The Shakespeare Code
- Episode aired Jul 13, 2007
- TV-PG
- 45m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
7.8K
YOUR RATING
The Doctor takes Martha to London in 1599, where William Shakespeare's new play is being used by three witches in an evil plan.The Doctor takes Martha to London in 1599, where William Shakespeare's new play is being used by three witches in an evil plan.The Doctor takes Martha to London in 1599, where William Shakespeare's new play is being used by three witches in an evil plan.
Paul Bateman
- Groundling
- (uncredited)
Martin Alexander Colton
- Juliet
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Sydney Newman(uncredited)
- Gareth Roberts
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia"Love's Labours Won" is an actual lost William Shakespeare play, the text of which has never been located. Some scholars believe that it is not really lost, but is simply a working title for one of his romantic comedies such as As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, or All's Well That Ends Well, all of which have interchangeable titles which don't describe the play's content very well. Or even The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Twelfth Night, or The Taming of the Shrew, which all revolve around exhaustive efforts in pursuit of love.
- GoofsBecause of poor lighting, among other things, in William Shakespeare's day plays were performed during the day. That was why theaters like The Globe had no roofs, so that the sun could light up the stage. It wasn't until much later that performances became a night-time affair.
- Quotes
Martha Jones: So, magic and stuff? It's a surprise, it's all a bit Harry Potter.
The Doctor: Wait till you read book seven. Oh, I cried.
- Alternate versionsOn Disney XD, edits for content were made: Martha Jones using the word "hell" is muted and her race concerns about being in 1599 - "I'm not going to get carted off as a slave or anything?" "Why ever would you think that?" "Well, not exactly white, in case you hadn't noticed." - are completely cut.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Doctor Who Confidential: Meet Martha Jones (2007)
- SoundtracksDoctor Who Theme
(uncredited)
Written by Ron Grainer
Arranged by Murray Gold
Performed by BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Featured review
Rather Meta.
Gareth Roberts' "The Shakespeare Code" is an episode I originally disliked upon first watching as a kid when it aired & yet as I've grown in to an adult, I've also equally grown to really admire it over time.
The installment boasts a brilliant sense of humour - littered with topical jokes which equate to continuously self aware winks to the camera - ones I wouldn't have understood as a child; a probable contributing factor as to why I initially responded so badly to its release. Additionally, it has a lot of jokes which aren't considered politically correct anymore - but this seems like a deliberate creative choice considering he (the writer) later makes an accurate observational jab about the ever-changing terms which are considered acceptable & how new names / ways of referencing one another / words or phrases continue to modify & be invented throughout history as public perceptions shift & whilst time slowly progresses.
It's an acknowledgement of the unavoidable - embracing it rather than fighting against that inevitability & instead of attempting to remain current & ensure the relevancy of his script for decades to come, he alternatively (& rather boldly) revels in the finality of it - as (like "Love's Labours Won") those words will surely be gone forever some day - so we're encouraged to enjoy them while they last.
Hence, this works in the outing's favour because (as was preemptively predicted by the episode) watching it 13 years later, it has grown a little dated with the terminologies used - just as all works of literature do - but these works persist regardless, as great stories are timeless, irrespective of when they're told to an audience or read - which is the main point conveyed in the narrative - reaffirmed cleverly merely by its existence, in & of itself.
It's an ode to writers - past, present & future - (playing on lines by Shakespeare, Dylan Thomas, JK Rowling etc.) paying homage to their collective contributions whilst restyling & refashioning them for what was then (in 2007) a modern audience.
This culminates to form something potentially controversial in 2020 - but that doesn't detract from the power of the central themes - it actually ironically validates them.
The installment boasts a brilliant sense of humour - littered with topical jokes which equate to continuously self aware winks to the camera - ones I wouldn't have understood as a child; a probable contributing factor as to why I initially responded so badly to its release. Additionally, it has a lot of jokes which aren't considered politically correct anymore - but this seems like a deliberate creative choice considering he (the writer) later makes an accurate observational jab about the ever-changing terms which are considered acceptable & how new names / ways of referencing one another / words or phrases continue to modify & be invented throughout history as public perceptions shift & whilst time slowly progresses.
It's an acknowledgement of the unavoidable - embracing it rather than fighting against that inevitability & instead of attempting to remain current & ensure the relevancy of his script for decades to come, he alternatively (& rather boldly) revels in the finality of it - as (like "Love's Labours Won") those words will surely be gone forever some day - so we're encouraged to enjoy them while they last.
Hence, this works in the outing's favour because (as was preemptively predicted by the episode) watching it 13 years later, it has grown a little dated with the terminologies used - just as all works of literature do - but these works persist regardless, as great stories are timeless, irrespective of when they're told to an audience or read - which is the main point conveyed in the narrative - reaffirmed cleverly merely by its existence, in & of itself.
It's an ode to writers - past, present & future - (playing on lines by Shakespeare, Dylan Thomas, JK Rowling etc.) paying homage to their collective contributions whilst restyling & refashioning them for what was then (in 2007) a modern audience.
This culminates to form something potentially controversial in 2020 - but that doesn't detract from the power of the central themes - it actually ironically validates them.
helpful•00
- W011y4m5
- Apr 4, 2020
Details
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
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