WITCHES! | Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 2 "The Shakespeare Code" Reaction!

[@godofpencils01]

The Sycorax joke is a pretty good one because that is the name of Caliban's mother in the Tempest, but no one is sure where Shakespeare got it from, as there seems to be no precedent for it. So it checks out he got it from a time traveller talking about aliens.

[@Longshanks1690]

He also had a hobby for making up new words, so it’s also not THAT inexplicable in that context tbf. 😅

[@alycat2804]

I've always wondered if the writers called them the Sycorax in preparation for a Shakespeare episode

[@SuspenduAuGaffa]

Me watching this: "Yeah, this is quite a fun episode, and you'll probably... OMG TINY KITTEN!! 😻"

[@plothole181]

The Shakespeare joke that Martha was telling at the end had the punchline "You're bard" as in Shakespeare often being referred to as being the Bard, but also being a play on him being barred (banned) from the place. It had nothing to do with Shakespeare going bald. Not to say he didn't eventually go bald, but that wasn't the joke at that point.

[@Shoomer88]

Despite what a few conspiracy theories say, we do know who Shakespeare was. If you're ever in Stratford-upon-Avon you can visit his house. He's buried at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford, next to his wife, Anne,

[@HuntingViolets]

Formerly Anne Hathaway. Surprised no one's done a _Being John Malkovich_ time-travel story about that.

[@Venemofthe888]

The doctor who team actually filmed in the theatre itself although they had to cover so many modern additions to it to preserve the past

[@HuntingViolets]

Freema Agyeman remembered fondly at a con that they used to wander around in there after filming.

[@Corlwow]

It had recently been rebuilt i think? - we visited as a school and they had statues of the witches beneath the globe

[@h3llolime222]

The imbalance of the humors part is referring to old medical science. it was believed that the human body consisted of the four humors. blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. And people thought that any sickness or death was due to there being too much or too little of one of the humors.

[@zvimur]

Like thousands of other phrases "Brave New World" was coined (I believe) by Shakespeare (The Tempest).😊

[@ronfehr7899]

Beginning as mostly a children's show, one goal of Doctor Who was to occasionally introduce historical figures.

[@MarkMonforti]

Starting with Marco polo in 1963

[@mpg272727]

This episode has always been a fun watch around Halloween for me. True fun one and done classic adventure

[@daveangel2991]

Laughed when you said "Uh oh. Spoilers". Remember this. You'll find out why next season.

[@sallyatticum]

The commentary track to this is just David Tennant being a Shakespeare nerd.

[@kurtwagner350]

Where can it be found?

[@sallyatticum]

@@kurtwagner350 Well, it's on my DVD...But I imagine someone uploaded it somewhere.

[@SinematicClips]

the doctor was actually so excited to meet the queen and watching it fade into confusion is one of the funniest scenes in the show, davids delivery of 'what?' lines is always hilarious

[@Corlwow]

Dylan Thomas - is the poet who wrote - Do not go gentle into that good night, which has rage rage against the dying of the light in it

[@TheYoungDoctor]

Both Shakespeare and Elizabeth I appeared in Doctor Who all the back in 1965's The Chase.

[@HuntingViolets]

That's interesting!

[@wrdreacts4247]

This episode aired a short while before Book 7 was released, so David's line about crying was said to every Whovian.

[@rtaylor7384]

The lost play is real. We don’t know what happened to it but it just ended up in a list of his plays but it was never done on stage. This is one these things where Doctor Who try to solve the history mystery.

[@kurtwagner350]

I always like the history episodes where they go back and address some real life mysteries with alien stuff. Feels like they should’ve done it more often.

[@theelvenwtich]

"Rage Rage against the dying of the light." is from Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas. Also, the hospital they were at was officially called Bethlehem Royal Hospital but it was such a nightmare inside for the patients it was called Bedlam by pretty much everyone. Rich people would pay to look at and poke mental patients as a fun time.

[@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg]

The Bedlam thing is the other way round, we get the word 'bedlam' from the Bethlehem hospital.

