I always felt Martha was under valued. I mean out of all or most of new Who companions she is the most independent. She is a trainee Doctor something that obviously takes a lot of hard word and dedication with the studying. She lives in her own flat. She doesn't live with her parents or any of her family she lives alone meaning she knows how to cope in the real world. And you can also kind of understand her motivation for wanting to travel with the Doctor. As a child of divorce in a family where there has been tension in the past between both sides of my family I can totally get it. Martha has both her her parents at war taking shots at each other with no regard for their children. Martha has a spark and a quality about her that I liked. Grounded, good sense of empathy, quick thinking, book smart and street smart. So yeah a little bit of love and appreciation for Martha.
the problem is that all of that is background. She has the perfect background to be great, but apart from this episode, human nature 2 parter and her traveling the world with the Master at the end, she spends most episodes waiting for the Doctor to save her, and she almost never challenges him in the way Rose does. So sure, her background is cool, but her actual trackrecord as companion is the problem. I say this coming back from a re-watch and I was specifically looking to see if I had undervalued Martha. I thought I had when I saw this ep, but then I saw the rest... nope. Course, not saying everyone should dislike her or something, but those are the reasons people tend to dislike Martha IMO.
@@alejandrogangotena9033 When did Rose ever challenge 10 though, 9 maybe but never 10. Martha also saves 10s ass in almost every episode this series. CPR in this episode, helping his heart in the next one saving the day in 42, looking after him in human nature and travelling the world to stop the Master.
I think many of us needed some more distance from her appearance to appreciate her. I feel like she's gone up in many people's estimations over the years (my own included).
@@Ben-vf5gk It´s possible that Rose didn´t challenge Tennnant as much, I would have to check my notes. We may simply disagree, we all like diferent things, but I know I gave Martha a good chance on this rewatch and was even expecting to be proved wrong on my under appreciation of her. It didn´t happen. She was amazing in her first episode, but she just went down the drain on the coming ones for me. I did like her and her family a lot in the ending with the Master though, it was also a good climax to her recurring "have faith in the doctor" theme.
I just love that RTD constructed bits of this episode around the phrase "platoon of Judoon on the Moon" solely because Tennant' s estuary English accent tended to be most strained with "oo" sounds
Always find it a great re-watch episode. I think Martha was one of the most unfairly treated companions where you saw how capable she was on-screen while we just kept getting "told" by the Doctor how awesome Rose was. I think this is the writers' problem with the Liz Shaw Effect raising it's head; ie being unable to write a character arc for an already competent character.
What I love about Martha is that she's an independent, adult woman written well. Moffat tried to make Amy and Clara "strong independent women" by just making them sassy and sexy, which always just felt cringy to me. Martha feels like a real human being, she's strong and brave and loyal but she has her faults which is VERY important Edit: No disrespect to Amy, I do quite like her as a companion
Billy isnt bad either if you take in account that she is a blank slate type o character. Amy is definitly not an independent womenWhich is really the akward romance, i mean before she finally makes up her mind that she loves only rory. I think claea would hve been a better character i she either became a more realiticly developed character, or left far sooner. Not the actress, claras double was very well acted.
One of my favourite companions... sadly, Russel T. Davies was obsessed with Rose and had to remind us about her every single time. Martha deserved better treatment. Her acting in things like Human Nature/Family of Blood is astounding.
This is right behind Eleventh Hour in terms of episodes I would use as a jumping on point for newcomers. It REALLY works as an introduction to the show I think, and it’s here where the RTD era of the show really begins to fully synthesize.
Probably a different kind of radiation in End of Time. In Smith & Jones he says how its "Only Roentgen Radiation". Making me think there are multiple types of varying lethality to Time Lords.
There is a big difference between Roentgen radiation from the atom's shell (the electrons), and the alpha-, gamma- radiation, which has its source from inside an atom (the protons and neutrons)
@@rogerlynch5279 That was not my point. I only wanted to stress that in terms of physical law it was not contradictory that Roentgen radiation could be shaken off by the doctor - whereas the x-ray type in End of Time had lethal consequences for the timelord.
Weird how Smith and Jones, and The Eleventh Hour (two of the top rated openers) are basically the same story. Evil shapeshifter, douchey alien police, The Doctor tricks them into impersonating an alien. Introduces companion. Very short time limit for high-stakes. Formula seems to work!
A REALLY solid season opener ... and the start of my FAVOURITE series of Nu Who since it returned. In the UK series 3 was the time where it felt - to me at least - that the show REALLY exploded in popularity. I remember SO many people in my life watching it every Saturday evening, even though they normally wouldn't have any interest in Doctor Who. The show seemed to have a 'buzz' around it, and Tennant was loved by all. I also remember that the build-up to the whole Saxon mystery had everyone VERY excited and talking ... It was pretty obvious he was going to be The Master, but nothing could prepare us for HOW they would bring him back. GREAT times for the show ...
Might be but the New Doctor Who Episodes sold very well in Europe at least. The episodes from 2005 on are often on rerun on German stations to see. Also you find them as DVDs in the Electro Markets here in Germany
When I was a kid Martha was my least favourite companion but as I got older she quickly grew into one of my favourites. I have no idea why I didn’t like her when I was little. Probably just because she wasn’t Rose.
Yeah, same for me ... Everyone loved Rose, so poor Martha had a thankless task that year. Looking back, she did very well and was a very solid character.
I was like this a bit, but it applied more to 11 compared to 10. As a kid I hated Smith because he wasn't Tennant. As an adult, I like Smith loads more than Tennant.
no wonder " MARTHA " among the younger female compagnions of the Doctor felt much more LESS GIRLISH " as the others. Even Bill Potts was more of a young student as a " finished adult "
Smith and Jones is one of my two favorite season openers, the other being The 11th Hour. They both start off with a bang and then just keep going at full speed.
I am rewatching this series with my family (it's the first time watching it for them) and we kinda have the same pace as these reaction videos get uploaded. So everytime after I've seen an episode with them, I can go to youtube to watch your review. It is really fun!
