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timeagainreviews · 5 years

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My Favourite TARDIS Teams

Yesterday on Twitter, Doctor Who Online asked the fandom which was the greatest Doctor/Companion pairing ever. This got me thinking. In the same way that I could never pin down a favourite Doctor, I doubt I could pin down a favourite TARDIS team, out of all of the TARDIS teams. But perhaps I could pin down my favourite team per Doctor! It seemed like a nice excuse to talk about some of the characters my reviews hadn’t touched upon yet. You may notice, I left out the War Doctor. While I do love the War Doctor, I’m not sure if any of the people he interacted with in the audios were what you could consider a full companion. That being said, I decided to dip into anything from the comics to the audios in some spots. Please note, this is not a list of who is best, merely, who are my favourites!

First Doctor: Susan, Ian, and Barbara

This one seemed like an obvious choice. It’s hard to argue with the original lineup. However, beyond this trio being the original crew, there’s a lot more to love than seniority. When we meet Ian and Barbara, they’re initially at odds with the Doctor. They’re more captives than companions, which makes their reluctant heroism a story of character development. We watch them become a tight-knit family through shared experience. This is something we see less and less throughout the First Doctor’s tenure, and it’s sad to see. We got characters like Dodo who was clearly added in to be a strand-in for Susan. By the time Ben and Polly show up, it’s as if companions are simply there to witness the Doctor and call him "far out." Giving the Doctor a familial link and two intelligent adults to answer to, added gravity to the situation. His actions had consequences. The Doctor wasn’t just magnificent with this team, he grew as a person.

Second Doctor: Zoe and Jamie

For this one, I could have easily just said Jamie and left it at that. Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. All-day, Jamie. But then our sparkle-butted whiz kid from the year 2000 shows up, and she’s wonderful. Why so much love for Jamie? I think most of the fandom would agree he’s the essential Second Doctor companion. Not only do Frazer Hines and Patrick Troughton mesh so well together, so do their characters. I'm not a person that usually ship's characters, but I easily ship Two and Jamie. There’s a certain magic when you pair the Second Doctor’s bumbling eccentric with Jamie’s rough and tumble man out of time. You get two characters who are most dangerous when they’re underestimated. As Terry Pratchett said of his character Carrot Ironfounderson- "Where people went wrong was thinking that simple meant the same thing as stupid." However, this is not to say that the pair weren't in need of a bit of direction. Zoe brought a grounding presence to the team with her headstrong confidence. One of my favourite Zoe moments is when the Doctor defers to her math skills. Before this era, the Doctor hadn't really been one to ask his companions for advice. A lot of the framework for future companion relationships was forged in the Second Doctor era. There's also something sad about the way the relationship ends between the three of them. Zoe and Jamie's minds were wiped of all memory of the Doctor and returned to their original timelines. Barring future retcons, they would never know of the brave adventures they had with their cosmic hobo friend.

Third Doctor: Sarah Jane

This one was hard. I could have easily picked Jo Grant. But I went with Sarah Jane for the same reason I didn't go with Sarah Jane for the Fourth Doctor. When Jo Grant had entered the show, it was after the rather unceremonious departure of Liz Shaw. Part of the reason Caroline John left Doctor Who was mirrored in the reason Liz left UNIT. She took issue with a strong woman being sidelined in her job by a male. Not very "women's lib," of them. Enter Jo Grant, who was basically there to be an assistant. This is why I love Sarah Jane for the Third Doctor. She comes in with her business lady suits and her fast-talking gumption. There's a wonderful way that she balances out the Doctor's ego while losing none of her sensitivity. Sarah Jane brings a certain realness to the companions in a way we hadn't seen since Barbara Wright. I also really admire the way she reacts to danger. There's a complete lack of vanity in her performance. Sadly, I feel Sarah loses a bit of her edge when she joins the Fourth Doctor. She trades her lady suits for Andy Pandy overalls. While Elisabeth Sladen will forever be one of the greats, I simply feel she worked best with the Third Doctor.

Fourth Doctor: Leela and K9

I may have lied when I said I can't pick a favourite TARDIS team out of all of them. This may be the closest to what I would call "favourite." It's always surprised me to discover that many fans rate Leela quite low. The most common reasons people usually give me are along the lines of why Tom Baker disliked the character- she was too violent, too one-note. I couldn't disagree more. In my mind, Leela's one of the few classic companions with a clear character arc. Essentially, Leela's story is one of rediscovering her roots. But on a simple level, it's a story of atheism. Leela's people weren't meant to be the Sevateem, worshipping technology like relics. They were a survey team, a group of scientists. As the Doctor teaches Leela about science, she learns more of what she was always supposed to be. However, I would be lying if I said I didn't also love that she's a murderous badass. There's something delightful about seeing this jungle warrior stalking down a corridor with her robot dog friend. It's a wonderful juxtaposition of anachronisms that screams Doctor Who. This is easily one of the most dangerous TARDIS teams, with Leela's knives and Janis thorns, and K9's death rays. Not only is the Doctor forced to teach Leela restraint, but is also forced to use it himself. Wouldn't it be easier to just let his friends do the dirty work? But at what cost? Interesting stuff.

