|
Doctor Who: Season 3, Episode 2The Shakespeare Code (7 Apr. 2007) 7.8
The Doctor takes Martha to 1599, to meet none other than William Shakespeare in the Globe Theatre...but can he stop the curse of the three witches? Director:Charlie PalmerWriter:Gareth Roberts |
| 0Share... |
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: The Shakespeare Code (07 Apr 2007)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Videos
Learn more
People who liked this also liked...
Doctor Who
(1963–1989)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Stars:
Tom Baker,
William Hartnell,
Jon Pertwee
Doctor Who
(TV 1996)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Director:
Geoffrey Sax
Stars:
Paul McGann,
Eric Roberts,
Daphne Ashbrook
Battlestar Galactica
(2004–2009)
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Stars:
Edward James Olmos,
Mary McDonnell,
Jamie Bamber
Firefly
(2002–2003)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Stars:
Nathan Fillion,
Gina Torres,
Alan Tudyk
Smallville
(2001–2011)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Romance
Stars:
Tom Welling,
Allison Mack,
Kristin Kreuk
First Wave
(1998–2001)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Stars:
Sebastian Spence,
Rob LaBelle,
Roger R. Cross
Stargate: Atlantis
(2004–2009)
Action
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Stars:
Joe Flanigan,
Rachel Luttrell,
David Hewlett
Blakes 7
(1978–1981)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Stars:
Michael Keating,
Paul Darrow,
Peter Tuddenham
Space: 1999
(1975–1977)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Stars:
Martin Landau,
Barbara Bain,
Nick Tate
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Sci-Fi
Director:
Steven Spielberg
Stars:
Richard Dreyfuss,
François Truffaut,
Teri Garr
Edit
Cast
| Episode complete credited cast: | |||
| David Tennant | ... | ||
| Freema Agyeman | ... | ||
 |
Dean Lennox Kelly | ... | |
| Christina Cole | ... | ||
|
|
Sam Marks | ... | |
|
|
Amanda Lawrence | ... | |
|
|
Linda Clark | ... | |
|
|
Jalaal Hartley | ... |
Dick
|
| David Westhead | ... | ||
|
|
Andrée Bernard | ... |
Dolly Bailey
|
| Chris Larkin | ... |
Lynley
|
|
| Stephen Marcus | ... |
Jailer
|
|
| Matt King | ... |
Peter Streete
|
|
|
|
Robert Demeger | ... |
Preacher
|
|
|
Angela Pleasence | ... | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
As The Doctor and Martha travel for the first time together in the TARDIS, they land unexpectedly in 1599 Tudor London, where the world is under threat from the evil Carronites, and only history's most notorious playwright William Shakespeare can help to save the world Written by Anon
Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
7 April 2007 (UK) See more »Filming Locations:
Globe Theatre, Bankside, Southwark, London, England, UKCompany Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (50 episodes)Color:
Color
Edit
Martha Jones: Yeah! And then I could get sectioned!
See more »
(uncredited)
Written by Ron Grainer
Arranged by Murray Gold
Performed by BBC National Orchestra of Wales
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
William Shakespeare, then played by Hugh Walters, had previously appeared in the first part of the six part serial 'Doctor Who: The Chase' (_"Doctor Who" (1963) {The Executioners (#2.30)_). See more »Goofs
The architecture of Bedlam is about 100 years out of date. See more »Quotes
The Doctor: Just think. When you get back, you could tell everyone that you've seen Shakespeare.Martha Jones: Yeah! And then I could get sectioned!
See more »
Soundtracks
"Doctor Who Theme"(uncredited)
Written by Ron Grainer
Arranged by Murray Gold
Performed by BBC National Orchestra of Wales
See more »
"The Shakespeare Code" marks the lovely Martha Jones' first trip in the TARDIS. Rather than a trip to a space station or a faraway planet, the Doctor and his companion go back to Shakesperean England where they meet the bard himself. Dean Lennox Kelly plays Shakespeare like a Tudor rock star, including high-kicks and Noel Gallagher-like comments to the audience. Kelly's performance is excellent and his Shakespeare is a very likable fellow.
The beautiful Christina ("Hex") Cole plays the youngest of three "witches" who set out to destroy earth. Cole is always watchable and she does a great job here. The pre-titles intro will have many older male viewers grinning at the suggestion of naughty goings-on with Ms. Cole. Meanwhile, kids will run for cover behind their nearest settee as the considerable "fright factor" is introduced.
This episode is truly impressive in the visual effects department. Filmed partly in the re-built Globe theatre and on location, there's a real sense of scale. Everything is lit beautifully and the effects are gorgeous to look at. The CGI-produced Carrionites are a great design, reminding me a little of the terrifying Reapers from Eccleston's "Father's Day".
The script is superb and will have schoolchildren throughout the land rummaging through Shakespeare plays for a reference to a Sycorax. Here's a clue...they should start with "The Tempest". Thankfully, the episode doesn't try sticking to continuity with previous stories where the Doctor's meetings with Shakespeare have been mentioned. This would have simply made things messy and unnecessarily confusing.
Despite its strengths, there are one or two areas where the episode didn't gel as well as it could have done. Perhaps I'm being unsympathetic but I'm growing a little tired of the Doctor's references to Rose. Hopefully, these will soon become a thing of the past. Also, Tennant can be just a tad annoying at times. Having said this, he's a great Doctor and every incarnation of the Time Lord has had the ability to be a little annoying in certain situations.
Overall, an enjoyable episode and a strong 8 out of 10. This is big-budget television and proper family entertainment.