They keep their heads in a crisis and take charge when the occasion demands. When extraterrestrial danger looms, they don’t meekly cower in a corner. Instead, they ask intelligent questions and take decisive action. Curious and adventurous, they keep a sense of wonder in a universe full of possibility.

They are the companions — men and women who choose to accompany the Doctor through his travels in time and space. Martha Jones, played by Freema Agyeman, is the newest addition to their distinguished ranks, and she makes an excellent first impression.

In third-season opener of Doctor Who, titled “Smith and Jones”, we meet Martha, a medical student working on her residency. Life is hectic for Martha — besides enduring her rounds, she also has to juggle her troublesome family members: squabbling parents and self-involved siblings. Then, she has a chance encounter with a certain dashing Time Lord….

The Doctor and Rose Tyler had such wonderfully strong chemistry that it caused concerns about this new, unfamiliar companion. Not every girl has the wherewithal to leave loved ones behind and go adventuring in the dark, nor every actress grace and charisma to make those adventures enjoyable week after week. Luckily for us — and the Doctor — we now have Martha Jones.