The thing about the radiation though is that in this episode it's x-rays whereas in the End of Time he is struck by gamma rays, which are far more powerful and dangerous. Why they use X ray's in hospitals to see skeletons and not gamma rays, as while x-rays are ionising, they're far safer to work with in a controlled environment
I do like the plasmavore as a monster of the week and I really like the whole "sweet little old lady is really evil" thing. Had it not been a stupid straw it probably would have been really good.
When you mentioned the weird way the Doctor controlled his body, I immediately thought of how he can convert air into blood (since he was dying of blood loss and got revived when a medical student - knowing the blood loss thing - gave him mouth to mouth...)
I have three episodes of Doctor Who that I watch when I have a bad day: Partners in Crime, Unicorn and the Wasp and Smith and Jones. They might not technically be the best stories but they are just such a good time that you can’t help but be left with a smile on your face.
I saw your berlesque performance as the 13th doctor on the Drags and dolls UA-cam channel. I wanted to congratulations you on being the best Doctor, with the best tassels.
The Judoon remind very much at some of the Disney movies. like BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971) or ROBIN HOOD ( 1973 ) 7:36 Yes THE KISS SCENE was out of charackter for the DOCTOR - turning him into James Bond in a Police Box had been a bad idea.
One of my favorite episodes from Tennant's era. A bit silly at times, especially with the straw and the Judoon (sp?) but Martha and the Doctor make a great team here.
Just watched this one last night, and I kept wondering why the Doctor didn't just grab a permanent marker and put a X on his hand so they'd ignore him. I get that they wanted him to kiss Martha and set that up in the first episode, but it seems like a really big thing for the Doctor or Martha to miss.
I really liked Smith and Jones. And to this day Martha is one of my favorite companions. This is one of the episodes that are just a really good watch and one of the episodes I re watch from time to time without being bored by it.
This episode is one of the two I started with to get my husband into Doctor Who. I thought this episode was good. Early Martha has always been my favorite After the episode, he wanted to watch more, so mission accomplished. The only complaint he had was he thought it was very rude to Martha to compare her to Rose so openly. He is undecided on whether he likes the whole romance between the Doctor and anyone else lasting more than one episode. (I also showed him "The Girl in the Fireplace"; which he loved)
The Doctor shouldn't be romantic because in 'An Unearthly Child', the first episode of Doctor Who overall, he/she already has a granddaughter, Susan. It makes it feel weird.
When I started watching Who, Martha was the least popular companion. It's nice to see that in a rewatch, she really holds her own. So much of the dislike is because we're seeing her through the Doctor's point of view, and he can't like her too much because she has this stupid crush on him and he feels disloyal to Rose if he does. But I remember watching Human Nature and going, you know, Rose NEVER would have impersonated a maid for three months. She would have run a mile. But Martha did when she had to. She made the best of it, because she needed to keep the Doctor safe, and that was more important. Ditto with her trek around the globe in the finale.
I love this episode. I think it’s the best introduction we ever got to a companion, I love Martha and I think the Tenth Doctor works better here than he did in series two.
Very likeable episode, it did everything it needed to do and I think it's very typical doctor who. Great introduction to the show even if it's not amazing. Speaking of villains, the eleventh hour's villain was also some sort of alien criminal hiding out on Earth using some form of shapechanging to hide from another group of villains who want to capture them and don't really care about casualties along the way. It was a little better done there I think, but just noticed that similarity.
I had difficulty liking Martha upon first viewing because just like Ten, I was also missing Rose altho I don't see Martha as a rebound. Ten does see her as a companion and is still mourning Rose while she has a huge crush on him so it's onesided love if anything. But I'm sure it can be taken as a rebound thing aswell depending how you look at it. I'm glad he took time to mourn Rose because usually when people die or leave next time around people act like it's all okay and it's not. Thus Ten's humanity comes in, I know the Doctor is supposed to be alien and not feel as much but hey, I love when characters feel so it was just the right cup of tea for me. But I do agree due to his mourning, Martha didn't get to shine as much as she could. Which is why I'm glad we get her back for The end of time where she's shown to be a badass person. Her leave at end of season 3 was incredible too because it shows that she is in fact a strong person and realizes when someone doesn't like you back, you don't need to be their side pet and you can leave and live your life. Season 3 was fun, had issues I'm sure but those didn't stop me from enjoying it. Martha was a great companion, like the rest.
One of my favourite openers in NewWho. This was the first ever episode of Doctor Who that I have ever watched and I will not forget how charismatic and charming (in hindsight, so much better than he was in Series 2) he was, how likeable Martha was, and how creepy, yet mystical the atmosphere was. Admittedly, I have a nostalgic bias towards this Series, but this is my second favourite NewWho series, so I can't wait for these reviews.
@numpteez Last of the Time Lords is easily the weakest of the three, but the Master's death scene pulls it back together for me. The space Jesus stuff was a lot harder to let go of in Voyage of the Damned.
I really liked this episode. I thought the kiss was too much as well, but they covered it really well later in the series (all the problems it created and the eventual split of this team). I love the Judoon...so hilarious!!!
The doctor was able to rid himself of this radiation basically because it is a much lower dosage and a much lower energy than the one from the End of Time.
I really l iked this episode. It was a shame Martha could stay this bright and cool for coming eps. and YESS it´s awesome to have allies on the "stop man meat-ing the Doctor you stupid apes!" camp :D I liked the villain, as you said it could have been better developed but not much to be doable about that. I did love the straw.
Can i ask you cover Doctor Who and I think this content is great, are you going to be looking at any of the spin-offs, like Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures?
Also, I would like to add something, in this video, you reference the radiation in this and the way he regenerates in The end of time part 2, there is an explanation in both episodes. The simple explanation is that the Timelord's can absorb low level amounts, like in the hospital, but in the end of time, he says it's gone critical and that the glass in the booth makes it lethal. That's what I got from those episodes anyway.
The main reason I've stayed away from both Torchwood and SJA is... well because I didn't really enjoy either one of them all that much (for very different reasons). That in an of itself isn't a reason to not talk about them, but for me to feel like I've got my head on straight about either one I'd have to rewatch them. And... I kind of don't want to do that. Not with how little spare time I've got these days. Those are the kinds of projects I'd be more open to if this gig was paying my bills.
