What’s better than a Time Lord saving the universe? If you were a fan of Doctor Who in the 3rd Doctor era, in which Jon Pertwee wore frilly shirts, the answer was clear: The adventures of the Doctor were made better when the Doctor couldn’t always jump in the TARDIS and disappear. Grounding the Doctor, forcing the clever Time Lord into more terrestrial, everyday situations, paradoxically makes the stakes seem higher.
And, 15 years ago, in Matt Smith’s first triumphant season of Doctor Who, one episode dared to go back to the Jon Pertwee-ish formula from the 1970s, with a twist. While 2010’s Doctor Who Season 5 has a lot of bright spots, the hilarious episode “The Lodger” still holds up to today because it dared to combine the vibe of the 3rd Doctor with a straightforward sitcom.
