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Martha Jones is a fictional character played by
Freema Agyeman Freema Agyeman (; born Frema Agyeman; 20 March 1979) is a British actress. She rose to fame with her role as the Doctor's companion Martha Jones in the BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' (2007–2010), and received further recognition f ...
in the long-running British
science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series '' Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series, ''
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
''. She is a companion of the
Tenth Doctor The Tenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the main protagonist of the BBC science fiction television franchise ''Doctor Who''. He is played by David Tennant in three series as well as nine specials. As with previous incarnations of ...
in ''Doctor Who'', after
Rose Tyler Rose Tyler is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. She was created by series producer Russell T Davies and portrayed by Billie Piper. With the revival of ''Doctor Who'' in 2005, Rose was introd ...
(
Billie Piper Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer. She initially gained recognition as a singer after releasing her debut single "Because We Want To" at age 15, which made her the youngest woman ...
) and before Donna Noble (
Catherine Tate Catherine Jane Ford (born 5 December 1969), known professionally as Catherine Tate, is an English actress, comedian and writer. She has won numerous awards for her work on the BBC sketch comedy series '' The Catherine Tate Show'' (2004–2007) ...
). According to the character's creator and executive producer
Russell T Davies Stephen Russell Davies (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include ''Queer as Folk'', '' The Second Coming'', ''Casanova'', the 2005 revival of the BBC One scien ...
in his non-fiction book '' Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale'', the character was developed from the beginning with the intention of appearing for a whole of the 2007 series, and to later make guest appearances in subsequent series and
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
appearances in the show's two spin-offs; Martha subsequently made guest appearances in ''Torchwood'' series two and in ''Doctor Who'' series four in 2008 and special episode " The End of Time" in 2010. Martha was also intended to make guest appearances in the 2009 series of ''Torchwood'' and ''
The Sarah Jane Adventures ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' is a British science fiction television programme that was produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies, and starring Elisabeth Sladen. The programme is a spin-off of the long-running BBC ...
'', but could not due to the actress's other work commitments. Within the series'
narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travelogue, etc.) or fictional ( fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller, novel, etc. ...
, Martha begins as a medical student who becomes The Doctor's time travelling companion after an incident at the hospital where she works. After well over a year (from the perspective of The Doctor and herself) travelling with The Doctor, Martha parts from The Doctor's company as she recognises how unhealthy their relationship has become. After returning to life on Earth, becoming engaged and finishing her medical degree, Martha finds a newfound level of independence when she is recruited into the paranormal military organisations
UNIT Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...
, and briefly
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
. Having faced the end of the world single-handedly during her time with The Doctor, Martha is recognised for her skills both in the field and in medicine.


