10 Criminally Underrated Doctor Who Stories

8. Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS

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This story was so hyped up prior to its airing that it was bound to disappoint on first viewing. The title alone is so tantalising that it sets the mind of an eager Whovian racing with possibilities. We get to see more of the TARDIS! What marvels lie in wait? What horrors lurk within? Does the TARDIS have a garage? A bathroom? A hidden vault full of Doctor Who action figures?

The reality was perhaps mildly disappointing: a brief glimpse of the swimming pool, a quick look at the library, and a copious collection of metal corridors. Yay?

But despite the disappointing selection of iconic locations, this episode still has a lot to offer, particularly on re-watch. There are some incredible visuals: we get to see the Eye of Harmony at the heart of the TARDIS, as well as some fantastic sci-fi concepts such as the self-replicating artificial tree that creates any machine you desire.

The script is smarter than it seems, with the setting of the TARDIS interior used to great effect to create a timey-wimey storyline that provides a series of clever twists and, thanks to the tongue-in-cheek-tone, remains believable (as long as you don’t think about it too much). This episode is an important lesson in overhype, demonstrating that a story which initially underwhelms can still be enjoyable if you give it a second chance.

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Patch is a pop culture enthusiast and purveyor of puns. He writes about media in a vague attempt to justify the alarming amount of time he spends consuming it. Nobody's convinced... but nobody's told him that yet. He spends his spare time working on Portal 2: Desolation, an ambitious fan-made sequel to Valve's beloved puzzle games.