A Few Thoughts on Mickey Smith & Martha Jones (Doctor Who)

Last week, I talked about responses on social media from Whoniverse actors about George Floyd’s murder, police brutality protests, and Black Lives Matter. Although its history is rooted in literal decades of whiteness, Doctor Who and its surrounding shows have, since its reboot in 2005, gradually incorporated more inclusion where race, gender, orientation, and disability are concerned. Much of that began with Mickey, the first character of color to board the TARDIS, and Martha, the first full-time companion of color. However, I want to look today at ways that Who didn’t give its first major chararcters of color their due (Mickey- and Martha-related spoilers.)

For both Mickey and Martha, the big thing hindering their relationship with the Doctor is the fact that they’re not Rose. In Martha’s case, she has the unfortunate position of being something of a rebound-companion, the first person to join the Doctor on his travels after he and Rose were traumatically separated, and he spends far too much of series 3 looking backward. Rather than seeing and valuing the incredible, brilliant Martha for who she is, he keeps missing Rose and instead often sees Martha for who she isn’t. And although Mickey isn’t the only male companion of a male Doctor to be relegated to secondary status, it still feels different with him. Nine quickly warms up to Jack, and while everyone knows that Rory comes second to Amy in Eleven’s regard, that doesn’t change Eleven’s very genuine affection and appreciation for Rory. With Mickey, though, Nine initially treats him with jealous derision (either intentionally calling him “Ricky” or referring to him as an idiot,) and when Mickey asks for a place on the TARDIS in series 2, Ten (and Rose) allow it but then keep him largely at arms length.

Mickey and Martha both go on to do amazing things, on Earth as well as out in the universe, but both are frequently denied the effusive warmth of the Doctor championing their wonderful human potential. At their core, the Doctor is so often about helping people realize and recognize the brilliance in themselves, but with these two, their contributions tend to be taken for granted. Martha goes above and beyond for the Doctor as, time and time again, he “asks too much of her” (as Professor Dumbledore might say,) most notably holding things together in 1913 when he goes under the chameleon arch and braving the Master’s horrors alone in the Year That Never Was. And the start of Mickey’s final story on the TARDIS opens marked with the Doctor and Rose literally forgetting about him as they get wrapped up in one another.

I think it’s significant that these are the only two companions in new Who that choose to stop traveling with the Doctor rather than being forced apart through tragic circumstances or death, and it sucks that they’re also the first two Black companions. I can see how some would make the argument that it’s simply about the story, about the Doctor’s aforementioned hyperfocus on Rose that blinds him to Mickey and Martha’s potential – “It would have played out the same way if they were white!”, I can almost hear fans protest. But, as I said in this post about Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Josh Chan, even if the show didn’t intend to make any racial implications with these storytelling decisions, the optics we see are still 1) the Doctor being dismissive of his white blond companion’s Black quasi-ex-boyfriend and 2) the Doctor taking his Black companion for granted because he’s still hung up on the white blond one. The Doctor may be a Time Lord and not make such distinctions, but the writers of the show are human, and they could’ve thought about how that would look. It’s sad when, in both instances, the Doctor is taken aback by Mickey and Martha’s respective decisions to leave, because it says that he still doesn’t recognize how he treated them; though he tells them how much he appreciates them as they’re about to go, it comes too late to really land.

Unfortunately, the show goes further in taking Martha and Mickey for granted in the last scene we see of them. Ten’s final episode features his pre-regeneration farewell tour, making one final visit to each of his companions and helping them out one last time. We get scenes for Donna, for Jack, for Sarah Jane, and for Rose, while Martha and Mickey share a scene. As the Doctor saves them from a Sontaran, we learn that they’ve not only gone “freelance” together, they’ve also gotten married. Now, in theory, Mickey and Martha might make a good romantic pair, bonding over their respective experiences on the TARDIS and the very same treatment that separately led both of them to leave the Doctor. But there are problems. First of all, we’d earlier seen Martha engaged to a different man with not one word about what happened to break off their engagement. Second, we’d previously seen Martha and Mickey share a scene basically once before, when Mickey calls, “Wait for me!” and follows after Jack and Martha as everyone goes their separate ways after the companion-a-palooza of “Journey’s End.” Pretty sure we never see them speak directly to each other, and the next we see of either of them, they’re married. Such an afterthought ending for two companions who were never given their full due, and it sadly demonstrates that shows with good intentions and “their hearts in the right place” can still drop the ball when it comes to how they handle diversity and inclusion.

