Time (TV story)

Time was a Doctor Who television story written by Steven Moffat for Comic Relief 2011. It was the second half of a two-part story that began with Space.

Synopsis
The Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory are stuck in a space loop, trapping them in the TARDIS forever. Only one person can save them: another Amy Pond?

Plot
The new Amy explains to the Eleventh Doctor, Rory Williams and the other Amy that she is Amy from slightly in the future: she stepped into the TARDIS exterior, which has drifted slightly into the future, and it sent her into the TARDIS interior slightly in the past. The present Amy is confused and is told it's only what the future Amy was told when she was in the present Amy's place. Future Amy says that present Amy enters the exterior of the TARDIS after slapping Rory. Rory wonders why he must be slapped and the Doctor tells them this timeline must be maintained or they will end up with two Amys forever. Rory begins thinking about it. Amy, catching on to his train of thought, slaps him for the idea.

The Doctor rushes Amy to the police box, but Amy stops to compliment her future self's appearance. The Doctor thinks they're doomed and says, "Oh, this is how it ends: Pond flirting with herself. True love at last." He apologises to Rory in case he has hurt his feelings, but Rory has no problem with it as he was distracted by the two versions of his wife. The present Amy enters the box to become the future Amy, making there once again one Amy. Amy wonders if things are okay now, but the Doctor tells them that they are still trapped.

Another Amy appears through the interior TARDIS door again, with a second Rory in tow. The Doctor asks them why they entered and Rory tells him that he told them to and jumbles up his words explaining that he's about to tell the present Amy and Rory to enter the police box. Present Rory asks if he has to remember all of this, but he's told by future Rory it happens spontaneously. Amy flirts with herself again, but the Doctor tells her to stop and forces Amy and Rory into the police box. Amy wonders what they should do now, but the Doctor tells her and Rory to stay where they are to stave off further complication.

Rory asks the Doctor what he is doing. The Doctor explains that he is setting up a controlled temporal implosion to reset the TARDIS, but since he doesn't know which lever to pull, the entire TARDIS could explode. Amy chastises him for not knowing what to do, but the Doctor tells her that though he doesn't know now, he will in a moment. A second Doctor walks through the doors and says to pull the wibbly lever. The Doctor thanks himself, does so and enters the police box before it dematerialises.

The Doctor explains that everything is back to normal and there is no longer any danger of the localised time field imploding and destroying all causality. He adds, "But just in case...Pond, put some trousers on", before returning to work on the console. Amy glares at Rory, who can't find anything to say in his defence and walks off. Amy smiles and walks off.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Matt Smith
 * Amy Pond - Karen Gillan
 * Rory Williams - Arthur Darvill

Credited on episode as broadcast

 * Writer - Steven Moffat
 * Producer - Annabella Hurst-Brown
 * Director - Richard Senior

Story notes

 * This minisode, along with Space, was written especially for Comic Relief 2011.
 * This episode is the fourth story to feature only the main cast.
 * This story was the first multi-part charity story since Dimensions in Time.
 * In an interview with Doctor Who Magazine, Edward Russell confirmed that, just like recent Children in Need specials, the two-part mini-serial was a "legitimate mini-story". (DWM 432)
 * The opening credits of both this episode and Space offer a rare, clean look at the opening titles including an unseen portion of the opening featuring a black void, slowly descending toward a light that leads into the time vortex.

Ratings

 * 10.26 million (BARB)

Filming locations

 * This episode was filmed entirely in the TARDIS set.

Production errors

 * As the Doctor begins to tell Amy and Rory to enter the Police Box, Amy's hand can be seen on the TARDIS door handle as she smiles at her double. The scene cuts to a wide shot in the middle of the Doctor's line and Amy's hand is suddenly at her side.
 * After the TARDIS dematerialises, the light from the window is still visible on the door.

Continuity

 * This story is set entirely in the TARDIS. (TV: The Edge of Destruction, Children in Need Special, Time Crash, Amy's Choice, Space, Bad Night, Good Night, First Night, Last Night)
 * This is the second time that a character has made a reference to having sex with duplicates. Captain Jack Harkness made a similar reference when the Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor appears alongside his progenitor. (TV: Journey's End)
 * Amy would again meet a future version of herself. (TV: The Girl Who Waited)
 * The Fourth Doctor wondered if similar occurrences had made his TARDIS appear within itself. However, in that case, it was the Master's TARDIS. (TV: Logopolis)
 * Amy says, "I'm just repeating this too...and this...and this.", similar to something the Tenth Doctor once said. (TV: Blink)
 * The Doctor pulls the "wibbley lever", echoing the phrase "wibbley-wobbly timey-wimey." (TV: Blink, Time Crash)

Home video releases
Although not available by itself, Time, along with Space was released on DVD and Blu Ray in the complete series 6 boxset on the 21 November 2011.

The version of the short included on the US Bluray unfortunately suffers from some video stuttering, likely due to the frame-blending method used.

iTunes releases
This episode was released on iTunes in the Series 6 set (series only purchase).

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