Review:
Doctor Who: The Lodger

511: The Lodger

‘If it’s about rent, here’s some money. That looks like a lot. That’s probably a lot. Is that a lot?’ – The Doctor

Another likeable episode that suffers from lack of things going on. Luckily, Matt Smith’s comic acting works really well with James Corden’s timing and delivery. The result is this light-hearted episode.

The Doctor manages to miss the fifth moon of Sinda Callista and ends up in Colchester. Just as he steps out of the TARDIS, though, his trusty time machine takes off for another places with Amy on board, leaving the Doctor stranded. Tracking the problem to its source, the Doctor ends up renting a room from affable Craig (Corden), while trying to figure out exactly what it is that’s in the upstairs flat that could be causing his TARDIS to suffer from power fluctuations.

While trying to solve the mystery, the Doctor must try and pretend to be human – no sonic screwdriver, no special gizmos – which proves harder than he thought. Complicating things is Craig’s platonic relationship with Sophie (Daisy Haggard) – both of them want to move forward, but neither has the courage to take the first step.

Meanwhile, the thing upstairs keeps drawing people in to it. Disguising itself as a young girl, an old man and a middle-aged man, it tempts people into the house by asking for help – people who are never seen again…

While the episode might not be the most exciting or the best in the series so far, it’s definitely a highly satisfying experience, thanks to how damn funny it is. Smith and Corden play off each other so well that it’s a wonder they haven’t worked together before. Corden himself actually manages to come across as a likeable lad, completely unlike anything he’s ever done before, while his relationship with Sophie is genuinely heartfelt and touching, avoiding becoming a typical mushy romance.