Thoughts on New Who Companion Introduction Episodes

I’ve already looked at how new Who has said both hello and goodbye to Doctors, so why not companions, too?  Intros today; we’ll save the extreme angst for another time.  Also, rather than look at the quality of the episodes as a whole, like I’ve done for the Doctors, I’m really just looking at the companions themselves and how they’re presented.  Because I have to make the cut-off somewhere, I’m only including Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy, Rory, and Clara – sorry, Mickey, Jack, River, and other short-term or recurring companions!  Spoilers for “Rose,” “Smith and Jones,” “Partners in Crime,” “The Eleventh Hour,” and “The Bells of Saint John.”

“Rose,” obviously, kicks things off with a whirlwind look into the life of Rose Tyler.  It starts a trend for new Who, increased emphasis on the companion’s home life.  RTD tends to focus more on family while Moffat seems to prefer romantic partners, but it’s the same general idea.  The important part, though, is what Rose does when she comes in contact with the Doctor.  I’d say she proves herself companion-material in a reasonable way.  Although she doesn’t do anything too jaw-dropping (she does do a bit of gymnastics to free the Doctor from some Autons, but that moment is more about her determination to help than her amazing moves,) she still demonstrates why the Doctor is interested in her beyond the Living Plastic in the department store where she works.  She gets in some Excellent Questions and makes good observations.  She takes the initiative to try and figure out who the Doctor is, researching online and then meeting with Clive.  And while she’s clearly overwhelmed to step inside the TARDIS for the first time, she handles the revolution that it and the Doctor are both alien very well.  I’m a fan of this intro; it shows off Rose’s brand of ordinary-person awesomeness potential.

For my money, Martha is the biggest boss of the group.  She’s terrific throughout “Smith and Jones.”  Her medical training to keep calm in a crisis serves her well, which allows her intuition (realizing there must be an air bubble around the hospital,) bravery (standing up to the Judoon,) and resourcefulness (thinking to grab the manual when she absolutely needs to able to operate the X-ray machine in a mad hurry) to shine through.  I also like that she doesn’t spend any time denying that what’s happening is alien, as well as the fact that she takes a moment to go outside with the Doctor and just enjoy standing on the moon.  Oh, and did I mention she saves the Doctor’s life, remembering to factor in his alien biology as she resuscitates him, all while dealing with extreme oxygen deprivation?  Martha Jones can get things done!

I realize that Donna’s real introduction comes in “The Runaway Bride,” but since she basically has two of these episodes, I’m gonna go with “Partners in Crime,” because how could I not?  It’s a different kind of companion intro, since she comes into it already knowing who the Doctor is and what he does (Moffat will do another take on that idea with Amy,) and that gives her something of an edge.  I don’t mind, though – she’s just too great here.  I like, beyond just investigating strange goings-on in the hopes of running into the Doctor, Donna does actual investigating into the strange goings-on themselves.  She’s quite the hustler, working at Health & Safety just long enough to get the badge she needs to infiltrate Adipose, snagging a customer list from a phone salesman, and pounding enough pavement to meet an Adipose client.  The parallels showing how her investigation aligns with the Doctor’s are pretty cool.  And once they do finally connect, it’s a lot of the awesome sci-fi hijinks I was hoping for – running around, making faces, and dangling outside windows – but Donna also proves how she can help.  I love that moment in the climax when the Doctor is freaking out about how he can’t stop the machine, and Donna gets through to him with that calm-but-stern, “Doctor, tell me what you need.”  The fact that she’s able to pull out that second capsule, critical to overriding the machine, is just gravy.

“The Eleventh Hour” is a bit unfortunate in that I feel like Amy comes off as better companion material as a kid than an adult.  Young Amelia takes the Doctor’s weirdness and alienness in stride and, with him beside her, takes on her fear of the Time Crack in her wall.  Adult Amy, meanwhile, doesn’t get a lot to do.  Probably her best move is passing herself off as a police officer when she finds the Doctor in her house, although that’s marred by no longer having the key to the handcuffs she uses and the camera’s sexualization of her in her cop costume.  When she pulls the trick again later, to get into the hospital, it’s only because the Doctor reminds her what she’s wearing.  Other than that, she holds up the Doctor to do an “explain now!!!!” when he’s insanely busy and on a massive time crunch, and she gets taken over by Prisoner Zero – though it’s not her fault, it’s an unfortunate position to put her in for her first episode.  I get that she’s not in her best state of mind, since being left by the Doctor as a kid really did a number on her and she can’t quite believe he’s actually back, but I wish we could see her doing more companion stuff.  As it is, if it weren’t for the Doctor’s memory of young Amelia, guilt at having come back so late, and suspicions about the Crack, I’m not sure if he would have invited Amy to come with him simply for her.

