Well, that was? odd. 'Gridlock' manages to be entertaining whilst deeply flawed, succeeding against the odds, but only just. I enjoyed it more than it deserved really, which is especially unexpected as I have several major criticisms of it.

The basic premise of 'Gridlock' manages to be simultaneously ludicrous and amusingly bizarre, with a world in which everyone is perpetually trapped in a traffic jam on an endless motorway to nowhere having merit as a novel modern urban nightmare. It doesn't stand up to any real scrutiny in terms of logic, and the total lack of explanation for why huge numbers of couples haven't gone mad from cabin fever and slaughtered each other seems less like an oversight and more like something that Davies has ignored purely because he hasn't got a good explanation for it. Still, it makes for an interesting if unlikely set-up.

Then there are the Macra. For anyone unfamiliar with 'The Macra Terror' or indeed the classic series as a whole, the inclusion of the Macra here as big scary monsters probably works quite well, but for two small points. Firstly, unfamiliar with the creatures or not, the line about them once being "the scourge of this galaxy" is yet another example of Davies' style of "tell not show" writing, upping the ante by using throwaway dialogue to make his villains/monsters seem like a more formidable threat than they otherwise might, and it's terribly, terribly lazy (and if you are familiar with the creatures, it's about as convincing as being told that the Krotons once ruled the entire universe). Secondly, they vanish from the plot, their function fulfilled, as soon the Doctor opens the roof of the motorway, and they aren't mentioned again. It would have been nice, and not I feel too much to ask, to find out what happens to them. Do they all die when the fresh air is let in? Do the inhabitants of New New York plan on clearing them out at a later date? Or are they just left to lurk in the under city like unusually big rats?

On the other hand, viewers familiar with 'The Macra Terror' get the cheap fannish thrill of a largely unexpected old monster making a comeback, but I ended up wondering why Davies bothered. Given their modus operandi in 'The Macra Terror', I was briefly expecting that the Macra were responsible for the traffic jam and were using it as a sort of battery farm/flying larder, so the revelation that they have devolved into mere beasts and have simply mindlessly taken advantage of an ecological niche felt like a wasted opportunity. Although it wasn't as disappointing as realising that Davies' obsession with Joss Whedon has now led him to rip-off bits of the plot of Serenity. And whilst the Macra aren't exactly revered as the best designed monsters in Doctor Who, their claws here are so disproportionately big that instead of wondering if the car carrying Martha would escape, I found myself wondering why the Macra don't keep toppling onto their fronts.

Speaking of Martha, she gets rather a good outing here, and Agyeman continues to impress. Despite the teeth-grindingly annoying "rebound" conversation, and Martha speculating on whether the Doctor really likes her or just enjoys company (which, incidentally, briefly makes her sound like a prostitute, which is amusing but presumably unintentional), she gets to show her intelligence again when she realises that the Macra won't be able to find the car if they power down its systems. Her brief anger at Cheen taking drugs whilst pregnant is a nice moment, since it is a perfectly believable reaction for a medical student, but her best scene comes at the end, when she forces the Doctor to tell her what happened to his people in a way that Rose would never have got away with. Given the direction that this series is rumoured to be going in, and with the Daleks returning in the next episode, this not only works as a good character moment, but provides a timely catch-up for casual viewers into the bargain.

It's also a good scene for the Doctor, with Tennant, continuing to show restraint, emoting convincingly as he talks about Gallifrey and the Time War. He generally gets a good episode too, especially when he's dropping from car to car, and he again gets to save an entire world. Some reviewers have already complained that throwing a big lever constitutes another Davis ex machina ending, but to be fair it feels more logical than some such finales, as repairing the city's systems seems like a sensible approach to the problem in hand. My main problem with the Doctor concerns Davies' typically unsubtle anti-drugs message, as the Doctor waltzes into a street of small businesses that he has no reason to believe are anything other than perfectly legitimate and high-handedly and pompously threatens to close them down. So presumably Russell, he'll be taking the same stance with off-licenses and pubs the next time he's in present day England, or don't you have a self-righteous axe to grind with that particular drug?

