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T.A.R.D.I.S. -
Blue Police Call Box that can travel to any
planet, or to any time in history on the British
science fiction series DOCTOR WHO/BBC/1963-89.
The TA.R.D.I.S. (Time and Relative Dimensions in
Space) carried Time Lord Doctor Who about the
universe as he explored strange new species and
battled evil.
Its piloting system is controlled by a six-sided
central console panel that includes such gadgets
as:
- The Master Control Panel
- The Dematerialization Panel
- The Exterior Monitor Panel
- The Navigational Control Panel
- Auxiliary Systems Panel
- The Informational Controls Panel
The ship's time rotor (a transparent cylindrical
column that rises and falls during each flight)
is located at the center of the control console.
Above the control console is the power octagon
that links with its power source.
While
traveling through time and space, the
Doctor uses a scanner located behind the control
console to view the world that exists outside of
the TA.R.D.I.S..
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T.A.R.D.I.S.
controls in earlier episodes |
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T.A.R.D.I..S.
controls in later episodes |
The TA.R.D.I.S. is the by-product of the research of
the great Time Lords Rassilon and Omega whose
experiments with energy from a exploding super
nova lead to the construction of an prototype
time-machine whose interior existed in a
permanent artificial alternative dimension (PAAD).
This means the inside of the time machine exist
in one dimension while its exterior exists in
another.
Dubbed the SIDRAT, the machine was powered by
Zyton-7 crystals, imbedded within the master
control rods that allowed access to the
space-time vortex. The crystal energy supply for
the SIDRAT (later to called a TA.R.D.I.S.) was
replaced by a transcendental link with the "Eye
of Harmony" (a power source-raw artron
energy-emanating from the core of a collapsed
black hole).
The TA.R.D.I.S. (one of 305 Type 40TT produced)
featured such gadgets as a Chameleon Circuit
that adapted the TARDIS' appearance to any
surrounding. When the Doctor first absconded
with the TA.R.D.I.S., it's faulty chameleon circuit
was stuck in the shape of a blue police box and
remained in that shape for the life of the
series.
Since the interior of the TARDIS exists in an
other dimension, it can be manipulated to be as
large as needed supplying rooms, and hallways
for storage and living areas.
The Doctor
remotely controlled the TA.R.D.I.S. through mind
control and gained access to it with a key or
his special ring. In case of emergency, theTA.R.D.I.S. could be programmed to self-destruct. It
can also take off from any angle. The TA.R.D.I.S. can
also track the path of another time traveler;
and generate an external gravity tractor beam
and defense shield.
On episode No. 17 "The Time Meddler," the Doctor
got irritated when Steven, one of his passengers
asked, "Well, what does that do?" The Doctor
quickly explained "That is the dematerialising
control. And that over there is the horizontal
hold. Up there is the scanner, those are the
doors, that is a chair with a panda on it. Sheer
poetry, dear boy. Now please stop bothering me."
When the evil Timelord known as the Master
stole the TA.R.D.I.S., he complained "Overweight,
underpowered museum-piece...Might as well try to
fly a second-hand gas stove." On episode No. 153
"The Happiness Patrol" a gay man painted the
TA.R.D.I.S. pink.
While exterior of TA.R.D.I.S. remained relatively
similar over the years the interiors props have
changed, especially the central console.
TRIVIA NOTE: Police call boxes were commonly
used in Great Britain from the 1930s to the
1970s. They acted as a telephone communication
station for both police officers and the public
as well as a temporary holding cell for
apprehended criminals. A blue light on top of
the box was activated to alert officers in the
area in time of need. With the advent of
light-weight radios, the police box faded into
history. A Doctor Who game by Denys Fisher Toys
Ltd. (1975) featured a miniature plastic
telephone booth, deck of cards and small
cardboard figure of Doctor Who. See also
WEAPONS & SCI-FI GADGETRY: "The Eye of Harmony"
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