Martha Jones The Woman Who Saved The World
Best episode: Last of the Time Lords
I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second-best, but you know what? I am good.
I feel like Martha gets the short end of the stick most of the time. An awesome companion like Rose is a hard act to follow, anyway; throw in the fact that Martha doesnt have much of a personality and has a crush on the Doctor while he is still grieving over losing Rose, and youre going to have a bit of resentment from your audience. Why did Martha have such a flat personality? She did develop as a character, but not the same as Rose or Donna; instead of being conflicted or self-absorbed, she was simply passive in her relationships with others. She lets her family walk all over her, and she lets the Doctor do that, too. Its not until the end of the season, when shes walked the Earth to save him, when shes taken care of him in a time when he has to completely forget who he is and even falls in love with another woman in the process (Human Nature / The Family of Blood), when shes give up everything for him, and he still doesnt love her, that she finally leaves. I admire her for that; it takes strength and courage to leave behind the person you love because you know theyll keep breaking your heart, and you know you deserve better. After an entire season of Ten treating her like crap (which, as much as I love Ten, he really did), she stood up for herself and moved on. I feel like Martha could have been an amazing companion if given the chance, but the crush just swallowed up any chance of the writing giving her any kind of personality outside that crush. Its as if the 10th Doctors run had three phases: Season 2 with Rose was love reciprocated from both sides; Season 4 with Donna was no romantic feelings from either side, just friendship; Season 3 with Martha was the awkward transition phase with unrequited love on the companion's side shoehorned in. I dont blame Martha for falling in love with the Doctor its hard not to but did that awkward crush really have to consume so much of Season 3? Anyway, Martha still wins my admiration for putting up with Tens treatment of her, literally going to the ends of the Earth to save the world, and actually becoming quite awesome towards the end of Season 3.