As for the supporting characters, only Ardal O'Hanlon's Brannigan stands out, and only because he's quite likeable, but at the same time all of the others work perfectly well here and the old ladies are nicely handled, with one of them cheerfully drawing on a passion for car-spotting to trace Martha for the Doctor. The actors playing the two people who die in terror in the pre-credits sequence also deserve a mention, for conveying fear very convincingly. Although the self-conscious eccentricity of the man in the bowler hat is irritating, and the idea of a woman giving birth to cats falls firmly into the bizarre category. In terms of production, Richard Clarke's direction is adequate: there's nothing especially outstanding, but I've seen worse and it gets the job done. And anyone reading this can take it as read that the music of Murray Gold, the twenty-first century equivalent of Keff McCulloch, detracts from my enjoyment of any episode in which it appears.

And then we have the Face of Boe. The third and final meeting between the Doctor and him promised back in 'New Earth' takes place and we learn his last great secret, which is that the Doctor is not alone. Which might have been a great dramatic moment were it not for the fact that the tabloids have already blown the big surprise in store later in the series, and had Davies not already revealed the Face of Boe's secret in the tie-in book Monsters and Villains some two years ago and decided that he wanted to use it in the series. Normally, I'd accept that as a fan I'm more likely to have picked up spoilers than the casual viewer, but lots of people (unfortunately) read the tabloids, and I'm assuming that many of the younger new viewers have read Monsters and Villains, so it does rather seem like an anticlimax rather than an exciting surprise revelation. Nevertheless, if the series is going in the direction that many of us have led us to believe, it does work in that context as part of the build-up. I just hope Davies doesn't do anything as witlessly stupid as the Bad Wolf revelation come the series finale?

Just superb, I'm not sure what has given the production team behind Doctor Who a kick up the rear end but they have certainly opened series three with some of the most ambitious and spectacular episodes of the series yet. Gridlock features some imaginative concepts, some decent world building (in 45 minutes!), great characterisation and a few excellent shocks. As a overall package, script, FX, music, acting and direction it is easily my favourite of the year so far, although there really hasn't been any losers.

Has something depressing happened to Russel T Davies between series two and three? Smith and Jones and Gridlock both feel much more dark and gritty than his work on previous series and it is totally to the advantage of his latest scripts. Whilst I do enjoy the giddy thrill of stories such as World War Three, it is episodes like Gridlock, that play it straight and go for the chills, that I love the most. I love this vision of the future, as Russel says in the Confidential this week it is ripped totally out of 2000AD but where is the harm in that when it is pulled off this well? A world of smoke and exhaust fumes, of back alley drug dealing and gunplay. It is like re-visiting the Eric Saward era but it feels special because we do not inhabit this universe every week.

Add to the world building some marvellous concepts, which give this episode a unique feel. I love the idea of selling moods, simply because it is pretty damn obvious that if this was the case in our world it catch like the latest mobile phone. It reminds me slightly of Gareth Roberts' programmable emotions from Only Human. Also the thought of the Gridlock, the ultimate in traffic jams where you could going around and around in circles on the motorway is too frightening for words. What I especially liked about these two ideas is that they are not gratuitous, they have a purpose in the story, the entire plot is built around them and both lead to intriguing twists, one horrific and one which turns your entire perception of the episode on its head. It strikes me that Russel T Davies' has suddenly figured out how to plot a perfect Doctor Who episode, with no flabby bits and lots of payoff. I cannot imagine us getting another The Long Game this year.

So what of the Doctor and Martha and their burgeoning relationship? Who would have ever thought that switching from one companion to the next would have such emotion mileage? In the past the Doctor has just swapped one companion for another. Even companions such as Jo Grant, who the Doctor clearly has a hard time saying goodbye to; he soon forgets she ever existed when Sarah Jane comes along in the next story. I'm not sure if I buy that his relationship with Rose would mean so much to him that he would be quite so rude as he has been to Martha but it does keep the dynamics of their relationship interesting. The trouble with the Doctor and Rose last year was that after School Reunion their relationship became a little predictable, they loved each other and that was fine but for week after week there was nothing new to spice things up. It looks as though the production team have decided they don't want things to get too easy for the TARDIS crew this year and I can still forsee some bumpy times ahead.

Martha is such a terrific character played by such an enthusiastic performer it is impossible not to like her. Freema Agyeman has terrific chemistry with David Tennant already and her solo exploits in this episode leave us with no illusion that she can hold her own. What is interesting is how this episode plays with her feelings for the Doctor. Initially everything is the same as last week, she is enraptured in the giddy thrill of flinging open the TARDIS doors and seeing what is outside. But it is not until she is trapped on the motorway with an unseen menace that she realises that she is on her own, on another planet and her only hope of salvation a man that she doesn't even know. It's almost as though the delirium of adventuring clears your mind of such thoughts but the fear of imminent death brings it all home. Her speech about her faith in a man that she barely knows is excellent. Even better is the last scene which highlights an important difference between her and Rose, she stubbornly refuses to enter the TARDIS until the Doctor opens out to her. This is going to be a relationship of equals.

