History Recap / DoctorWhoS29E2TheShakespeareCode

'''Original air date:''' April 7, 2007

'''Production code:''' 3.2

Written by Gareth Roberts.

*** The Doctor tells Martha, "Wait until you read book 7. Oh, I cried." [[norw]]It's simply called "book 7" simply because the book's title of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' hadn't yet been announced at the time of filming.[[/note\\ The fact the book ended up being an emotional read in real life was lucky guess on the part of the writer. It's also a bit of WritersCannotDoMaths; the previous story was set in 2008, so for Martha the book would already be out.

'''The Doctor:''' No, [[Literature/BackToTheFuture the novelization]]. Yes, the film!

*** The Doctor tells Martha, "Wait until you read book 7. Oh, I cried." It's called book 7 simply because the book's title of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' hadn't been announced. The fact the book ended up being an emotional read in real life was lucky guess on the part of the writer. It's also a bit of WritersCannotDoMath; the previous story was set in 2008, so for Martha the book would already be out.

'''The Doctor:''' [[SarcasmMode No, the]] {{noveli|zation}}sation. Yes, the film!

Post-credits, enter the Doctor and Martha, off to the Globe Theatre to see ''Theatre/LovesLaboursLost''. Martha is concerned about [[ForWantOfANail stepping on a butterfly]] or encountering [[NoEqualOpportunityTimeTravel old-timey racism]], but the Doctor shrugs these off. The Doctor riffs on the parallels between London then and now, including comparing a crazy doomsayer to "global warming". [[AccidentalAesop This isn't an attack on climate theory, though.]] It's just silly.

* ForWantOfANail: {{Lampshaded}}:
-->'''Martha:''' But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?\\
'''The Doctor:''' Of course we can. Why do you ask?\\
'''Martha:''' It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race.\\
'''The Doctor:''' I'll tell you what, then — don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?

Post-credits, enter the Doctor and Martha, off to the Globe Theatre to see ''Theatre/LovesLaboursLost''. Martha is concerned about [[ForWantOfANail stepping on a butterfly]] or encountering [[NoEqualOpportunityTimeTravel old-timey racism]], but the Doctor shrugs these off. The Doctor riffs on the parallels between London then and now, including realizing a crazy doomsayer to "global warming". [[AccidentalAesop This isn't an attack on climate theory, though.]] It's just silly.

-->'''Martha:''' ''[after the Doctor compares their situation to ''Film/BackToTheFuture'']'' The film?\\
'''The Doctor:''' No, the novelization. Yes, the film!

** There's one towards ''Film/BackToTheFuture''.

* WaybackTrip: It's pointed out by Martha. The Doctor explains that it is similar to ''Film/BackToTheFuture''. Except this doesn't make sense either; Marty was the one who altered history, whereas in the episode, the witches existed totally independent of the Doctor's travels. The general HandWave is that things have gotten ''really'' screwy since the Time Lords died off.

* NoodleIncident: Whatever got the Doctor to be named as Elizabeth's mortal enemy. [[spoiler: Would later be elaborated on in "End of Time Part 1" and "The Day of the Doctor".]]

* MistakenForCheating: Shakespeare's landlady walks in on Lilith controlling Will, and assumes that they're up to something. She's annoyed, since it's all but outright stated she and Shakespeare are having an affair already.

* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: The ending includes William Shakespeare using words to stop the Carronites. The last episode in the season, "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords Last of the Time Lords]]", took that concept and turned it Up to Eleven. The relationship between the Tenth Doctor and Elizabeth I is later explored in the 50th anniversary special.