Smith and Jones

"The rain is going up."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV

Broadcast: 31 March 2007

Series: 3.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

When the hospital she is working at is suddenly transported to the moon, medical student Martha Jones joins forces with the Doctor to hunt down an alien fugitive on the run from the hired space police known as Judoon. But the oxygen is limited, and it's running out...

Verdict

Smith and Jones was an excellent episode to kick off the third series of the modern era of Doctor Who! Earlier this year Gemma and I started watching the show's revival in order along with Torchwood and this was our first experience watching with a newborn! It required a pause for a feed, but other than that our little Albie was as good as gold enjoying his first episode of Doctor Who! I'm sure it will be the first of many. I've been waiting a long time now to get to Martha's time as companion on the show because a consequence of Gemma's love for Rose is a distain towards Martha. I really enjoy her as the companion and I think this a really impressive debut for her as companion. The quick acknowledgement of Freema Agyeman's appearance in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday was good and the effects of all that happened in that finale were still very much felt. The Doctor playing patient in a hospital was a lot of fun and there was instant chemistry with Martha which was clear from the off. The way the episode comes full circle at the end with the Doctor proving the TARDIS can travel in time by taking off his neck tie was excellent and I love how with her hospital being transported to the Moon, there isn't a lot of convincing required for Martha to believe all that the Doctor and his life entails. The Judoon's debut here is impressive and they really are a lot of fun with their cluelessness. They follow the letter of the law but the consequences are something they quickly forget about and that makes them good for a Doctor Who monster. Their presence and scanning confirming to Martha that the Doctor really was not human was fun, although I'm not sure why she required confirmation after hearing that he had two hearts! The moment the hospital is transported to the Moon is brilliant and I liked how quickly we were introduced to Martha and her immediate family through the multiple phone calls ahead of Leo's birthday party. The Plasmavore was a fantastic villain and I like how she's planted in the episode early on with no sign that she would turn out to be the target of the Judoon. The fact that she has a straw to drain the blood is so devious and simple but it makes her so evil at the same time. The Doctor deducing the presence of an internal shapeshifter was good and I love how the blood drainage passes her as human to the Judoon. The kiss between the Doctor and Martha being a genetic print was fun and I like how that sets the basis for the series ahead with some considerable innuendo. The scene in the TARDIS at the end where she tells the Doctor how it was he who kissed her and travelled across time and space to pick her up for a date was wonderful. It's a brash and confident introduction for Martha which I really admire. The story on the Moon ends up being a simple one with the Doctor brilliantly giving himself to the Plasmavore to show the Judoon that she was who they were looking for, with Martha then bringing him back with oxygen despite the supply being extremely limited. There was a great image with the Doctor carrying Martha to safety. Overall, I thought this was a brilliant opener!

Rating: 9/10