@@CouncilofGeeks, i understand that to be honest, I understand that neither show is really of the same quality. Although there is one episode of SJA that I would recommend if you are up for watching it sometime, it's called the eternity trap, but only if wanted to. Although I do like the Doctor Who reviews a lot, and can't wait to hear your views on 42, when you come to it, that episode for some reason divides a lot of people.
Absolutely love this episode, what a way to start a series off with style! IMO series 3 is the only series to nail *both* the opener and the finale... most series fail at the opener.
Or finale in Moffat's case. I found all of his finales pretty disappointing (with perhaps the exceptions of Name of the Doctor and The Pandora Opens/The Big Bang)
This episode is confusing me bc at some point the doctor said they can't let the Judoons find the alien or they'll execute the entire hospital for hiding a criminal, and then the Doctor and Martha are the ones telling the Judoons where the alien is
The difference is that if the Judoon find the alien in hiding, they'll assume the rest of the hospital was in on it. But if they turn the alien over it's clear that they weren't in cahoots.
Is it just me that doesn’t get how the Doctor proved to Martha that he can’t time travel too?? All that happens is he make the TARDIS disappears, he takes off his tie then reappears It doesn’t actually prove anything
I really liked Martha, even back in the day when she was getting dunked on by all the Rose/ doctor shippers. Bah I say Martha was awesome and probably has the best exist of the modern companions. She didn't polut the story like rose, Amy, or Chara ( and even Donna to an extent to I still love Donna) making everything about her. She didn't out stay her welcome like Rose or Chara. And wasn't super important or Destened for greatness and taragidy.
Underrated episode. I think it's the best Davies series opener, but Moffat was much better at those. I like it more than Rose, New Earth, Partners in Crime, Asylum of the Daleks and The Bells of St. John. But I prefer The Eleventh Hour, The Impossible Astronaut, Deep Breath, The Magician's Apprentice, The Pilot and The Woman Who Fell to Earth.
I agree with everything you said about the companion doctor thing. I enjoyed it with river becuase she's not an actual companion but in every other case it made me cringe
Martha got so stiffed by the writers and sequence of events. I think if they left off the bullshit crush and made her more of a Donna-like character to help Ten snap out of his weepy weepy state she would've been able to fully unfurl her potential to be a badass.
The crush really does undermine things. I think it would have been a far more interesting dynamic for the Doctor to treat her like a rebound but she didn't even have feelings for him the way Rose did. Maybe that would have made the Doctor too much a jerk for some people... except the Doctor often is a jerk, and 10 more-so than people are willing to admit.
@@CouncilofGeeks That role-reversal wouldve been fascinating but then we wouldn't have gotten Family of Blood which is still one of the best two-parters ever.
@@CouncilofGeeks Same here, I'm the same way with Martha as I am with Bill, where it takes some rewatching for me to really appreciate her as a character I mean I still like Bill way better but it's similar in that way
Martha Jones is one of my top 3 favorite companions. Its frustrating whenever the show one ups Rose with all those mentions whereas Martha proves to be very resourceful when on her own. Speaking of which, Martha gets separated from the Doctor a lot.
Surprised you didn't mention them bothering to have Martha mention her dead cousin - purely because Freema had been in the show before (even if technically it was only 2-3 episodes earlier). Only in TV land do people have identical cousins =D
@@jacobwheeler1348 Damn, I had to re-watch. Don't know what happened first time around! My bad :( Still surprised it didn't bother him though, but then it's the kind of thing that bothers me a bit - DW has re-used actors many times and rarely bothers. Worst example is Capaldi.
@@jacobwheeler1348 Neither do I, like classic Who did many times over. That's why I don't see a reason to draw attention to it. I'm not *complaining* - it's honestly no bigger or smaller a nitpick than most mentioned on this channel or in reviews generally x
disclaimer... I like silly episodes. I love love love the episode love and monsters. with that being said I think Smith and Jones was a solid episode due to solely to the numbers of visual moments that stick to a new viewers mind. 1. the jadoon. lol using the fucking markers on humans. they've got unlimited alien tech but no one does it better than Sharpee it seems. 2. the motorcycle guys. I mean... look at them. 3. the moon. the whole sequence from the upside down rain right up to... 4. ...the balcony. Jones was Halle brave and smart when she allows herself with the doctor. 5. the physical. seeing a young Dr jones face when she realized her patient had two hearts was priceless. the doctors wink in response still gives me chills. 6. the necktie. right at the beginning a new viewer is like ok who's this lady and why are we watching her walk? and boom... here's the doctor showing her a necktie and walking away without context. i like rewatching shows from a first time veiwer mind set. when I showed my wife this episode a year or so ago she loved almost every detail even though she was still mourning for Rose (but deep down aren't we all mourning for Rose?) ps... yes the radiation and straw moments made no sense but does anything actually need to make sense on a show about time traveling motorcycle Dr rhino people in neck ties?
I love Martha and I think this episode was a good introduction for her. The episode was funny but what bugs me is the ending: the Doctor just unplugs the machine and the Judoon return the hospital to Earth. A very boring solution.
You actually pronounced Agyeman right according to Freema herself: ua-cam.com/video/62RyVirq7Wo/v-deo.html Although I remember a BBC announcer at the end of an episode saying "*ay* gya man" with "g" as in "guy" so I guess they didn't check. lol This is one of my favourite episodes of Doctor Who. It's one of the first ones to pop into my head when I want to watch a random fun episode, because it's just so absurd. You can sympathise with Martha, a normal person going in to work when she looks out the window: "Oh, we're on the moon. Why the fuck are we on the moon? Let's ask the space rhinos." o_O The only thing that really bugged me was the supposedly clever medical doctor not seeming to understand how CPR works. Normally I wouldn't pick on Doctor Who for this sort of thing, but they make a point of showing Martha's intelligence by her adjusting for two hearts, and, I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure it's impossible to compress a heart through the side of the ribcage like that. The reason you press on the center and not the left side is because the sternum is the only part of the chest that's flexible. Also, it makes a common mistake: chest compressions don't fix anything, it's just manually beating the heart while other people (who aren't here) get the medication and equipment (Martha didn't grab) to actually address the problem. She also didn't check his vital signs before deciding he needed CPR. The way it's edited she might have between cuts, but she just sits there for so long, it's really frustrating.
