Random Geek Question

[camrogers]

Anyone know why once Matt Smith took on the role of the Doctor the TARDIS began sporting a St. John's Ambulance logo?

Comments

[greylock]

Yes.
Moffat was a fan of the look from the Original Series and the Movies, so when RTD's Tardis exploded it regenerated and the logo appeared.

[greylock]

A bit of additional info I needed to look up:
It appeared from The Unearthly Child, and in both the Cushing movies.
It was apparently removed after The Tenth Planet when Troughton's Doctor (and a new production crew IIRC) came in.

It is apparently historically accurate.

When The Moff took over and set about redesigning the new series he added it back (the look of the TARDIS is based heavily on the Cushing flicks).

[camrogers]

Other than really prominent woodgrain I didn't notice anything else different. Shinier plaque maybe.

[greylock]

It's bluer and squatter IIRC. And the window trims are different. Possibly the light that comes from the windows too.

[greylock]

The TARDIS has changed slightly over the years:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/Comparison%20TARDIS%20images/Guardians_of_Gallifrey/TARDIS%20pics/th_TardisComparison.jpg

[camrogers]

True. Figured that was just an element of the whole series being rebooted and Ritalin-ised.

[greylock]

The switch to HD cameras did have something to do with the interior set being rebooted, not sure about the exterior, but since you mentioned the wood grain it wouldn't surprise me.

[camrogers]

The original had the logo?

The TARDIS exploded?

Did we see the same eps?

[greylock]

The original had the logo?

Yes. It can be seen (photographically) on the title card for 'An Unearthly Child', for example. And drawn on the cover of the novelisation.

The TARDIS exploded?
Yes. The TARDIS exploded at the end of 'The End Of Time Part Two' and into 'The Eleventh Hour' due to the energy absorbed (and later released in the regen process) by Tennant's Doctor.
That caused the Inside and Outside of the TARDIS to 'regenerate'.

[camrogers]

I thought it just set some bits on fire. It certainly didnt explode. And there was never any scene of it regenerating.

Weird.

[greylock]

I just rewatched EOTp2 and 11th Hour for the commentaries.
They basically blew up the old console room set. Admittedly the outside was fine, but they took the opportunity to update the outer shell while they were at it.

It regenerated off screen.

Uber fans picked up the new TARDIS prop from the first shots of Smith's first day of filming.