Doctor Who
The 2024 Christmas special included a reference to a former companion and highlights how underused she was during her time on the show. Doctor Who may have started in 1963, but the modern version of the show has only been on air since 2005. In that time, the show has seen six different actors play the role of the Doctor commanding the TARDIS, with various companions joining them for adventures through time and in space.
While many of these companions left lasting impressions on the Doctor and became like family to him during his travels, some companions became much more. For Rose Tyler, she became one of the only companions to genuinely form a romantic connection with the Doctor, for Donna Noble, she became the Doctor's best friend, and for others like Amy Pond and Rory Williams, they became literal family. . But Not every companion received such an affectionate farewell or warm welcome.
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas Special Brings Back 'Smith & Jones' Hospital
Martha Jones Old Stomping Ground makes an appearance
In "Joy for the World", the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special, the Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, teams up with a young girl called Joy. Joy is a dynamic character who creates a lasting impression by sharing her story and the challenging experience she had during the COVID-19 pandemic when her mother passed away in a hospital while she was not allowed to visit her due to lockdowns. This gripping story is beautifully written and leads to an inspiring ending, but amidst the intense scenes, it's easy to miss the fact that this hospital actually appeared in Doctor Who before.
The Royal Hope hospital was initially introduced in "Smith & Jones", the season 3 premiere, where the Doctor met Martha Jones, played by Freema Agyeman. This reference to the previous episode is a wonderful way to tie the show into its own history, but it also highlights a problem that arose during the early period of the show's revival. Martha Jones was a character who was never really provided an opportunity to be developed and shine during your time in the TARDIS.
Martha is the modern doctor who is the most underutilized companion
Doctor who failed Martha Jones during her time in the TARDIS
The Doctor meets Martha shortly after being separated from Rose Tyler, who has been sucked into an alternative universe. This meant that the Doctor still missed his dear friend, for whom he also had a romantic affection. However, when Martha met the Doctor, she immediately developed a deep interest in him due to his enigmatic nature, intelligence, and the courage he demonstrated when facing aliens like the Judoon. Despite being a doctor and also an intelligent woman, Martha was transformed into a girl in love that she wanted the Doctor to love her back.
This led to a struggle in companionship and an intense imbalance. This also meant that despite the little time they spent together, Martha was often alone. Ultimately this made her a stronger, more independent and impressive character who became an invaluable UNIT agent, but it also meant that her character and relationship with the Doctor felt lacking. Now, with a reference to Martha in the latest holiday special, it only serves to remind viewers how underused Martha was in Doctor Whodespite its enormous potential.