I never used to be a huge fan of Martha, as I didn’t like her incessant pining after the Doctor; and she seemed to be there for no reason other than that. But I think after rewatching episodes featuring her over the years I have warmed to her.
Just catching up on the overdue reviews i've missed lol and... yeah, I'm not a huge fan of the Doctor kissing Martha. I feel so immensely bad for her and I wish her story wasn't a storyline of 'rebound' relationships... I like that the Doctor mentions Rose since it's something she brought up with him herself, but it is quite iffy for me in this season in the way he goes about it all.... ahhh idk. I remember watching Bob & Rose which is a short series written by RTD about a gay man falling in love with a woman (based on a person he knew) and watching that I could see where RTD was picking out storylines to use within doctor who lol. Certain lines from there I could hear Martha say as Bob had a female friend who had a crush on him. But.. yeah, I wish Martha had been written to not fall in love with the Doctor.. I like that by the end of series 3, the unrequited love angle is resolved to empower Martha rather than her leaving tearfully, she leaves with her head held high. A lot of people nowadays seem to think a good ending for a companion is a sad one but I feel this is a disservice to Martha's character since her exit was so lovely and felt natural.. I feel very up and down about series 3 lol
Martha is easily my favorite companion of Ten's. Donna is great, but Martha just appeals to me more. I really am not very fond of Rose. Smith and Jones is a good introduction episode. The Eleventh Hour really is the best of the new companion episodes in NuWho, but I think I might rank this second. (Though "Rose" gets major respect for just how much it needed to introduce.)
I forgot Martha was a doctor....... Man Dr Who does a TERRIBLE job when it comes to giving a companion a profession and then never fully utilizing it later. Like oh hey Yaz is a cop lets not have her even raise an eyebrow at this wanna be Donald Trump waving around a gun. ETC. Also the number of times I watched this episode I never could actually see the visual of "the rains going up"
I think that people really forget just how mediocre this series was. In my opinion episodes 2 to 7 all range from awful to meh. Throw in the not-very-good finale and I honestly feel that this is one of the most overrated series in Dr Who's history.
Not my favorite season either, but when they work they work. Human Nature/Family of Blood is one of my favorite eps in all of Who. Plus Blink. Oh, and Utopia, which I liked better than the finale. Honorable Mention for Gridlock.
It's part of a pattern is the thing that annoys me. We get a reuse of the "saved by two hearts" in the very next episode, and there's how 10 expels poison in Unicorn and the Wasp.
I feel like if this story featured Eccleston, Smith, or Capaldi, the Doctor would've told the Judoon to get the hell off this planet. Er... moon. I mean, they were just gonna let a thousand people on the Moon and half the population on Earth _die._ But the Tenth Doctor, he's a bit more desensitized in my opinion. He really only cares if someone dies _on_ his watch, not off it. Oh, and maybe the Doctor couldn't have survived the radiation in The End of Time Part 2, but there's nothing to suggest he couldn't have just shaken off the radiation from that Dalek blast in The Stolen Earth! I mean, whenever a Dalek shoots someone, we see the poor victim's skeleton! That's because it's x-ray radiation! I really like Martha. She was most certainly the cleverest companion, at least during RTD's run. She got treated unfairly, in my opinion.
Series 3, for me at least, is the most average RTDs series-I know it has a few bad episodes but thats balanced with the great/good episodes in this series. The remaining episodes are just, ok.
I always felt Martha was under valued. I mean out of all or most of new Who companions she is the most independent. She is a trainee Doctor something that obviously takes a lot of hard word and dedication with the studying. She lives in her own flat. She doesn't live with her parents or any of her family she lives alone meaning she knows how to cope in the real world. And you can also kind of understand her motivation for wanting to travel with the Doctor. As a child of divorce in a family where there has been tension in the past between both sides of my family I can totally get it. Martha has both her her parents at war taking shots at each other with no regard for their children. Martha has a spark and a quality about her that I liked. Grounded, good sense of empathy, quick thinking, book smart and street smart. So yeah a little bit of love and appreciation for Martha.
the problem is that all of that is background. She has the perfect background to be great, but apart from this episode, human nature 2 parter and her traveling the world with the Master at the end, she spends most episodes waiting for the Doctor to save her, and she almost never challenges him in the way Rose does.
So sure, her background is cool, but her actual trackrecord as companion is the problem. I say this coming back from a re-watch and I was specifically looking to see if I had undervalued Martha. I thought I had when I saw this ep, but then I saw the rest... nope.
Course, not saying everyone should dislike her or something, but those are the reasons people tend to dislike Martha IMO.
@@alejandrogangotena9033 When did Rose ever challenge 10 though, 9 maybe but never 10.
Martha also saves 10s ass in almost every episode this series. CPR in this episode, helping his heart in the next one saving the day in 42, looking after him in human nature and travelling the world to stop the Master.
I think many of us needed some more distance from her appearance to appreciate her. I feel like she's gone up in many people's estimations over the years (my own included).
@@Ben-vf5gk It´s possible that Rose didn´t challenge Tennnant as much, I would have to check my notes.
We may simply disagree, we all like diferent things, but I know I gave Martha a good chance on this rewatch and was even expecting to be proved wrong on my under appreciation of her. It didn´t happen. She was amazing in her first episode, but she just went down the drain on the coming ones for me.
I did like her and her family a lot in the ending with the Master though, it was also a good climax to her recurring "have faith in the doctor" theme.
@@CouncilofGeeks looking forward to hear that as you rewatch :D
I just love that RTD constructed bits of this episode around the phrase "platoon of Judoon on the Moon" solely because Tennant' s estuary English accent tended to be most strained with "oo" sounds
I do kind of love when writers mess with the actors like that.
The actress who plays Martha's mother was also one of the cat nurses in the previous series
Always find it a great re-watch episode. I think Martha was one of the most unfairly treated companions where you saw how capable she was on-screen while we just kept getting "told" by the Doctor how awesome Rose was.
I think this is the writers' problem with the Liz Shaw Effect raising it's head; ie being unable to write a character arc for an already competent character.