Appearances


Television

Freema Agyeman's first appearance in ''Doctor Who'' was in the second series (2006) episode, "
Army of Ghosts "Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'' which was first broadcast on BBC One on 1 July 2006. It is the first episode of a two-part story; t ...
", where she played Adeola Oshodi, Martha's cousin. Martha Jones is introduced in the third series (2007) of ''Doctor Who'', first appearing in the episode " Smith and Jones". When the hospital she works at is teleported to the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
, medical student Martha helps save the day alongside an alien time traveller known only as The Doctor (
David Tennant David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show ''Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
). To thank her for her help, The Doctor invites her to join him for a supposed single trip in his time machine the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...
, but later accepts her as his full-time " companion", admitting that she was "never just a passenger", and he even gives her the key to the TARDIS in the episode, " 42". Martha becomes frustrated because The Doctor is oblivious to her feelings for him, and she expresses concern that she is simply a rebound after The Doctor's painful loss of his previous companion,
Rose Tyler Rose Tyler is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. She was created by series producer Russell T Davies and portrayed by Billie Piper. With the revival of ''Doctor Who'' in 2005, Rose was introd ...
(
Billie Piper Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer. She initially gained recognition as a singer after releasing her debut single "Because We Want To" at age 15, which made her the youngest woman ...
). When the amnesiac Doctor falls in love in the two-part story "
Human Nature Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—that humans are said to have naturally. The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or ...
" and " The Family of Blood", a pained Martha claims "You had to go and fall in love with a human... and it wasn't me". In the series finale, "
The Sound of Drums "The Sound of Drums" is the twelfth episode of the third series of the revived British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 23 June 2007. It is the second of three episodes that form a linked narrati ...
" and " Last of the Time Lords", in which The Doctor's nemesis The Master ( John Simm) takes over planet Earth, capturing both The Doctor and fellow companion Captain Jack Harkness (
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' and '' Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowv ...
), Martha manages to escape by teleporting away but is left alone to save the world. On the run from The Master, she spends a year travelling the world in a plan which restores the incapacitated Doctor and reverses time, undoing The Master's actions. Able to remember the events during The Master's reign, Martha then leaves the TARDIS of her own accord, telling The Doctor that she cannot waste her life pining for someone when the relationship cannot happen, but promises that she will see him again. Martha, as voiced by Freema Agyeman, also appears in the 2007 animated serial ''
The Infinite Quest ''The Infinite Quest'' is an animated serial based on the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was made by BBC Television, but does not share the same producers as the live-action series. It was aired in twelve weekly pa ...
'', which aired in twelve weekly segments during the run of the 2007 series. Martha reappears in the second series (2008) of the ''Doctor Who'' spin-off, ''Torchwood'', which focuses on Captain Jack Harkness. First appearing in the episode " Reset" as part of a three-episode
story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vid ...
, Martha has been temporarily drafted to the
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
organisation of alien-hunters by Jack, requiring a medical expert on alien life. Through exposition, it is revealed that Martha has become a "medical officer" for international paranormal investigations agency
UNIT Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...
since qualifying as a
Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...
. Martha briefly joins the
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
-based Torchwood Three as its medical officer following the death of
Owen Harper Dr Owen James Harper is a fictional character played by Burn Gorman, and a regular in the BBC television series ''Torchwood'', a spin-off from the long-running series ''Doctor Who''. The character last appeared onscreen in the Series 2 finale, ...
(
Burn Gorman Burn Hugh Winchester Gorman (born 1 September 1974) is an English actor and musician. He is known for his roles as Owen Harper in the BBC series ''Torchwood'' (2006–2008), Phillip Stryver in ''The Dark Knight Rises'' (2012), Karl Tanner in the ...
), but later leaves the organisation in the episode " A Day in the Death" once she is satisfied that Owen is fit to return to duty following his resurrection. Later in the fourth series of ''Doctor Who'' (2008), Martha returns for a three-episode arc beginning with the two-part story, " The Sontaran Stratagem" and "
The Poison Sky "The Poison Sky" is the fifth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 3 May 2008. The episode features both former companion Martha Jones and the alien Sontarans. It ...
", and ending with "
The Doctor's Daughter "The Doctor's Daughter" is the sixth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 10 May 2008. Set on the planet Messaline, the episode features Georgia Moffett as Jen ...
", in which she meets The Doctor's new companion Donna Noble (
Catherine Tate Catherine Jane Ford (born 5 December 1969), known professionally as Catherine Tate, is an English actress, comedian and writer. She has won numerous awards for her work on the BBC sketch comedy series '' The Catherine Tate Show'' (2004–2007) ...
); in the first episode, a more assertive and engaged Martha summons The Doctor to Earth to help uncover a plot by the Sontarans. Martha returns again for the final two episodes of the series, " The Stolen Earth" and "
Journey's End ''Journey's End'' is a 1928 dramatic play by English playwright R. C. Sherriff, set in the trenches near Saint-Quentin, Aisne, towards the end of the First World War. The story plays out in the officers' dugout of a British Army infantry c ...
", where she has been promoted to a U.S. division of UNIT and is working on a top secret teleportation project based on Sontaran technology. She rallies alongside fellow companions Jack and Sarah Jane Smith (
Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen (1 February 1946 – 19 April 2011) was an English actress. She became best known as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series ''Doctor Who'', appearing as a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside ...
) in an effort to face the threat of
Davros Davros () is a character from the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was created by screenwriter Terry Nation, originally for the 1975 serial ''Genesis of the Daleks''. Davros is a major enemy of the se ...
' ( Julian Bleach) plot to destroy reality. In facing Davros, Martha threatens to set off nuclear warheads which will destroy the Earth in order to spare human suffering and curtail his plans, but is stopped by The Doctor. In the episode's
dénouement Dramatic structure (also known as dramaturgical structure) is the structure of a dramatic work such as a book, play, or film. There are different kinds of dramatic structures worldwide which have been hypothesized by critics, writers and schola ...
, Martha leaves with Jack and former companion
Mickey Smith Mickey Smith is a fictional character portrayed by Noel Clarke in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The character is introduced as the ordinary, working class boyfriend of Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a London shopgirl ...
( Noel Clarke), with Jack saying to her "I'm not sure about UNIT these days... maybe there's something else you could be doing." Despite the set up at the end of ''Doctor Who'' series four, Martha does not appear in '' Torchwood: Children of Earth'' (2009). Martha's absence is explained when the characters interact with UNIT officers in ''Children of Earth''; she is on her honeymoon. In lieu of Martha, the character of Lois Habiba ( Cush Jumbo) was created. A scene in " The End of Time" (2010) shows Martha, apparently having left UNIT, fighting aliens with Mickey and married to him, rather than her previous fiancé. The Doctor appears to the pair shortly before his pending regeneration to save them from a Sontaran sniper. Agyeman is credited as portraying Martha Smith-Jones.


