The Lodger (TV story)

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

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". 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 wears a football kit, playing for Craig's pub team, the King's Arms.
 * The Doctor gets blown out of the TARDIS.
 * The Doctor previously displayed sporting talent in DW: Black Orchid, when he played a game of cricket.
 * Several previous Doctors appeared in brief flashed when The Doctor knocked heads with Craig.
 * This is an Amy-lite episode, similar to the Martha (and Doctor)-lite episode DW: Blink and Donna-lite episode Midnight.
 * This is the first time in the new series that the Doctor has definitively stated how many incarnations he has had - He tells Craig he is the eleventh.

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
 * 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 and ) or link right into the finale (like  and ). 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).
 * 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. (The Eleventh Hour, Amy's Choice, Vincent and the Doctor)
 * Craig says "Geronimo!" (The End of Time, The Eleventh Hour, The Beast Below).
 * The Doctor refers himself again as "the Oncoming Storm" again. (The Parting of the Ways, The Girl in the Fireplace, Journey's End, Amy's Choice).
 * While searching the Doctor's pockets, Amy finds her old engagement ring from Rory (DW: Cold Blood).
 * 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.
 * The ambiguous telepathic abilities of Time Lords are implied to not work very well on humans. The Doctor had to violently collide his forehead with Craig's in order to pass on his knowledge telepathically. A violent telepathic exchange like this seems to have been unlikely to have occurred with the house cat he exchanged information with earlier.
 * The telepathic exchange he shared with the Doctor is implied to have imparted some advance technological knowledge. This may mean Craig has become one of the lucky few people, such as Donna Noble and Bayldon Copper, whom the Doctor meets and respects enough to leave with some manner of becoming incredibly wealthy.

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.