think the absolute worst and least forgivable mistake RTD has ever made was to make the first primary black companion on TV Doctor Who the first (and I really hope only ever) companion to be consciously conceived and written as "the one the Doctor didn't like as much as the previous one". Ditto. I think even Davies feels this now.
Very thoughtful summary, thank you for sharing it with us.
When I think of the relationship between the Doctor and his Companion established for the novel, I prefer the novel version of Human Nature more than adaptation, although I agree with you on the villains and Joan. The Novel's Joan seems more an opportunist, and she is racist, while I feel the teleplay's Joan fell truly in love, and with Martha she seemed more class conscious and protective of her relationship with Smith than a racist. In all fairness to source material, although racism appears briefly in the novel, it was not an element of that Joan’s relationship with Smith. Joan’s statement to Martha about complexion and class were not about Martha's abilities but about the opportunities for women of this class and complexion in her society, and the realization that Martha had a real relationship with John/The Doctor, while Joan's relationship was part of Smith's masquerade. As to Martha's demotion from underappreciated companion to disposable servant, we will never know why Davies and Cornell decided to present Martha as a servant rather than John Smith niece and guardian. Other "white" Post Edwardian men and women, because they belonged to blended families, often confronted racial prejudice in fellow Britons, but how Doctor Who approaches human complexion based folly is another discussion. However, from his statements Cornell felt he had written a script that allowed Martha to shine, as she has to have far more courage than the Doctor here, and is facing three times the adversity as the Doctor. Do you feel he failed?
In Human Nature the unrequited love scenario becomes cringe worthy, robbing Martha of dignity at one point.
Although it would have been out of character for Seven to act as such, Seven would not have run as Ten did from the initial confrontation. He had not yet destroyed his people. It was, however, on key for Ten to run from confrontation in which he might have to kill a species, and then have to deal with their end anyway.
she kisses the Doctor in her first episode, The Doctor kisses Martha. Russell Davies thought this was significant enough that he stresses it.
she felt Martha's unrequited love for the Doctor went too far to be entertaining or comfortable I am happy to learn that Freema speaks frankly about this. I wish I could have heard the session. Did anyone record it for You Tube? Nice Photo of you and Freema by the way. The writer of The Story of Martha was quite taken with Freema’s brand of perfume-in the novel he describes it “expensive, classy, and sexy…” . Any observations?
You make a good point about the TV Joan being a nicer character than the book's version!
I accept that putting Martha in a caring role for the Doctor does turn the tables in an interesting way. But you're right about the unrequited love thread being at its most cringeworthy here, and anyway this is a story about the Doctor and Joan with Martha in it, whereas the book was a story about the Doctor and Benny with Joan in it.
I've looked around for other accounts of the Gallifrey interview. There are three clips on YouTube, but none of them covers that point.
I'm afraid that I didn't form an impression of Freema's perfume! But I suspect it was discreet and sensible. A Facebook friend of mind who works with her outside the entertainment business messaged me to say. "We have many actor clients and she is probably the nicest, most grounded and just plain bright of the lot of them. And frankly one of the prettiest, too."
I accept that putting Martha in a caring role for the Doctor does turn the tables in an interesting way. Martha starts her travels with the Doctor as a care giver--saving his life with very incorrect television CPR so that he can save the others, and women of color as care givers is not necessarily a novel image. I hesitiate to view the solution of having the hero take his Black female companion to the past and having her assume a subservient position as anything but convenient. At best the sceario fulfilled the audience's stereotypical assumptions of the relationships between black and white Britons at the time. But as you pointed out, the teleplay Human Nature was a love story between Joan and The Doctor, and Martha's only role was as observer.
In all the interviews with her co-stars and others for the Carrie Dairies, Freema has the same reputation, decent, grounded, and just lovely to look at. Again, thank you for sharing.
Very thoughtful summary, thank you for sharing it with us.
When I think of the relationship between the Doctor and his Companion established for the novel, I prefer the novel version of Human Nature more than adaptation, although I agree with you on the villains and Joan. The Novel's Joan seems more an opportunist, and she is racist, while I feel the teleplay's Joan fell truly in love, and with Martha she seemed more class conscious and protective of her relationship with Smith than a racist. In all fairness to source material, although racism appears briefly in the novel, it was not an element of that Joan’s relationship with Smith. Joan’s statement to Martha about complexion and class were not about Martha's abilities but about the opportunities for women of this class and complexion in her society, and the realization that Martha had a real relationship with John/The Doctor, while Joan's relationship was part of Smith's masquerade. As to Martha's demotion from underappreciated companion to disposable servant, we will never know why Davies and Cornell decided to present Martha as a servant rather than John Smith niece and guardian. Other "white" Post Edwardian men and women, because they belonged to blended families, often confronted racial prejudice in fellow Britons, but how Doctor Who approaches human complexion based folly is another discussion. However, from his statements Cornell felt he had written a script that allowed Martha to shine, as she has to have far more courage than the Doctor here, and is facing three times the adversity as the Doctor. Do you feel he failed?
In Human Nature the unrequited love scenario becomes cringe worthy, robbing Martha of dignity at one point.
Although it would have been out of character for Seven to act as such, Seven would not have run as Ten did from the initial confrontation. He had not yet destroyed his people. It was, however, on key for Ten to run from confrontation in which he might have to kill a species, and then have to deal with their end anyway.
she kisses the Doctor in her first episode,
The Doctor kisses Martha. Russell Davies thought this was significant enough that he stresses it.
she felt Martha's unrequited love for the Doctor went too far to be entertaining or comfortable I am happy to learn that Freema speaks frankly about this. I wish I could have heard the session. Did anyone record it for You Tube? Nice Photo of you and Freema by the way. The writer of The Story of Martha was quite taken with Freema’s brand of perfume-in the novel he describes it “expensive, classy, and sexy…” . Any observations?
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I accept that putting Martha in a caring role for the Doctor does turn the tables in an interesting way. But you're right about the unrequited love thread being at its most cringeworthy here, and anyway this is a story about the Doctor and Joan with Martha in it, whereas the book was a story about the Doctor and Benny with Joan in it.
I've looked around for other accounts of the Gallifrey interview. There are three clips on YouTube, but none of them covers that point.
I'm afraid that I didn't form an impression of Freema's perfume! But I suspect it was discreet and sensible. A Facebook friend of mind who works with her outside the entertainment business messaged me to say. "We have many actor clients and she is probably the nicest, most grounded and just plain bright of the lot of them. And frankly one of the prettiest, too."
Reply
In all the interviews with her co-stars and others for the Carrie Dairies, Freema has the same reputation, decent, grounded, and just lovely to look at. Again, thank you for sharing.
Reply
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