Literature

Aside from television appearances, the character of Martha also appears in ''Doctor Who'' novels and comic books, some of which are ambiguous in terms of their
canonicity The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean "according to the canon" the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, "canonical example ...
in relationship to the television series. In books, Martha appears in the "
New Series Adventures The ''New Series Adventures'' are a series of novels relating to the long-running BBC science fiction television series, '' Doctor Who''. The 'NSAs', as they are often referred to, are published by BBC Books, and are regularly published twice a ...
" series of ''Doctor Who'' novels, published by
BBC Books BBC Books (also formerly known as BBC Publishing) is an imprint majority-owned and managed by Penguin Random House through its Ebury Publishing division. The minority shareholder is BBC Studios, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasti ...
. The first book published was a "
Quick Reads ''Quick Reads'' are a series of short books by bestselling authors and celebrities. With no more than 128 pages, they are designed to encourage adults who do not read often, or find reading difficult, to discover the joy of books. Quick Reads are a ...
" novel, '' Made of Steel'' by
Terrance Dicks Terrance William Dicks (14 April 1935 – 29 August 2019) was an English author and television screenwriter, script editor and producer. In television, he had a long association with the BBC science-fiction series ''Doctor Who'', working a ...
(published prior to her first television appearance), and the character subsequently appeared in all novels in the series, starting with '' Sting of the Zygons'' by Stephen Cole and most recently in '' The Many Hands'' by Dale Smith. Freema Agyeman physically represents the character on the cover of every novel. In late 2008 '' The Story of Martha'', a collection of stories focusing on Martha's adventures between "The Sound of Drums" and "Last of the Time Lords" was published. In terms of comic book appearances, Martha has appeared in the '' Doctor Who Magazine'' strips from #381 onwards and the ''
Doctor Who Adventures ''Doctor Who Adventures'' (abbreviated as ''DWA'') was a British magazine devoted to the science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. Originally published by Immediate Media Company, the magazine launched in 2006 to accompany the revived ...
'' comics from #28 onwards. The character also appears in the '' Battles in Time'' series of comic books periodically. In 2007, American comic book publisher IDW Publishing (publisher of various ''Angel'', ''Star Trek'' and '' The Transformers'' comic titles) announced their plans to do a devoted series of Tenth Doctor and Martha comics for an American audience. When asked about canonicity, IDW executive editor Chris Ryall dodged the issue by saying all the comics are "blessed" by Russell T Davies but it is up to the individual how canonical each story is.