Strangely enough, it’s Rory who looks more like a pre-companion in that episode.  (I know, he doesn’t join the TARDIS crew till later, but “The Vampires of Venice” is his first trip, which doesn’t fit my pattern here – “The Eleventh Hour” is better.)  He’s the one who’s noticed something strange, Prisoner Zero disguised as the hospital’s coma patients, and he tries to tell his boss about it even though he knows how crazy it sounds.  But he’s come prepared for that, having taken pictures of Zero on his phone as proof.  Curious, determined, and smart; companion all over.  And yet, when he’s initially invited onto the TARDIS, it’s for Amy’s sake, not his.  It’s only after the events of “The Vampires of Venice” that both Amy and the Doctor suggest he stay on with them.  Tsk, tsk – the Doctor should’ve paid attention more.

For Clara, I’m going with “The Bells of Saint John,” since that’s when we actually meet Clara 1.0.  This is another one that comes in with some foreknowledge, but it’s on the Doctor’s side, not Clara’s.  He’s already met the “Impossible Girl” twice at this point and is totally weird and elated when he comes face to face with her.  Sadly, this is also one where the companion doesn’t come off great.  She’s taken out twice by the Spoonheads, and her only real contribution to the adventure – figuring out where the Great Intelligence’s base is located – is accomplished due to the temporary tech skills that the Great Intelligence gave her the first time it took her over.  It’s not knowledge she’s actually gained, and it’s not something she keeps going forward.  While she is brave and rolls with the shock of her first crazy journey in the TARDIS, she doesn’t get to do a lot that feels companionish.  Again, if it weren’t for the Impossible Girl mystery, I’m not sure if the Doctor would’ve asked her to come with him.

Top Five Big Damn Hero Moments: Martha Jones (Doctor Who)

Say what you will about Martha’s time on the TARDIS, the woman is a force to be reckoned with.  Many think her crush on the Doctor diminishes her, but throughout series 3, she doesn’t let it interfere with getting the job done.  Here are my five favorite moments for this rather unsung companion.

Operating the X-Ray Machine (“Smith and Jones” – Series 3, Episode 1)

Martha is a boss for the majority of this episode.  The hospital in which she’s training has just been transported to the moon and the oxygen supply is limited, but she keeps her cool, faces off against some formidable Judoon, and remembers an important fact about Time Lord biology that helps her save the Doctor’s life.  The best moment, though, is when she and the Doctor are being attacked and his plan to stop the beastie involves the X-ray machine, which Martha doesn’t actually know how to use.  With an alien minion bearing down on them, Martha seizes the operating manual and figures out how to do what the Doctor needs just in the nick of time.  Book smart and street smart!

Distracting Lazarus (“The Lazarus Experiment – Series 3, Episode 6)

This isn’t series 3’s best outing, but Martha is excellent in it.  In a pinch, to buy the Doctor the time he needs, Martha gets a massive, deadly monster to chase her (she also maneuvers it into the position the Doctor needs in the process.)  Very cool under pressure.

Looking After John Smith (“Human Nature” – Series 3, Episode 8)

Though we only get a glimpse of Martha’s time in 1913, it’s enough to see what she goes through for the Doctor’s sake.  Working undercover as a maid at a posh boys’ school, she deals with overt racism from the boys and casual assumptions from everyone (including the Doctor in human form!) that she’s a simple, ignorant primitive.  And she takes this for months!  It’s probably a bit of a relief when the aliens show up and everything kicks off.

Standoff Against the Family (“The Family of Blood” – Series 3, Episode 9)

Another great bit from this two-parter.  As John Smith, the Doctor is utterly useless in an alien crisis, so it falls to Martha to protect him, Nurse Redfern, and the villagers from the Family.  She holds her ground against the cold, creepy alien menaces in stolen human bodies, offering herself up as a hostage and then stealing one of their guns to bargain for the others’ safety.  Martha for the win!

Walking the Earth (“The Last of the Time Lords” – Series 3, Episode 13)

Like with her work in “Human Nature,” we don’t see much of what goes on here, but once again, Martha goes way above and beyond the call of duty.  For a year, she evades the Master and the Toclafane, traveling all over the ravaged world to lay the seeds for the Doctor’s plan.  All on her own, she keeps herself alive and spreads hope through the human race.