The Doctor's plight in this story allows David Tennant to show off his acting skills even more. The series is taking the Doctor down some interesting psychological paths and watching his attempt to cover up the fact that Gallifrey is dead from novice Martha is both sweet and disturbing. He is a man of secrets but he needs to talk to somebody about them and their final scene together, where the Doctor looks on the verge of tears talking about his home is very touching. There is of course the Face of Boe's almighty secret but you will have to watch the episode to find that out. Needless to say I think the Doctor has a disquieting time ahead.

Visually this episode is amazing. Recently I have been comparing Doctor Who's production values with SF stalwarts such as Battlestar Galactica and Stargate but for sheer imagination it is topping even those. The Gridlock itself is masterfully artful but images such as the city in sunlight and the Doctor jumping between cars are worthy of a feature film. The BBC should be justifiably proud of their FX work these days and the viewers should reap some pleasure too, it is because we have been watching and buying the goods that the BBC have had such faith in the show and pumped so much budget into its blood.

There is one special effect that came as a total surprise. Do you recall when fandom jumped up in joint hurrah when the Cybermen returned in Earthshock? I had chills down my spine when this week's monster was revealed. I couldn't stop going on about it and Simon had to tell me to shut up so he could watch the rest! Needless to say this is an audacious bit of secrecy on the writers part and a collective punch in the air from fandom as an old (and pretty crappy) monster is brought back with some CGI menace. The hilarious thing is that rubbish monsters can be kept in the dark and provide more of a genuine shock but the popular monsters like the Daleks and Cybermen have to be advertised well in advance to exploit their ratings potential (see next week). Bravo.

What else is there to say about Gridlock? The last five minutes are about as uplifting as Doctor Who has been and rather than feeling twee the sentiment feels totally justifiable because we have seen the hopes and despair of these people throughout the episode. Brannigan was a great character who I hope we will see some more of in the future. And the Face of Boe's death is genuinely poignant, how on Earth can you care so much about a huge rubber head?

Other points of interest:

A woman giving birth to kittens? I couldn't get my head around that?
Ooh! Both Milo and the nudist were very, very cute.
I loved the two old dears in their chintzy spaceship. Well done, that designer!
The score from Murray Gold is again fantastic, especially when Martha's party prepare to fly through the toxic enemy.

Doctor Who goes from strength to strength and Gridlock is another example of why this is the best show on television. Sorry, what was Primeval again?

I often start my review of a story by reminiscing about the first time I saw it, and "The Daleks" will be no exception. It was 1985, and I had no idea that my local PBS station had begun showing the black and white episodes until I was flipping channels on a Tuesday afternoon after school and I caught what looked like Daleks in black and white! That was episode 2, the first Hartnell episode I'd ever seen, and indeed the first black and white episode I'd seen. I bought a VHS tape on the way home from school the next day and started taping episodes. It was the late 90s before I found the story on video and bought it so that I could finally see episode 1 (for the first time) and see episode 2 again. With the Beginning DVD box set I've finally been able to see a really good copy of the story, since even the VHS release is pretty poor in spots. Needless to say, I have a real fondness for this story, which for years I thought was entitled "The Dead Planet". After seeing it for the first time in a number of years, all cleaned up and VidFIRE'd, how does it hold up? 

It looks better than I've ever seen it, of course! Very clean, very clear contrast between whites and blacks. The sound is good. I've always thought of this as one of the better Dalek stories, and I've liked it since I first saw it, but it really surprised me just how much I enjoyed watching it again, and how quickly some of the episodes passed. I was watching episode three for example, and when it ended I was surprised it was over so quickly, though of course I have seen it before and knew what was coming. I'm rapidly changing my formerly held opinion that the black and white stories were all fairly slow and not as interesting as they could be. Sometimes that's true, but more often than not all it takes is a good watchable copy to drastically ratchet my opinion of a story up a few notches. "The Seeds of Death" is an example of a story where I just thought it was as dull as could be based on the old VHS release, but the DVD changed my opinion drastically. 