Audio drama

Martha also appears in a
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
''Torchwood'' drama, " Lost Souls" which aired in Summer 2008 as an
Afternoon Play ''Drama'' (formerly ''Afternoon Theatre'', ''Afternoon Drama,'' ''Afternoon Play'') is a BBC Radio 4 radio drama, broadcast every weekday at 2.15pm. Generally each play is 45 minutes in duration and approximately 190 new plays are broadcast each ...
featuring the voices of the ''Torchwood'' cast and Freema Agyeman. Set between the events of the 2008 series of ''Torchwood'' but prior to the ''Doctor Who'' finale that year, Martha recruits Jack, Ianto Jones (
Gareth David-Lloyd Gareth David Lloyd (born 28 March 1981), known professionally as Gareth David-Lloyd, is a Welsh actor and writer best known for his role as Ianto Jones in the British science fiction series ''Torchwood.'' Early life He was born in Bettws, Newp ...
) and
Gwen Cooper Gwen Cooper is a fictional character portrayed by Welsh actress Eve Myles in the BBC science-fiction television programme ''Torchwood'', a spin-off of the long-running series ''Doctor Who''. The lead female character, Gwen featured in every ep ...
(
Eve Myles Eve Myles (born 26 July 1978) is a Welsh actress. She is best known for her television roles portraying Ceri Lewis in the long-running BBC Wales drama series '' Belonging'' (2000–2009), Gwen Cooper in the BBC science-fiction series ''Torchw ...
) on Torchwood's first international adventure, as part of Radio 4's special celebration of the Large Hadron Collider being switched on at CERN in
Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
. The special radio episode's plot focuses on the Large Hadron Collider's activation and the doomsday scenario some predicted it might incite, as well as the Torchwood team's mourning of
Toshiko Sato is a fictional character from the television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off ''Torchwood'', played by Naoko Mori. After a one-off appearance in the ''Doctor Who'' episode "Aliens of London" (2005), Toshiko is re-introduced as a series re ...
(
Naoko Mori (born 29 November 1971) is a Japanese actress based in the United Kingdom. She is known for her roles as Toshiko Sato in ''Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', Yasuko Namba in ''Everest'', Sarah in ''Absolutely Fabulous'' and Nicola in '' Spice Wor ...
) and Owen's recent deaths in the ''Torchwood'' second series finale. Martha made her Big Finish Productions debut in the ''
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
'' audio drama "Dissected", released in February 2020. In July 2021, Big Finish announced a new series starring Agyeman - ''The Year of Martha Jones'' - depicting Martha during her year travelling an Earth ruled by The Master, co-starring
Adjoa Andoh Adjoa Andoh Hon. FRSL (born 14 January 1963) is a British actress. On stage, she has played lead roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre and the Almeida Theatre. On television, she appeared in tw ...
as Martha's mother Francine, which was released in December.


Characterisation


Conception

The introduction of Martha as the next companion after
Billie Piper Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer. She initially gained recognition as a singer after releasing her debut single "Because We Want To" at age 15, which made her the youngest woman ...
's
Rose Tyler Rose Tyler is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. She was created by series producer Russell T Davies and portrayed by Billie Piper. With the revival of ''Doctor Who'' in 2005, Rose was introd ...
was announced by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
in a 5 July 2006 press release. The character is a 23-year-old medical student from 2008, although earlier in the conception process she had been meant to come from the year 1914. Like Rose, Martha has family members who are seen in the programme:
Adjoa Andoh Adjoa Andoh Hon. FRSL (born 14 January 1963) is a British actress. On stage, she has played lead roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre and the Almeida Theatre. On television, she appeared in tw ...
plays her mother
Francine :''This is a disambiguation page for the common name Francine.'' Francine is a female given name. The name is of French origin. The name Francine was most popular in France itself during the 1940s (Besnard & Desplanques 2003), and was well used i ...
, with
