THE SHAKESPEARE CODE

Okay a 5/5 or a 4/5 or a 10/10 or a 9/10. How can one not like this? I mean it is as handsomely mounted as the last episode, moreso really; it's got witches and Shakespeare and words and two Harry Potter references, three if you count JK's name being mentioned right after the second one. And it's got the star of HEX in it (as a witch no less, this time mean) and the stars of SHAMELESS (as Will himself). The Doc's not as pompous as the last one, that would be Will this time and Will makes a flirt at the Doctor. What's not to like? It moves fast and furious and plays a bit with history (the man who built the Globe didn't die in Bedlam apparently) but it's just....very entertaining.

The Doc remains either a fool or purposely manipulating Martha. How can he not know about the bedroom scene being something of a ...problem for Martha. Is he leading her on? Is he just taking her at her word that she won't let things go into the crush/falling for you phase. It's too late for that, she's already fallen for him.

There's nothing to complain about really here. Okay, the witch thing is as old as mold. We've seen it in episodes of NIGHT GALLERY (four witches this time and one of them from BEWITCHED) and ONE STEP BEYOND (16th century man is cursed by a witch who takes his son from him, sound familiar?) and the Disney movie HOCUS POCUS, not to mention KOLCHAK THE NIGHT STALKER (very good episode is the TREVI COLLECTION) and I'm sure something in the X FILES someplace. But here's a bit fresh innit? Certainly moreso than anything in SMITH AND JONES.  

I must take exception to the TARDIS constantly knocking everyone on their butts, it certainly shook at times in the old series but here it can't seem to be flying straight and normal or is it just that this console room sucks or the 9th and 10th Doctors are the worst at flying her?

I don't mind one bit about Will asking if he can borrow or stating that he'll use things the Doc or Martha say...it's just funny. AND one or two of his friends, the actors I take it, are handsome and well fit. The sets are fantastic, the look well done and the MUSIC as ever is just fantastic. That last sequence at the climax in the globe, the music can't be heard over the laughing witches and the screaming crowds but that music is just GREAT! And for once, the bits I love about it are on the SOUNDTRACK vol 2. Well done.

There's also a reference to the TOMORROW PEOPLE (Rexell Four) and possibly BLAKE'S 7 and others. For The TOMORROW PEOPLE, in one of the TP audios from Big Finish, there's a mention about something happening in a grove as reference to a 6th Doctor/Evelyn audio with the attacking gnomes. Or maybe I got it wrong.

Someone in the THIRD FLIGHT or some rather good book like that, states that Martha and the Doc remind them of Steed and Emma from THE AVENGERS. I can see a small amount of that but really those couples are nothing like each other and comparisions between those two are just...silly. To me at the time I saw THE AVENGERS, Steed and Peel were platonic friends, she still technically married and it was good to think a friendship between a man and a woman could happen on TV without the obvious happening. But when you think about it, when Emma's husband is found alive after I don't know how many years missing...and she leaves and her goodbye...maybe they were sleeping with each other or had a few times in the  past. But anyway none of that applies to Martha and the Doctor.

A good story.