About
- Broadcast: 26 May 2007/2 June 2007
- Viewers: 7.74m/7.21m
- Availability: DVD Series 3: Volume 3
Synopsis
PART ONE
It’s 1913 in England, and an ordinary schoolteacher called John Smith dreams of adventures in time and space and a mysterious blue box. But, when lights in the sky herald the arrival of something strange and terrible, Smith’s maid, Martha, has to convince him that he alone can save the world.
PART TWO
The war has come a year in advance as the terrifying Family hunt for the Doctor. But, while John Smith refuses to accept his destiny as a Time Lord, the women in his life, Martha and Joan, have to take terrible measures to save the whole of history.
Credits
Written by Paul Cornell
Directed by Charles Palmer
The Doctor – David Tennant
Martha Jones – Freema Agyeman
Joan Redfern – Jessica Hynes
Jenny – Rebekah Staton
Tim Latimer – Thomas Sangster
Baines – Harry Lloyd
Hutchinson – Tom Palmer
Clark – Gerald Horan
Lucy Cartwright – Lauren Wilson
Rocastle – Pip Torrens
Phillips – Matthew White
Doorman – Derek Smith
Mr Chambers – Peter Bourke
Quotes
John Smith: "It all took place in the future, in the year of Our Lord 2007."
Martha: "I can prove that wrong for you, sir. Here’s the morning paper. It’s Monday November 10th 1913, and you’re completely human, sir. As human as they come."
John Smith: "That’s me. Completely human."
John Smith:" Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams."
Martha: "What about, sir?"
John Smith: "I dream I’m this… adventurer. This… daredevil. A madman. The Doctor, I’m called, and, last night, I dreamt that you were there. As my… companion."
Joan: "Quite an eye for the pretty girls."
John Smith: "Oh, no, no. She’s just an invention. This character. Rose, I call her. Rose. She seems to disappear later on…Oh, that’s the box. The blue box. It’s always there. Like a … magic carpet. This funny little box that transports me to faraway places."
Joan: "In your journal, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year, 1914."
John Smith: "It was just a dream."
Joan: "All those images of mud and wire. You told of a shadow, a shadow falling across the entire world."
John Smith: "Well, then we can be thankful it’s not true. I’ll admit, mankind doesn’t need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honour and valour."
Martha: "He’s different from any other man you’ve ever met, right?"
Joan: "Yes."
Martha: "And sometimes he says these strange things, like people and places you’ve never heard of, yeah? But it’s deeper than that. Sometimes when you look in his eyes, you know, you just know that there’s something else in there. Something hidden, right behind the eyes, something hidden away, hidden in the dark."
Martha: "Doctor, we’re hiding from aliens and they’ve got Jenny and they’ve… possessed her or copied her or something and you’ve got to tell me, where’s the watch?"
John Smith: "Oh, I see…Cultural differences. It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story."
Doorman: "Spare us a penny"
Baines: "I didn’t spare you."
Baines: "You took human form!"
John Smith: "Of course I’m human, I was born human as were you Baines, and Jenny and Mr. Clarke. What is going on; this is madness!"
Baines: "Ooo, and a human brain too, simple, thick and dull."
Jenny: "But he’s no good like this."
Mr. Clarke: "We need a Timelord."
Baines:" Have you enjoyed it, Doctor? Being human. Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let’s see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or Matron? Your friend or your lover? Your choice!"
Tim – "He’s like fire and ice and rage. He’s like the night and the storm and the heart of the sun. He’s ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe. And…he’s wonderful."
Notes
These episodes take place in 1913.
Writer Paul Cornell adapted this story from his 1995 Doctor Who novel, Human Nature.
John Smith’s Journal features sketches of the Doctor in several of his previous incarnations.
Jessica Hynes will be appearing as a different character called Verity Newman in The End of Time.