Showing posts with label Rory Williams. Show all posts

06 May 2013

My Favourite Doctor Who Companions

Since it's Doctor Who's fiftieth year and I'm a fan of making lists, I decided to make a list of my favourite Doctor Who companions. This is a list of my favourite "full-time" companions (i.e. were on for more than a few episodes). My list of once-off companions is coming soon, so watch this space. Bear in mind that I have not watched a sufficient amount of ClassicWho episodes to add some of the well-loved classic companions and that all opinions are my own.


7. Rose Tyler

I am definitely not one of those crazy Rose fangirls. My relationship with Rose is slightly complicated and the reason for this is one man: the Doctor. I love the relationship Rose and the Doctor have. Every time I watch an episode with Rose and Nine, I smile at their casual jokes with each other and whenever I watch her with Ten my smile turns to a full on ear-to-ear whenever she smiles at him or he grins at her (David Tennant’s grin is amazing). That’s the thing, I like Rose and the Doctor as a couple, but Rose as an individual is something else. I don’t like the way she treats Mickey and I understand that he was literally clinging on to her leg at the end of Rose, but that’s no reason to just leave him there possibly scared out of his wits. Sometimes I get the feeling that she only thinks about herself, evident in the way Jackie says that she barely comes home to visit, and her clear jealousy towards any woman who so much as looks at the Doctor is deeply off-putting. Honestly, I can see why so many both love and hate Rose Tyler, it’s because she’s the epitome of a human being. We all have something about ourselves that people don’t like, for me it’s the fact that I can’t hold a proper conversation for too long, for others it could be that they don’t know when to stop talking. I have to admit that she does have her moments like when she talks about taking a stand and doing what is right or when she takes up the leadership role when the Doctor isn’t there, but I think these are only qualities that show through because she has met the Doctor. Just as she changed him, he changes her. 

6. Sarah Jane Smith

From the three episodes that I’ve seen Sarah-Jane in I can tell why she is such a well-loved character. Sarah-Jane is a great example of independence; she sees a story and goes out after it. She doesn’t wait for confirmation from her editor, she just follows her intuition. In School Reunion Sarah-Jane gave Rose and the audience a glimpse into what life was like succeeding travelling with the Doctor. She also showed us that the life we make for ourselves is the one we choose. She could have easily just gotten herself a nice comfy house and withered away, but, no, she’s still investigating, even after all those years. I have yet to watch The Sarah Jane Adventures, but I am sure it must be good. Sarah Jane’s nature inspires me to find out about the world around us, her investigative ways is something that every journalist needs possess. I can really see why the Doctor would have her as a companion and she paved the way for new companions everywhere. As soon as she entered the TARDIS, those days where companions were damsels in distress was eradicated. There was a new type of companion one who wasn't afraid to voice her opinion and stand up to the Doctor. She was able show that women can live up to any man. Every time I watch an episode with her in it, I want her to come back and then my heart sinks when I realise that we can never have that again. The world lost a great actress and companion when Elisabeth Sladen died. 

5. Donna Noble

I hated her in The Runaway Bride although I still laughed at all the funny parts and sat through the whole episode, I found her to be a bit annoying. She was loud and mad and came off a bit too rude. Then I watched series four and I started to fall for her slowly. The chemistry between Catherine Tate and David Tennant is wonderful. Since seeing them act together in Doctor Who, I've seen them both in Much Ado About Nothing, short clips from The Catherine Tate Show and in the special for Nevermind the Buzzcocks as well as other interviews. Their friendship off screen really shows through in their acting and plays perfectly with the relationship the Doctor and Donna have. Donna wasn't afraid to tell him like it was and she grew so much while travelling with the Doctor. Out of all the new companions I can really see the change she goes through from The Runaway Bride, where she was that annoying woman at work who only thought about juicy gossip, to Journey’s End, where she became this wonderful woman not only because of the metacrisis, but because of the way she treated everybody. That relationship the Doctor and Donna had really pulled the mediocre episodes up immensely during series four and I really do love the two of them for that. 

