In the first episode of the third series of Doctor Who, the Doctor finds a new companion in Martha Jones, a medical student in London. Conveniently for her, he shows up just in time for HER ENTIRE HOSPITAL TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE MOON. THE MOON!!!!!! If you’re intrigued, then it’s time for Mark to watch Doctor Who.
OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS EPISODE SO MUCH.
Let me get a few things out of the way before I handle the normal narrative focus I usually have for these reviews. First of all, can I just say how nice it is to see people of color as main characters on this show? Doctor Who hasn’t been particularly bad about that in the past, but it is awesome, as a person of color myself, to see a main actress and her family like this. I REALLY LIKE THIS OK THAT IS ALL I WANTED TO SAY ON THAT SUBJECT.
Oh wait PART TWO OF THAT: Martha’s brother, Leo (played by Reggie Yates) just makes me go UNNNNNNNFFFFFFFFFFF.
I am fine. I swear.
I wish Russell T Davies was a bit more consistent with his writing, only because I really love heaping praise on him for what he’s done with this show. I’m not sure I’ve seen enough of his work to be able to determine what sort of pattens he uses or what themes he often writes into his scripts, but I am getting a sense for the way he can combine humor and terror in the same episode.
With “Smith and Jones,” I feel much better about the Doctor jumping into the action after losing Rose (which this episode also doesn’t ignore), and it certainly helps the story that the plot is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. I’m sure there’s a pothole in there somewhere, but this is one of those wacky episodes of Doctor Who that is just downright fun.
I always liked when The X-Files would take a concept that was outright absurd and fantastical and find a way to ground it in some sort of reality, so many infinite high fives to Russell T Davies for figuring out how to do an episode about being kidnapped to the moon.
No. You guys. THE JUDOON STOLE THE HOSPITAL IN ITS ENTIRETY AND PUT IT ON THE MOON. This sounds so ridiculous and Davies creates a method in which to make this more terrifying than hokey. (It’s still kind of campy, but this is Doctor Who we’re talking about.)
I love that the Judoon are introduced and exist in a manner that just barely explains them. All we end up finding out about these rhino-headed beasts is that they’re some sort of police authority, a neutral party of thugs who are hired to find people and bring “swift” justice. Because of this, we’re forced to deal with two conflicting and creepy realities: the Judoon, who go about their job of seeking out the shapeshifter in the most efficient and calculating manner possible, and the Plasmavore, who is DRINKING THE BLOOD OF HUMANS IN ORDER TO PASS AS ONE SO SHE CAN ESCAPE EXECUTION. Badass? MOST CERTAINLY.
Maybe it’s because so many episodes of television deal with singular concepts, but I enjoyed trying to figure out BOTH sets of “villains” throughout “Smith and Jones” this time around. It was a welcome change from what I’d come to expect, and the end of the episode shows that perhaps one of them wasn’t even a villain to begin with. (I mean, the Judoon DO return the hospital to earth, but at least one human was murdered. Poor random dude. ::sadface::)
But let’s take a moment to talk about Martha Jones. I instantly recognized her as Adeola from series two and thought HEY NOW YOU CAN’T DO THAT, SHE IS TOTALLY DEAD, but then we find out they are cousins. NICE SAVE, DAVIES. This is not at all like when Nicholas Lea guest-starred in season one of The X-Files as some random character and then came back as Krychek and it wasn’t explained and I yelled HEY NOW YOU CAN’T DO THAT, HE IS TOTALLY DEAD. I yell at my TV a lot.
I was worried that they had written Martha Jones to be a bit too much like Rose Tyler, especially from the opening scene where we’re introduced to her whole family. (Mmmm Reggie Yates mmmmm). I thought they were going to portray her as another sort of ditzy, unaware gal who gets caught up in the ~shenanigans~ of the Doctor and is generally clueless.
I was wrong. Touche, Davies. Because once the hospital gets transported to the moon, we find out what a VERITABLE BADASS she is. She’s fearless at the sight of strangeness and was quick to jump right in line with the Doctor, utilizing a healthy sense of doubt and an overactive imagination. It’s clear, even one episode in, that Martha Jones is nothing like Rose Tyler.
I’m excited for Martha Jones as a character. I’m interested in how her family dynamic is going to play out with her as she travels with the Doctor, but I’m also excited to have a companion on board who reacts entirely differently to situations than the companion I grew comfortable with over the past two series.
Onwards we go!
THOUGHTS
- I have to say it again. Reggie Yates. Good god.
- THE DOCTOR ONCE HAD A BROTHER. WHAT THE FUCK.
- mmmmm banana milkshake mmmmm
- The Doctor had new shoes in this episode! And a new color! WHY DO I CARE ABOUT SUCH THINGS
- If it is indeed true that the Doctor met Ben Franklin and it becomes the focus of an episode, please let Andrew Daly play that character. The end.
- “Stop looking at me like that!”
- “You are completely mad!” “You’re right. I look daft with one shoe on.”
- “Have you seen? There are these… things. These… great, big space rhino things! I mean rhinos from space! And we’re on the moon! Great big space rhinos, with guns, on the moon! And I only came in for my bunions! Look, they’re all fixed now, perfectly good treatment, the nurses were lovely, I said to my wife, I said, I recommend this place to anyone. But then we end up on the moon! And…did I mention the rhinos?”
- REGGIE YATES.