[@Miscellaneous_Minx]

“Oh I’m so bored, father. May we PLEASE go poke the crazy’s with sticks, papa??”

[@theelvenwtich]

@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg thank you for the clarification. That is what I meant. I just didn't say it quite right.

[@biguy617]

Classic Doctor WHO is great too. The Classic Doctors adventures are on Tubi. The third Doctor, 4th Doctor and 7th Doctor are my favorite classic Doctors but I love them all.

[@TheFireMonkey]

If you didn't know, this episode aired about 3 months before the last Harry Potter book was released. So it was written but the public had not yet read it. Oh, and Shakespeare's son was Hamnet.

[@Sam-sr9zq]

I remember at school we learned about sonnets and Shakespeare, and one day our teacher showed us this episode of Doctor Who because so many of the references are on point. This may be one of my favourite episodes; 2007 was a good year for entertainment. Shakespeare did have a son named Hamnet who was named after a family friend, but the play Hamlet was also directly inspired by the story of Amleth, a medieval Scandinavian legend, which was also adapted into The Northman (Eggers, 2022). P.S. you have a cute lil kitty 🖤🤍🖤🤍

[@emme]

Omg that mustve been so fun to watch doctor who in school!

[@SarahH-ns6ly]

This episode is fun, and I love how the Doctor keeps fanboying over famous writers. Also, what a cute kitten! 😊

[@emme]

Thank you! 😊

[@medafan53]

"I told thee so I told thee so!" I love that the preecher is so happy to be right that he doesn't care about the end of the world.

[@fingal42]

In folklore and demonology, it's thought that if you can specifically name an entity you have power over it. This idea sometimes crops up in fairy tales. Names had power, or so it was thought. What's your name? Don't tell me!

[@lassesgamekanaal]

It was a huge thing in ancient Egypt to.

[@jdeang3531]

Rumplestilskin

[@fingal42]

@@jdeang3531 You nailed it!

[@frnknstndrgqn]

The only thing I remember from school was he Shakespeare died on his birthday. I do love the mentions of Rose. It's not like she's gone so she's erased. He's grieving and needs to grieve.

[@kierandoodykd]

I think I've probably seen this episode like twice ever in my life 😂 and Im 24. I was a kid raised on David Tennant 😂

[@ftumschk]

22:40 Shakespeare's son was indeed called Hamnet, named after a family friend. Nothing to do with "Hamlet", which was written a few years after Hamnet's death.

[@zombiepicnic9683]

There's a fun documentary series from PBS called Shakespeare Uncovered. The episode on Hamlet is even hosted by David Tennant.

[@HuntingViolets]

Shakespeare's identity is confirmed. Some people (including Derek Jacobi) theorize he didn't write his plays, but most are pretty convinced he did. (Mark Twain thought he couldn't have written them because he wouldn't be educated enough -- interesting. Shakespeare's education would have been quite sufficient, even laying aside that people can self-educate after school, as Twain did himself.)

[@ronfehr7899]

The part about his son was true. His name was Hamnet, and he died young.

[@AlmightyCRJ]

Dylan Thomas write 'Rage against the dying of the light'. He's from Swansea, South Wales as is Showrunner Russell T Davies. RTD got an honorary degree from the university that operates out of Dylan's old boys school.

[@ftumschk]

RTD also has a real degree in English from Oxford University.

[@CalDeanOffical]

Another funny fact about Shakespeare is that he would often just spur out extra plays without sort notice giving the actors a very limited amount of time to learn their lines. This would lead to a lot of improvision that has lead to being included in many of the scripts to this day. Other plays are missing the improvised lines and therefore actors of modern are still usually encouraged to explore deeper into the characters and add lines they believe benefit the plays further. It’s up for debate what is needed in his plays and the interpretations of lines in his works ofc. Everyone has different interpretations on all his works and it’s pretty beautiful that his work continues to be timeless. A good example of one of these plays would be the taming of the strew which the ending is highly debated in terms of what it means

[@michaelrobinson2687]

2:47 - Must say the cat looks adorable.

