Review of Smith and Jones by 15thDoctor
25 April 2024
This review contains spoilers
A second underrated story in a row, and proof that even the era of the show I am most familiar with still holds surprises. Rhino headed aliens are a stroke of genius, you can see how deft RTD is at creating immediately accessible and relatable enemies for the general public. But crucially they are not the ultimate bad guys - they are heavy handed bureaucrats subjecting a hospital to mistreatment in the name of hunting down a lady who sucks blood through a straw. It’s light and frivolous, as we’ve come to expect with these opening stories - but it’s very much got a solid plot. It holds up significantly better than the series 2 opener.
Martha Jones is the real stars of this show though. Freema Agyemen is a gentle delight. Not going to thwack you round the face with her performance like Tate or even Piper, but plays a more introverted, quiet confidence. An open eyed and excited new look on the universe. I like that she has a serious profession and that she is intelligent and highly qualified. Her chemistry with The Doctor, especially when he takes his tie off at the beginning and end of the show is wonderful.
Shout out to the family arguments as well - why is Russell so good at writing those? The pathetic dad with his ridiculous girlfriend “this is me, putting my foot down!” It gives Martha a sense of reality around her.