# What does the TARDIS smell like?



## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I've been trying to figure this out for some time now and have decided that it's very difficult to try to assign a sense to a medium that completely lacks any perception of that sense save for what is delivered to us in dialogue or smells we should already know.  So that got me thinking about what the different characters would smell like as well.  Tennant would probably smell like his leather coat and something bright and energetic, Matt Smith for some reason I feel would smell like old books and maybe something a bit sweet like custard or cookies.  Anyone else got any ideas for scents from Doctor Who?


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## stormhawk (Apr 29, 2009)

I should like the TARDIS to smell of jasmine and oranges, and perhaps a hint of old books.

And that hot electronic smell ...


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## MeiLinMiranda (Feb 17, 2011)

We discuss these kinds of things all the time at the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab forum. The consensus is that the TARDIS smells of ozone, machine oil, dusty books, a bit of Timelord funk (probably some musk), metal and a whiff of a companion's perfume.


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## cmg.sweet (Jul 6, 2010)

An electric fire, dust, oil, and peppermint.


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## stormhawk (Apr 29, 2009)

And Jelly Babies, don't forget Jelly Babies.


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## jongoff (Mar 31, 2011)

Scheherazade said:


> I've been trying to figure this out for some time now and have decided that it's very difficult to try to assign a sense to a medium that completely lacks any perception of that sense save for what is delivered to us in dialogue or smells we should already know. So that got me thinking about what the different characters would smell like as well. Tennant would probably smell like his leather coat and something bright and energetic, Matt Smith for some reason I feel would smell like old books and maybe something a bit sweet like custard or cookies. Anyone else got any ideas for scents from Doctor Who?


I think you mean custard and fish sticks.


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## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

I have always wondered if there's a bathroom with a shower in there somewhere. In the Tom Baker years they showed some of the other rooms but they never do now. Anyway, an enclosed space with people in it who don't get a chance to wash much can smell a little funky.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

The TARDIS smells like AWESOME.
That us all.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

MeiLei nailed it.  The Tardis smells of electricity and lubricants.  Probably strongly, so many of the systems are a bit haywire, why should ventilation be any different?

I wonder what some of the aliens smell like?  The Ood in particular.


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## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I get the impression of oiled leather and brass polish from the Matt Smith/Moffat Tardis.  9/10's Tardis was more greased metal and burnt plastic.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Yeah, I was trying to figure out a Dalek smell.  I'm curious about the different companions too.  Especially Sarah Jane who is the only one I can remember them mentioning actually using perfume in the show.  I seem to remember Tennant's doctor liking some sort of fruity, tropical shampoo or something from one episode but I can't remember which one to save my life.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Well now we just this season saw the Tardis as a very pretty lady.
So I would suspect that she has a tantalizing perfume that at least the Doctor can smell....and we know that he has always talked to "her" affectionately.

Just sayin.....


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> Well now we just this season saw the Tardis as a very pretty lady.
> So I would suspect that she has a tantalizing perfume that at least the Doctor can smell....and we know that he has always talked to "her" affectionately.
> 
> Just sayin.....


And we have confirmed a swimming pool, so there'd be a faint chlorine smell.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

I've always assumed it smelled like boy funk and oil/grease


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## libbyfh (Feb 11, 2010)

The Doctor can probably concoct whatever scent he wants... depending on the day or hour. Gasoline for morning, lilacs for afternoon, whatever...


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## Indy (Jun 7, 2010)

garter snakes.


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## gryeates (Feb 28, 2011)

Time and relative disinfectant in space.


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## MeiLinMiranda (Feb 17, 2011)

@gryeates, you win my internet.


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## Cristian YoungMiller (Mar 3, 2011)

I don't know. I think it's pretty obvious that the TARDIS would smell like Sexy.


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## Teresa Morgan (Apr 26, 2011)

The TARDIS smells like the triumph of intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9P4SxtphJ4

Teresa


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## MeiLinMiranda (Feb 17, 2011)

Craigy FTW! It's a great day for the TARDIS, everyone!


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## StephenLivingston (May 10, 2011)

The TARDIS smells like whatever you want it to smell like.


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## The Fussy Librarian (May 3, 2011)

The Tardis smells like fish and chips! Duh.


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## MeiLinMiranda (Feb 17, 2011)

Tsk, that's fish sticks and custard.


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## jongoff (Mar 31, 2011)

R. Reed said:


> I have always wondered if there's a bathroom with a shower in there somewhere. In the Tom Baker years they showed some of the other rooms but they never do now. Anyway, an enclosed space with people in it who don't get a chance to wash much can smell a little funky.


The Tardis is much larger inside... much much larger. It has a swimming pool, for one. River Swan jumped off a building to escape the Feds in an episode and they opened the doors to the pool so she could dive in and not die. There are wardrobes, libraries, rooms the Doctor has forgotten about, etc. Remember, the Tardis isn't a time machine. It's so much more, as the actual name (for which TARDIS is an acronym) is Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. I imagine there are smells no one ever smelled before, like apple grass.

Yes, sad to say, I've seen every episode... think about that for a moment... every episode of Doctor Who. I am a sad specimen of a man. And I wear a Stetson, too. Stetsons are cool.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

jongoff said:


> The Tardis is much larger inside... much much larger.


My Kindle is called "The Tardis"


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## SimonWood (Nov 13, 2009)

Personally, I think the Tardis smells like home.


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## M.S. Verish (Feb 26, 2010)

The TARDIS has to reek of chlorine since it has a pool.


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## jongoff (Mar 31, 2011)

M.S. Verish said:


> The TARDIS has to reek of chlorine since it has a pool.


I'm relatively certain that a race that can build a TARDIS can find a way to keep water pure without chlorine. We have UV filtration systems that we use today. For the record, I built a time machine once... in the future.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Well, with the current doctor you know it smells of fish fingers and custard.  

I also wonder, are the cupboards (if they have them somewhere) filled with Jammie Dodgers and Jelly Babies?


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## Bogbuilder (May 26, 2011)

Dunno about the Tardis - but I'm pretty sure the daleks would smell strongly of ozone. A sort of burnt electrical smell, like what you get with a short-out. I reckon Davros has real bad BO too.

I also have a feeling the Tardis smells stronger the further away you are from it


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## alemus (Apr 6, 2021)

R. M. Reed said:


> I have always wondered if there's a bathroom with a shower in there somewhere. In the Tom Baker years they showed some of the other rooms but they never do now. Anyway, an enclosed space with people in it who don't get a chance to wash much can smell a little funky.


Im 10 years late, but yes the TARDIS has bathrooms along with bedrooms and master bedrooms that have their own little bathrooms as well. theres even a kitchen!


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