Ah, Martha. I really love her. She's so utterly brilliant, the rapport she builds with the Doctor is really enjoyable and powerful while being very different from the one he had with Rose.
Only Doctor Who could manage to make a kidnapping to the MOON so utterly badass.
I'm sort of half and half with Martha sometimes. I love a lot about her but as time went by I sort of felt like she was a bit Mary Sueish. Can't say why she felt Mary Sueish because that involves spoilers but it was just a vague feeling I got even though I still liked her. Still she was a nice change from Rose.
Sorry, I just voted you down – not for your uncertainty about Martha but for using that horrible nonsensical term.
I go over it in some detail here:
http://markwatches.net/reviews/2011/01/mark-watch…
Yay season three! Martha herself is really touch-and-go for me, but the season has my very favorite two-parter ever.
In relation to the Martha-Adiola thing, did anyone else notice that Karen Gillan was one of the priestesses in 'The Fires of Pompeii'?
SHHHHHHHHHHHH HE HASN'T GOTTEN THERE YET WTF D:
Shit. Sorry. Lack of thinking on my part.
MARFAAAAAAA
Oh Martha I love you. It took me a long time because I was STUPID. But I really love this girl, she's amazing. And of course, so were the Rose references. This entire episode is one of my very favorites, it's just so fantastic. And Ten's all ~ irresistible~ in this, too. I think it's because they are really trying to sell us on the blue suit.
I remember watching this episode after a respectful 1-day mourning period for Rose and co. after marathoning S1 and S2. And it filled me with so much squee! I loved Martha so much! And what's this that the Doctor is only taking her along for one trip? He was still hurting, but what about Donna's advice? We'll see how that turns out.
For those of you with kids, be they your own or nephews or cousins, I recommend playingg hide-and-seek Smith and Jones-style after watching this episode. The Plasmavore has a staw, Martha has a toy medical kit, the Doctor is barefoot and has a toy sonic screwdriver. They hide whilst the Judoon seeks and attempts to catalogue everyone they find. Lots of lulz ensured.
This episode yet again shows off how RTD excels at writing denouments. The scene with Ten inviting Martha aboard the TARDIS is beautifully writtern. This time, the audience already knows what he's explaining to her, and we're wondering how she'll react, and he doesn't disappoint in making it surprising and amusing.
That version of hide and seek sounds like the best game ever!
Still remembering cool things connected to this episode. Here's the awesomeness that is the Judoon song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shJRm4sNuhE
Edit: and have we had the Dalek song as well?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAk2HjHSGbo
That Dalek song is awesome (as is the Llama Song it's based on)!
I'm so late to this and sick as hell but I just had to post on this even if everyone else has said the same thing.
I didn't want to play this up so much because she really has so many awesome qualities but while her bro and sis are pretty OH MY GOD Martha is so gorgeous. Also I love how sharp and capable she is in this ep, but never unbelievably so.
Before this point I wasn't really a fan of what the show did with POC though. I mean Mickey was treated horribly in season one and almost every South Asian character was either a bad dude or totally marginal and seem to be killed off pretty damn fast.
ALSO: My bro just started watching the show and pointed out to me that ten loves to say "I'm so sorry" before leaving people, so now I can't help noticing every time someone says I'm sorry on this show.
Oh and since I've +1'd everything I agree with(there was a lot of that yay!)
Fav throwaway line: the blond med student telling the news crews at the end of the ep that he stood upto the aliens when he was totally appeasing them the whole time(not that I would have done different, but him trying to makehimself look all toughguy at the end was adowable.)
Hey Hassibah! 🙂
Depends on what you thought of his previous actions. I personally thought he was being a little oily git. *lol*
I guess I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he genuinely seemed to be trying to look out for people's safety when he was being diplomatic with the Jidoon(sp?) He didn't have to stick his neck out like that and draw attention to himself when his reward could have been getting killed on the spot.
Either way, lying about that is sketchy and unneccessary, but the result is still funny.
HAY 😀
Whoever asked about the dr/mr confusion? Well once a dr qualifies he/she becomes dr Sirname. However if they progress all the way up the ranks to consultant then then become Mr/Mrs Sirname again. I have no idea why, but that character was obviously a consultant. HTH!
I'm sorry, but I hate Martha Jones. For reasons I will get more into when you've finished this season.
I like Martha. But I have to say that in many ways, she seems to have more potential in this episode than she ever actually reaches.
omg Reggie Yates used to be on the children's talk show 'Smile'. With Fearne Cotton and Nev the bear. It makes me chuckle that you fancy him because he was my Sunday morning in childhood. Memories :')
I love Martha sfm. Plus, she is so beautiful <3
I hate Martha. Sorry. It's like watching a failed GCSE drama student. She cannot act for shit and her lines are always painfully cringeworthy.
It's kind of gutting because as a result I haven't enjoyed any of her series at all.
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(This comment is incredibly late, but I'm reading through old posts):
Maybe he affected how fast time moved? Sort of like Nine with the fans in 'End of the World'. The situation needed him quickly, so he slowed time around him so he could get changed 'faster'. It's a long shot, but it works for me.
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I felt the need to comment.
I think I'm too ADD to watch Dr. Who. The language is too quick and I missed legit half of the comments.
BUT BESIDES THAT possibly my favorite episode so far…
No one commented on the loss of the sonic screwdriver… I thought that was such a great line!!! (I got like 4 more episodes on and I remembered that and came back to comment.