 1963 introduction, "[[An Unearthly Child (episode)|An Unearthly Child]]". | ||
''The Pilot'' also marked the first on-screen depiction of [[Movellan]]s since their debut in ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]''. The episode introduced [[St Luke's University]], where the Doctor apparently has been lecturing for over fifty years and began a plot thread surrounding what he and [[Nardole]] are hiding in [[Vault (The Pilot)|a vault]] beneath the campus, somewhat mirroring the [[Third Doctor]]'s era, who was likewise restricted in his travels and held a job as the scientific adviser of UNIT. | ''The Pilot'' also marked the first on-screen depiction of [[Movellan]]s since their debut in ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]''. The episode introduced [[St Luke's University]], where the Doctor apparently has been lecturing for over fifty years and began a plot thread surrounding what he and [[Nardole]] are hiding in [[Vault (The Pilot)|a vault]] beneath the campus, somewhat mirroring the [[Third Doctor]]'s era, who was likewise restricted in his travels and held a job as the scientific adviser of UNIT. | ||
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== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
The episode opens with an empty [[The Doctor's office (The Pilot)|university professor's office]]; nobody is in. The sound of mechanical whirring is heard for a while before the door opens and [[Nardole]] leads | The episode opens with an empty [[The Doctor's office (The Pilot)|university professor's office]]; nobody is in. The sound of mechanical whirring is heard for a while before the door opens and [[Nardole]] leads [[Bill Potts]] in; he gestures for her to take a seat at the professor's desk, with his arm whirring. A bolt falls off his arm, but he discretely kicks it away before Bill can notice. Smiling, Nardole leaves without a word, leaving Bill to wait for the professor to arrive. | ||
Left to her thoughts, Bill looks around with room with nothing but the sound ticking clocks to keep her company. She notices the TARDIS in a corner, with an "Out of Order" sign hanging on it. Bill's attention is next drawn to the professor's desk, where there's a mug filled with [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|the Doctor's old sonic screwdrivers]]. She reaches out to examine one but is startled when the silence is broken by the sound of an [[electric guitar]] playing the opening bars to [[Beethoven's Fifth Symphony | Left to her thoughts, Bill looks around with room with nothing but the sound ticking clocks to keep her company. She notices the TARDIS in a corner, with an "Out of Order" sign hanging on it. Bill's attention is next drawn to the professor's desk, where there's a mug filled with [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|the Doctor's old sonic screwdrivers]]. She reaches out to examine one but is startled when the silence is broken by the sound of an [[electric guitar]] playing the opening bars to ''[[Beethoven's Fifth Symphony]]''. She coughs loudly to make her presence known, and the Doctor sticks his head around the door. He tells her to wait a moment. After that, Bill listens to him clumsily put away the guitar and turn off his amp. | ||
The Doctor enters the room and takes his seat; he asks Bill for her name. He wonders why she's been attending his [[lecture]]s as he knows she is not a student at the university. She admits that she actually works at the [[St Luke's canteen|university canteen]], but attempts to deny sneaking into the Doctor's lectures. He counters that he has seen her and asks again why she keeps turning up. After fumbling over a story about a girl she fancied in the canteen, Bill confesses that she loves his lectures and always wanted to attend the university. She then challenges him, asking why the man has taken an interest in her as "plenty of people come to [his] lectures that aren't supposed to". He explains that he has noticed her because she smiles when she doesn't understand something, whilst the majority frown. | [[Twelfth Doctor|The Doctor]] enters the room and takes his seat; he asks Bill for her name. He wonders why she's been attending his [[lecture]]s as he knows she is not a student at the university. She admits that she actually works at the [[St Luke's canteen|university canteen]], but attempts to deny sneaking into the Doctor's lectures. He counters that he has seen her and asks again why she keeps turning up. After fumbling over a story about a girl she fancied in the canteen, Bill confesses that she loves his lectures and always wanted to attend the university. She then challenges him, asking why the man has taken an interest in her as "plenty of people come to [his] lectures that aren't supposed to". He explains that he has noticed her because she smiles when she doesn't understand something, whilst the majority frown. | ||