4. Captain Jack

Captain Jack is a charmer, but the thing I like about him is that he doesn't discriminate. He’ll go for you if you’re a man, woman, alien, if you’re living, he’ll flirt. He embodies everything about acceptance that the show teaches and all in a tight shirt and long trench coat. Captain Jack is the type of guy who can smile his way out of a parking ticket, the guy you go to if you want to party so hard that you can’t even remember what happened the previous night, but he’s also the type of guy you need as a friend. He’s shown it on more occasions than one that he is loyal to the people he loves. He rebuilds Torchwood in the Doctor’s name and when the Daleks start attacking Earth he grabs hold of Gwen and Ianto, thinking that they’re about to die and choosing to be close to them. Captain Jack has been described as a “51st Century James Bond” and was created to parallel the Doctor’s alien ways with his humanity while also being a sort “rival hero” to the Doctor. Jack’s pure acceptance and charm places him in a comfortable fourth place for me.

 3. Amy and Rory Pond-Williams

You can’t have one without the other. Rory and Amy were probably the coolest couple on TV between 2010 and 2012; they’re proof that love knows nothing about weird noses and “moon faces”. Love chooses the personality rather than the looks. Amy was this beautiful model figure with shiny ginger hair and a fashion sense that gave stars a run for their money, but it was her personality that made everyone love her so much. Rory, on the other hand, was that awkward boy with the big nose whose kind hearted spirit made everyone he met instantly like him. Amy was the brave one, Rory was the logical one. There were times where you needed Rory to stop Amy from doing something wrong and times where you needed Amy to show Rory how to live a little, and die a little (sorry about that, Rory). You could feel that they loved each other beyond belief that there was no one else for them.  In their last episode they are even willing to sacrifice themselves to save New York and Amy’s classic badass line “I won’t let them take him,” sealed their love even more. Amy and Rory came into the TARDIS, domesticated it and showed the Doctor a whole new meaning of love: family. Something he had lost a very long time ago. They may never be able to see the Doctor again, but The Last Centurion and The Girl Who Waited will always have a happy ending in the city of dreams. 

2. Martha Jones

Martha was my first companion and she was the first person of colour to step into the TARDIS as a full-time companion (I say full-time because Mickey was there for a few episodes and then he left and then returned again, so he didn’t stay on the way Rose or the others did). So I don’t understand why people hate her so much. I think she’s a great person and she has a fantastic personality, but because she followed Rose everyone has a reason to hate her? Rose loved the Doctor and everyone praised her, but when Martha showed affection for him everyone insulted her. If you had to put yourself in Martha’s shoes, you would realise that she had every reason to fall in love with the Doctor and then be riddled with self-pity when he wouldn’t stop talking about his previous companion. If you had to put it in real world context, it’s like meeting someone and you have such a great time with them that you start to develop genuine emotions towards them, but they’re still hung up on their ex. She still fought on and waited for him to see her, but he never did, so she eventually decided to leave, realising that it was better for her and her family. Martha shouldn’t be hated; she should be praised for her bravery, intelligence and her ability to grow more independent. The fact that she’s also studying to be a medical doctor makes her a role model to young girls and shows that an intelligent woman can actually make it far in life. If there’s anything I hate about the time she spent in the TARDIS it’s the way the Doctor treated her, there were times when you thought that he was finally getting over Rose and then he would suddenly change and get all angst-y again. I think he realised too late that Martha was someone that really did care deeply for him and that he didn’t treat her the way he should have. To me Martha will always be the woman who walked to Earth, all in the name of the Doctor. 


