Human Nature

Although I feel Dr Who series 3 to be the weakest of all 3 of the series on the whole, the episodes have gradually got better and better as the series has gone on, and this episode has to be one of my favourites from the whole series. It is steeped in mystery, and there was a lot less alien bashing and running around than last week, and a lot more emphasis on developing story and characters, which I found much more interesting. At times, this seemed like an episode of 'The X Files' or something like that. I am hugely intrigued to find out what happens next week, and I found all the references to previous episodes of the new series of Dr Who and even references to further back to be a very good touch. It just gave me more ideas about whats going to happen in the final episode though...

This episode tells the first half of a story from a book written about the Doctor back in the '90s that was rated by readers as the best DW story ever.

To me, it was very unsettling, less because of the villains than because of what occurs with the Doctor himself.

The acting is excellent as always, the story is well paced, and a real sense of danger is established.

The second half hasn't aired yet, but I'll be excited to see exactly how the Doctor pulls out of this one.

Overall, this episode is brilliant in two ways: it has very brave character development along with chilling villains in true Who style. Nothing to complain about; I just can't wait for the ending.

Human Nature is a great character episode. It's lighthearted for a while, and then it takes a darker turn. "The Family" had creepy actors and was very unsettling. Martha gets an awesome role, and Nurse Redfern is very likable. David Tennant is at his peak in this two parter. THIS IS DOCTOR WHO AT IT"S FINEST! The cliffhanger is great, and the resolution of the story is perfect. I really loved this episode. I recommend this for a re watch. I don't have much else to say, and I need a line or two more, but this extra portion to the review should just about do it

All superlatives here.

100% 10/10

"Human Nature", based on Paul Cornell's original "New Adventure" paperback, is a very different tale to what we're used to seeing on the small screen. When The Doctor becomes a human in 1913 England to avoid the clutches of the evil alien Family of Blood, a frustrated Martha watches events unfold as the cover of his servant.

This period story is gripping and unusual. David Tennant is superb as the headmaster John Smith who occasionally has dreams of another life and alien creatures. His book of "imagined" memories is a joy to behold.

The atmosphere in this episode is very authentic and there's a real sense of dramatic suspense. The scarecrows are a genius touch and are particularly creepy.

Jessica ("Spaced) Hynes is thoroughly delightful as Smith's love-interest Joan Redfern.

9 out of 10. Depending on the quality of the next episode, this could be a story that's discussed for a very long time.

Again, what a series this has been so far! This is setting a new bar of quality for the future.

In the early 1990s Virgin books started to publish a range called The New Adventures Of Doctor Who . These so called New Adventures were supposed to continue the saga of DOCTOR WHO the television series but I never ever bought a copy because I didn't consider the range to be canonical and just seemed to be a way of parting fans of their money . They were just glorified fan fiction something I had zero interest . When the BBC confirmed one of the stories of series three was to b an adaptation of Paul Cornell's NA book Human Nature I rolled my eyes : " Couldn't they employ people to write original scripts ? " I asked myself . " Dear oh dear the show won't have long to survive if they've got to do this "

It seems after watching this episode that apologies of some sort are in order to the production team . Far from being a debacle of any sort Cornell and co have crafted a very sophisticated and intelligent piece of fantasy television . Not only that they succeeded in showing why DOCTOR WHO is the most remarkable show in the history of television . unlike the preceding episode 42 Human Nature is entirely original , it doesn't remind you of any story you have ever seen before . It's also an episode full of character development for the Doctor . Nostalgia plays a part too with a quick flashback sequence and a picture book reference to previous Doctors and adventures , along with an in joke to Sydney Newman and Verity Lambert . But perhaps the show's greatest strength is one of imagery and millions of children will never EVER look upon scarecrows in the same way again

There are one or two flaws to the story . One involves internal logic in that if the Doctor trusts Martha so much then why doesn't he let her keep the watch ? Talking of Martha it becomes clear that despite her best efforts Freema Agyeman seems to be spouting dialogue that was originally written for Rose Tyler and just to point out that she's not a lame reference to Martha being black is added . But these are minor flaws in an episode that rightly deserves to be called a classic