That sounds like a very interesting hypothesis. Kudos
What I love about Martha is that she's an independent, adult woman written well. Moffat tried to make Amy and Clara "strong independent women" by just making them sassy and sexy, which always just felt cringy to me. Martha feels like a real human being, she's strong and brave and loyal but she has her faults which is VERY important
Edit: No disrespect to Amy, I do quite like her as a companion
"Clara bad"
Billy isnt bad either if you take in account that she is a blank slate type o character. Amy is definitly not an independent womenWhich is really the akward romance, i mean before she finally makes up her mind that she loves only rory. I think claea would hve been a better character i she either became a more realiticly developed character, or left far sooner. Not the actress, claras double was very well acted.
@SpankMeSanta I think the reason it works so well with River is because her witt and sass is backed up by her being an actual bad-ass.
One of my favourite companions... sadly, Russel T. Davies was obsessed with Rose and had to remind us about her every single time. Martha deserved better treatment. Her acting in things like Human Nature/Family of Blood is astounding.
They did drop the whole moping after Rose thing fairly quickly though. She's not really mentioned much after Gridlock
@SpankMeSanta Ah ok yes you are right. Apologies 😂
This is right behind Eleventh Hour in terms of episodes I would use as a jumping on point for newcomers. It REALLY works as an introduction to the show I think, and it’s here where the RTD era of the show really begins to fully synthesize.
I always use The End of the World, because I consider it to be a textbook Who adventure.
louella72 I think Rose is the best
This was my full jumping on episode
"I suppose 2 Doctors are better than 1" I think the story 'The Two Doctors' might bring that claim into question😂😂
Laurence Gill that made me laugh so much 😂😂😂 wow
Damn! I was about to make that joke!
I was just thinking the same thing.
EW! No fair reminding me of that!
@@CouncilofGeeks Wait until you see dimensions in time...
Probably a different kind of radiation in End of Time. In Smith & Jones he says how its "Only Roentgen Radiation". Making me think there are multiple types of varying lethality to Time Lords.
Heck there are multiple types of radiation in real life (Alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray...)
There is a big difference between Roentgen radiation from the atom's shell (the electrons), and the alpha-, gamma- radiation, which has its source from inside an atom (the protons and neutrons)
@@MigoLinden Still, the scene with the tennis shoe was very clownish put into action or as Council of Geeks phrases it " VERY CAMPY " done
@@rogerlynch5279 That was not my point. I only wanted to stress that in terms of physical law it was not contradictory that Roentgen radiation could be shaken off by the doctor - whereas the x-ray type in End of Time had lethal consequences for the timelord.
Weird how Smith and Jones, and The Eleventh Hour (two of the top rated openers) are basically the same story. Evil shapeshifter, douchey alien police, The Doctor tricks them into impersonating an alien. Introduces companion. Very short time limit for high-stakes. Formula seems to work!
A REALLY solid season opener ... and the start of my FAVOURITE series of Nu Who since it returned.
In the UK series 3 was the time where it felt - to me at least - that the show REALLY exploded in popularity. I remember SO many people in my life watching it every Saturday evening, even though they normally wouldn't have any interest in Doctor Who. The show seemed to have a 'buzz' around it, and Tennant was loved by all. I also remember that the build-up to the whole Saxon mystery had everyone VERY excited and talking ... It was pretty obvious he was going to be The Master, but nothing could prepare us for HOW they would bring him back. GREAT times for the show ...
Might be but the New Doctor Who Episodes sold very well in Europe at least. The episodes from 2005 on are often on rerun on German stations to see. Also you find them as DVDs in the Electro Markets here in Germany
Martha is a really underrated companion
When I was a kid Martha was my least favourite companion but as I got older she quickly grew into one of my favourites. I have no idea why I didn’t like her when I was little. Probably just because she wasn’t Rose.
Yeah, same for me ... Everyone loved Rose, so poor Martha had a thankless task that year. Looking back, she did very well and was a very solid character.
I was like this a bit, but it applied more to 11 compared to 10. As a kid I hated Smith because he wasn't Tennant. As an adult, I like Smith loads more than Tennant.
That was the doctors reason too
no wonder " MARTHA " among the younger female compagnions of the Doctor felt much more LESS GIRLISH " as the others. Even Bill Potts was more of a young student as a " finished adult "
Smith and Jones is one of my two favorite season openers, the other being The 11th Hour. They both start off with a bang and then just keep going at full speed.
The episode creeped me out with the straw
It was a very sharp straw xD
Yeah Miss Finnegan was pretty scary to be fair, especially the straw thing. I liked her as a villain tbh.
I am rewatching this series with my family (it's the first time watching it for them) and we kinda have the same pace as these reaction videos get uploaded. So everytime after I've seen an episode with them, I can go to youtube to watch your review. It is really fun!
The thing about the radiation though is that in this episode it's x-rays whereas in the End of Time he is struck by gamma rays, which are far more powerful and dangerous. Why they use X ray's in hospitals to see skeletons and not gamma rays, as while x-rays are ionising, they're far safer to work with in a controlled environment
I honestly love this episode. I have watched it countless times and I enjoy it everytime!
I do like the plasmavore as a monster of the week and I really like the whole "sweet little old lady is really evil" thing. Had it not been a stupid straw it probably would have been really good.
Well how else could they keep that PG since the monster had to drink blood.
When you mentioned the weird way the Doctor controlled his body, I immediately thought of how he can convert air into blood (since he was dying of blood loss and got revived when a medical student - knowing the blood loss thing - gave him mouth to mouth...)
They did some really fun stuff with the Judoon in The Sarah Jane Adventures
I have three episodes of Doctor Who that I watch when I have a bad day: Partners in Crime, Unicorn and the Wasp and Smith and Jones. They might not technically be the best stories but they are just such a good time that you can’t help but be left with a smile on your face.
7:03 it probably was too much radiation to get rid off in the end of time
The Big Finish Anthology "Classic Doctors, New Monsters" has a story featuring the Judoon. They also appear on The Sarah Jane Adventures.
Martha is, was, and will always be my favorite companion of New Who. I'd say that she is "us" more than any other companion.
I saw your berlesque performance as the 13th doctor on the Drags and dolls UA-cam channel. I wanted to congratulations you on being the best Doctor, with the best tassels.
