A great start to Series 3, introducing Martha as The Doctor's New companion. (Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol. 1 (DVD))

Member Name: Jcapulet

Product:	Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol. 1 (DVD)
Date:	23/01/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great entertainment all round.

Disadvantages: Martha doesn't completely fufill the void left by Rose. (Pardon the pun.)

Series 3 isn't my favourite of the new Doctor Who series but it's pretty darn good. The Christmas Special isn't included in this volume, although it's included in the Complete series 3 DVD boxset, but it does include the episodes "Smith and Jones", "The Shakespeare Code" and "Gridlock".

You kind of have to feel sorry for both Martha and Freema Agyeman since they both have to follow the much loved Rose and Billie Piper, but she does a great job in being the Doctor's companion. Martha Jones is very much in the shadow of Rose's memory and so very much feels like second best throughout the whole series but there's a few stark reminders of the Doctor's feelings for Rose in these episodes which Martha is well aware of. Martha herself is a trainee doctor who has some great instincts about her, being one of the doctors at the hospital where she works to contemplate the reality of space travel and the existance of non human visitors and it's this open-ness of mind that helps her understand and suit travelling with the Doctor. She also has a family, who is stark contrast to that of Rose, is unaware of who the Doctor is and what Martha is doing. So much so that Martha later regrets not informing them as they put themselves in danger later on because of it.

So, the first episode "Smith and Jones" is where John Smith ( the human alterego name for The Doctor ) and Martha Jones meet. Martha is training as a Doctor there when the hospital is transported to the moon by The Judoon who are seeking someone inside the hospital. Of course it's up to the Doctor and his new found friend Martha to uncover the said someone in order that they return the hospital to Earth and save the hospital patients, visitors and staff etc.

The second episode is 'The Shakepeare Code' and we learn that the Doctor in the way of a thank you for Martha's help previously takes Martha on a trip to 16th Century London, to the time of Shakespeare and the Globe theatre. Here we learn that Shakepeare has been bewitched by the Carrionites who take the form of witch-like creatures on Earth. Here it is up to the Doctor and Martha to ensure that they stop the Carrionites and use the help of Shakespeare himself to reverse the words he was bewitched to write and halt their plans.

The final episode is that of 'Gridlock'. It's the Doctor's second visit to New Earth and Martha is far from impressed when she learns that the Doctor had already visited and with Rose too. However, this time the Doctor and his companion are in the UnderWorld part of the planet and the inhabitants of the Underworld have been stuck there for over 20 years trying to make it to the upper world for a better way of life. However, unbeknownst to them the upper world had suffered a catastrophic loss of life and had spent the last 20 odd years in a form of quarantine whilst the virus is erradicated. However, to make it to the upper world the inhabitants need to travel along the fast lane or forever be stuck in the traffic jam from hell, but life on the fast line is far from safe and yet some people still aspire to travel faster there and so kidnap Martha in order to be able to do so ( since there needs to be three people per car to travel along the fast lane. ) The Doctor sets out to rescue Martha and uncovers the issues of the upper world in the process, eventually restoring a normal life in the upper world with the lower world inhabitants with the help of an old friend, 'the face of Bo' who pays the ultimate price for his sacrifice.

All in all, a great start to series 3 and Martha proves herself as an intelligent and worthy companion for the Doctor. The Doctor still mourns the loss of Rose, much to the upset of Martha, but it doesn't take centre stage and doesn't take over from the story lines in anyway.

Summary: A new era after the loss of Rose as his companion and a cracking start to the series.