The introduction of Martha as the next companion after Billie Piper's Rose Tyler was announced by the BBC in a 5 July 2006 press release. The character is a 23-year-old medical student. Like Rose, Martha has family members who are seen in the programme: Adjoa Andoh plays her mother Francine, with Trevor Laird as her father Clive (divorced from Francine), Gugu Mbatha-Raw as her sister Tish and Reggie Yates 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 notes that she is not a lesbian, as had been rumoured in some quarters. Martha meets the Doctor in the Royal Hope Hospital, where he is investigating strange anomalies, seen in the episode Smith and Jones.

An article in The Times speculated that, since Agyeman has martial arts skills, she may have "a more physical approach" to the role. Freema Agyeman told the school publication The Newspaper that Martha is older and more secure than Rose (whose paternal issues contributed to the subtext of her relationship with the Doctor, particularly in his ninth incarnation). 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. Martha has so far expressed a certain romantic interest in the Doctor, who either doesn't notice or shares the affection. By her fourth episode, Martha somewhat knows that she is a "rebound" companion. In Evolution of the Daleks, she states that the Doctor would often see Rose instead of her during their interactions. In fact, it took the Doctor quite a while to accept her as his new permanent companion, with Martha having to continually talk him into giving her just one more trip before he finally acquiesed and let her stay.

Agyeman previously played Adeola Oshodi, a minor character who was killed in the Series 2 episode Army of Ghosts. The resemblance of the two characters was acknowledged in Smith and Jones when Martha makes reference to her deceased cousin. According to the "Quick Reads" novel Made of Steel, written by Terrance Dicks, which was released on 1 March 2007, Adeola was Martha's cousin, and this relationship was confirmed on-screen in her debut appearance.

First ethnic minority companion?

Martha has been described in newspaper reports as the "first ethnic minority companion in the 43-year television history of Doctor Who" or "first black assistant" (Agyeman herself was born to Ghanaian and Iranian parents.)

Martha is not the first, however, as Mickey Smith, played by Noel Clarke, appeared in various 2005 and 2006 episodes and even travelled with the Doctor for a few episodes. Although not considered a true companion of the Doctor, Chinese-American Chang Lee appeared in the television movie. Since he was tricked into helping the Master for most of the episode he is not considered a companion. Many other types of Doctor Who media have included other characters with different ethnicity, but it is unclear if these are considered canon.

In the episode The Shakespeare Code, Martha reacts with surprise and perhaps offence to Shakespeare's use of Elizabethan terms for black people such as "blackamoor" and "ethiop". For a moment, she thinks the terms could be racist but realises Shakespeare is clearly enamoured of her. At the end of the episode, he refers to her as his "Dark Lady" to whom the real Shakespeare dedicated a number of his sonnets.

Martha left at the end of the series 3 finale, but will be back later in season 4 - she will also be appearing in some episodes of Torchwood

Top of page

Article is Copyright © Peter Sinclair