I'm so glad I've finally gotten halfway decent at spinning those things.
@@CouncilofGeeks honestly you make it look easy! I had no idea it was difficult.
When you don’t have much chest to work with... yeah it’s tricky.
@@CouncilofGeeks Well now I'm even more impressed! I look forward to seeing your future preformances. Keep up the good work.
The Judoon remind very much at some of the Disney movies. like BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971) or ROBIN HOOD ( 1973 )
7:36 Yes THE KISS SCENE was out of charackter for the DOCTOR - turning him into James Bond in a Police Box had been a bad idea.
One of my favorite episodes from Tennant's era. A bit silly at times, especially with the straw and the Judoon (sp?) but Martha and the Doctor make a great team here.
This is THE first episode of Doctor Who I ever watched all the way through. Its what got me hooked on the entire series as a whole!
My Favorite Companions :
Sarah Jane Smith
Martha Jones-Smith
Ace
Nardol (Who is really Dorian Moldovan)
Mickey Smith
Clara Oswald
Rory Williams
Just watched this one last night, and I kept wondering why the Doctor didn't just grab a permanent marker and put a X on his hand so they'd ignore him. I get that they wanted him to kiss Martha and set that up in the first episode, but it seems like a really big thing for the Doctor or Martha to miss.
I love this opener
I really liked Smith and Jones. And to this day Martha is one of my favorite companions. This is one of the episodes that are just a really good watch and one of the episodes I re watch from time to time without being bored by it.
This episode is one of the two I started with to get my husband into Doctor Who. I thought this episode was good. Early Martha has always been my favorite After the episode, he wanted to watch more, so mission accomplished. The only complaint he had was he thought it was very rude to Martha to compare her to Rose so openly. He is undecided on whether he likes the whole romance between the Doctor and anyone else lasting more than one episode. (I also showed him "The Girl in the Fireplace"; which he loved)
My alternate name for this episode is 'A Doctor of Time and a Doctor of Healing'
The Doctor shouldn't be romantic because in 'An Unearthly Child', the first episode of Doctor Who overall, he/she already has a granddaughter, Susan. It makes it feel weird.
@@modmaker7617 are you implying that once you hit a certain age you can no longer pursue love
@@thenintenbro7154 No! It is just weird. That's all.
The genetic transfer bit does tie into the Master’s resurrection with his wife Lucy.
Waited a long time for this one ❤️
When I started watching Who, Martha was the least popular companion. It's nice to see that in a rewatch, she really holds her own. So much of the dislike is because we're seeing her through the Doctor's point of view, and he can't like her too much because she has this stupid crush on him and he feels disloyal to Rose if he does. But I remember watching Human Nature and going, you know, Rose NEVER would have impersonated a maid for three months. She would have run a mile. But Martha did when she had to. She made the best of it, because she needed to keep the Doctor safe, and that was more important. Ditto with her trek around the globe in the finale.
Yeah I think many (myself included) have been kinder to Martha in hindsight than we were on first viewing.
@@CouncilofGeeks I was guilty of it too. It was only once some time had passed and I watched it again that I realized how great she was.
I love this episode. I think it’s the best introduction we ever got to a companion, I love Martha and I think the Tenth Doctor works better here than he did in series two.
Maybe eleventh hour as well. That one is really, really good
Very likeable episode, it did everything it needed to do and I think it's very typical doctor who. Great introduction to the show even if it's not amazing.
Speaking of villains, the eleventh hour's villain was also some sort of alien criminal hiding out on Earth using some form of shapechanging to hide from another group of villains who want to capture them and don't really care about casualties along the way. It was a little better done there I think, but just noticed that similarity.
I had difficulty liking Martha upon first viewing because just like Ten, I was also missing Rose altho I don't see Martha as a rebound. Ten does see her as a companion and is still mourning Rose while she has a huge crush on him so it's onesided love if anything. But I'm sure it can be taken as a rebound thing aswell depending how you look at it.
I'm glad he took time to mourn Rose because usually when people die or leave next time around people act like it's all okay and it's not. Thus Ten's humanity comes in, I know the Doctor is supposed to be alien and not feel as much but hey, I love when characters feel so it was just the right cup of tea for me.
But I do agree due to his mourning, Martha didn't get to shine as much as she could. Which is why I'm glad we get her back for The end of time where she's shown to be a badass person. Her leave at end of season 3 was incredible too because it shows that she is in fact a strong person and realizes when someone doesn't like you back, you don't need to be their side pet and you can leave and live your life.
Season 3 was fun, had issues I'm sure but those didn't stop me from enjoying it. Martha was a great companion, like the rest.
One of my favourite openers in NewWho. This was the first ever episode of Doctor Who that I have ever watched and I will not forget how charismatic and charming (in hindsight, so much better than he was in Series 2) he was, how likeable Martha was, and how creepy, yet mystical the atmosphere was. Admittedly, I have a nostalgic bias towards this Series, but this is my second favourite NewWho series, so I can't wait for these reviews.
I really like this series too. What do you think of the finale?
@numpteez Last of the Time Lords is easily the weakest of the three, but the Master's death scene pulls it back together for me. The space Jesus stuff was a lot harder to let go of in Voyage of the Damned.
I really liked this episode. I thought the kiss was too much as well, but they covered it really well later in the series (all the problems it created and the eventual split of this team).
I love the Judoon...so hilarious!!!
The doctor was able to rid himself of this radiation basically because it is a much lower dosage and a much lower energy than the one from the End of Time.
I really l iked this episode. It was a shame Martha could stay this bright and cool for coming eps.
and YESS it´s awesome to have allies on the "stop man meat-ing the Doctor you stupid apes!" camp :D
I liked the villain, as you said it could have been better developed but not much to be doable about that. I did love the straw.
I'm not sure the villain actually had the room to be much better, but I still feel like I needed to acknowledge that there wasn't much to her.
My initial reaction to the Judoon was "so this is the new look for the Centaurans, kinda cool" Then the helmets came off, and ruined it.
Martha? How do you know that name?
WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME????!?!??
