Martha Jones..

I am finding out that alot of people did not like the character of Martha Jones at all. I was surprised to hear this, as I always thought she was very likeable. Anyone know why she is so disliked..

I like her ok, but she did get so "in love" with the Doctor and that got really old. When she wasn't fawning allover him, she was fine. Also, I don't believe her character was as rich and full as Rose or Donna anyhow. Kind of a one-note character. Still...she was gorgeous!

Martha should have been cool, but her character development was really glossed over. I don't think people don't like her as much as they failed to give us a lot to like about her.

It is sad. I think Martha just compares a bit unfavorably—especially looking back now—to Rose and Donna story-wise. I REALLY like Freema, even though I don't think she's the best actress of the bunch. She's just incredibly likeable and watchable. The problem is, as has been stated, she was in a terrible storyline. Pining after the Doctor was just not an effective storyline and tended to overshadow all the great things about the character. I still think she was a great companion in a lot of ways, but something of a missed opportunity.

Strangely enough her fawning/pining over the Doctor didn't bother me like it did when Rose did it. That is the reason I couldn't stand Rose, and was oh so happy when they finally wrote her off the show. I totally understand though what you all are saying about the writers not doing a good job of developing her character.

I liked Martha. The love stuff didn't bother me at all or get in the way of my enjoyment of her episodes. Besides, why wouldn't she be in love with the Doctor? He's a pretty cool guy (at least he was then). I tend to think a few of the previous companions were in the same position as Martha.

Besides, when I connect the phrases "poorly written character" and "badly realized" with Series 3 I tend to think of the Master...

I don't think the unrequited love angle was a bad idea... but I do think it held the character back a bit. But I only really though that in retrospect. While watching the show it didn't bother me too much. There were just a few times I thought she came off looking kind of silly because the Doctor obviously wasn't reciprocating her feelings.

That being said, I really admired the way Martha left the TARDIS and I think she proved her strong character in that moment. Also, her arc during the Master storyline was great as was her efforts during the Family of Blood/Human Nature episodes. She really was a great companion. I think the part where she suffers in comparison is that I never felt she had as full a life as Rose, Donna or even Amy and Rory. I just think her mooning over the Doctor was too central to her character. I wanted to know more about her and her passions and motivations.

rdks wrote:

Besides, when I connect the phrases "poorly written character" and "badly realized" with Series 3 I tend to think of the Master...

Ah.....The Master.......where did it all go so horribly wrong?

John Simm is an excellent actor & could have been so menacing. Instead, we got a dance number & a whole lot of cheese to go with it.

That was a turning point in Who for me & has not yet managed to find it's way back.


To be honest, I have not liked any of the Nu Who companions. Donna is the best of a bad bunch. I guess I'm just used to seeing Catherine Tate in her comic roles?

Would love to see them get rid of Moffat, kill off Amy & Rory then let Matt regenerate into someone with a greater screen presence. Maybe then I can watch an episode without feeling that 45mins of my life has been robbed every week.

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Would love to see them get rid of Moffat, kill off Amy & Rory then let Matt regenerate into someone with a greater screen presence. Maybe then I can watch an episode without feeling that 45mins of my life has been robbed every week.

I agree with you Just Scott about Moffat. I do not like him as a Doctor Who writer at all. I do not think he understands or has a grasp of the Doctor Who universe, and it shows in his writing. Its seems to me that is is trying to be more of a horror writer but never quite got there.

jonwes wrote:

I don't think the unrequited love angle was a bad idea... but I do think it held the character back a bit. But I only really though that in retrospect. While watching the show it didn't bother me too much. There were just a few times I thought she came off looking kind of silly because the Doctor obviously wasn't reciprocating her feelings.

I just think her mooning over the Doctor was too central to her character. I wanted to know more about her and her passions and motivations.

For me, the love angle was what killed it for me. Here she was supposed to be smart, ambitious, beginning to start her medical career... but in just a couple of eps she goes goo goo gaa gaa over the Doc.

