Doctor Who (2005)

Human Nature (1)

Season 3, Episode 8, Aired 5/26/07

Episode Summary

Location: A boys' boarding school
Date: 1913
Enemies: The Family of Blood, Scarecrow Soldiers

England, 1913. A schoolteacher called John Smith dreams of adventures in time and space.

The Doctor, along with Martha, heads to a boarding school, to hide out from an alien race, but realise that they are needed to save the world once more when unusual events including creepy scarecrows threaten their cover.moreless

9.0

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Cast & Crew

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David Tennant

The Tenth Doctor
Freema Agyeman

Martha Jones
Peter Bourke

Mr. Chambers

Fan Episode Reviews (23)

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Before I begin and upset everyone, I want to make it clear: I am a BIG Doctor Who fan and have been since the 70's. David Tennant is fast becoming my favourite Doctor of all time.moreless

6.9

"Fair"

By rickyn2, Sep 29, 2011 Report Abuse

This episode disappointed and frankly frustrated me. I have never taken to any episode of any series where the plot includes the use of something that has apparently always been available, but never mentioned or considered in the past. I am of course talking about the "humanizer". It reminded me of the Charmed episode when Prue used a truth spell. A spell she had never used in the past and is never used (to me recall) again.

However, I can forgive the use of the humanizer. Let's turn to the reason behind his decision to become human. He and Martha were fleeing from a group of aliens who the Doctor said, "won't stop". It was soon revealed that "The Family" had a remaining life span of only three months; I think they would have stopped quite soon. So did he really need to become human? I think not. I am starting to like the Martha character, although her infatuation with the Doctor is becoming annoying. I really did not like the racism, albeit brief. I know it was realistic of the era, but the episode just did not need it.

The episode ended on an excellent cliffhanger, leaving us hoping that the next episode will deliver a suitable ending.moreless

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3 6
The Doctor is Human...

6.1

"Fair"

By Malora, Nov 06, 2010 Report Abuse

This Episode gave David Tennant the chance as an actor to show off a wider range of this acting skills without having to go through a tedious series of castings. Smith seemed suited to teaching, but at the same time he was every bit the Doctor we know and love. The role of Joan was rather underplayed the level of romance and attraction they were supposed to share did not convey the supposed depth of emotion they were assumed to have. The humans inhabited by members of the family were good, especially Bane, who managed to perfect a brilliant evil sneer , something that will keep him in the role of panto villain for many years to come if nothing else. The tale I found was not very enthralling for the kind of tale that was being weaved. There were considerable gaps in places, events could have been better established I think before throwing us off the deep end as was done here. I like it, more for the story beyond the episode rather than the ep itself.moreless

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It was entirely not what I expected.

10

"Perfect"

By QuakertownBob, Jul 23, 2010 Report Abuse

As someone who has only gotten on the Dr Who bandwagon since the series came to Sci Fi network, I am at a disadvantage to all the previous incarnations of the Doctor and all that have been written about him. This episode is entirely on it's own as a good look at what the Doctor can become in extreme instances. I watched it again this morning as I was falling asleep when it came on, but was pleasantly surprised by the whole feeling it gave me.
Yes, good guy versus bad creatures, but a new way of looking at all of it made it memorable.moreless

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1913 England. The Doctor is human. Martha is a maid. And they're in hiding.

9.9

"Superb"

By histnerd, Aug 25, 2007 Report Abuse

To escape the Family, The Doctor becomes human as they can smell him as a Time Lord. He goes into hiding as John Smith, the headmaster. And Martha is a maid at the school, raising eyebrows as she is sometimes overly attentive to this normal Mr. Smith. But when the family comes, things change. The Doctor has left specific instructions for Martha regarding his time as a human (however, he has not told her the things she most wants and needs to know, specifically what to do when John Smith falls in love with a human that isn't her). The last instruction (#23) in the even that she absolutely has no other option she must open his pocket watch which contains The Doctor. And then the Family arrives and begins to take over human bodies in their search for the doctor. However, before Martha realizes that the Doctor is in danger, a young pupil at the school, who is overly receptive, opens the pocket watch and then steals it. Next ensues the Family's sniffing out of the Doctor and the young student experiences the Doctor's long life. When Martha realizes that the Family has come she tries to inform the Doctor, but Mr. Smith is none too receptive about her stories of aliens coming ('cultural differences"). And when she realizes that the watch is missing she returns to the TARDIS to retrieve the Doctor's screwdriver to help him remember who he is. At the local dance, Martha tries desperately to jog the Doctor's memory. But before she can succeed the family is on to them and crashes the party. They now know that Mr. Smith is the Doctor in human form, however they can not make him believe so. They then capture and threaten the lives of Martha and the Matron Redfern (played by the fabulous Jessica Hynes) to force the Doctor's hand. This was by far the best episode of this season and the entire series for me. However, since I love Martha and am not bothered by her puppy dog crush on the Doctor (oh if only he could feel the same) I found it hard to watch his virtual disinterest in her. However, I love his instruction # 4 ("You. Don't let me abandon you."). Anyway, great episode, written and acted superbly (except for the son of the Family, he was just strange). Can't wait for this episodes continuation "The Family of Blood" in 2 WEEKS (whaaaat)!

Doctor Who Series 3 on DVD in November!moreless

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I have been so down on Dr Who in season Three....The tides may be turning.

