I'm just catching up on some of the classic serials, and have watched City Of Death this morning. It is clear from this that the Doctor has not only met Shakespeare before, but helped him write Hamlet (not enough help by the sound of that mixed metaphor )... Does anyone think this will be referred to tonight, or will it just be overlooked?

Someone said in an interview that the Doctor's previous encounters with Shakespeare won't be mentioned, but won't be denied either.

That was RTD, they were going to put a reference to CoD, but "it was so sly it would have been a bit confusing for fans that recognized it and baffled the bejesus out of everyone else." in the Doctor Who mag

So rewrite the reference

Shame really... I like the odd nod to the classic series. The new series can seem a little isolated when not acknowledging the past.

City of Death is one of my favourite episodes, even if the effects are a bit (cough) sketchy.

It's the first time I've seen it, and really enjoyed it - but then I am a big Douglas Adams fan. I thought it had a 'feel' of the new series in the story, the writing and the setting - I can certainly see an influence.

Well I guess if the Doctor met him *after* 1599 in those earlier visits, then it wouldn't matter that this was the first time he was meeting him as the Tenth Doctor. Did he reveal himself as the Doctor on those other occasions? I guess Shakespeare being the canny sort he was tonight would mean he'd know that any of the Doctor's incarnations were from another world and perhaps even know them as the very same Doctor. Confusing much!?