I’m the Doctor - Smith and Jones review
Smith and Jones was awesome.
That is all. More in-depth review after ‘Doctor Who Confidential’ is finished.
EDIT Spoiler-y.
As 6.35pm rolled around the boy and I started our Doctor Who ritual. Getting comfy on the bed with juice (ok, alcohol), cigarettes, lighter and ashtray within easy reach. I called my brothers to inform them that it was about to start and switched my phone to silent. I warned our friend that for the next 45 minutes the only sound to be heard was Who, and that laughter was allowed as required. Nothing, nothing, interrupts Doctor Who. As the theme tune started I got goosebumps and held my breathe. Will the theme tune be different? (to be honest I didn’t pick up on any changes, I maybe wrong?). Will Freema’s name look out of place (slightly, I felt slightly saddened that Billie’s was obviously no longer flying through the time-warp thing). And, because I hadn’t really read up much on this serious for need of being spoiler-free for a change, what is the episode called? Is it a Russell T. Davies episode? When I saw the name was ‘Smith and Jones’ the boy automatically said that the Doctor had used the name ‘Smith’ before when he was in hospital, so I thought it very fitting and loved the continuity.
I loved that within the first few minutes of the show we were introduced to Martha’s family. The randomness of her seeing the Doctor for the first time made me smile, he was his quirky little (or big, if Piper’s nickname for him is anything to go by) self. The helmet-guys hailed a ‘Zovirex’ comment from our friend (hey, you didn’t really think that my no-talking rule would stick?). I felt that there was an instant attraction for the Doctor on Martha’s part, due to the fact that if you were a medical student and your patient had two heartbeats you’d bloody well say something!!
Davies has written Martha’s character really, really well. She sassy, clever and calm. The fact that she kept her head when the building that she’s in magically appears on the moon was fantastic. Granted Britain has been through a few changes recently with spaceships crashing into Big Ben and Cybermen taking over but I’d still freak out if I ended up on the moon in a big bubble! The explanation of her cousin being in Canary Wharf answered my question of ‘how are they going to get over the fact she died in the last series as a different character?’ beautifully. The sadness in Ten’s eyes as he said that he was in Canary Wharf at the time had me thinking of Rose, but only for a second. The Judoon ships averted my attentions. They were seriously fucking cool ships! And the Nu-rock boots. Excellent! Gothic monsters. And the drinking-blood-through-a-straw lady? Awesome!
‘Oh look down there, you’ve got a little shop. I like a little shop’ had the boy and I turning to look at each other and saying ‘No shop, I like a little shop.’ to each other. Again, continuity was ace. The one-liners got me too. ‘…from the Planet Zovirex’ had us laughing, and the ‘ I love my sonic screwdriver’ had me going ‘But he can’t not have his Sonic Screwdriver!’. I’m so glad he’s got a new one to test-drive.
The end scenes had me well and truly liking Martha. I loved the ‘Your spaceship is made of wood‘ comment and Ten mouthing ‘It’s bigger on the inside‘ as Martha said it. The references to Rose were gentle, and done very well. I think I’m going to like Miss Jones…