Bill asks around about the Doctor, saying that it's rumoured he's lectured for over 70 years. The Doctor thinks she's asking about his age, but Bill says that she wants to know what subject he's supposed to be lecturing on. It seems he has permission to talk about whatever he wishes; on one occasion, he was supposed to give a lecture on quantum physics but talked about poetry. He tells her that they're basically the same thing because of all the rhymes. The Doctor offers to be Bill's personal tutor, and sort out her enrolment with the university, on the condition that she comes to his office at 6pm every weekday, even if someone is dying and that if she gets anything less than a First on every assignment, the tutoring will cease. As she leaves, she asks what she should call him, as everyone calls him | Bill asks around about the Doctor, saying that it's rumoured he's lectured for over 70 years. The Doctor thinks she's asking about his age, but Bill says that she wants to know what subject he's supposed to be lecturing on. It seems he has permission to talk about whatever he wishes; on one occasion, he was supposed to give a lecture on quantum physics but talked about poetry. He tells her that they're basically the same thing because of all the rhymes. The Doctor offers to be Bill's personal tutor, and sort out her enrolment with the university, on the condition that she comes to his office at 6pm every weekday, even if someone is dying and that if she gets anything less than a First on every assignment, the tutoring will cease. As she leaves, she asks what she should call him, as everyone calls him the Doctor. He tells her it's what he's called. Bill is sure this cannot be his real name, asking "Doctor what?" The Doctor just smiles. | ||
Bill goes through her daily routine: serving chips, attending the Doctor's lectures and tutoring sessions, and returning home to her foster mother, [[Moira (The Pilot)|Moira]]. Bill explains that the Doctor is kind of her foster tutor, as Moira goes over Bill's assignments, where she has scored at least 87% in each subject the Doctor has taught her, even very obscure topics. Moira is worried that the Doctor might be some kind of paedophile, warning Bill to be careful of men. Annoyed, Bill mutters under her breath she's not interested in men. | Bill goes through her daily routine: serving chips, attending the Doctor's lectures and tutoring sessions, and returning home to her foster mother, [[Moira (The Pilot)|Moira]]. Bill explains that the Doctor is kind of her foster tutor, as Moira goes over Bill's assignments, where she has scored at least 87% in each subject the Doctor has taught her, even very obscure topics. Moira is worried that the Doctor might be some kind of paedophile, warning Bill to be careful of men. Annoyed, Bill mutters under her breath she's not interested in men. | ||
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At Christmas time, Bill celebrates with the Doctor, giving him a rug as a present; though the Doctor admits that he hasn't gotten her anything. They discuss travelling, Bill saying that she can sense that the Doctor travels around, even though he denies it. She says "With some people you can smell the wind in their clothes." This is what she presumes her birth mother would have said, revealing that she died when Bill was young. Bill tells the Doctor that she apparently looks like her mother but doesn't know this as there are no photographs of her. She wonders whether photos really help after loved ones are gone, causing the Doctor to look wistfully at the photographs of his wife [[River Song|River]] and granddaughter [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] on his desk. At home, Bill's foster mother Moira shows her a newly discovered box containing photos of [[Bill Potts' mother|Bill's birth mother]]. Bill weeps upon discovering that she looks just like her mother. She notices the reflection in a mirror in one of the photos, in which the Doctor can be seen holding the camera. | At Christmas time, Bill celebrates with the Doctor, giving him a rug as a present; though the Doctor admits that he hasn't gotten her anything. They discuss travelling, Bill saying that she can sense that the Doctor travels around, even though he denies it. She says "With some people you can smell the wind in their clothes." This is what she presumes her birth mother would have said, revealing that she died when Bill was young. Bill tells the Doctor that she apparently looks like her mother but doesn't know this as there are no photographs of her. She wonders whether photos really help after loved ones are gone, causing the Doctor to look wistfully at the photographs of his wife [[River Song|River]] and granddaughter [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] on his desk. At home, Bill's foster mother Moira shows her a newly discovered box containing photos of [[Bill Potts' mother|Bill's birth mother]]. Bill weeps upon discovering that she looks just like her mother. She notices the reflection in a mirror in one of the photos, in which the Doctor can be seen holding the camera. | ||
Months later, Bill walks past the service yard again and is delighted to find Heather, who is once more staring into the puddle. Bill calls out and Heather smiles, though her demeanour is noticeably different | Months later, Bill walks past the service yard again and is delighted to find Heather, who is once more staring into the puddle. Bill calls out and Heather smiles, though her demeanour is noticeably different from the last time they met; there is a knowing look in her eyes. She asks if Bill ever worked out what was wrong with her reflection in the puddle. When Bill answers that she did not, Heather invites Bill to come round and offers to show her. Remembering her hasty departure when they last met, Bill asks Heather to promise not to go without her. Heather promises, but when Bill has run around the building and through the gap in the fence, her friend is nowhere to be seen. Assuming Heather to have walked out on her again, Bill is slightly offended, and leaves; not seeing Heather's screaming face beneath the surface of the puddle. As she is pulled down into the liquid, a voice announces "Pilot confirmed. Pilot engaged." | ||
