S03E02: 'The Shakespeare Code'

The Doctor takes his new companion Martha Jones for a trip back in time to London in 1599, where they plan to see William Shakespeare's latest production - 'Love's Labours Lost' - at the Globe Theatre. Unknown to them, a murderous young woman named Lilith is conspiring with two witch-like figures to seize power of the world.

Thanks to some verbal intervention from Martha, a raucous Shakespeare appears to the crowd at the end of the play. Devious Lilith watches this, clutching a voodoo doll with a lock of the playwright's hair that appears to give her control over him. Much to The Doctor's surprise, Shakespeare announces that a sequel to the current play - entitled 'Love's Labours Won' - will debut the following night.

The time travellers play The Bard a visit to find out more about this 'lost' play, with the Gallifreyan's psychic paper not able to fool him. He takes quite a shine to the exotic beauty of Martha, but a government official enters the room and demands that a copy of the new play's script must be authorised by him before it can be staged. Lilith, working at the inn, observes this and slyly takes some of the official's hair.

A doll is then made by Lilith using the hair and the official quickly dies after she dunks it in water causing him to drown whilst stabbed it in the heart. The Doctor inspects the body and discreetly tells Martha that it looks like witchcraft.

Lilith uses her Shakespeare doll to control the real man's hands and finish the play using her words, with Martha later observing a 'witch' flying away from his window on a broomstick.

The Doctor, Martha and Shakespeare seek to investigate the strange goings-on and pay the Globe Theatre's architect a visit in an asylum as he claimed to have evidence of withcraft. Before they can learn any answers a witch appears in the cell and kills the inmate by merely touching him on the chest. The Doctor quickly realises who they are up against - the Carrionites - and causes the witch to flee back to the others.

"Stop that play," urges The Doctor when he works out that the Carrionites want to use the power of Shakespeare's words - along with the 14 sided Globe - to transport the rest of their species down to the Earth. The play is already underway, containing various stellar coordinates in its prose, and Shakespeare is sent to stop it. However, upon his arrival on the stage the witches use the doll to knock him out.

The Doctor and Martha confront Lilith, but the young medical student is soon knocked out whilst the Time Lord has a lock of his hair taken. The Carrionite escapes out of the window, using the hair to make another doll and stab The Doctor in the heart. Martha wakes up to find her friend unconscious on the floor, but soon remembers that he has two hearts and helps him to his feet.

After helping him restart his left heart, Martha joins The Doctor to rush to The Globe, but they are too late as the crucial lines in the play have been spoken and hordes of Carrionites are swirling down to the Earth. The Doctor theorises that if the power of words can bring them there, it can also send them back. So he compels Shakespeare to improvise and find words to expel the Carrionites back to where they came from. Martha helps out too, using her Harry Potter knowledge to gift the word of 'Expelliarmus' to The Bard. The plan works and the world is saved.

The following morning Shakespeare's attempts to woo Martha fall foul of his bad breath. Queen Elizabeth I suddenly shows up at the theatre having heard about the previous night's special effects fest and wanting a repeat performance. However, she recognises The Doctor and orders his execution. The Doctor is clueless, but wisely opts to run back to the Tardis with Martha in tow...