9.7

"Superb"

By gideon9595, Jun 04, 2007 Report Abuse

I really enjoyed this fantastic episode of Doctor Who.
I love the fact that we get to see the Doctor as a human.
I loved the pacing and the beautiful shots.
I enjoyed Harry Lloyd who played the role of Jeremy Baines until he turned evil. I found the character truely annoying. I saw him on Confidential and he seems like a nice bloke though. Thomas Sangster's character was great as the young psychic.
I didn't like the scarecrows. They seemed so much like the clockwork men, even their theme was similar to my mind.
There was alot that I did dislike, but it paled in comparison to a great story and great acting.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- The complicated sequence of events involving the cricket ball and the falling piano is referred to as a "Rube Goldberg", after the post-WWII American cartoonist Ruben Goldberg, known for creating overly complex diagrams, describing very convoluted inventions designed to perform very mundane, simple tasks, such as "let out the cat", or "put the teapot on the stove". The Ruben Award, the highest award of the American Cartoonist society, is named in his honor. Edit
- This storyline is based on one of the most popular Doctor Who novels also called 'Human Nature' written for the 7th Doctor. Edit
- So far in the new series we have had many nods to Douglas Adams, a script editor of the original series and author of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Having had references to Arthur Dent, and even an episode called 42, we now have another in the form of an invisible spaceship. In the original series, a story called Shada was written by Douglas Adams, and he decided to have an invisible spaceship, since it would help spare the original show's sparse budget. Sadly, the invisible spaceship was never seen in the original series as the story got abandoned part way through production due to industrial action, though an edited version was made available on video. Edit
Notes
ADD NOTES
- International Airdates:
  Turkey: December 19, 2010 on CNBC-e Edit
- Overnight viewing figures for this episode were 7.1 million, with a final viewing figure of 7.74 million. Edit
- This is not producer Susie Liggat's first production job within the Doctor Who story-line: in 2006, she produced the first episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures, Invasion of the Bane. Therefore, only she and John Nathan-Turner have produced episodes from two different programmes set in the Doctor Who universe. Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- (Jenny, Baines and Mr. Clarke break into Mr. Smith's room) Baines: Mr. Smith? (no reply) No one home... Jenny: The maid was definitely hiding something. A secret around this Mr. Smith. Baines: We both scented him though, he was plain and simple human. Jenny: Maybe he knows something though. Where is he? (Jenny and Bains look through books on the bookshelf. Mr. Clarke holds up a poster about the dance) Mr. Clarke: I think this might help. Jenny: Well. That makes it easy son of mine. Because daughter of mine's already there. Baines: We've been invited to the dance. Edit
- (Jenny enters room) Martha: There you are! Come look what I've got. Mr. Paul didn't want his afternoon tea so cook said I could have it, and there's enough for two. (Jenny stands and stares) What're you standing there for? (Jenny takes a hard sniff) You alright? Jenny: (monotone, bland throughout) I must have a cold coming on. Martha: Problem is I keep thinking about them but I don't know what to do. Jenny: Thinking about who? Martha: Mr. Smith and Matron. 'Cause it's never gonna last, he's gonna leave in a few weeks. Jenny: Why? Martha: It's like his contract comes to an end, and she's going to be heartbroken. Jenny: Leave for where? Martha: All sorts of places. Oh I wish I could tell you Jenny, but it's complicated. Jenny: In what way? Martha: I just, can't. Jenny: It sounds so intersting, tell me, tell me now. (Martha grows suspicious - Jenny is still monotone, bland) Martha: Would you like some tea? Jenny: Yes thanks. Martha: I could put a nice bit of gravy in the pot, and some mutton, or sardines and jam, how about that? Jenny: I like the sound of that. Martha: Right. Hold on a tick... (Martha leaves building quietly and runs. Jenny realises too late, shoots out the window but misses) Edit
- Jenny: (crying) I don't understand. It's Mr. Clarke, isn't it? What have I done wrong? Mr. Clarke: Nothing at all. In fact, you're just what we need, girl. Baines: She works at the school. And whatever's happening seems to be centred around that establishment. The faintest of traces but they all lead back there. Jenny: It's Bains isn't it? This isn't very funny Sir (weeping). Baines: SHUT UP STOP TALKING CEASE AND DESIST THERE'S A GOOD GIRL!!! Mother of mine is dying to meet you. And here she is... (shows Jenny a glowing green sphere) Jenny: (still weeping) Stop mocking me Sir! Baines: NO! Mother of mine just needs a shape. We go through shapes so very fast. Yours is perfectly adequate, if a little grim. Mother of mine, embrace her! (a green cloud exits the sphere and enters Jenny). Edit
Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Gallifrey is alluded to in this episode. When John is speaking to Joan about where John learnt to draw, he states that it was Gallifrey. This is the third time so far in the revived series that the Doctor's home planet has been referenced. The other two times were in The Runaway Bride and Gridlock. Edit
- Aitchison-Price's definitive account of Mafeking This is the title of the book Latimer is picking up from John Smith. The famous Siege of Mafeking lasted for 217 days from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned Robert Baden-Powell into a national hero. In September 1904, Lord Roberts unveiled an obelisk at Mafeking bearing the names of those who fell in defence of the town. In all, 212 people were killed during the siege, with over 600 wounded. Edit
- Doorman: Spare a penny for the veterans of the Crimea, sir? The Crimean War took place between 1854-1856 between Imperial Russia and an alliance of the French, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. Well-known battles in the war include the Siege of Sevastopol (1854) and the Battle of Balaclava (also 1854). It was also during this conflict that Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole nursed the sick and the wounded. Edit