Talk:The Shakespeare Code

I remember reading something I want to cite

I am almost sure I remember reading an article or seeing an interview where RTD says something along the lines that the episode won't refer to the past appearences/name droppings of Shakespeare but it won't contradict them either. Does anyone else remember this? And if so can you find a link to it so it can be cited? --GracieLizzie 12:13, 11 December 2006 (UTC)

Hmm... it sounds familiar, but I can't place it off the top of my head. I'll have a look round. If I fail to find it, Gareth Roberts says something similar in the latest DWM, which will probably suffice. —Josiah Rowe (talk • contribs) 17:00, 11 December 2006 (UTC)

I've found it, it's in the Newsround interview with Lizo Mzimba. It's not in the written version but it's in Newsround Player video. But if you have a similar comment from Gareth Roberts, Josiah maybe adding it would also strengthen the comment? --GracieLizzie 14:55, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

I'll add it — sorry I forgot about this for so long. —Josiah Rowe (talk • contribs) 16:33, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

Thanks :) --GracieLizzie 17:37, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

it was a book far before this episode

probably should mention in this article that it was a book title published in 2000, three years before "The Da Vinci Code" was published

You're right, I looked it up and the book in question seems to be a text book by a Virginia Fellows, ISBN 1-5872-1519-5. While I doubt that this book is the inspiration for the title of the this episode it does raise an issue. Should this article be moved to The Shakespeare Code (Doctor Who) and have the current page become a disambiguation page? --GracieLizzie 13:24, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

No. If someone creates the page for the book then it can read "The Shakespeare Code (book)". --khaosworks (talk • contribs) 14:53, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

I would have thought we'd have "The Shakespeare Code (book)" and "The Shakespeare Code (Doctor Who)" with "The Shakespeare Code" being a disambiguation page (like Everything Changes, Everything Changes (Torchwood), and Everything Changes (Take That album))? --GracieLizzie 15:55, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

If there's only two items that need to be distinguished from one another, there's no real need for an extra disambiguation page. A {{Otheruses}} tag will suffice. --khaosworks (talk • contribs) 16:40, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Okay, I've added a "Distinguish2" to the page for the time being, should someone make an article on the book it can be linked with a different "otheruses" template. However if the book does yet added which should get the use of the "unsuffixed" page? After all the book did come first. --GracieLizzie 17:16, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

It's not a matter of first in time anywhere, really, neither is it a hard and fast rule. Ultimately, it's down to a judgment call on which is more notable, or which we think people are coming to look for. --khaosworks (talk • contribs) 22:34, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Synopsis?

I'm just wondering, is there any information that can certify the synopsis someone added to the article as factual? Could this be added as a citation? Thank you. Hikan 19:57, 17 December 2006 (UTC) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Hikan (talk • contribs) 19:56, 17 December 2006 (UTC).

Note

"The Sixth Doctor quotes from Shakespeare's Hamlet in The Two Doctors, while lamenting the death of Botcherby."

Wasn't it Botcherby himself ("To die, to sleep; to sleep, perchance to dream")? --Jawr256 09:22, 22 December 2006 (UTC)

Yes, but the Sixth Doctor says, "Goodnight, sweep prince," as well when Oscar dies. --khaosworks (talk • contribs) 09:35, 22 December 2006 (UTC)

'celebrity historical'

The article states this is the third 'celebrity historical' after 'Unquiet Dead' and 'Tooth and Claw'. Surely 'Girl in the Fireplace' is one also? That would make this the fourth... Gwinva 14:59, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

While Madam de Pompadour may be a famous historical figure, she's not a household name like Dickens, Queen Victoria, or Shakespeare. I didn't even know who she was until I looked her up before episode so I'd have some idea who she was. --GracieLizzie 18:51, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

Madame de Pompadour certainly would be a household name if you were French or at least moderately Francophile. Why should the Doctor be Anglocentric? I think that this one is fairly called a celebrity historical. Even a Yank like myself knows of Madame de Pompadour.IanThal 23:48, 27 January 2007 (UTC)

Well, DW is Anglocentric because it's British. Like Stargate and such are Americacentric because their American ::shrugs:: I thought Madame de Pompadour might have such fame in France, but I didn't want to assume this and the be incorrect. Although I suppose if someone like George Washington, Napoleon or Tutankhamen who aren't British but still household names ever appear in DW that would be a Celebrity Historical too. --GracieLizzie 00:41, 28 January 2007 (UTC)

It's also an issue of branding: each of the first two series was toted as having one celebrity historical, and the S2 one was definitely T&C. You can kind of see that: Madame du P was actually essential to the plot as herself, while Dickens' gas attack on the Gelth could have been done by anyone, and the Queen didn't actually do anything! TGITF had a very different feel to it.--Rambutan (talk) 09:42, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

While I'm not disagreeing that TGitF isn't a celebrity historical, I'd argue that Queen Vic did plenty. She set up Torchwood! --GracieLizzie 11:58, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

What's not celebrity historical about TGITF? She was well-known during her time, and is considered a major historical figure now; the action in the episode took place in her time, fitting in with known aspects of her life (ie not fantastical). And, most convincingly, The Doctor certainly considered M du Pompadour a celebrity! "I just snogged Madam du Pompadour!" has to rank as one of the most excited/impressed statements the Doctor's made (and it was not the kiss, but her identity that impressed him). I would like to see a reliable source discount it as a celebrity historical. Gwinva 16:38, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Well RTD talks about the celebrity historicals here and he doesn't mention Madame P. Also, the Doctor is expected to be more familiar with History than your average viewer, as his a time-traveller and such as I said she is well known enough for many people have heard of her but she's not as "household" a name in Britain as Shakespeare, Dickens, or Queen Victoria... whereas in France she probably is, but she isn't in the program's country of origin. GracieLizzie 17:01, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Face of Boe

This isn't definite yet but the rumors are that Face of Boe will tell his big secret in this episode, although im not sure how that would fit into this plot

--Wiggstar69 17:54, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Definitely Episode 3, sorry. Episode 3 (or possibly "Flesh and Bone") is set in New New York on New Earth, the last place we saw the Face of Boe. We have been given no evidence that he can temporally travel so we must assume he is still there. Also in the new 20-second trailer, he can be seen with the Doctor, sandwiched between footage that is clearly set on New Earth. Clockwork Apricot 13:40, 18 March 2007 (UTC)

Good, that make more sence, I couldn't really see how it would fit into this episode.--Wiggstar69 14:13, 18 March 2007 (UTC)

Picture

Smeggles has added some great pictures on the different pages, although this particular one isn't as good as the one before it of William Shakespeare, if anyone thinks the same please say.--Wiggstar69 18:02, 18 March 2007 (UTC)

I agree that the Shakespeare picture is better than the Lilith one: the episode is called "The Shakespeare Code", not "The Lilith Code". —Josiah Rowe (talk • contribs) 18:36, 25 March 2007 (UTC)

...and the name "Lilith" hasn't been confirmed.--Rambutan (talk) 10:51, 1 April 2007 (UTC)