"The Daleks" is a compelling adventure story. I considered watching just one episode a night to enjoy the experience longer, but ended up saying "OK, just one more episode" and watching two or three at a time. This is a story where I can really get caught up in the ordeals of the TARDIS crew, where despite the sci-fi trappings, much of what they go through is pretty down-to-earth. They trek through the forest, or are locked in a cell. Then there is the dark claustrophobia of the caves behind the Dalek city, or the hike through the swamp. Okay, so most people don't have to deal with Daleks or swamp mutations, but on the whole, much of what the characters experience isn't terribly outlandish. Suspension of disbelief is easy. And the direction is very good as well. There are a number of genuinely tense moments throughout the story. Even though I knew exactly what would happen, I found myself getting caught up in the drama a number of times. 

My only real quibble with the story is the ending, or rather a few facets of the ending. First of all, the fact that the Thals can get into the city rather easily during the final episode makes Ian and company's expedition seem pointless in the end, though it is mainly Ian's group that reaches the control room I suppose. Alydon sends them on their way, they trek through swamp and cave and lose two comrades, only to run into Alydon once they reach the city. Hmmm. 

The other issue is the fact that pushing one Dalek into some sort of power junction shuts all the Daleks down. Would a circuit that critical be left so vulnerable? I wouldn't think so. Still, the Daleks are beaten, and the Thals take no joy in the victory, and it's made to seem rather sad for all concerned, so it's good in that respect. 

The Daleks make more sense in this story than perhaps any other. This is the one time we really see them in context, in their own environment, and it suits them perfectly. Mutations of an atomic war, who need radiation to survive and who are confined to their travel machines, they're both sad and frightening in their single-mindedness. "Every problem has a solution" might be an admirable attitude for some, but for the Daleks it's a statement of how focused they are on their goal of destroying the Thals so that the Daleks can survive. It's a template for their future behavior. They speak more quickly than I remember, and generally seem to be written as characters rather than as little tanks that go around yelling "Exterminate!" They are people, much as the Thals are. And they're intelligent, working their way through a number of problems quickly when it comes to the anti-radiation drugs. On a side note, it's really cool the way they hold things with their sucker hands, and push buttons, and pick up ticker tape and salute. In the scene where Temmosus makes his speech, all the Dalek guns are twitching, and though they're just itching to shoot. The Daleks are given some nice body language as it were, and this adds to their character. 

The model shots of the Dalek city and the surrounding mountains are very impressive. Sure we could do better now with CGI, but that doesn't alter the fact that the model looks great. Between the forest, and the swamp, and the city with mountains behind it, there is a real sense of environment and scale. The story doesn't feel like it's taking place on a few sets in a studio. 

And of course, as in "An Unearthly Child", the actors really sell the story. Or at least the four regulars do. Some of the Thal actors are less than convincing, and say some rather odd things, as if they're trying to be deeply philosophical but can't quite manage it. Contrast that with the excellent debate at the beginning of part 5 between the Doctor and Barbara and Ian, with some pretty strong ideas about life and death and being willing to fight to survive being thrown about by the three. Ian really shines in this story, being very much the resourceful and brave man of action. He stands up to the Doctor, takes the lead in the expedition and quickly forms friendships with several of the Thals. Barbara doesn't have as much to do, but she also proves herself to be a strong character, trekking through the mutant-filled swamp and the caves and attacking a Dalek in the control center. Her relationship with Ganatas is wonderfully understated but nevertheless quite apparent, and when they part at the end it's sweet and rather sad. 

Susan is another character I'm revising my opinion on. She's prone to bouts of hysteria and screaming, but though she does suffer from some of that here, she's also brave enough to go through the dark forest at night and retrieve the anti-radiation drugs. And Susan is the one who gets the crew out of the little jam at the guard station after they've just escaped from the cell. She's really rather likeable and useful here. 

Last but not least, there's the Doctor. Still selfish and still looking out for himself and Susan above all others, he's only beginning to develop his sense of morality that we've come to associate with the Doctor. I'm always tickled by his trick with the fluid link, and his barely concealed glee that his little trick has worked and that they'll have to go down into the city. It's entirely fitting that this backfires badly on him. He's a little too eager to have the Thals sacrifice themselves to retrieve the fluid link as well. But we start to see some signs of the Doctor that will develop over time with his pleas to the Daleks to "Stop this senseless, evil killing!" and his willingness to trade the TARDIS for a stop to the irradiation plans. Hartnell is as good as ever, despite a slip or two. He really was a superb actor in many ways, and it's a pity that his iffy memory and the rapid production schedule gave him such fits with his lines. On one of the DVD interviews it's nice to see Verity Lambert defending him, saying that he delivered the goods more often than not. 