Trevor Laird Trevor Laird is an English actor. Biography Born in Islington, London. Laird trained at the Anna Scher Theatre. Early roles included a 1976 role in a TV adaptation of the Peter Prince novel ''Playthings'', directed by Stephen Frears, and se ...
as her father Clive (divorced from Francine),
Gugu Mbatha-Raw Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw (; born 21 April 1983) is a British actress who is known for her performances on stage and screen. In 2017 she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama ...
as her sister
Tish ''TISH'' was a Canadian poetry newsletter founded by student-poets at the University of British Columbia in 1961. The publication was edited by a number of Vancouver poets until 1969. The newsletter's poetics were built on those of writers associa ...
, and
Reggie Yates Reginald (Reggie) Yates (born 31 May 1983) is a British writer and director with a career spanning three decades on screen as an actor, television presenter and radio DJ. Yates played Leo Jones in ''Doctor Who'' and has worked at the BBC in ra ...
as her brother Leo. Nevertheless, Agyeman notes that Martha is "very independent"; living alone and having almost completed her medical qualifications. She does not have an ex-boyfriend, but writer
Russell T Davies Stephen Russell Davies (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include ''Queer as Folk'', '' The Second Coming'', ''Casanova'', the 2005 revival of the BBC One scien ...
has stated that she is not a lesbian, as had been rumoured in some quarters. An article in ''The Times'' speculated that, since Agyeman has martial arts skills, she may have "a more physical approach" to the role. As with her predecessor Rose, Martha is from London; Brett Mills from the
University of East Anglia The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and 26 schools of study. The annual income of the institution f ...
presumes this is because characters from the capital of the country are "therefore relatable to all British people" because they are seen as "neutral". Freema Agyeman told the school publication ''The Newspaper'' that Martha is older and more secure than Rose. Agyeman speculated that Martha, by contrast, travels with the Doctor for the adventure, rather than because of a need for guidance or education (Agyeman also told ''The Newspaper'' that Martha hopes to eventually go back to Earth and finish her medical education). In addition, Martha's family appears to be of a higher social class than Rose; whereas Rose's family was fairly typically
working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colo ...
, Martha's family appears to be wealthier (her father owns what appears to be a late model
Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
convertible, and the clothes worn by her family are substantially more in line with fashion), probably middle to
upper middle class In sociology, the upper middle class is the social group constituted by higher status members of the middle class. This is in contrast to the term ''lower middle class'', which is used for the group at the opposite end of the middle-class strat ...
. Drawing from her creator's pool of recurring names, Martha and her family share the last name "Jones" with many other Russell T Davies-penned characters. Foremost among them are
Harriet Jones Harriet Jones is a fictional character played by Penelope Wilton in the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Having worked previously with lead writer and executive producer Russell T Davies, Wilton was keen ...
in ''Doctor Who'', Ianto Jones and Eugene Jones in ''
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
'', Ianto Jones in ''Mine All Mine'' and Stuart Allen Jones in '' Queer as Folk''. Davies states that reusing names (such as Tyler, Smith, Harper, Harkness and Jones) allows him to get a grip of the character on the blank page. In casting Martha, the actress Freema Agyeman was reused from her minor role as Adeola Oshodi, in the
Series 2 Series 2 could refer to: * Apple Watch Series 2, a smart watch by Apple * Aston Martin Lagonda Series 2, the automobile model * Aston Martin V8 Series 2, the automobile model * BMW 2 Series, the automobile model line * GeForce 2 series, line of nV ...
episode "
Army of Ghosts "Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'' which was first broadcast on BBC One on 1 July 2006. It is the first episode of a two-part story; t ...
". Acknowledging this, the resemblance of the two characters was touched upon in " Smith and Jones" when Martha makes reference to her deceased cousin, also serving to connect Martha to the larger ''Doctor Who'' universe.