Martha actually was one of the best things in torchwood. I like unlike the way they treated sarsh jane after she was finished with the doctor
The villain was a modern vampire with a thing for blood flavoured slurpees. Am I right? 😆
Please review The Talons of Weng-Chiang. I would love to hear your thoughts on it!
Is that tie joke supposed to be like the one in *the episode* ?
C'mon Nathanial... where's the rest of the outfit? You only have 2 series and some specials left to find a pin-stripe suit.
Can i ask you cover Doctor Who and I think this content is great, are you going to be looking at any of the spin-offs, like Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures?
Also, I would like to add something, in this video, you reference the radiation in this and the way he regenerates in The end of time part 2, there is an explanation in both episodes. The simple explanation is that the Timelord's can absorb low level amounts, like in the hospital, but in the end of time, he says it's gone critical and that the glass in the booth makes it lethal. That's what I got from those episodes anyway.
The main reason I've stayed away from both Torchwood and SJA is... well because I didn't really enjoy either one of them all that much (for very different reasons). That in an of itself isn't a reason to not talk about them, but for me to feel like I've got my head on straight about either one I'd have to rewatch them. And... I kind of don't want to do that. Not with how little spare time I've got these days. Those are the kinds of projects I'd be more open to if this gig was paying my bills.
@@CouncilofGeeks, i understand that to be honest, I understand that neither show is really of the same quality. Although there is one episode of SJA that I would recommend if you are up for watching it sometime, it's called the eternity trap, but only if wanted to. Although I do like the Doctor Who reviews a lot, and can't wait to hear your views on 42, when you come to it, that episode for some reason divides a lot of people.
Absolutely love this episode, what a way to start a series off with style! IMO series 3 is the only series to nail *both* the opener and the finale... most series fail at the opener.
Or finale in Moffat's case. I found all of his finales pretty disappointing (with perhaps the exceptions of Name of the Doctor and The Pandora Opens/The Big Bang)
@@jamesahanington Agreed, although I quite liked the series 10 finale too.
I have heard Freema Agyeman's last name pronounced by many (professional) people exactly the way you did.
I think this video is too short. My apologies.
Video Request: How many series of doctor who do you think that Jodie Whittaker will be with the current companions from series 11?
This episode is confusing me bc at some point the doctor said they can't let the Judoons find the alien or they'll execute the entire hospital for hiding a criminal, and then the Doctor and Martha are the ones telling the Judoons where the alien is
The difference is that if the Judoon find the alien in hiding, they'll assume the rest of the hospital was in on it. But if they turn the alien over it's clear that they weren't in cahoots.
Is it just me that doesn’t get how the Doctor proved to Martha that he can’t time travel too??
All that happens is he make the TARDIS disappears, he takes off his tie then reappears
It doesn’t actually prove anything
Presumably he was relying on her remembering him approaching her at random to give her his tie at the beginning of the episode.
Aren't the two types of radiation different?
I really liked Martha, even back in the day when she was getting dunked on by all the Rose/ doctor shippers. Bah I say Martha was awesome and probably has the best exist of the modern companions. She didn't polut the story like rose, Amy, or Chara ( and even Donna to an extent to I still love Donna) making everything about her. She didn't out stay her welcome like Rose or Chara. And wasn't super important or Destened for greatness and taragidy.
Underrated episode. I think it's the best Davies series opener, but Moffat was much better at those.
I like it more than Rose, New Earth, Partners in Crime, Asylum of the Daleks and The Bells of St. John. But I prefer The Eleventh Hour, The Impossible Astronaut, Deep Breath, The Magician's Apprentice, The Pilot and The Woman Who Fell to Earth.
I agree with everything you said about the companion doctor thing. I enjoyed it with river becuase she's not an actual companion but in every other case it made me cringe
Martha got so stiffed by the writers and sequence of events. I think if they left off the bullshit crush and made her more of a Donna-like character to help Ten snap out of his weepy weepy state she would've been able to fully unfurl her potential to be a badass.
The crush really does undermine things. I think it would have been a far more interesting dynamic for the Doctor to treat her like a rebound but she didn't even have feelings for him the way Rose did. Maybe that would have made the Doctor too much a jerk for some people... except the Doctor often is a jerk, and 10 more-so than people are willing to admit.
@@CouncilofGeeks That role-reversal wouldve been fascinating but then we wouldn't have gotten Family of Blood which is still one of the best two-parters ever.
I love how like two thirds of the fanbase agrees that Martha is underrated
I think she's gone up in many people's estimations as time has gone on. Myself included.
@@CouncilofGeeks Same here, I'm the same way with Martha as I am with Bill, where it takes some rewatching for me to really appreciate her as a character
I mean I still like Bill way better but it's similar in that way
Martha Jones is one of my top 3 favorite companions. Its frustrating whenever the show one ups Rose with all those mentions whereas Martha proves to be very resourceful when on her own. Speaking of which, Martha gets separated from the Doctor a lot.
Surprised you didn't mention them bothering to have Martha mention her dead cousin - purely because Freema had been in the show before (even if technically it was only 2-3 episodes earlier). Only in TV land do people have identical cousins =D
He literally mentioned her in the first couple seconds?
@@jacobwheeler1348 Damn, I had to re-watch. Don't know what happened first time around! My bad :( Still surprised it didn't bother him though, but then it's the kind of thing that bothers me a bit - DW has re-used actors many times and rarely bothers. Worst example is Capaldi.
@@herbivarsawus4359 Is it really that big of an issue? I don't entirely see why a reuse of an actor is a problem
@@jacobwheeler1348 Neither do I, like classic Who did many times over. That's why I don't see a reason to draw attention to it. I'm not *complaining* - it's honestly no bigger or smaller a nitpick than most mentioned on this channel or in reviews generally x
You know what Doctor Who needs?
an alien that has wheels! Like, biologically. Would be fun.
I’m confused because you ranked The Pilot as Capaldi’s 9th best episode
disclaimer... I like silly episodes. I love love love the episode love and monsters. with that being said I think Smith and Jones was a solid episode due to solely to the numbers of visual moments that stick to a new viewers mind.
1. the jadoon. lol using the fucking markers on humans. they've got unlimited alien tech but no one does it better than Sharpee it seems.
