Doctor Who Needs to Explore the TARDIS in More Depth
By David Hill
Back in the early days of Doctor Who, particularly during the run of the First Doctor, it seemed as though we got to see more of the interior of the TARDIS. Instead of the vast majority of the action taking place inside the control room, as it does now, we were able to see the Doctor’s laboratory, different sleeping quarters and other areas that made the TARDIS seem more like a mobile mansion than just some spaceship.
This changed as time went on. Naturally, in the time of the Third Doctor, there were mitigating circumstances as to why the interior of the TARDIS was not even seen over a couple of seasons, but there was still quite a bit of time where anything beyond that control room was seen. Even in the newer episodes of Doctor Who, the only real look we get at the other areas occurred in Journey to the Center of the TARDIS.
These brief glimpses have become something special, but that was not always the case. We know other areas exist, and they were even used on a somewhat frequent basis in the beginning of the the show’s existence. So, what changed?
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Perhaps it was just something as simple as Doctor Who having an increased budget. As the show was able to film at other locations, the necessity of filming scenes within the confines of the TARDIS decreased. Doctor Who was able to branch out to other locations instead of being stuck inside a studio, relying upon the same sets over and over again.
Likewise, the length of the episodes could have a lot to do with the time spent in the TARDIS. In the early days, even though episodes were only a half hour, there was quite a few episodes strung together to make the story, allowing a lot more exploration and depth to the different characters on the show. We knew the backstories and motivations of minor characters then, while in modern Doctor Who, we barely know anything about the companions. Having that extra time allowed for more of what could be considered fluff, which often involved different scenes within the TARDIS.
Doctor Who has changed a lot over the years, and while a great deal of that has been for the better, some of these changes have not. Having, at best, the two part episodes that are filled more with action and the exploits of the Doctor and his companions instead of that true character development that the classic episodes had.
Perhaps this is why, aside from those special instances, we do not see more of the different areas of the TARDIS. Regardless of the reason, for being such an important piece of Doctor Who, the TARDIS remains a mystery that should be explored on a more in depth basis.