Martha Jones Freema Agyeman

• "A Higher Calling" by Thomas Cookson

"A Higher Calling" by Thomas Cookson 4/10/20

I must admit, when it came to Martha's introduction, I was already feeling put off the show. Tired of the domestics, and dreading yet more of same. Martha was largely our audience surrogate. Particularly for female viewers who consider Tennant a heartthrob and could relate to Martha's crush on him. He doesn't reciprocate, for the sake of those viewers who believed Rose meant too much to him.

Perhaps many women can relate to Martha's predicament. Being the second girlfriend, tired of hearing about your predecessor. However, this required the Doctor to be exceptionally oblivious, immature, petty, whiny. Perhaps newcomers, believing Rose was his first devastating love, might think that's natural. For us Classic fans, it's harder swallowing this regression, even accepting his war-trauma.

Yes, we've known heartache. It can feel as apocalyptic and withering as a Postal Service album. We've sometimes been indulgent, insufferable moaners about it, hoping it'll make our pain go away (rather than our friends). But we don't like seeing an unflattering reflection of ourselves during that slump. This was supposed to be the Doctor leading the adventure. We're supposed to look to him as someone who leads us out of our troubles. The feeling of having to nursemaid him instead isn't pleasant and seemingly kept holding up the storytelling.

There's a certain awkwardness to Freema's performance that unfortunately complements Martha in the worst way. As the drippy co-worker with a schoolgirl crush, who can't take a hint. I feel mean saying that, but perhaps it cuts to the problem. Russell perhaps knew Tennant couldn't kick Martha to the kerb for liking him too much, but it gives their dynamic of begrudging tolerance, a sense of not being fun.

The more indulgent his moaning became, the less I felt I'm genuinely going through any healing process with him, through Martha's company, or that he even wanted to co-operate with that process. He just seemed to delight in rubbing it in for Martha. Yes, it makes sense Tennant in his heart of hearts cares about Martha but is keeping her at emotional distance, having been hurt by loss before. Unfortunately, Tennant's characterization and performance was often so excessively cocky, it didn't really inspire my good will.

Far from seeming genuinely oblivious to her feelings, he sometimes came off as enjoying rubbing them in. Enthusiastically explaining to her the perception filter's like someone you fancy barely noticing you. Typically, it's hard guessing whether it's just RTD having to be on the nose with the point, or Tennant genuinely wanting to pour salt in her wound. Indeed, how does your crush 'barely notice you exist' if you're their only companion?

Perhaps Martha needed a more bitchy, acidic streak. Whilst Simm's making megalomaniac speeches, she could've been rolling her eyes, waggling her little finger, insinuating he's overcompensating.

Martha's also an avatar for viewers who missed previous seasons and needed filling in about Daleks, Gallifrey. But this rehash of Rose's experiences exposes how the show's struggling to recreate Series 1's shock awe.

Martha's reaction to Solomon's extermination is blood-curdling horror. But the moment completely misjudges viewer reactions by being too heavy-handed about forcing its shock. A quicker edit, with a Dalek wordlessly shooting him, might've resembled Nyder's sucker-punch death. It's pastiching 1953's War of the Worlds, where Sylvia's evangelical uncle bears his cross, hoping to communicate with Martians through his peaceful faith. The poignance of how he never questioned that faith, couldn't imagine it'd fail, or provoke incoherent violence from an alien cold-blooded evil.

Unfortunately, the awkward nervousness of Solomon's speech betrays how a violent response isn't any surprise. Maybe had Martha developed a connection with Solomon, she wouldn't just be screaming on cue at his death, but would've lost someone she genuinely cared for.

Martha's medical background is occasionally utilized. It informs her outrage over Bedlam's inhuman practices and Gridlock's drug-addicted pregnant couple. Perhaps Martha should've been paired with the Cat nun seeking redemption for her medical ethics breaches.

The Lazarus Experiment likewise is a metaphor for late-stage cancer, culminating in an acceptance and catharsis of what Martha might go through at a patient's deathbed. Realizing nothing more could or should be done and relief their pain's over.

Martha's mother, Francine, is instantly comprehendible as a middle-class buppie who's narrowly broken the class barrier and fears Martha, who has never known hardship, must work twice as hard to overcome her disadvantage. I can't help think there'd be more of an emotional connection if Francine initially liked and trusted Tennant, only for his explosive Bunsen-burner stint to leave her feeling betrayed that he'd endangered Martha needlessly.

Human Nature/The Family of Blood was a controversial story. One fan friend argued that, by landing in this period, Tennant had exposed Martha to racism, and the townspeople to a threat he could've destroyed all along. Perhaps Tennant believed if his watch stayed sealed, the Family would never find that town. I doubt he deliberately intended drawing them here, but rather intended avoiding bloodshed by removing himself from the equation. As for exposing Martha to racism? I can't comfortably condone holding him responsible for every human action committed during this period. I think that's rather an ask. He can't wrap people in cotton wool.

Doctor Who's at best a humanistic series which exposes the human condition, exposing us, rather masochistically, to the cavalier depths of man's inhumanity to man. Martha living amidst this time's racism confronts us with how it feels being spat on for your skin colour. I think that's important moral education for empathising with experiences of discrimination. It's the formative process of becoming a companion, sharing the Doctor's moral outrage and desire for justice.

Martha's reaction sadly suggests this isn't her first time suffering racist taunts. But Martha's still somewhat given a vantage by her upbringing in a modern culture ashamed of its past bigotry, instilling her with a sense of equality. Facing this period's racism, she has the advantage of not having to believe their denigrating status is her lot, knowing how ignorant their Neanderthal attitudes seem today, whilst understanding how much worse this abuse would feel had she grown up back then.