[@CalDeanOffical]

Rage rage against the dying light is a poem by Dylan Thomas. It’s a very famous poem about how different people accept or reject the idea of death but it comes to all eventually. Although my description is dark, the poem is extremely beautiful with imagery of the seas. Amazing works from Dylan Thomas. A Welshmen 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@SeedFactoryProject]

Martha brings up the grandfather paradox/butterfly effect consequences of time travel at the beginning of the episode. Much much later in this show it revealed the TARDIS has a "butterfly compensator" that prevents such problems (except when the plot requires it 🙂).

[@craigmorris4083]

I am so sorry, I was totally distracted by the little kitty :)

[@craigmorris4083]

Also, Hail Hail Freedonia.

[@craigmorris4083]

Oh, and Emme, they keep giving him phrases that he actually wrote. It's why he keeps saying, "might use that". :)

[@IsiahBradley]

THANKS for this, @emmereacts !!!! I do love me some Martha :) I like how, in the beginning, she asks all the questions I would in pretty much the order I'd ask them. I think this episode is a perfect introductory episode for people who don't know anything about #DoctorWho !!!!! #Shakespeare #TheShakespeareCode #DoctorWho #MarthaJones #FreemaAgyeman #DavidTennant #DoctorWhos3 #DoctorWhoSeason3

[@donsample1002]

The smell: indoor plumbing wasn’t a thing, yet. Nor was anything resembling a sewer system.

[@ftumschk]

Indeed; people just threw their bodily waste into the streets.

[@robertmcghintheorca49]

The "Harry Potter" joke isn't just a reference to David Tennant playing Barty Crouch Jr, but also, the Doctor doesn't refer to "The Deathly Hallows" by name because the title wasn't chosen at the time.

[@fayesouthall6604]

Great fun when Shakespeare gets the hots for Martha. Such fun ! The witches are scary and fun.

[@donsample1002]

And when he starts flirting with The Doctor: “Fifty-seven academics just punched the air!”

[@WolfHreda]

20:59 "Expelliarmus!" Followed by "Good ol' J.K." That one didn't age quite so well...

[@paflad]

Ironic considering who wrote this one.

[@fayesouthall6604]

Well a lot of people don’t age well.

[@elvwood]

Yeah, I keep getting recommended "JKR coming after David Tennant" videos for some reason.

[@unclekarl5219]

@@pafladyeah Gareth Roberts is a hack

[@HuntingViolets]

Worse and worse.

[@sethrothz]

Ooh, new doctor who!! Been loving your reactions

[@emme]

Yay, thank you!

[@Raymail-tj4cf]

It smells bad because in that time they just threw their waste out into the street. Yes that means Chamber pots too.

[@j.diamond6014]

Really fun episode, sets up the dynamic between Martha and the Doctor going forth. You will have seen already on the patreon i believe, but next episode is a particular favourite.

[@HenrikAskestad]

Justice for Martha

[@HuntingViolets]

Dylan Thomas wrote "Do not go gentle into that good night/Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

[@ronfehr7899]

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light" was part of a poem by Dylan Thomas.

[@swampfire9382]

One of my favourite doctor who eps

[@nicholastaylor4195]

this was filmed in Warwick at the lord Leyster hospital , nine miles fron Startaford-upon-Avon , and two miles from my home

[@dracoargentum9783]

Side Note: Freema Agyeman (Martha) was also a star in the Netflix show “Sense8” which I think you would love, and if you have not seen it, would make a good reaction (though on second thought, it would have to be a Patreon viewing, or HEAVILY blurry, lot of nudity…)

[@stanleysmith2221]

Fabulous series 👏

[@dracoargentum9783]

@@stanleysmith2221 unfortunately too quickly ended 😞

[@HuntingViolets]

I think there's enough beyond the nudity (although, yes, there is a lot of nudity) to have an edited reaction for KZbin.