Ruined her credibility smarts wise. Not just for going head over heels for an alien she just met, but especially not realizing there was no future in it at all. Rose was not very bright, so I can see her easily going with the 'love conquers all' fairy tale mentality... but Martha should have known better.

From a show perspective, it just looked like they were forcing her to be another 'companion in love with the Doc' when we just got done with all that with Rose. It took Rose a season of traveling with the Doc before her feelings really started up, and that made her love story believable. Martha was just too quick and forced.

Honestly, I think she showed a lot more character in just the couple of episodes of Torchwood she was in. Was really hoping they were going to get her and Mickey to become full time Torchwood members, and give them more life after Who.

She was definitely better in TW. Still glad she didn't show up in CoE though.

But pairing her off with Mickey? I don't who got the worse deal... Mickey or Rory.

She really did get better after her regular stint was over. Her appearances in series 4 and in Torchwood showed a much more confident and mature Martha.

Yeah, I wish we'd have gotten to see that Martha travel with the Doctor for a full series. I was hoping Mickey and Martha would turn up in Torchwood, but I suppose if they had they'd be dead by now! So probably better the way things turned out. As for them ending up together... it's a bit hard to see, frankly.

jonwes wrote:

As for them ending up together... it's a bit hard to see, frankly.

Ummm.......yeaaaaahhhhh.....

Liked Martha, hated her mother.

The Castellan wrote:

Liked Martha, hated her mother.

I was just watching some of the older episodes on DVD earlier and thinking the same thing. Martha Jones Mom was a very very unlikable character. I often wondered if they purposely made her character that way, or if it just ended up being like that without them really trying.

I thought maybe it was on purpose, to be a contrast to Jackie whom was so likeable even though she was disapproving of the Doctor.

You also had to have someone close to Martha to get the Doctor closer to Saxon.

I liked Martha. Didn't mind her being smitten with The Doctor and actually liked the dynamic of her being attracted to him but him being oblivious to it. She's smart so naturally she'd be into this super smart Doctor guy. Her ending up with Mickey is my only real gripe with her. How the heck did that happen?

Only companion I hate is Amy. Hard to get past her trying to sleep with The Doctor in the TARDIS on her wedding night. She just comes off as a... Well I'll leave that to the imagination. But she treats Rory mostly like garbage and I'd love to see him realize this. If him (and the Doctor) dumped her off somewhere I might actually start enjoying the show again.

I really liked martha- I found that when she left in series 3 was perfect...that should have been where they ended her story- she found love and was done with the doctor because she realized he was just too dangerous. REally this was a great way to end her story. Why did they have to bring her back? The Hath?
A Military figure...what???? I think that once a character leaves- they should leave. I have no problems with much much later reunions..ala brig or sarah- but her coming back in series 4 was too much too soon and not right for her character.

??? Mickey- I so agree with the lot here- that is just weird.

Martha's my favorite new series companion. I found her original arc completely believable. Rose got annoying after she got thrown into the other dimension and kept trying to come back and Amy I didn't like from the get-go. If anybody's love of the Doctor was an immediate turn off it was her's, both because it had already been done twice and like somebody said above, trying to seduce Smith on her wedding night? Bleh.

Martha's attraction to the Doctor never made me roll my eyes. She never seemed 'poor me' or threw it in his face, and yeah, when she realized she couldn't handle it anymore she bowed out with grace.

Of course they screwed up her character progression just like the did Rose's by bringing her back after the fact and saddling her with Mickey and a military career, but still, my favorite companion. She shines in most every episode (particularly Smith and Jones, Shakespear Code, and the Human Nature/Family Of Blood two-parter), and she's easily the most competent of his recent cohorts.

I don't get the general dislike for her either -particularly when the same people who say she pined for The Doctor too much say they like Amy, who was like an overanxious puppy.