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Smith and Jones Format Reviewed: TV Review Following the departure of Rose and the Christmas Runaway Bride episode, series three kicks off with the introduction of a new companion whilst keeping the continuity of having David Tennant as the Doctor. His tenure so far sits somewhat strangely wiht me. I have now concluded that I have a love-hate relationship with him. When I first see a new story featuring Tennant, I enthuse about his performance. I don't however think that his performances have the longevity of his predecessors. Every new episode, and certainly every new series gives renewed hope though that he will become truly one of the greats of all time! Smith and Jones has a young trainee Doctor in a hospital discover The Doctor in one of the beds. The whole hospital is then transported to the moon by the Judoon, intergalactic policemen who have the task of finding an alien who committed a crime on another world. The Jodoon go about cataloguing all life in teh hospital looking for a non-human to capture for the crimes. Martha Jones, who is working with the Doctor, gets trace elements of non-human tissue when catalogued from a kiss with the Doctor, so that he can find and try to stop the real problem, which is Mrs Finnegan who is the alien that committed the crimes elsewhere. The Doctor eventually tricks Finnegan into being catalogued without the internal human disguise, and she is taken by the Judoon. RUnning out of oxygen, the hospital is then transported back to its rightful place. After an unsuccessful family birthday party, Martha Jones is then found by the Doctor who promises her one trip in the TARDIS, and they leave together. The main talking point of this episode is really the introduction of Martha Jones to the regular cast. I am really intregued that they went ofr someone of the character like Martha, as traditionally similar people have been the less successful companions sch as Liz Shaw. It'll be really interesting how it works out with the obvious intelligence and skill of Martha plays out alongside the Doctor, as opposed to the raw energy of Rose. I really am personally undecided as to whether or not this is a good idea, but am reluctant to embrace another companions family though, as this was a really tedious element of Rose's tenure. The regular cast is now Freema Agyemang as Martha Jones, and David Tennant as the Doctor. Tennant does seem to be starting to mature into the role of the Doctor, and Martha is interesting in that she is quite different from Rose as a companion. I am however sad that the team have seen fit to include Martha's fanily, as I really found the constant harping back to Rose's family tedious. Nothing against the actors involved in being Martha's family, I'd just rather they weren't included. For the rest of the guest cast, it was largely monsters and Mrs Finnegan, the latter played by Anne Reid who does well. Of other worthy note is Roy Marsden as Mr Stoker, who does a fine job. Overall, Smith and Jones is certainly not a classic, but I really think it is very good in an understated way. It is one of those episodes where the introduction of the companion was more important than the vehicle used to introduce, but nevertheless the Judoon were an interesting monster and Mrs Finnegan a good villain. In another context, this story could be held up as one of the greats, but unfortunately will be remembered more for the arrival of Martha than the story itself. Credit must though go to two people, who I have been critical of previously. Firstly, Russel T Davies who I have been very critical of his writing. This is possibly one of his best episodes, and some of the dialogue was really very finely written. Secondly, David Tennant gives a much more mature performance for me, asnd it is such a slight but welcome change that really sets the story off well. Overall, Smith and Jones is not a classic, and will likely be remembered more as the first story of Martha Jones than for the story underneath this introduction. This shouldn't necessarily be so though as we have Russel T Davies at his very best of writing here, and a great performance from David Tennant making this a very strong season start episode, and a great introduction for Martha. Rating:  |