1. Clara Oswald

I understand that she’s new and that she’s only been in about eight episodes so far (including Asylum and
Snowmen), but she has to be one of the coolest companions out there. She’s proven that she has razor sharp abilities and is able to keep up with everything the Doctor says. She’s demonstrated herself to be curious and brave and she’s got a mystery about her. Her personality is similar every time the Doctor meets her, but she’s not as cocky as Asylum-Oswin although she still retains her wit. Clara is possibly the perfect companion to the Doctor and this may be a trap, but in quite recent episodes it seems like she’s just an ordinary human. This mystery that surrounds her makes her even more intriguing, it’s not something that sticks out completely and Moffat has stated that no one has fully figured her out yet. Jenna-Louise Coleman couldn’t have played her better, the chemistry that she and Matt have is completely different to the one Karen and Matt had. With Matt and Karen they were just this goofy bunch of friends who got up to mischief at every turn. With Matt and Jenna they’re sort of this pair of fast-talking curious partners that may or may not be attracted to each other. It’s not only Jenna’s looks that make her a likable companion it’s the fact that we get to see things from new eyes. Let’s face it, it was time for Amy and Rory to go, their story was beginning to waver and every possible storyline had been used (including divorce). Jenna’s fresh new face alongside Matt allowed him to delve deeper into the character of the Doctor, he was able to see how the Doctor would interact with a new companion especially one that’s surrounded in so much mystery. There’s just something about this impossible woman that makes you want to like her. Some people do think that she is bland or that the fact that she isn't a “regular companion", her being a mystery from the start, draws away from the essence of Doctor Who, but I think that Jenna’s acting really pulls her through and we see Clara, the character, on screen rather than Jenna playing Clara.

So, there you have it. My list of my favourite companions in Doctor Who. Now, I know what some people are saying and that's "Captain Jack wasn't a full-time companion!" Yes, but he got he's own spin-off and if it's good enough for Russell T Davies, then it's good enough for me. I hope you enjoyed this list please feel free to comment below or reach me via twitter.

2 comments
28 May 2012

Things I've Learnt From Doctor Who

Doctor Who is an iconic British television program that has been around for almost half a century.Although it is a science fiction program it deals with real life matters and problems.I have laughed and cried but most of all I have learnt. In this article I'll be focusing on the humorous aspects as well as real life problems. Here are a few things that I've learnt from watching the Revival Series of Doctor Who:

1. I Should Probably Hit The Gym 
With Earth being recognized more and more by aliens it should be a good idea to be as physically fit as you can. Running helps. Who knows, maybe one day while I’m working in a massive retail store I might need to run from the mannequins that are now trying to attack me or maybe I’ll have to outrun creepy stone angels that only move when I look away. Basically, running is vital if you want to live. Like Donna said, “Seriously, there’s an outrageous amount of running involved.”

2. Gingers Are Badass 
There’s nothing more badass than a strong willed ginger who knows what they want. Donna, the biggest loud mouth ever, paved the way for gingers everywhere. Her fiery hair reflected her fiery personality giving new meaning to the term “temp”. Plus she was one of the only companions that didn’t fall for the Doctor’s tricks immediately (Rory being the other one: “It’s another dimension.”). Amy Pond is not afraid to speak her mind and her curiosity makes her all the more loveable. She’s not afraid of going into a restricted zone or facing a Dalek. Yes, sometimes she does get into trouble but, then again, how many of us can say that we’ve meet Vincent van Gogh? She’s a ginger nothing can get in her way.

3. Travelling Through Time And Space Could Lead To Danger 
 Everywhere the Doctor seems to go trouble always follows. “Let’s go to 1930’s New York. Nothing could go wrong!” or “I hear the planet Midnight is great. Why don’t we stop by?” There always seems to be an endless supply of aliens trying to attack other planets or attempting (and failing) to evolve. Fact of the matter is Space + Time = Danger. Or maybe travelling with the Doctor equals danger. Either way, make sure you know how to fight off an alien with a water pistol or a plank of wood.

4. The TARDIS is Awesome 

Awesome, right?
“Oh that box, Amy, you’ll dream about that box. It’ll never leave you.” Oh how right you are, Doctor. There have been many countless nights where I’ve gone to bed straight after watching Doctor Who and almost every time I’ve dreamt about the TARDIS. There was even one time when I thought I could the “TARDIS noise” right outside my window. It has such a distinct sound that my sister and I can identify it from a mile away. Yes, just like Mickey and Jackie. It’s a big blue box that’s bigger on the inside, it (sorry! She) has a heart and soul. The TARDIS is a magical box that can never be replaced or upgraded into something new. She is a timeless classic.