[@emme]

Wait!! I did watch Sense8!!! I really loved it. I’m going to have to get a refresh on who she was in that I had no idea!

[@HuntingViolets]

@@emme Do a rewatch reaction -- I love those.

[@HuntingViolets]

When Martha brings up the possibility of her not existing because of the butterfly effect, that is the same thing as the Doctor bringing up _Back to the Future._

[@HuntingViolets]

The question isn't why she was planning on killing anyone (she wasn't), but why the Doctor is blowing off every reasonable question Martha asks.

[@suntannedduck2388]

Shakespeare, Martha being treated different as the Doctor was used to Rose, Martha does what she can, alien Witches, Voodoo doll magic. Fine episode. Shakespeare references/other DW ones.

[@ajivins1]

Those fingers in my hair, that strange come hither stare... that lays my conscience bare...

[@kenmercer8112]

love these historical ones. and witches!

[@stanleysmith2221]

You are such a joy and your commentary is so smart and interesting Nice funny and spacey episode 🤣 Martha and the Doctor's dynamic is fantastic 😀

[@emme]

Thank you so much!

[@Pandaemoni]

We don't really know what Shakespeare looked like. There are portraits that people think are of him, but the famous ones (like the one printed in the First Folio) were likely posthumous and not necessarily donw by artists who had ever seen him (or with those artists having the aid of anyone who ever saw him personally). It's like the busts of Caesar...the popular bust of him *_might_* be him (or it might not), but every century or so scholars change their mind about that. The only image we know to be Caesar is his image on coins and they are not very detailed.

[@HuntingViolets]

The sonnet Shakespeare recites to Martha was probably written to a young man. He did have a cycle of poems that were written to someone known as a "Dark Lady," whom we might identify as Martha (in the Whoniverse). I like how you point out that the Doctor, despite his current Rose issues, does really like Martha a lot. Emme, with all due respect, you look so young -- was school really that long ago or did you study Shakespeare in an advanced school? :)

[@queenyblahblah]

One thing i did appreciate about this episode that wasn’t shown in this reaction is that Martha asks questions about whether or not she will be safe in the past because of her race. People say all kinds of things about the show now…but it’s always been socially aware!

[@HuntingViolets]

Too bad the Doctor says she just has to carry herself like she owns the place because he does, though.

[@queenyblahblah]

@@HuntingViolets Yeah. I guess maybe it had never occured to him before or something. After all, she was his first not white companion (at least in the TV series.) Although it’s more likely to just be that not-quite-there-yet 2000s writing.

[@emme]

Yeah that’s definitely appreciated that it’s acknowledged as it’s a true part of history!

[@HuntingViolets]

@@queenyblahblah Yeah, I think we still aren't quite there a lot of the time, which is kind of mindblowing.

[@newsoulsam3889]

LOL It's "Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble". :P

[@ftumschk]

Emme was right. It's "Double, double, toil and trouble"... literally, "May toil and trouble multiply four times". The full couplet is: Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble

[@newsoulsam3889]

@@ftumschk oh wow, thanks for letting me know that!

[@ftumschk]

@@newsoulsam3889 Thanks for the thanks :)

[@davidmckie7128]

When the series started in 1963 the idea was to have every other story be a historical story to educate children and get them interested in history. However circumstances arose so that didn't quite happen as regularly as they planned initially.

[@medafan53]

Indeed, in the first and second season historical episodes were lacking Sci-Fi elements outside of the TARDIS, up until the Time Meddler, which broke this rule forever by introducing the first Time Lord (not that they knew them as such back then) villain "The meddling Monk"establishing that the TARDIS was not, in fact, one of a kind and begining a long tradition of aliens interfering in Earth History.

[@craigoconnor6662]

I'm glad you're enjoying this. This is the point where fans get used to the fact that there are lots of companions and lots of Doctors. The actors come and go but the show keeps going. Its tough to believe these episodes were made nearly 20 years ago. Without spoilers, I'll just say that series 3 is really good and series 4 is even better... no hints why. I'll keep tuning in as long as you do.

