Doctor Who-The Lodger

                                               Upon emerging from the TARDIS,again in the wrong place and time in a British  suburb the TARDIS suddenly fades and the Doctor locates a note left by Amy at a future time telling him to stay in a specific place. This "place" is a flat where pedestrians have been lured with calls for help into the upstairs apartment and never seem to return. Upon arriving at this flat he's greeted in an unexpectedly warm manner by a Craig Owens,who just happens to be renting a room out. The warm greeting,of course was intended for Craig's gal pal roommate Sophie with whom he has fallen in love. Happily bemused by the Doctors colorful presence in his life,the Doctor himself soon becomes concerned over what appears to be a growing mildew stain on Craig's ceiling and strange noises coming from the upstairs apartment from "some bloke" as Craig describes him.

                                    Even as the Doctor,attempting at first to pass himself off as human even to the point of participating in football games with Craig who for his part also grows fond of the doctors expert cooking,Craig becomes suspicious of the Doctors ramblings (supposedly to himself) in his room. Things come to a head when Craig touches the mildew on the wall,is injured and falls victim to the time loop the Doctor is investigating to the Doctor further helps out Craig by holding down his job before he arrives. Now perceiving the Doctor as a hostile usurper,Craig is than made aware through a psychic link of the time lords identity and intention and together they,Sophie and Amy sleuth out what's been happening. Turns out the upstairs apartment is actually the attempted of a crashed alien ship to create a makeshift TARDIS,thereby creating the time loop effecting Craig,Sophie and Amy's inability to land the TARDIS. Because it is searching for a new pilot,it is up to Craig to admit his love for Sophie in order to release the ship from it's bondage. Having saved both the planet and assisted Craig in his life the Doctor continues his travels with Amy who,upon discovering her and Rory's wedding ring also rediscovers the "crack in the wall" rip in time yet again.

                             With some of the previous episodes being mildly heady in nature,this is an excellent change of pace. Matt Smith performs wonderfully in this goofball romantic comedy with James Corden as Craig,the shy and lovable "everyday person" who,as with 'Vincent And The Doctor' before this finds himself within a situation seemingly contrived to help his life personally. Unable to tell roomie Sophie of his feelings for her,which turn out to be reciprocated,Craig at first finds the Doctors eccentric boldness as more a hindrance than a help. Though for the most part,this is the story about the Doctor befriending Craig and perhaps inadvertently giving him and Sophie a little spice in their lives. In the end,after Craig and Sophie become saviors of the planet,the couple have made best friends for life in the Doctor-even offering him the apartment key should he ever want to return,though knowing through his psychic connection with the Doctor that is highly unlikely. Basically a relatively warm and funny story of self honesty and friendship.