There's so much good stuff in this story that I've barely scratched the surface. It's outstanding, and I can certainly see why the audiences grew during this serial. There are some flaws, but nothing that detracts from the overall experience. Once I start watching, I don't want to stop. Go buy the DVD! 9 out of 10.

Expectations were very high for this, the second episode of David Tennant's second season in "Doctor Who". THE SHAKESPEARE CODE was designed on every level as a showcase episode. Carte Blanche was given to the BBC to film in the actual Globe Theatre reproduction, giving the episode incredible depth and texture. The scenes shot there are simply some of the best the series has ever had to offer.?? Long time fans have longed to celebrate the visceral meeting of the Doctor and William Shakespeare, a meeting that has been referred to in the classic series several times before and talked about amongst the fan faithful for years. It was a meeting that was long overdue, except for the fact that it had already, supposedly, happened.? The most notable of these references were in PLANET OF EVIL and in CITY OF DEATH where The Doctor claims to have helped Shakespeare pen his famous "Hamlet".? Knowing this, it is most surprising to discover the Doctor meeting Shakespeare with almost teenage zest as if for the first time, when he supposedly has met him at least twice before.? Scriptwriter Gareth Roberts has admitted to an early script version reference to the "City Of Death" meeting but it was edited from the final script versions as being too confusing for casual viewers.

Based singularly on continuity, I personally feel such an obscure reference would have been welcome as each episode of DOCTOR WHO is rife with all sorts of obscure references of sexual innuendo and identity and modern pop culture references that have become the trademark of the new series. CODE offers too very uncomfortable references to HARRY POTTER and BACK TO THE FUTURE and Ray Bradbury's infamous butterfly no less! WHO would have ever thought? Arguably, it can be said these references are not as important to the series, as a reference to established canon, still the reference to CITY OF DEATH has been strangely omitted here and we are at a loss for it. Chalk it up to the Doctor's failing memory after 900 or so years.

In THE SHAKESPEARE CODE, Mr. Roberts has delivered us an episode absolutely brimming with all sorts of Shakespeare minutia to delight fans of the Bard to great ends and it serves as a wonderful tribute to the legacy of William Shakespeare.? The appearance of the Caronnites as witches speaking in rhymes directly references the witches seen in "Mac Beth", and it is unfortunate that play could not have been featured in "Code". Alternatively, the exploration of the possibility of discovering the much debated and discussed" Love's Labor's Won" was effectively substituted to great effect here and its final demise secures it's stature as continuing to be " lost". It is the possibility of it's discovery that first peaks?? the Doctor's interest to stay in 1599 a bit, and it's amusing that Martha wants to try to find a way to record it and return to the 21st century with it in hand to make a fortune on its discovery. The Doctoring quoting Shakespeare's own words was also amusing and well used. The greatest thing about DOCTOR WHO is that through the footsteps of The Doctor and his companions, we are able to vicariously walk through time and set foot in places like the GLOBE theatre in 1599. Witnessing as such Shakespeare's sophomoric taunting of the crowd is our first glimpse of an irreverent but charming portrayal of the Bard of legend as a 16th century cultural icon and rock star.? Historically, Dean Lennox Kelly's portrayal takes massive liberties with the Shakespeare of history, as does Robert's script, however there is not much statistically available on the actual personality and demeanor of England's most favorite Bard. One thing is certain, Shakespeare was a writer who was wildly popular in his own time period and would have probably used that fame to secure all of life's hedonistic pleasures abound. Dean Lennox Kelly's sharply crafted portrayal is one of the most memorable characters in recent years in Doctor Who and he leaves no strings unattached here. . His flirtation with Martha was reassuring, as Shakespeare's sexual polarization has always been in question. In fact, his reference to Martha as " The Dark Lady" lends Martha as being the inspiration to the series of sonnets Shakespeare penned referring to a mysterious dark lady who it was rumored was a lover of middle eastern or even African descent and one of Shakespeare's many muses.? It's amusing to think that Shakespeare's "Dark Lady" could well have been inspired by his boyish attempted tryst with Martha Jones!? His quoting of Sonnet 14 while gazing into her eyes could well have inspired the "Dark Lady" sonnets of yore although it would have been a very witty reference indeed if Shakespeare had quoted directly from those sonnets!

