WIST Quotations

Doctor Who (1963) -- 17×06* “Shada,” Part 5 (1980-02-16*) [w. Douglas Adams]

Dave — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 17:40:26 +0000

SKAGRA: “Take over the Universe.” (laughs) How childish. Who could possibly want to take over the Universe?

THE DOCTOR: Exactly! That’s what I keep on trying to tell people. It’s a troublesome place, difficult to administer, and as a piece of real estate it’s worthless because by definition there’d be no one to sell it to.

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
17×06* “Shada,” Part 5 (1980-02-16*) [w. Douglas Adams]
(Source)

(Source (Video)).

This serial was intended to close out the Fourth Doctor's Season 17 (and Adams' story editor role on the show), but was never completed due to a BBC strike, with only about half of the filming accomplished. This scene was not filmed at the time, but exists in the script. The date shown is what would have been broadcast schedule for this Part 5 of 6.

It was remade, with the Eighth Doctor, as an audio play by Big Finish Productions, webcast on BBCi in 2003. The BBC released a version completed with original actors, sound equipment, and limited animation, and released it to DVD in 2017. An enhanced animated version was produced in 2021 (the video source linked above is from that version).

More information on the episode here and here.

Doctor Who (1963) -- 17×05 “The Horns of Nimon,” Part 1 (1979-12-22) [w. Anthony Read]

Dave — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:17:23 +0000

ROMANA: Don’t you think that’s a bit dangerous?

THE DOCTOR: No, I don’t! What could possibly go — (The TARDIS lurches, knocking the Doctor over) — wrong? You know, I’ve simply got to stop saying that! Every single time I say “What could possibly go wrong?” something goes — oh! (The TARDIS lurches again, knocking both over) It’s uncanny, isn’t it?

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
17×05 “The Horns of Nimon,” Part 1 (1979-12-22) [w. Anthony Read]
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialogue verified)

Doctor Who (1963) -- 16×03 “The Stones of Blood,” Part 3 (1978-11-11) [w. David Fisher]

Dave — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 19:53:43 +0000

THE DOCTOR: Now, if they should break through, run as if something very nasty were after you, because something very nasty will be after you.

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
16×03 “The Stones of Blood,” Part 3 (1978-11-11) [w. David Fisher]
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialogue verified)

Doctor Who (1963) -- 15×02 “The Invisible Enemy,” Part 4 (1977-10-22) [w. Bob Baker, Dave Martin]

Dave — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 18:25:31 +0000

LEELA: Never mind, Doctor, I’ve found the answer.

DOCTOR: You have?

LEELA: Knife them in the neck!

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
15×02 “The Invisible Enemy,” Part 4 (1977-10-22) [w. Bob Baker, Dave Martin]
(Source)

(Source (Video), dialog verified). Sometimes paraphrased: "Don't worry, Doctor. I found the answer: knife them in the neck!"

Doctor Who (1963) -- 14×06 “The Talons of Weng-Chiang,” Part 5 (1977-03-26) [w. Robert Holmes]

Dave — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:34:23 +0000

DOCTOR: Ah! (shows her an odd device) Eureka! Do you know what that is?

LEELA: You ask me so that you can tell me.

DOCTOR: That’s right.

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
14×06 “The Talons of Weng-Chiang,” Part 5 (1977-03-26) [w. Robert Holmes]
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialogue confirmed)

Doctor Who (1963) -- 14×05 “The Robots of Death,” Part 1 (1977-01-29) [w. Chris Boucher]

Dave — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:22:26 +0000

THE DOCTOR: To the rational mind, nothing is inexplicable; only unexplained.

LEELA: So explain to me how this “TARDIS” is larger on the inside than the out?

THE DOCTOR: Hmm? All right, I’ll show you. It’s because insides and outsides are not in the same dimension. [holds up two black cubes of different sizes] Which box is larger?

LEELA: [points to the larger of the two] That one.

THE DOCTOR: Alright. [places the larger cube on the console, walks over next to Leela, holds up the smaller one] Now, which is larger?

LEELA: [scoffs, points at the cube on the console] That one!

THE DOCTOR: But it looks smaller.

LEELA: Well, that’s because it’s further away!