Worried about Heather and her fascination with the strange puddle, Bill consults the Doctor. She tells him about Heather's eye and the inexplicable reflection in the puddle. On hearing this, the Doctor runs out of his office to investigate, and Bill follows. Bill begins rambling on about Heather, wondering if something has taken over her mind like in the science fiction shows she's seen on [[Netflix]]. When Bill presents an idea, which is that an alien lizard is in Heather's head, a confused Doctor states "you see a girl with a star in her eye and your first thought is that she has a lizard in her brain?" The Doctor eventually figures out that the reflection looks wrong because it is not a reflection at all. He explains that when looking at your reflection you never see your face the right way round; it looks wrong in the puddle because it looks right. | Worried about Heather and her fascination with the strange puddle, Bill consults the Doctor. She tells him about Heather's eye and the inexplicable reflection in the puddle. On hearing this, the Doctor runs out of his office to investigate, and Bill follows. Bill begins rambling on about Heather, wondering if something has taken over her mind like in the science fiction shows she's seen on [[Netflix]]. When Bill presents an idea, which is that an alien lizard is in Heather's head, a confused Doctor states "you see a girl with a star in her eye and your first thought is that she has a lizard in her brain?" The Doctor eventually figures out that the reflection looks wrong because it is not a reflection at all. He explains that when looking at your reflection you never see your face the right way round; it looks wrong in the puddle because it looks right. | ||
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The Doctor decides to give Heather a challenge, taking the TARDIS away from the university. He exits the TARDIS into daylight, confusing Bill; they are now at a dock. Bill asks if they've gone to the future, prompting the Doctor to tell her that they haven't; they've just moved to the other side of the world, where it's daytime. The Doctor moves out of Bill's sight to reveal the Sidney opera house; they're in Australia. Bill begins panicking and runs into a restroom in a nearby establishment. | The Doctor decides to give Heather a challenge, taking the TARDIS away from the university. He exits the TARDIS into daylight, confusing Bill; they are now at a dock. Bill asks if they've gone to the future, prompting the Doctor to tell her that they haven't; they've just moved to the other side of the world, where it's daytime. The Doctor moves out of Bill's sight to reveal the Sidney opera house; they're in Australia. Bill begins panicking and runs into a restroom in a nearby establishment. | ||
The Doctor follows after her, asking if Bill is fine. Bill asks the Doctor if he's from space; he tells her that he's not: "Nobody's from space. I'm from a planet like everybody else." When asked if he's from Earth, the Doctor tells her "not particularly". Calmed down some, Bill then states that TARDIS doesn't make sense then, as it only works in English; if he's an alien, why would he name his spaceship in English instead of his native language? The Doctor replies that most people don't bring this up. Heather soon catches them up, forming out of droplets on a mirror, so the trio | The Doctor follows after her, asking if Bill is fine. Bill asks the Doctor if he's from space; he tells her that he's not: "Nobody's from space. I'm from a planet like everybody else." When asked if he's from Earth, the Doctor tells her "not particularly". Calmed down some, Bill then states that TARDIS doesn't make sense then, as it only works in English; if he's an alien, why would he name his spaceship in English instead of his native language? The Doctor replies that most people don't bring this up. Heather soon catches them up, forming out of droplets on a mirror, so the trio escape in the TARDIS. | ||
Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor noted it took Heather mere minutes to catch up to them; this time, he's going to give her a real challenge. Bill wonders where they're going, to which the Doctor explains: the other side of the universe, 23 million years in the future. Bill is amazed to be on an alien planet, which has a yellow sky; she wonders what it's made of. The Doctor jokes "lemon drops". Bill then asks the Doctor if he thinks the possessed Heather is evil; he explains that evil is based on perspective. Some things in the universe are not trying to cause harm, but are just hungry; "hunger looks like evil from the wrong end of the cutlery." He then jokingly asks if Bill thinks her food loves her back. Nardole asks the Doctor why he thinks the creature is hostile, to which the Doctor explains is because most things in the universe that they're encountered have turned out to be so. | Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor noted it took Heather mere minutes to catch up to them; this time, he's going to give her a real challenge. Bill wonders where they're going, to which the Doctor explains: the other side of the universe, 23 million years in the future. Bill is amazed to be on an alien planet, which has a yellow sky; she wonders what it's made of. The Doctor jokes "lemon drops". Bill then asks the Doctor if he thinks the possessed Heather is evil; he explains that evil is based on perspective. Some things in the universe are not trying to cause harm, but are just hungry; "hunger looks like evil from the wrong end of the cutlery." He then jokingly asks if Bill thinks her food loves her back. Nardole asks the Doctor why he thinks the creature is hostile, to which the Doctor explains is because most things in the universe that they're encountered have turned out to be so. | ||