Of special note here is Shakespeare's unique ability to see through the Doctor And Martha as time travelers, a concept he could not possibly comprehend.? . The Doctor's psychic paper fails him, and he observes Martha as being puzzled by the existence of the Doctor?? and the Doctor as having eyes older than he seems. One has to wonder if his remark that he and the Doctor are a lot alike is this episodes 'Saxon'; arc reference in disguise. " Disguise " being an operative word of illusion here. We will know by season's end. If not, than William Shakespeare is seen here as much more than just a man of words.

Of course, lending a poetic waxing to the charms of Martha Jones is certainly not premature here by any means. Her chemistry with David Tennant's Doctor elevates both characters, and her wide eyed child like reactions to traveling with the Doctor have so far proven to be very enjoyable indeed. She is absolutely stunning in appearance and her spirit and personality are gleaming to the point of illuminating. The scene where her and the Doctor awkwardly share a bed goes places where Rose and the Doctor could only dream of, without even going for it. Tennant on the other hand seems far more relaxed and likeable in the role so far this season and both Tennant and Agyeman are absolutely in top form for this episode. The Doctor continues to play hard to get, and certainly still has Rose on his mind. Talking about how Rose would have "known exactly what to say" while lying in bed with Martha, probably would not be par for the course in a Casanova's amorous life!? Martha has her work cut out for her if she's going to get inside the Doctor's cagey heart, or at least one of them.

Production values are once again flawless. Charles Palmer, who has very quietly directed the opening two episodes this season seems well suited to the task and has an understated style that works very well for Doctor Who.? There was a stark believability to the invasion scenes in SMITH AND JONES, and once again we see a similar attention to detail in CODE. More paradoxal however is Gareth Roberts script for this story.?? His dialogue between the Doctor and Martha is crystal magnificence, and his writing of the Doctor's character is very strong and reminiscent of a 1970's DOCTOR WHO adventure.

Yet, the plot serves the Globe theatre as a central character in the episode and is eerily reminiscent of THE UNQUIET DEAD on many levels, especially the opening sequence in the TARDIS, which is almost stolen from that episode. Perhaps the workload of overseeing TORCHWOOD and SARAH JANES ADVENTURES allowed the opening scenes in the TARDIS to slip by the production team unnoticed but the similarities between CODE and the opening TARDIS scenes in UNDEAD never should have been allowed. The episode's end also borrows heavily from UNDEAD, again even in style, tone, and form. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. This is the saddest letdown of an otherwise enjoyable episode. The episode is a strange mix of successful elements from TOOTH AND CLAW as well. As such, on first viewing the episode is a bit of an uninvolved letdown and a trifle contrived. The basic plot is Sci Fi clich?, although I will admit, witches on flying brooms is something that has been long overdue in DOCTOR WHO, and the element of the "Power of Words' was perfect on the lips of William Shakespeare and his troupe, unknowingly aiding the Caronnites in their quest. The "witchcraft" elements are explained away as the work of this ancient alien race in the same way THE DAEMONS tried to explain away occult happenings as an alien science. And so unfortunately, Robert's script is contrived, and recycled, while being technically well written, and a sparkling showcase for the future of the Doctor and Martha.

The episode however will probably survive its failings as a fan favorite although, arguably falls short of "classic" status. The final scene, however with Queen Elizabeth's surprise appearance that has the Doctor running for his life, literally, is a treasure of an episode ending and further punctuates the complexity and sheer magic of the Doctor's travels. I would love to see that "future" episode with Queen Elizabeth, knowing that there are now two queens of England that now want the Doctor's hide. Sir Doctor would do best to watch his footsteps in merry old England! BottaBoomba!

Well, I was wrong...

? after that horrendous Dickensian howler in The Unquiet Dead, I would've bet money on Shakespeare saying "What the Chaucer?" upon seeing the ghosties in this episode!

Mind you, that was about the only thing which they didn't do, this being a production team which absolutely does not do things by halves! Not only does the Doctor give Shakespeare some of his best lines, he gives him one of Dylan Thomas' as well, and unwittingly provides him with the 'Dark Lady' (literally ? oo-er!) who would inspire so many sonnets! All in 45 minutes of comedy-drama! I'm amazed they had time to fit in a coven of witches (three, as in Macbeth, did you notice? Doomfinger! Bloodtide! And, um, Lilith, sexily played by Christina Cole.)