Many objected to Tennant's 'sadistic' punishment of the family. But clearly his intent's to put them somewhere they can't cause further harm, nor regroup to escape together. If that meant rendering their immortality one lived in incapacity and suspension in limbo existence, then that's what it took ultimately. The purpose of the punishments isn't inflicting pain or torment, but simply an eternal limbo nullness. Akin to solitary confinement. Sometimes people have to be completely removed from others if they're that dangerous.

Perhaps he needed to make examples of them (Son of Mine's account hints they're telepathic). Given their limited lifespan, their species have nothing to lose. It wouldn't discourage others of their kind if Tennant merely destroyed this family. Perhaps he's so sickened by what happened and what he's called upon to do, he has to make sure it sent the message of deterrent. A punishment worse than death.

However, I'm making a pragmatic case for someone who's pragmatism utterly deserts him come the finale. The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords seemingly takes left-wing critiques about counter-terrorism and drone warfare to absurdity, by giving the Master those arbitrary assassination powers (without accountability) to abuse, with Martha's family specifically targeted (demonstrating the surveillance state's inevitable racial profiling creep).

I'm just unsure Russell genuinely believes this or is just cheaply pandering and being a pernicious, fire-stoking rabble-rouser (as he does with fans). Besides I can't quite get behind this critique of measures that might've prevented ISIS becoming so powerful.

Undoubtedly, The Mind of Evil's scene of the Master cowering before a giant, towering laughing Pertwee inspired this story. An insight into the Master's narcissism, fearing being perceived as small, humiliated by Pertwee. Unfortunately, unlike Pertwee, Tennant's nowhere near imaginable as the Doctor of the Master's nightmares, despite RTD's special effects overcompensation. In fact, Tennant's immature, emotionally reactive Doctor is one a narcissist could easily wrap around their finger.

Martha's almost the better choice of companion for this cryptic dynamic between these Gallifreyan enemies. She's someone the Doctor keeps at a distance, and by proxy, us. Unfortunately, we don't get to maintain that privacy or mystique as to why Tennant preserves his foe. Instead we're emotionally smothered by how Tennant's overcome with toxic sentimentality toward him. It might've made more sense if Tennant believed he could restore the Master to Professor Yana, returning him to the future, where he's needed.

Genesis of the Daleks, Five Doctors, Remembrance of the Daleks all had genuine tension over if, or how, the unarmed Doctor will succeed against overwhelming odds. This seems the approach Russell's taken with the Master's conquest. How will the Doctor win without weapons?

The problem is RTD's approach is complete overkill, and his solution's unbearably syrupy. Martha basically tells the masses to love their Doctor-saviour. Frankly had Classic Who ever adopted "the power of love" as resolution to its stakes, it would've died on its arse.

Even in The Parting of the Ways, love wasn't the insipid be all and end all. Love merely gave Rose determination to risk unlocking the TARDIS's dangerous powers. Also love wasn't some insipid fabrication. Love was important because it was balanced by showing the Doctor's capacity to hate, which is central for the capacity to love.

The Master didn't fear being forgiven. Perhaps he feared his evil deeds were wasted if they failed to rile Tennant. There's a nagging feeling RTD's just invoking wishful thinking, imagining forgiveness being a magic deterrent of evil. The old Master was rarely so vile and murderous. Our dominating memory was a more restrained foe. Terror of the Autons, Deadly Assassin, Logopolis stood out because they're exceptions.

RTD makes them the rule. But why, if the result's being unable to bear his TV presence anymore? Maybe because for Martha, it tests her ultimate sacred medical principle. The Hippocratic oath. To never harm, nor deliberately fail to save a patient. Regardless if it's someone who's abused her, or committed unforgivable acts.

Except the Master isn't her patient in her care or power. He's dictator of Earth. Effectively, the world's her patient. He's its disease. Would executing the Master really make us bad as Toclafane? Well, perhaps RTD's saying upholding sanctity of life and human rights, even for monsters, separates us from Toclafane, but breaking that law once opens us to further human rights' betrayals.

Tennant cannot countenance killing even this seemingly irredeemable Master, against our humane justice system, where options to imprison him exist. We built that humane infrastructure for a reason, owing it to history to not throw it away on a whim. Martha's Hippocratic oath and Tennant's unconditional mercy supposedly demonstrates humanity needn't become Toclafane. The poorly nurtured, spiteful, sadistic murderous children who kill for fun.

But RTD's only counter-case is a misjudged, saccharine, cultish display of unconditional forgiveness, like it is a human right. What matters isn't our values over base desires to eliminate a mass-murdering sadistic scumbag, but that Tennant cares so emotionally for Simm (overwhelming Martha's choice). Perhaps Mr Copper's line - that if Tennant could choose who lives or dies, he'd be a monster - acknowledges we should be sceptical who Tennant wants saved, and why.

Daniel Saunders argued RTD was now becoming a fan addict, needing the idealized version of the Doctor to prove his way is rightly full-proof. Previously RTD seemed cautious about whether Eccleston's Doctor would seem convincingly formiddable unless he demonstrated some threatening bark and battle scars. But Tennant no longer overcomes tyrannies, but makes them magically unhappen. That usual, dismaying point where RTD lets the special effects do (or undo) the storytelling for him. It tries linking this with the Toclafane, suggesting humanity has a choice of futures, but the damage is done.

Perhaps another reason Martha didn't quite work as an audience avatar is because her reasons for leaving the show nowhere near match ours. Also her giving flowers of forgiveness to the would-be collaborator who no longer recognizes her was incredibly creepy.