[@CalDeanOffical]

The groundlings were known to piss and vomit on the floor due to the shows being very long, extensive drinking and no toilets. According to historians many did sexual activities in the globe whilst plays were being performed. We don’t know how often all this happened but apparently according to my tutors, it was rather often haha

[@MarkMonforti]

Loves labors won was in a catalog but it was never found.

[@MichaelDoolin-lr3oq]

Kitty is back!

[@ronfehr7899]

At the time, I never knew what the 'expeliarmus' reference meant. I've never been a Harry Potter fan.

[@thomasnieswandt8805]

"Off, with his head!" Back in the day i was wondering, what did he do.... Well, we know now why she was mad... Oh Emme, you wait for the Queens return :) Please dont spoil her !!!

[@HuntingViolets]

"It may be witches, some evil witches . . ."

[@Cossieuk]

Which is ridiculous 'cause witches, they were persecuted Wicca good and love the earth and women power And I'll be over here

[@HuntingViolets]

@@Cossieuk It must be bunnies.

[@samuelterry6354]

Kitten!

[@arthurcamargo8416]

Before germ theory, people believed that the humors (blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile) had to be in balance in your body, otherwise you got sick. It got to the point that sometimes people would go somewhere to get "bled" (their blood was literally taken from their body) to stay "healthy." Of course, this did not work well. As for knowing someone's name... In many cultures around the world, knowing someone's name afforded you a certain "power" over them. In European cultures, this was called The Law of Names. Rumpelstiltskin was a good example of this.But this was only true if you knew their "true name." In catholicism, in order to have power over a demon that has possessed someone you must first know their true name. This can be seen in The Exorcist and in Constantine, as examples. As for the Dr., I think you're right... Martha does look at the Doctor as if to say "What am I? Chopped liver?" Fun episode and fun commentary and reactions! Looking forward to the next episode!!

[@clementcurtet3916]

Your cat is so cute omg ❤ Love your reactions, can't wait for you to get to so many cool episodes !

[@emme]

Thank you!! 😊

[@joeb918]

Yeah, there is some debate over Shakespeare being the true author of the plays, it’s a bit of a rabbit hole, but the majority do believe it to be the case, but short of time travel and or physical evidence it’s one of those things we can quite ever be sure of. I remember once reading that there are some locked away versions of the plays hand written by the bard himself, it would be great if those ever came to light as we could compete it to do things we do have available, his will and some other legal documents I believe are some of those things.

[@saberstrike000]

Concerning we don't know Shakespeare, there's two layers to this. First, there are some fringe theories that William Shakespeare of Straford upon Avon did not write all or any the plays accredited to him, but the overwhelming academic consensus (even at Oxford, which was the source of the most popular theories) is that he did. The other is that none of the paintings confirmed to be of Shakespeare were made during his lifetime. There are some from his lifetime that experts believe might have been him, and the the portrait of him from the First Folio was reported as 'accurate' by a contemporary, but we don't really 'know' what Shakespeare looked like.

[@saberstrike000]

Okay, I'm just going to keep adding facts in comments. "Sudden imbalance of the humors" refers to the medical theory at the time that the body contained four 'humors' that regulated health and emotion. These humors were thought to reside in certain bodily fluids (blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile, so they'd bleed or purge someone to get out the excess humors (often making them sicker.)

[@saberstrike000]

Shakespeare's sonnets were addressed to (possibly fictional) people described as 'the Noble Youth', 'the Rival Poet' and 'the Dark Lady. He had twins named Hamnet and Judith, but there's no direct evidence that Hamnet's death inspired the play (Shakespeare would continue focusing on Comedies over Tragedies for some years after his son's death.)

[@HuntingViolets]

@@saberstrike000 He also had an older daugher, Susannah, the only one of his children (at least children we know of) to wed. There was recently a novel (and possibly movie?) about Hamnet and his death.

[@saberstrike000]

@@HuntingViolets You know what, I always forget about Susannah.

