Note this episode doesn't air in the USA until tomorrow, so SPOILER WARNING.





The best episode of DOCTOR WHO since 'The Caves of Androzani' in 1984. Funny, sharp, clever and self-referential whilst being totally accessible to newcomers. It also has some excellent moments fans will be cooing over, like the Doctor re-confirming that Time Lords can change sex during regeneration, or the cameo appearance of an old TARDIS wall panel with the circular roundels, or the first appearance of corridors in the TARDIS (didn't think it would take six years to get out of the console room again, but there you go).

Suranne Jones was startlingly good. Previously her only role of note was as a barmaid in CORONATION STREET, but here was a revelation as the sentient core of the TARDIS. The relationship between the Doctor and the TARDIS is at the core of the show but is often left uncommented on and unacknowledged, but it makes for a mine of terrific story and emotional ideas here. House was a worthy villain with a well-defined rationale (the Doctor telling a stealer and feaster of TARDISes that his is the last TARDIS in the universe and there are no others was probably not the best idea ever) and Amy and Rory's relationship was used effectively by House as a form of mental torture. We also had an Ood in a more belligerent form than we've seen before. The graveyard of dead TARDISes was also a terrific idea and a terrific visual.

Overall, a truly excellent episode.