There was a fair bit riding on this, in a way. Just as The End of the World was the make-or-break episode for Series One, The Shakespeare Code would decide for us whether Series Three maintained its very strong start or came crashing back down to earth. I wouldn't really like to say whether it was better or worse than Smith and Jones ? suffice to say that it was very different, and good. The dialogue had all the lurid richness that you would expect from a writer trying to cram the Elizabethan era into 45 minutes (oh, what a shame the episodes aren't longer), and although in the past I've accused the special effects of gaudy unrealism, this time round they were fine, with some super shots of 16th century London. One especially nice one had the tiny figures of the Doctor and Martha running through it in one corner, and it, like so much else these days, was too easy to miss. TV Doctor Who is still telling stories that are visually 'too broad and deep for the small screen', but this time actually with appropriate SFX. We ought to be watching this in cinemas.

Writer Gareth Roberts was, of course, the author of two astonishing 4th Doctor novels in the 1990s, The Romance of Crime and The English Way of Death, both of which are easily up there with the soon-to-be-televised Human Nature as contenders for 'best Dr Who novel', and it may be just for this reason that I felt that some (not all) of his scripted lines recalled Tom Baker's Doctor. "Night-night, Shakespeare" in particular was a line that would have suited Tom to a tee, and it was immediately noticeable that DT seemed a bit uncomfortable with it ? it must've been hard to deliver while at the same time maintaining an appropriate air of dark, mysterious, Time Lord-y gravitas!

In fact, the whole script felt at odds with the Tenth Doctor's character as established so far in the series; it requires him to be enthusiastic and enchanted practically all of the time in a way to which this anguished, fiery incarnation is not very well suited, but which Tom Baker would have got on with like a house on fire. David Tennant's performance carried it through with flying colours though, and in fact the Doctor's obvious happiness was extremely charming, and served to make the Rose references still more jarring. I really wish they would forget about her, at least for a while. I know the idea is that she made such an enormous impact on him that he's still mourning her loss, but it's getting a bit repetitive and maudlin now. Poor Martha. (more of her later ? much more!)

To return to the point, a scene that deserves special praise is the fabulous ending! Queen Elizabeth enters with the immortal line "Doctor! My sworn enemy!" and the Doctor and Martha are forced to make a comedic flying exit for reasons they don't even know. Tennant plays it with an infectious smile on his face, and the whole thing is so marvellously uplifting and somehow typical of Doctor Who, from the Doctor's looking forward to having that adventure in future to the point when arrows begin thudding into the TARDIS, that I was quite delighted! There, I thought to myself, is the Gareth Roberts I know!

Roberts had a lot to live up to, as well, having written several highly perceptive articles about how to write Doctor Who stories and how to use the TARDIS in 'Doctor Who Magazine' ? back in the days when I still read it, before the new series sycophancy became too sickly to endure ? even going so far as to lay down ground rules about it, which I was looking through shortly before the episode. Well, he wasn't obviously following those rules. But it was fine, because what he produced was good anyway. Although a past master of the printed word, and an unparalleled imitator of the Fourth Doctor's era in the spacious confines of the novel, he had no previous form on television that I had seen, so I was quite wary going into this, too. In a way, though, I think this could become one of the most enduring episodes of the new series so far.

As for the plot, I'm not quite sure, looking back, what the pre-credits sequence had to do with anything, and while the resolution to the story was a fabulous concept requiring the genius of Shakespeare, aided by the genius of the Doctor and the more questionable geniuses of Martha and J.K. Rowling, his key speech was rather lost in a welter of special effects and noise. I'll have to go back and watch it again. The little details were where the really winning stuff was ? Martha's own tiny imprint on history, in influencing the behaviour of theatre crowds; the inclusion of Mr Kempe as a speaking part in Shakespeare's company (which I didn't even notice till the ending credits); and of course Martha Jones ending up as the Dark Lady.

It begs the question ? why couldn't we have one more little detail for those in the know: a brief reference to all those times in the past that the Doctor has referred to being well acquainted with the Bard? Take 'City of Death', for instance, where we learn that the Doctor actually wrote the first draft of Hamlet ? taking dictation, obviously. For an ultra-fan like me the story almost seemed to lack something, a certain natural outgrowth, for not acknowledging the Doctor's past meetings with Shakespeare (though this was quite clearly their first meeting chronologically). Roberts also thankfully omitted any reference to his previous Shakespearian romp, the Ninth Doctor comic strip, A Groatsworth of Wit, although the monsters were very similar.

