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“THE SHAKESPEARE CODE – TO BE, OR NOT TO BE (A CLASSIC)”

It’s a curious fact that it took until Doctor Who's 2007 revival for Shakespeare to take centre stage in a televised adventure. The Shakespeare Code sends Martha Jones on her very first trip through time and space to Elizabethan London, where witches stalk the Globe and the lost play Love’s Labour Won holds a sinister secret. While the episode blends historical romp, sci-fi threat, and theatrical homage with considerable style, it never quite conjures the magic it promises.

A STAGE WELL-SET

Visually, this is a triumph. The BBC’s period production teams always know how to make historical London look rich and lived-in on a modest budget. The costumes, set design, and authentic-seeming Globe Theatre setting all impress, and Murray Gold’s score – particularly the Elizabethan lute pieces – help embed us in the era with delicate flair. The story paints a lively picture of 1599: dirty, dangerous, but buzzing with ideas and energy. It even pokes fun at the romanticised version of history, reminding us that the “Golden Age” of culture also smelled of sewage and was full of angry mobs.

The script doesn’t shy away from meta-commentary, either. Shakespeare’s language is deployed with theatrical glee, full of literary nods and cheeky jokes. The writers are clearly having a ball referencing and riffing on the Bard’s famous phrases, even if it occasionally tips over into self-satisfied fanboyism.

SHAKESPEARE UNBOUND

Dean Lennox Kelly’s portrayal of Shakespeare is colourful and crowd-pleasing: this is the Bard as a swaggering rockstar and lyrical genius. He flirts with Martha, cracks wise, and sees through the Doctor’s psychic paper like no one else. His superpowered use of language is eventually what saves the day – naturally. While it’s fun to see Shakespeare placed on this sort of pedestal, there’s also something slightly too polished about it. The show adores him a little too much, and his portrayal never quite escapes the air of mythologising.

Still, the story does find clever ways to blend Shakespeare’s world with sci-fi. The “science behind the spell” approach, typical of Doctor Who, is in full swing. The Carrionites are not really witches, of course, but aliens using language as a form of technology – spellcasting through wordsmithing. It’s a clever conceit, linking the magic of language to the literal power of words, and it allows for some memorable moments – even if the execution isn’t always as sharp as the idea.

THE WITCHES OF WORDCRAFT

The Carrionites make a strong first impression. Their grotesque design, witchy cackles, and murderous glee in the cold open are deeply effective. Sadly, they never quite maintain that menace. As the story progresses, their threat level drops and their presence becomes more pantomime than petrifying. They hover menacingly, speak in rhymes, and wave around space-brooms – but ultimately don’t do very much. There’s a missed opportunity here to really explore or develop them beyond their initial fright factor.

Their leader’s eventual confrontation with the Doctor is oddly lacklustre. While the premise of a lost Shakespearean play being a Carrionite incantation is a smart hook, the resolution feels chaotic and silly. Shakespeare saves the day with a last-minute burst of poetic rhetoric – culminating in the Harry Potter gag “Expelliarmus!”, which, while amusing, undercuts the moment.

MARTYRS TO MARTHA

This being Martha’s first proper adventure, The Shakespeare Code does a decent job of establishing her as quick-thinking and capable. She immediately ponders the dangers of time travel and even considers the implications of being a Black woman in 16th-century England – though the episode doesn’t really do anything meaningful with that line of thought. Still, it’s refreshing to see a companion take the butterfly effect seriously from the outset.

Less successful is the early setup of Martha’s unrequited love for the Doctor. The moment she gazes longingly at him while he’s reminiscing about Rose is jarring and forced, especially in the context of such a fresh adventure. It’s a weak note in an otherwise engaging debut.

FLIGHTS OF FANCY

Like many historical episodes, the pace here is fairly relaxed until the final act. The first two-thirds revolve around world-building, witty banter, and the slow emergence of the plot. There’s not much action until the climax, and even when it arrives, it feels more like a box-ticking exercise than a dramatic crescendo. There’s also another dose of cartoonish Doctor slapstick, with the now-too-familiar moment of Martha jumpstarting his heart with a slap to the chest – echoing Smith and Jones in both tone and awkwardness.

The real joy of the ending comes not from the witches or the wordplay, but from a surprise royal cameo: Queen Elizabeth I shows up in a fury, revealing that she knows the Doctor – and hates him. Her cry of “Off with his head!” is an excellent punchline, made even better by its future payoff in The Day of the Doctor six years later.

📝 THE BOTTOM LINE:

The Shakespeare Code is a witty, well-mounted historical with a strong concept and clever flourishes, but its uneven pacing, underwhelming villains, and slightly smug tone keep it from greatness. A fun jaunt for literature lovers and Martha fans, but not quite a classic. 6/10.