Development

Throughout ''Doctor Who'' series three, Martha pined for the Doctor's affection. In its final story — " Last of the Time Lords", Martha was separated from the Doctor for a year, and after saving the world she decided to return to Earth to allow herself to qualify as a medical doctor, look after her devastated family, and get over the Doctor's inability to reciprocate her feelings. Following the airdate of "Last of the Time Lords", the BBC announced that the character would return to screens in three episodes of ''
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
'' Series 2, before rejoining David Tennant's
Tenth Doctor The Tenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the main protagonist of the BBC science fiction television franchise ''Doctor Who''. He is played by David Tennant in three series as well as nine specials. As with previous incarnations of ...
alongside new companion Donna Noble (
Catherine Tate Catherine Jane Ford (born 5 December 1969), known professionally as Catherine Tate, is an English actress, comedian and writer. She has won numerous awards for her work on the BBC sketch comedy series '' The Catherine Tate Show'' (2004–2007) ...
) for five episodes in the fourth series of ''Doctor Who''. Appearing in ''Torchwood'', it is explained through exposition that Martha is a medical specialist for
UNIT Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...
, a qualified doctor and ''bona fide'' expert on alien life. First appearing on the spin-off series in ''Torchwood'' episode " Reset", fellow companion
Jack Harkness Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series, '' Torchwood''. The character first appears in the 2005 ''Doctor Who'' episode "The Empty Child" and subsequently features in the ...
establishes Martha's credibility to her new peers, slyly commenting upon her vast experience.
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' and '' Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowv ...
noted that in many ways Martha entered Torchwood as their superior as being employed with UNIT placed her in a higher authority. In the same episode, Martha notes that an "impeccable source" recommended her employment to UNIT, implying the Doctor holds the highest level of faith in Martha's capability. Her Torchwood outfit was specifically designed to reflect her development, with Costume designer Ray Holman stating: "We wanted to give her that air of authority, with some professional-looking and quite classy fitted suits". Martha is first seen in action with UNIT in "The Sontaran Stratagem", where Donna Noble, the Doctor's current companion, reacts with shock asking derisively if the Doctor turns all of his companions into "soldiers". The Doctor also appears to disapprove over the situation until Martha defends her intentions, reminding the Doctor that she herself does not carry a gun, and stating that she is trying to make UNIT "better" from the inside. Agyeman herself states that she was never in any worry about Martha becoming too gun-toting:
"I never felt any danger of that happening. At the end of Series Three, she'd struggled for a year, and travelled alone, and saw all this hardship, her family tortured... that's going to have affected her. At the same time, she's continued in her studies to become a doctor, so obviously she still has this caring side to her".
Martha tells Owen in the Torchwood episode "Reset", that she has a boyfriend, who is revealed to be
paediatric Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...
doctor Thomas Milligan in "The Sontaran Stratagem", by which time the two are engaged — indicating that Martha has gotten over her love for the Doctor. In "
The Poison Sky "The Poison Sky" is the fifth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 3 May 2008. The episode features both former companion Martha Jones and the alien Sontarans. It ...
" she cites her relationship with Thomas Milligan as a reason to stay on Earth, rather than join Donna and Doctor in the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...
- saying that she's now got a great big adventure of her own to enjoy. Agyeman feels that Martha's relationship with Tom has "helped cement where she is in life". Agyeman also feels that it was important for Martha's mother Francine to re-appear in "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End", as closure for what happened to the Jones family in Series Three: "It's great for the audience to know that all this talk of Martha wanting to stay on earth because of her family is for real. It's great to see Adjoa there, representing the Jones clan, even though it's a fleeting appearance. She's still very much in Martha's life". Director
Euros Lyn Euros Lyn (; born 1971) is a Welsh film and television director, best known for his work in '' Doctor Who'', '' Sherlock'', ''Black Mirror'', '' Daredevil'', ''His Dark Materials'' and '' Heartstopper''. Early life Lyn was born in Cardiff. Hi ...
comments that the production team had intended for Agyeman and Clarke to join ''Torchwood'' for its third series, but their careers led them elsewhere. When the characters interact with UNIT officers in ''Children of Earth'', Martha's absence is explained by her being on honeymoon. Head writer and executive producer
Russell T Davies Stephen Russell Davies (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include ''Queer as Folk'', '' The Second Coming'', ''Casanova'', the 2005 revival of the BBC One scien ...
explains that Agyeman was cast in '' Law & Order: UK'' before ''Children of Earth'' had been officially commissioned. Because ''Law & Order'' offered her 13 episodes a year, she went with that over ''Torchwood'' which had been reduced to 5. In response, Davies created the character of Lois Habiba, played by Cush Jumbo, to be a "kind of a Martha figure", one with added innocence who is out of her depth. Agyeman does not rule out returning to the show at a later date, however. Davies reveals in his non-fiction book '' Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale'' that Martha was also intended to appear in ''
The Sarah Jane Adventures ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' is a British science fiction television programme that was produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies, and starring Elisabeth Sladen. The programme is a spin-off of the long-running BBC ...
'' series two finale ''
Enemy of the Bane ''Enemy of the Bane'' is the sixth and final serial of the second series of the British science fiction television series ''The Sarah Jane Adventures''. It first aired in two weekly parts on the CBBC channel on 1 and 8 December 2008. This stor ...
'' in December 2008, but the character had to be replaced with classic series character
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, generally referred to simply as the Brigadier, is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', created by writers Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln and ...
(
Nicholas Courtney William Nicholas Stone Courtney (16 December 1929 – 22 February 2011) was an Egyptian-born British actor. He was known for his long-running role as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Ea ...
) "at the last minute" due to Agyeman's role in ''Law & Order: UK''; had Martha appeared, the character would have appeared in all three programmes in the franchise.