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The Doctor's last test of Heather's abilities is basic sterilisation. They are going to run her through "the deadliest fire in the universe"; Nardole likes the wording. However, the Doctor adds that there's only one way to run Heather through it, and that's to run through themselves first. Nardole notices the one flaw in that plan. However, he then notices when the TARDIS is going on the monitor; he begs the Doctor to not take them there. The Doctor hands him the Fourth Doctor's sonic screwdriver, telling him to run interference. The TARDIS lands and Bill is curious as to why they've landed; the Doctor explains that they've arrived in a battle in the middle of a war. He's got "old friends" here. They exit the TARDIS in one direction, while Nardole goes in the other. | The Doctor's last test of Heather's abilities is basic sterilisation. They are going to run her through "the deadliest fire in the universe"; Nardole likes the wording. However, the Doctor adds that there's only one way to run Heather through it, and that's to run through themselves first. Nardole notices the one flaw in that plan. However, he then notices when the TARDIS is going on the monitor; he begs the Doctor to not take them there. The Doctor hands him the Fourth Doctor's sonic screwdriver, telling him to run interference. The TARDIS lands and Bill is curious as to why they've landed; the Doctor explains that they've arrived in a battle in the middle of a war. He's got "old friends" here. They exit the TARDIS in one direction, while Nardole goes in the other. | ||
As they walk through the wreckage of the area, Bill wonders if this is the future again. The Doctor tells her that this is the past (on a different planet). She wonders if they're safe, to which the Doctor says is up to Nardole; not really, Nardole tends to blunder a bit. Moments later, [[Movellan|Movellans]] rush in and are blasted by [[Dalek]] fire. The Doctor and Bill notice Heather has appeared and he leads Bill into another corridor. | As they walk through the wreckage of the area, Bill wonders if this is the future again. The Doctor tells her that this is the past (on a different planet). She wonders if they're safe, to which the Doctor says is up to Nardole; not really, Nardole tends to blunder a bit. Moments later, [[Movellan|Movellans]] rush in and are blasted by [[Dalek]] fire. The Doctor and Bill notice Heather has appeared and he leads Bill into another corridor. They are met by a lone Dalek; the Doctor tells Bill that it's the deadliest fire in the universe. It demands to know who they are. The Doctor holds out his sonic screwdriver and demands it be scanned. Identified as an enemy, the Doctor smiles and pulls Bill away as the Dalek fires. The blast hits Heather, who appeared behind them; however, it passes through her. The Dalek fires in vain, as Heather repeats its "exterminate" cries in an annoyed tone. | ||
Elsewhere, Nardole is sealing off the area but is caught by a Dalek and fired upon. Nardole manages to escape, yelling for the Doctor. The Doctor and Bill attempt to get back to the TARDIS, but are halted by a shot fired by a Dalek. It says "exterminate" in a garbled voice; the Doctor knows something is off as he has TONS of experience with Daleks. He gets close and notices something off with its eyestalk. He tells Bill to look at it as well. Heather's eye is in it; it's not a real Dalek, just her. Nardole arrives, saying he just sealed the Daleks out of the area; he then notices the fake Dalek, freezing in fear until the Doctor tells him its Heather. The Dalek leaks fluid and dissolves into a puddle. The puddle then reforms as Heather. | Elsewhere, Nardole is sealing off the area but is caught by a Dalek and fired upon. Nardole manages to escape, yelling for the Doctor. The Doctor and Bill attempt to get back to the TARDIS, but are halted by a shot fired by a Dalek. It says "exterminate" in a garbled voice; the Doctor knows something is off as he has TONS of experience with Daleks. He gets close and notices something off with its eyestalk. He tells Bill to look at it as well. Heather's eye is in it; it's not a real Dalek, just her. Nardole arrives, saying he just sealed the Daleks out of the area; he then notices the fake Dalek, freezing in fear until the Doctor tells him its Heather. The Dalek leaks fluid and dissolves into a puddle. The puddle then reforms as Heather. | ||
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[[File:The_Pilot_Bright_Light_Doctor.jpg|thumb|"It's a big universe, but maybe one day we'll find her."]] | [[File:The_Pilot_Bright_Light_Doctor.jpg|thumb|"It's a big universe, but maybe one day we'll find her."]] | ||
Outside, Bill runs down the steps, checks that she can remember Heather, and smiles. She finds the Doctor leaning on his TARDIS on the [[St Luke's courtyard|university courtyard]]. He tells her that it's a big universe, but maybe one day they will find Heather. When Bill asks what caused him to change his mind, the Doctor responds "Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It means what the hell." Bill excitedly runs into the TARDIS, followed by the Doctor, who shuts the door behind them. | |||
Outside, Bill runs down the steps, checks that she can remember Heather, and smiles. She finds the Doctor leaning on his TARDIS on the [[St Luke's courtyard|university courtyard]]. He tells her that it's a big universe, but maybe one day they will find Heather. When Bill asks what caused him to change his mind, the Doctor responds "Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It means what the hell." Bill excitedly runs into the TARDIS, followed by the Doctor, who shuts the door behind them | |||
== Cast == | == Cast == | ||