2. the motorcycle guys. I mean... look at them.
3. the moon. the whole sequence from the upside down rain right up to...
4. ...the balcony. Jones was Halle brave and smart when she allows herself with the doctor.
5. the physical. seeing a young Dr jones face when she realized her patient had two hearts was priceless. the doctors wink in response still gives me chills.
6. the necktie. right at the beginning a new viewer is like ok who's this lady and why are we watching her walk? and boom... here's the doctor showing her a necktie and walking away without context.
i like rewatching shows from a first time veiwer mind set. when I showed my wife this episode a year or so ago she loved almost every detail even though she was still mourning for Rose (but deep down aren't we all mourning for Rose?)
ps... yes the radiation and straw moments made no sense but does anything actually need to make sense on a show about time traveling motorcycle Dr rhino people in neck ties?
Seriously... dissing on cat-people… again!
They're cats! They're awsome by default!
I love Martha and I think this episode was a good introduction for her. The episode was funny but what bugs me is the ending: the Doctor just unplugs the machine and the Judoon return the hospital to Earth. A very boring solution.
You actually pronounced Agyeman right according to Freema herself: ua-cam.com/video/62RyVirq7Wo/v-deo.html
Although I remember a BBC announcer at the end of an episode saying "*ay* gya man" with "g" as in "guy" so I guess they didn't check. lol
This is one of my favourite episodes of Doctor Who. It's one of the first ones to pop into my head when I want to watch a random fun episode, because it's just so absurd. You can sympathise with Martha, a normal person going in to work when she looks out the window: "Oh, we're on the moon. Why the fuck are we on the moon? Let's ask the space rhinos." o_O
The only thing that really bugged me was the supposedly clever medical doctor not seeming to understand how CPR works. Normally I wouldn't pick on Doctor Who for this sort of thing, but they make a point of showing Martha's intelligence by her adjusting for two hearts, and, I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure it's impossible to compress a heart through the side of the ribcage like that. The reason you press on the center and not the left side is because the sternum is the only part of the chest that's flexible.
Also, it makes a common mistake: chest compressions don't fix anything, it's just manually beating the heart while other people (who aren't here) get the medication and equipment (Martha didn't grab) to actually address the problem. She also didn't check his vital signs before deciding he needed CPR. The way it's edited she might have between cuts, but she just sits there for so long, it's really frustrating.
I never used to be a huge fan of Martha, as I didn’t like her incessant pining after the Doctor; and she seemed to be there for no reason other than that. But I think after rewatching episodes featuring her over the years I have warmed to her.
Just catching up on the overdue reviews i've missed lol and... yeah, I'm not a huge fan of the Doctor kissing Martha. I feel so immensely bad for her and I wish her story wasn't a storyline of 'rebound' relationships... I like that the Doctor mentions Rose since it's something she brought up with him herself, but it is quite iffy for me in this season in the way he goes about it all.... ahhh idk. I remember watching Bob & Rose which is a short series written by RTD about a gay man falling in love with a woman (based on a person he knew) and watching that I could see where RTD was picking out storylines to use within doctor who lol. Certain lines from there I could hear Martha say as Bob had a female friend who had a crush on him. But.. yeah, I wish Martha had been written to not fall in love with the Doctor.. I like that by the end of series 3, the unrequited love angle is resolved to empower Martha rather than her leaving tearfully, she leaves with her head held high. A lot of people nowadays seem to think a good ending for a companion is a sad one but I feel this is a disservice to Martha's character since her exit was so lovely and felt natural.. I feel very up and down about series 3 lol
Martha is easily my favorite companion of Ten's. Donna is great, but Martha just appeals to me more. I really am not very fond of Rose. Smith and Jones is a good introduction episode. The Eleventh Hour really is the best of the new companion episodes in NuWho, but I think I might rank this second. (Though "Rose" gets major respect for just how much it needed to introduce.)
Random qu. You've seen enough old and new who. Best and worse cannon relationships in Who =.=
I forgot Martha was a doctor....... Man Dr Who does a TERRIBLE job when it comes to giving a companion a profession and then never fully utilizing it later. Like oh hey Yaz is a cop lets not have her even raise an eyebrow at this wanna be Donald Trump waving around a gun. ETC. Also the number of times I watched this episode I never could actually see the visual of "the rains going up"
*cough* Rory *cough*
I can't add much beyond that Martha deserved better episodes. I only really loved Blink.
I think that people really forget just how mediocre this series was. In my opinion episodes 2 to 7 all range from awful to meh. Throw in the not-very-good finale and I honestly feel that this is one of the most overrated series in Dr Who's history.
Not my favorite season either, but when they work they work. Human Nature/Family of Blood is one of my favorite eps in all of Who. Plus Blink. Oh, and Utopia, which I liked better than the finale. Honorable Mention for Gridlock.
I'm guessing the radiation in The End of Time was too much for him. But yeah, that still feels a little ridiculous.
It's part of a pattern is the thing that annoys me. We get a reuse of the "saved by two hearts" in the very next episode, and there's how 10 expels poison in Unicorn and the Wasp.
@@CouncilofGeeks At least the saved by two hearts thing... could potentially make sense. That poison thing, not so much.
I feel like if this story featured Eccleston, Smith, or Capaldi, the Doctor would've told the Judoon to get the hell off this planet. Er... moon. I mean, they were just gonna let a thousand people on the Moon and half the population on Earth _die._ But the Tenth Doctor, he's a bit more desensitized in my opinion. He really only cares if someone dies _on_ his watch, not off it.
Oh, and maybe the Doctor couldn't have survived the radiation in The End of Time Part 2, but there's nothing to suggest he couldn't have just shaken off the radiation from that Dalek blast in The Stolen Earth! I mean, whenever a Dalek shoots someone, we see the poor victim's skeleton! That's because it's x-ray radiation!
I really like Martha. She was most certainly the cleverest companion, at least during RTD's run. She got treated unfairly, in my opinion.
Series 3, for me at least, is the most average RTDs series-I know it has a few bad episodes but thats balanced with the great/good episodes in this series. The remaining episodes are just, ok.
I was actually mad that I liked this episode. I didn't want to like Martha and was annoyed at myself that I did.