1)A fun first trip for Martha in the TARDIS. Some good scenes with her reacting to the reality of time travel, and also the beginnings of her realization that the Doctor isn't still over Rose. The business with the bed in the inn was a good example of the Doctor's obliviousness causing him to inadvertently seem quite cruel to Martha.
2)I thought the characterization of Shakespeare was interesting. He's kind of a mystery man, so it's hard to say if how well the presentation matches up to the actual man. the running gag with the quotes was amusing. "Wait, that's one of mine!" I thought it was interesting how he saw through the Doctor and Martha right away.
3)The Carrionites were well-played stock Doctor Who baddies. There did seem to be a run on heels from the Old Times at this point. The notion of them using words instead of numbers was interestig, although I noticed that even they used numbers for their galactic coordinates.
4)Some fun quotes:
- "Did you have to pass a test to fly this thing?" "Yes. And I failed."
- "What have butterflies ever done to you?"
- "When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare." "Then I could get sectioned."
- "Martha's from a far-off land - Freedonia."
- "Nighty-night, Shakespeare."
- "Fifty-seven academics just punched the air."
- "Expelliarmus!" Groan. That woman gets everywhere.
- "Doctor! My sworn enemy! Off with his head!"
Overall: An entertaining story - always like a good Shakespeare story. Interesting to see the relationship between the Doctor and Martha develop. Some good social commentary - particularly Martha's reaction to seeing Bedlam.
Replies
Martha Jones: So, magic and stuff? It's a surprise, it's all a bit Harry Potter.
The Doctor: Wait till you read book 7. Oh, I cried.
RTD sets up a fun pattern here with the new companion getting to meet an English literary heavyweight. Rose met Dickens, Martha hangs with Shakespeare, and Donna solves a murder mystery with Agatha Christie.
We need an episode where the Doctor fights a monster in Oxford with either Lewis Carroll or The Inklings. Heck, the Eagle and Child is still there for the filming.
Yeah, I noticed that, too, Doc. I liked the emphasis on meeting literary figures.