Television Review: "The Shakespeare Code" gives the 10th Doctor (David Tennant) and his companion, Martha Jones (in her second appearance) the opportunity to meet William Shakespeare, in all his genius and fame ("no autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me"). This episode from the BBC's Doctor Who Series Three reveals an alien race, the Carrionites, who appear as witches (broomsticks and all) attempting to use the brilliance, or magic, of Shakespeare's words in his famous play Love's Labour's Won, to resurrect their trapped race and take over the Earth. Magic being just another sort of science. Can the Doctor, Martha, and Will stop them? The whole show is too clever by half and way too much fun, while telling an exciting story at the same time! Back to the Future, Freedonia, groundlings, Harry Potter, Bedlam, Elizabeth I, the sonnets' dark lady, echoes of Shakespeare in Love (1998), all get a mention. Marty McFly is used to explain time travel. Allusions, puns, in-jokes abound. Writers have no more fun than bringing Shakespeare into their work; the chance to to put your own spin on the Bard: priceless! Irresistible. Here, Shakespeare is presented much as I see him myself, pure genius, seeing through and understanding all, the wordsmith, a mind for the ages, even immune to the Doctor's psychic ID. For Doctor Who and Shakespeare fans, "The Shakespeare Code" is all just a little bit of heaven here on Earth. All as funny and thought provoking as usual. 🐢
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