That strip treated Shakespeare rather differently to how he came across here, and rather less well than The Shakespeare Code ? so that was one worry I initially had scotched. Although in both Shakespeare was something of a randy opportunist where love was at stake, and in both the Doctor's companion became the object of his affections, Dean Lennox Kelly, as Shakespeare, conveyed a certain likeability that a drawing could not! Which may sound like a rather backhanded compliment to give an actor, but I assure you it was meant nicely! And in contrast to the Ninth Doctor disrespectfully throwing Mr S. aside like a rag doll once things got heavy in the strip, David Tennant's Tenth Doctor treats him with near-constant hero-worship, only losing his cool briefly when the play goes ahead after he explicitly commanded otherwise. DT shouldn't have played the Doctor's lines during that bit with such vitriol, for my money. In the context of the episode I feel it might've worked better as a bit more wry and fatalistic ? less of the Idiot's Lantern-esque "I'm not listening!" treatment, which is his one deficiency as an actor. He then instantly reverted to enthusiastic appreciation, so the effect is unsatisfying.

Martha. She ought to get the trip of a lifetime here, but from the word go nearly gets a bucket of something unmentionable thrown over her, and then has to put up with the Doctor's almost wilful insensitivity in bringing up Rose again as they lie squashed intimately together on a bed. (We're back to the acceptable face of a 'sexual Doctor' here, by the way ? he's a sex symbol and shares a bed with Martha, but there's no flirting going on and he tells Lilith that sensuality is one way she could never snare him.) The Doctor being totally oblivious to normal human feeling is nothing new of course, but I mean to say ? poor girl! She recovered from it very well, I thought, and it was nice to see her enjoying herself for a while on a trip through time, which is something companions get surprisingly little time to do quite often.

I like Martha more and more, despite her rough edges ? namely, giving Shakespeare inexplicably short shrift over his un-PC epithets at their first meeting. She's in Elizabethan England ('the past is a foreign country ? they do things differently there') so you'd have thought she could've let it go. And all that stuff about how much better the 'land' that she comes from is than the one she finds herself in, where women can't do what they want, is just very slightly preachy.

The Doctor, happily, doesn't really seem to care about what Shakespeare says to her. I never forgave the Ninth Doctor for his cheap crack about the Deep South in The End of the World, and it's nice to see that the Tenth Doctor can sometimes be a little more tolerant of people's human and cultural failings, as seen from his lonely pinnacle. He gets all outraged with the warden at Bedlam, but that's a far more black-and-white situation: although there's no explicit confirmation that the warden enjoys whipping his poor charges, and to be fair to him somebody presumably has to do that job, there's no real compassion on show and the Doctor perhaps perceives something truly nasty about the guy ? he's better at seeing into the soul of a person than most.

Quite a long and rather more ruminative review than usual, but you'd be pretty damn disappointed if a script with William Shakespeare as principal guest wasn't thought-provoking, wouldn't you? I would. But my parents were soliloquising like crazy from the Shakespearian canon soon after the credits rolled, so Mr Gareth Roberts can't be said to have failed on that score!

Doctor Who has a track record of incredibly good historicals ? some with sci-fi elements, and others without. Marco Polo, The Time Meddler, Black Orchid ? all classics.

And now the new series has a historical of its own to add to the list. A modern classic, if you will.

A portrayal of Will Shakespeare that was accurate enough to not be a pastiche, and yet comic enough to not bore the youngsters. Dean Lennox Kelly is superb as the bard. The Carrionites show great imagination, although I found the realisation a little to caricatured ? almost like the witches from Pratchett's Discworld.
The Doctor and Martha built there relationship, but I think the Doctor would realise he doesn't need to dumb down explanations for Ms Jones. I mean, using Back to the Future to explain the effects of changes to the timeline!

Again, Freema is superb as Martha. Her adjustment to Elizabethan England, her ability to handle the amorous Bard, and her outrage at the methods of Bedlam, are all played magnificently.

A little too much play on classic Shakespeare lines, but that was only to be expected.

There's not much more I can say, other than what becomes of the arrow that hit the TARDIS at the end? How Silver Nemesis was that?