Human Nature

"I dream I'm this adventurer."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: TV

Broadcast: 26 May 2007

Series: 3.08

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

In England in 1913, school teacher John Smith experiences amazing dreams of living an incredible life as a mysterious man called 'the Doctor', fighting monsters and seeing far away worlds. But it's 1913, so they can't be real, right?

Verdict

Human Nature was a wonderful episode of Doctor Who! I have been looking forward to rewatching the second half of Series 3 ever since Gemma and I embarked on watching the modern era together for the first time because I think it has to be the strongest run of episodes the show has ever produced. The quality from here until the finale is nothing short of sensational and this episode serves as the opener to an outstanding two-parter that I often answer as my favourite Tenth Doctor adventure. It's just so well done. The idea of the Doctor becoming human and living an ordinary life as a teacher in the early twentieth century is magnificent, and having Martha feign being part of that adds a really important dimension. She obviously still has strong feelings for the Doctor and now here he is making himself human but he goes and falls in love with another woman. Joan Redfern is a strong character and suits John Smith really well. He gets to impress her with the somewhat exaggerated piano crash and the cricket ball save and then they take to the dance floor after he manages to muster the courage to ask. It's a classic love story and having who we know as the Doctor at the heart of it is terrific. I'm a huge fan of the little glimpse we got of the Family attacking the Doctor and Martha with a blast making its way through the TARDIS doors and they now had the scent. They could follow them anywhere in time and space so the Doctor had to use the chameleon arch to rewrite his biology into human and let them die out. It was all frantic so I'm not sure where the Doctor fitted in 23 rules to discuss back to Martha, but that's besides the point. Seeing Martha take comfort in the Doctor's message was heartwarming. Gemma, the self proclaimed world's biggest Martha Jones hater, had no sympathy for her at all and was quick to comment how the Doctor was in love with Rose. This was one of the first episodes we watched together since we welcomed baby Albie into the world last year and watching as a family was wonderful. I'm sure there'll be a whole lot more of that to come in the future! Speaking of family, the way in which the Family of Blood obtained their new shapes was excellent and the image of the four of them with their heads titled is spectacular. Some of the racial elements in the episode towards Martha were shocking to hear despite the time of the setting and I really don't think you'd get away with that today. Both Gemma and I were audible in our shock at the comment about her not knowing what's her hands and what's dirt. A different time. Latimer was a good character and him having taken the fob watch just before Martha had cottoned onto Jenny being part of the Family was fantastic, because when they needed the Doctor most he was trapped in a watch and thought he was human. This brought us an astounding cliffhanger which I still think should rank very highly amongst the best episode endings. To choose Redfern or Martha, which would be to die? Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the scarecrows! Excellent additions and the perfect Who monster. Overall, just brilliant.

Rating: 10/10