The one where the Doctor and Martha travel back to Elizabethan London, meet Shakespeare, fight alien witches, and sneak in a Harry Potter spell just to prove the BBC had cross-promotional power.
Short Synopsis
The Doctor takes Martha to meet Shakespeare in 1599, where alien witches called Carrionites plan to use his play to unleash their species back into the world. Shakespeare saves the day with a little improvisation, Martha learns time travel isn’t all fun and games, and Queen Elizabeth I shows up furious with the Doctor.
Extended Storyline
Fresh from the Moon, Martha gets her first “proper” trip in the TARDIS. The Doctor takes her to 1599 London — which is, predictably, smelly, chaotic, and full of people throwing their chamber pots into the street. Romance!
They head straight for the Globe Theatre, where William Shakespeare is premiering Love’s Labour’s Lost. Except something is off: three creepy women — the Carrionites — are manipulating him into writing a mysterious sequel, Love’s Labour’s Won. Shakespeare, being Shakespeare, doesn’t notice because he’s too busy flirting, brooding, and soaking up applause.
The Carrionites, for the record, are alien “witches” who use word-based science (read: magic with technobabble) to alter reality. They want Shakespeare to unknowingly stage a play that opens a gateway for their species to invade Earth. Nothing sells tickets like apocalypse-by-sonnet.
Martha gets a crash course in time travel rules: don’t mess with history, don’t mention the future, and for heaven’s sake, don’t accidentally kill Shakespeare. Naturally, she almost does all three. She also learns that Elizabethan England isn’t exactly friendly to Black women. The Doctor, of course, blunders through this with his usual “isn’t it brilliant?” enthusiasm.
As rehearsals continue, the Carrionites murder anyone who gets suspicious, cackling like pantomime villains. The Doctor, recognizing their “magic” as word-based alien tech, explains it in suitably science-y terms. Martha remains skeptical but rolls with it — she’s already proven she’s quicker on the uptake than Rose ever was.
On opening night, the plan is set: Shakespeare will recite the final verses of Love’s Labour’s Won, the Carrionites will open the gateway, and Earth will become Arachnid Homeworld 2.0. Cue chaos: lightning, witches, and an audience very confused about whether this is avant-garde theatre.
The Doctor, Martha, and Shakespeare fight back. Shakespeare, being Shakespeare, saves the day with some last-minute improvisation — his words literally undo the Carrionites’ magic. The Doctor chips in with a final flourish: shouting “Expelliarmus!” Yes, that Expelliarmus. J.K. Rowling approved, Harry Potter sales soared, and British nerd culture collectively squealed.
The witches are sucked into their own crystal ball (talk about bad reviews). Earth is safe once again. Martha, giddy with her first real adventure, gets the inevitable companion offer for “just one more trip.” Shakespeare flirts shamelessly with her, the Doctor rolls his eyes, and they head back to the TARDIS.
But there’s one last stinger: Queen Elizabeth I herself storms in, furious at the Doctor, and orders his immediate execution. Why? Well, that’s a story for later seasons…