When it comes to unforgettable entrances in the Whoniverse, very few can rival the awe of a hospital plucked from Earth and plopped down on the Moon. Just an average day in the life of the Doctor, right? It’s time to slap on the stethoscope and diagnose one of the crowning jewels of the RTD era: 'Smith and Jones'.
An Opening with Gravity (Or the Lack Thereof)
Ah, Royal Hope Hospital. If only they’d known their next patient would be the entire lunar landscape. But Davies, never one for half measures, decided that a good old-fashioned alien invasion wasn’t enough. No, he literally moved a whole hospital to the moon. It’s audacious, it’s dramatic, and it’s pure RTD – always ensuring our jaws need a little help to get off the floor.
Enter Martha Jones: Not Just Another Companion
Oh, Martha. From her opening scenes, where she juggles a convoluted family and still manages to stay entirely grounded (more than we can say for her workplace), she’s a marvel. Freema Agyeman infuses Martha with strength, intelligence, and a warmth that immediately endears her to us. And let’s not forget, she’s one of the few companions with the gumption to challenge the Doctor on his own turf: medical jargon!
A Doctor in Disguise
Speaking of doctors, our favorite Time Lord went incognito, parading as nothing other than... a human doctor. In a brilliant twist that allowed Tennant to flex his comedic chops, we’re treated to a Doctor a little more scatterbrained, a little less self-assured, and entirely entertaining.
The Judoon: Rhino-justice on the Moon
Those Judoon, galactic police for hire, proved that RTD's imagination wasn't just vast; it was...well, spacey. And while their speech pattern might remind one of an over-enthusiastic toddler just mastering language ("Find the non-human!"), their role here was clear: keep things ticking along while the real story between our Doctor and his newest companion-to-be unfurled. A balancing act that Davies excelled at.
Moonlight Conversations
Arguably one of the standout moments of this episode is Martha and the Doctor’s heart-to-heart about his alien nature. While others might have run screaming (looking at you, Mickey), Martha instead asks insightful questions, already showing her potential as the Doctor’s intellectual equal. These scenes do double duty: establishing the rapport between our leads while subtly referencing the heartbreak of the Doctor’s recent farewell to Rose.
Intertextual Nods: Connecting the 'Who'-verse
Davies wasn’t just a master storyteller; he was also a maestro of interconnectivity. The casual mention of a "cousin" at Canary Wharf firmly plants Martha in a post-"Doomsday" world, providing both continuity for long-time viewers and a sense of lived-in authenticity to the series.
Slabs and Blood-Drinking Baddies
While the Judoon stampeded through, we had another antagonist – the blood-sucking Florence Finnegan, a Plasmavore in disguise. With her Slab henchman (a concrete example of RTD’s love for puns), she provides the episode with its darker, more traditional 'Who' scare moments, albeit with a touch of that Davies humor we've come to adore.
Smith and Jones: A Launchpad to Adventure
As the episode wrapped up, it wasn't just the hospital that found its way home. The Doctor, too, found a new companion, and Martha Jones stepped into the vast universe awaiting her. The episode wasn't merely an introduction but a declaration: 'Doctor Who' under RTD’s guidance would never lose its ability to surprise, amuse, and touch our hearts.
Conclusion: Checking Out from Royal Hope
'Smith and Jones' delivered on so many levels. As a season opener, it set the tone. As an introduction to Martha, it gave us depth and layers. And as an RTD script, it blended heart, humor, and horror in a heady concoction that only 'Doctor Who' can deliver. So, the next time you see a rhino-headed space cop or find your workplace inexplicably relocated to the moon, just remember – you might be walking into an RTD masterpiece.
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