Analyses

Academic analyses of the character typically focus on the character's ethnicity (Agyeman herself was born to
Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
ian and
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian parents), her social class ( middle), and her status as a role model to young viewers. Martha has been described in newspaper reports as the "first ethnic-minority companion in the 43-year television history of ''Doctor Who''". Martha's status as "first black companion" depends on whether
Mickey Smith Mickey Smith is a fictional character portrayed by Noel Clarke in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The character is introduced as the ordinary, working class boyfriend of Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a London shopgirl ...
( Noel Clarke) is considered a companion in the 2006 series. In her introduction, Martha is represented as being 'normal' in ways previous ''Doctor Who'' companions were not. For example, she becomes the first character to use light
swear words Profanity, also known as cursing, cussing, swearing, bad language, foul language, obscenities, expletives or vulgarism, is a socially offensive use of language. Accordingly, profanity is language use that is sometimes deemed impolite, rud ...
when she exclaims "We're on the bloody moon!" Davies felt that this level of swearing was both normal and appropriate, citing a ''Harry Potter'' film in which the young audience reacted with laughter rather than shock when a young character cursed "Bloody hell".Carr, Jennifer; Whitelegg, Elizabeth; Holliman, Richard; Scanlon, Eileen and Hodgson, Barbara (2009). "(In)visible Witnesses: Drawing on young people’s media literacy skills to explore gendered representations of science, technology, engineering and mathematics." ''UKRC'', Bradford, UK

/ref> In some instances, Martha's status as a middle-class woman distinguish her from earlier black companion Mickey Smith, who is male and, like Rose Tyler, working-class. Articles which focus on Martha's race normally attempt to make distinctions between Martha's social status and that of Mickey, and to what extent race or class play a part.


Racial issues

In contrast to Rose and Mickey, Martha is middle-class and university-educated; for Michael and Margaret Rustin of the
University of East London , mottoeng = Knowledge and the fulfilment of vows , established = 1898 – West Ham Technical Institute1952 – West Ham College of Technology1970 – North East London Polytechnic1989 – Polytechnic of East London ...
, Mickey's constant struggle for respect and recognition from the Doctor in the first two series was a "subtle exploration ... of the dynamics of multi-ethnic life in contemporary Britain". The Rustins argue that in introducing Martha the series "catches hold" of the fact "that black women have in general been more successful educationally and professionally than black men in contemporary Britain." As a black time traveller, the series' writers have used the character's presence as a means of injecting
social commentary Social commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on social, cultural, political, or economic issues in a society. This is often done with the idea of implementing or promoting change by informing the general populace ab ...
, tackling social issues such as
racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonis ...
in both bygone eras as well as the present day. As a black time traveller, the character of Martha allows ''Doctor Who'' to explore historical issues concerning race. In the episode "
The Shakespeare Code "The Shakespeare Code" is the second episode of the third series of the revived British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 7 April 2007. According to the BARB figures this episode was seen by 7.23 mi ...
", Martha wonders if she is safe in an era before emancipation, but the Doctor is unconcerned. The Doctor points out to Martha (also the audience surrogate) that England in 1599 is "not so different from your time"; black women are seen walking amongst the crowd at home and safe, and Martha identifies several cross-dressing actors. Martha soon reacts with surprise and possible offence to
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's use of Elizabethan terms for black people such as " blackamoor" and " ethiop". For a moment, she thinks these terms could be racist (the Doctor quips that it is " political correctness gone mad"), but realises Shakespeare is actually enamoured of her. At the end of the episode, he calls her his "Dark Lady", the name given to the woman the real Shakespeare referred to in a number of Shakespeare's sonnets;Sonnets CXXVII- CLIV by implication, Martha is the Dark Lady. Lindy A. Orthia opines that such Tenth Doctor era representations of "Earth’s past as a place of happy and benign diversity" may be anti-racist in intention, but ultimately trivialise the racism that she claims has "infested" Western society for centuries. Such representations include visions of "Depression-era New York ontainingmixed-race shanty towns led by a black man ("
Daleks in Manhattan "Daleks in Manhattan" is the fourth episode of the third series of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast on BBC One on 21 April 2007. It is part one of a two-part story. Its concluding part, "Evoluti ...
"), while black women populate the streets and royal courts of
Victorian England In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
and Enlightenment France". Other episodes such as "
Human Nature Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—that humans are said to have naturally. The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or ...
"/" The Family of Blood", set in 1913, depict the racism of an earlier era (
Edwardian era The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victor ...
). For Orthia, the few ''Doctor Who'' serials that explicitly depict racism "are remarkable by their presence: they carry rhetorical power because they are so rare in ''Doctor Who''." In "Human Nature", in addition to the racist jibes of
private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
boys, "we bear witness to how things have changed, when a white nurse refuses to believe that Martha is a medical student in the future, saying, "Women might train to be doctors, but hardly a skivvy and hardly one of your colour."" When the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...
crew are nationally branded as terrorists in "
The Sound of Drums "The Sound of Drums" is the twelfth episode of the third series of the revived British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 23 June 2007. It is the second of three episodes that form a linked narrati ...
", the Master (Simm) says that the Doctor's current companions "tick every demographic box" – referring to Martha's gender and ethnicity and Jack's
sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...
. He later refers to Jack (Barrowman) and Martha as "the girlie and the freak", adding to the insult by claiming he is not sure which is which. Episodes set in the future, Orthia notes, are more often than not inclusive and "cosmopolitan" projections of societies which are as multi-racial (though not multi-ethnic) and sexually liberal as the present, if not more so. In 2009, Martha was listed among the top 20 Black Sci-Fi Icons by ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
''.