[@gluuuuue]

The Doctor naming the Carrionites comes from the same idea that a creature’s or spirit’s or demon’s or god’s *true name* is equivalent to their true *nature*, because language is connected to magic or even a form of it (which is also a theme in this episode), an idea that has existed across the occult as well as many old religions and philosophies. By naming the Carrionites, the Doctor communicates to them he knows what they truly are, and it’s this knowledge that is the key to power over them. Until then, most of their power over the humans around them came from preying on their ignorance of them being witches.

[@Daniel-bt4os]

Dr Who Is back!!

[@ArnoldParra-b5v]

Yay another reaction!! What's your cat's name?

[@emme]

Her name is Mochi!

[@chrisbamber2762]

Although I don't believe it has happened in any of the classic episodes there is a novel where the first doctor visits the Salem witch trials

[@woundedmonk1884]

That's the thing about Shakespeare's behaviour at the start. The portrayal is probably pretty close seeing as the original pronunciation (OP) from the time period uncovers a fair number of obscene and raunchy puns and jokes in the plays. Shakespeare's works also rhyme better in OP.

[@canadian__ninja]

Crazy to think a modern forward thinking show like Doctor Who would praise JK Rowling so much, but this was 2003 or so so it was a different time.

[@wrdreacts4247]

The characters she wrote would all be against her hypocrisy. Even Umbridge.

[@jkpole]

Fabulous reaction .......... emme ,Thank You for sharing

[@CrankyGrandma]

“Free style rapping” was actually not uncommon. Maybe not called that but people knew and remembered words better than most now, and often could put them together in short order.

[@miller-joel]

Do not go gentle into that good night. Dylan Thomas 1914 - 1953

[@WayneFawcett-v1h]

'He doesn't make friends with Queens'... Wait until you get to season 14!!

[@MuchWhittering]

Yeah, Leela, Queen of the Sevateem! Well, not Queen, but she should have been!

[@Forbidaxe]

11:11 What was that... "Spoilers" you say...

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks, Emme! ⏳

[@CalDeanOffical]

The full Dylan Thomas Poem is your interested in reading: Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

[@joeygauvin2765]

I wish they would have made a Indiana Jones joke. You call her doctor Jones, doll

[@JulieFreyHomeWebBiz]

I think I know how book 7 made the Doctor cry. (It would have been a spoiler at the time 2007.)

[@bombseel]

Not my favorite episodes but I enjoy Martha so I enjoy the episode regardless

[@nathandts3401]

Barred/bard. Not bald.

[@GregInHouston2]

Excellent! One of my favorite episodes. I would say more but someones going to claim it as a spoiler.

[@BLynn]

Martha is actually my favorite companion, but a bunch of people look at me oddly when I say that.

[@HuntingViolets]

She's my favorite too! We love Martha.

[@justharvey337]

It took me far too long to notice the cat asleep on your lap 🥺

[@coreymoore2719]

I think your cat caught a bug at the start of the video, it was really entertaining.

[@emme]

omg really!!!!! i wouldnt be surprised

[@moali4085]

She meant by inevitably killing her Grandpa

[@kevinpope1297]

Love lorn Martha.

[@TheFireMonkey]

Question: Who's the kitty in the background? They look cute [I was going to say "she" but I wasn't certain] I love cats - all kinds of then from the tiny to the biggest cats.

[@jameshawkins6201]

I can't comment of my feeling toward Martha's family because I want to hear your honest first response.

[@jennifermorris6848]

Hey Nonny Nonny.

[@MarkMonforti]

Kitty

[@chrisbamber2762]

Most of what is said about shakespeare is true in this episode the picture of shakespeare is usually as an older man but there are a few of him younger showing that he was a blonde or fair haired. He did have a son called hamnet who was only 11 when he died he wrote a plat dedicated to his son and the pain he was feeling. There's a line about academics punching the air a lot of historians believe he may of been gay or at least what would now be considered bi sexual

[@chrisbamber2762]

Also a lot of David Tennant's early career involved working with the royal Shakespeare company which he continues to do