 5. Not All Aliens Are Bad 
Our prime example being the Doctor but also Jabe from the second episode of the New Series or the Star Whale that just wanted to help the people of the UK. Some aliens are as ignorant of us as we are of them. They just want to live their lives happily the same way we want to. It has taught me that not all aliens are little green men and I shouldn’t be scared of all of them, but if they have plans to attack the Earth then you better run for your life.

6. Never Trust A Good Looking Prime Minister 
Because he’s probably a raging psychopath alien with a desire to take over the Earth just because he wants to. The Master: a man who used to be friends with the Doctor but is now his worst enemy. He is good looking and not to be trusted at all. He’s brainwashed everyone with the Archangel signal and he still looks charming. The first thing you should think about when choosing a possible Prime Minister is his age (if he’s old and ugly he’s your man) don’t go for anyone that’s hot because you might end up being killed by your descendants.

7. The Doctor Likes To Meddle 
He’s always in place he should never be and he’s always doing stuff he never should but he still does it. The Doctor always let’s his curiosity get the best of him. There are lights flickering in Craig’s neighbourhood, “I should probably leave.” But does he? No, he doesn’t! He just walks right into danger. “I’ll just leave Martha back at home! But that man just said he was going change what it meant to be human, I have to find out what he meant!” He is always tasting stuff he shouldn’t be tasting and going to places he shouldn’t be going. The Doctor is inquisitive and no amount of companions could stop him from meddling.

 8. Murray Gold Is A Song Writing Genius 
If you watch Doctor Who and don’t know who Murray Gold is then you don’t deserve to be watching it. Murray Gold is the composer for the show and he comes up with most of the musical score in it. You know the Eleventh Doctor’s famous melody? Murray wrote that. One minute he could be composing for an action packed scene with aliens shooting at the Doctor and his companions and the next minute he’ll be scoring the most emotional scene ever. Sometimes he has to do it all in one scene. Being a composer for Doctor Who is challenging because you have to be versatile with the music. There are heart-breaking moments and parts where you just can’t stop laughing (fish custard) and action sequences that all need to be scored by one person. Murray achieves all of this in one episode and he never fails to amaze me. He is probably the only person who can reduce me to tears with a two minute long tune.

Some of the enemies the Doctor has faced in cute cartoon form.
9. Life Is Pretty Dull 
Enter the “I hate my life” phase. After watching Doctor Who and experiencing all these great new things ordinary life seems so dull. Yes, I know it’s just fiction but it still grips you and makes you believe that you could do anything with your life. Like Rose said, “What do I do now? Wake up, go to work, come home, and eat chips and sleep.” Compared to what she has seen normal life is just so boring. There is a part of me that doesn't want the life Rose had to go back to, it has taught me that if something good is going to happen I should probably make it happen. Rose does that it the exact same episode she realises that real life is boring but she's the only one who can change it.

10. Violence Is Never The Answer 
Being a show aimed at the whole family, Doctor Who teaches us that violence doesn’t solve much. One of the principles the Doctor lives by is no violence whatsoever. He is there to help but don’t give him a gun. He try’s his best to fight using words and he never wants to see his enemy die (unless it’s a Dalek). He’s got all this rage within him but he will try his hardest not to lash out at anyone. Still suffering from the time war, he goes the extra mile to prevent anyone’s death. Like when he saved River Song into the Computer or he tried to stop the death of Adelaide Brooke. He has shown me that battles don’t have to be won with fist, guns or swords and that if you sit down and talk like civilized human beings you will achieve so much more.

leave a comment
Powered by Blogger.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Message From Apollo

Due to a mass load of original content on this blog the right-click ("copy and paste") action has been disabled. But please note that all links a post do open in new tab. If you would like you use something of mine (a picture or text from a post) please feel free to ask me and I'll get right back to you with that. Feel free to share a post if you like it. I encourage reader feedback so don't be afraid to comment and criticism is welcomed. It's only through you, the reader, that I find out ways to improve my content.

Search This Blog