Female role model

As a young medical professional, Martha has been the focus of studies which discuss young girls' perceptions of "gendered representations of science, technology, engineering and mathematics ( STEM)". Through questionnaires, researchers for The UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering Technology asked Key Stage 3, KS4 and KS5-age students to "identify three of their favourite television programmes and to try and recall, and describe, a television programme they had watched that was about science or included a scientist." The researchers narrowed down these selections to just two programmes which "feature within the favourite programmes for both boys and girls... ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'' (
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
) and ''Doctor Who'' (BBC)." The research was further analysed "the representation of STEM-related topics" through the programme's two prominent, respective, female characters:
Lisa Simpson Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. She is the middle child and most accomplished of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa was born as a character in '' The Tracey Ullman ...
(
Yeardley Smith Martha Maria Yeardley Smith ( ; born July 3, 1964) is an American actress, artist and writer. She currently stars as the voice of Lisa Simpson on the long-running animated television series ''The Simpsons''. Smith became an actress in 1982 aft ...
) and Martha Jones; these characters were selected in light of Steinke. et al.'s suggestion that "presenting positive televised images of women scientists may be a particularly effective strategy for providing role models to promote girls' interest in science, particularly when direct interaction with human role models is not possible". The article points out that Martha and Lisa are quite different: primarily, "Lisa is represented as being different from many of her peers... a ‘ child genius’... considered to be 'extraordinary'", whereas Martha "is represented as being a comparatively 'normal' young woman", who unlike Lisa invites self-identification. Martha's attempts to diagnose a patient in her debut episode is criticised as faulty; it is her "responses to the extraordinary situations that she later finds herself in, rather than her everyday life" which distinguish Martha. Her "normal" status is also highlighted when she becomes the first character "to be heard swearing" in ''Doctor Who''. In spite of their differences, however, many commonalities were brought to light by the research. Lisa and Martha are both represented as characters who, rather than lacking social skills, play "a central role within their families' relationships" ( David X. Cohen describes Lisa as "the heart of the family", Davies describes Martha as a "sort of peace-maker within her family"); "Martha’s family," the article says, "and her relationships with them, are part of the narrative that runs throughout the series", who are her constant despite the time travel aspect of the series. " wever fantastic and 'unreal' the experiences of Martha and Lisa might be, their characters are always situated within a set of family relationships that most viewers would recognise as being fairly commonplace." Whereas in ''The Simpsons'', Lisa is the character most identified with knowledge and worldliness, in ''Doctor Who'' that character is the Doctor. The power relationship this affords the Doctor and Martha is challenged, in Martha's favour, for the first time in " 42", when an alien possession leaves the Doctor "scared"; according to Agyeman, Martha "has to take control". This independence is continued in "Human Nature"/"The Family of Blood", of which Davies says "Martha is left facing the monsters alone. The whole story wouldn’t work if the Doctor didn’t trust Martha". Martha also is asked to save the world singlehandedly in "The Sound of Drums"/" Last of the Time Lords". When Martha next appears in ''Torchwood'', as a UNIT officer and qualified M.D., "the audience has been able to follow Martha’s career and watch her gain in both expertise and confidence." In their summary, the researchers concluded: "In discussing our analysis of isa Simpson and Martha Joneswe have highlighted ways in which they could be viewed both as characters with which young people can identify, but also as characters that provide positive role models in terms of their relationship to STEM.


Notes


References

;Citations ;Bibliography


External links


Martha Jones on the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Martha Doctor Who companions Torchwood characters British female characters in television Fictional physicians Fictional female doctors Fictional military medical personnel Fictional people from London Fictional Black British people Fictional women soldiers and warriors UNIT personnel Television characters introduced in 2007 Fictional private military members Crossover characters in television Black people in television Fictional people from the 21st-century