THE DOCTOR: Exactly! If you could keep that exactly that distance away, and have it here, the large one would fit inside the small one.

LEELA: That’s silly.

THE DOCTOR: That’s trans-dimensional engineering: a key Time Lord discovery!

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
14×05 “The Robots of Death,” Part 1 (1977-01-29) [w. Chris Boucher]
(Source)

(Source (Video))

Doctor Who (1963) -- 11×02 “Invasion of the Dinosaurs,” Part 1 (1974-01-12) [w. Malcolm Hulke]

Dave — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:43:23 +0000

GENERAL FINCH: Waiting for this mysterious scientific advisor of yours to turn up?

BRIGADIER LETHBRIDGE-STEWART: That’s right, sir.

GENERAL FINCH: Hmmmm. [sarcastically] I suppose he’ll just materialize out of thin air.

BRIGADIER LETHBRIDGE-STEWART: Very probably.

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
11×02 “Invasion of the Dinosaurs,” Part 1 (1974-01-12) [w. Malcolm Hulke]
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialog verified)

Doctor Who (1963) -- 06×01 “The Dominators,” Part 1 (1968-08-10) [w. Mervyn Haisman, Henry Lincoln]

Dave — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:32:03 +0000

JAMIE: Oh, no, you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, are you?

THE DOCTOR: That, I think, Jamie, depends upon what you think I am thinking!

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
06×01 “The Dominators,” Part 1 (1968-08-10) [w. Mervyn Haisman, Henry Lincoln]
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialog confirmed). As the Doctor steps toward the open door of the spacecraft they've just discovered.

Doctor Who (1963) -- 08×04 “Colony in Space,” Part 1 (1971-04-10) [w. Malcolm Hulke]

Dave — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 23:11:12 +0000

JO: I don’t believe it! It’s bigger inside than out!

THE DOCTOR: Yes. That’s because the TARDIS is dimensionally transcendental.

JO: What does that mean?

THE DOCTOR: It means that it’s bigger inside than out.

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
08×04 “Colony in Space,” Part 1 (1971-04-10) [w. Malcolm Hulke]
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialog confirmed).

The difference between the interior and exterior of the TARDIS was mentioned in the very first episode, 01x01 "An Unearthly Child" (1963), by Susan:

I thought you'd both understand when you saw the different dimensions inside from those outside.

The first use of the "bigger [on the] inside" line was in 10x01 "The Three Doctors" (1972), when Sergeant Benton first goes inside, and the Third Doctor is actually the one to comment (video):

Well, Sergeant, aren't you going to say it that it's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside? Everybody else does.

(Which implies that others have said it before, we've just not seen it.)

Conversely, in (2005 revival) 10xCS "The Snowmen" (2012), Clara changes the perspective (video):

CLARA: But it's. Look at it, it's --
THE DOCTOR: Go on, say it. Most people do.
(Clara makes a circuit of the exterior of the TARDIS, then steps back in.)
CLARA: It's smaller on the outside.
THE DOCTOR: Okay, that is a first.

A compilation of the theme can be found here.

Doctor Who (1963) -- 20xS1 “The Five Doctors,” Part 2 (1983-11-23) [w. Terrance Dicks]

Dave — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:52:28 +0000

SARAH JANE: I mean, well, whatever’s in that Tower, it’s got enormous powers and, well, what can we do against it?

THE DOCTOR: What I’ve always done, Sarah Jane. Improvise.

Doctor Who (1963–1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
20xS1 “The Five Doctors,” Part 2 (1983-11-23) [w. Terrance Dicks]
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialog confirmed). This 20th Anniversary special feature was originally broadcast as a feature-length TV movie. For later releases, it was broken into four parts/episodes.

Peel, John -- Timewyrm: Genesys, ch. 10 [The Doctor] (1991)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

I never make stupid mistakes. Only very, very clever ones.

John Peel (b. 1954) British writer [pen names Nicholas Adams, Rick North, J.P. Trent, John Vincent]
Timewyrm: Genesys, ch. 10 [The Doctor] (1991)
(Source)

Part of Virgin's "Doctor Who New Adventures" book series, which came out after the 1963 version of the TV show was canceled. Note that some sites misattribute this book to another Doctor Who novelist, David A. McIntee.