Fifth Doctor: Tegan, Nyssa, and Turlough

This one was a bit more difficult than others. Not because I couldn't decide, but because I've never exactly been all that enamoured with the Fifth Doctor's companions. Kamelion and Adric definitely weren't making the list (sorry not sorry). I wasn't going to include Peri either as there wasn't much to go off with her. I'm also slightly averse to any further adventures for Peri and the Fifth Doctor via audios and books, as I feel it undercuts the Fifth Doctor's sacrifice in "The Caves of Androzani." Which leaves us with these three. As companions, I would say they're all just sort of... fine. Despite the fact that the three of them are on screen for only two stories (seriously, finding a picture of all them together with the Doctor was very hard), I couldn’t discount any of them. Nyssa sadly has the least bit to do out of all of them. They usually relegate her to the TARDIS with a headache she needs to sleep off. That being said, I really like her gentle nature and the fact that she can somewhat make heads or tails of the TARDIS. She's an alien with a big heart, I can get down with that. Turlough I actually rather enjoy. I like that he's a bit of a coward and a bit of an opportunist. I even named one of my cats Turlough because of his orange fur. He's also got a great character arc with his Black Guardian storyline. Tegan is the rogue element out of the three because I can't really fault her. She's got some genuine moments of showing her brave heart, but she's never really excited me. She just wants to go to Heathrow. Would that be too hard, Doctor?

Sixth Doctor: Evelyn

Poor Peri, she's getting all kinds of sidelined today. Really, the girl deserves a medal for all of the Doctor's shit she puts up with. I'm a bit of a Peri fan in all reality, but she's not my fave. That distinction goes to Evelyn Smythe. I spoke a little in my article about older companions about my love for Evelyn. Working as a history lecturer for Sheffield Hallam University, she was an older, learned woman. Because of this, the Sixth Doctor seemed to always want to impress her, as opposed to just always assuming he was impressive. She had a way of calming his more abrasive tendencies which really allowed him to shine. This isn't to say that she was some stuffy buzzkill, however. In a story like "Doctor Who and the Pirates," we learn that Evelyn likes a good laugh, even if she's a rather rubbish storyteller. Had she ever travelled with Frobisher, I would have added him as well, as he was a close second. Sadly, Maggie Stables has passed away, so further Evelyn stories are no longer possible, but we were able to say goodbye to her character in "A Death in the Family."

Seventh Doctor: Ace

As I mentioned in my article "The Doctor with 1000 Faces," Ace was a clear case of course correction. A few years ago in Newcastle, I got to meet Bonnie Langford. While she seemed like a nice person, I had a really hard time saying something I liked about Mel. I literally defaulted by saying "I liked you in Doctor Who," which was basically a lie. I didn't. It just wasn't her fault. And while I've revisited Mel and rather liked her in stories like "Paradise Towers," the introduction of Ace was an automatic improvement. Not only does Ace elevate Sylvester McCoy's performance, but she also breathed new life into the companion archetype. Ace didn't react to danger with mindless screaming, she was brooding and mysterious. There are moments where I laugh at just how much a delinquent she is. The girl carries explosives around like it's something everyone does. I told Sophie Aldred that Ace and Leela were my two favourite companions. I don't know what it says about me that I really like the smashy-smashy, stabby-stabby companions, but I do. There's just something really fun about the dangerous action girl with the mythic space nerd dynamic that I really love.

Eighth Doctor: Izzy and Feyde

This was another one that was difficult for me. I could have easily said Lucie "Bleedin'" Miller, or maybe even Fitz. I also have a somewhat incomplete knowledge of the 8th Doctor's companions. I've not yet listened to his audios with Mary Shelley, Tamsin, or Molly. I ended on Izzy and Feyde however because of their obvious impact on the show. Taking place in the comics, during the wilderness years between the TV movie and the 2005 series, this was some of the best Doctor Who available. Not only were Izzy and Feyde one of the first LGBT depictions in Doctor Who, they were also highly enjoyable characters. With Izzy we got to see some of the groundwork for characters like Rose Tyler and Lucie Miller. She was a modern girl who was a bit of a geek. I found her very relatable, even during her time as a fish. Feyde was an easy choice to include, and I do mean Feyde and not Fey. While being a secret agent from 1933 is cool, being a secret agent from 1933 merged with a sentient Time Lord weapon is way cooler. I could have gone with Shayde for the Fifth Doctor (hell, I should have gone with Shayde), but I wanted to save him for his time as Feyde. Having one companion who body swaps with a fish, and another that shares a body with an alien weapon, who also have lesbian feelings for one another is a recipe for some very interesting storytelling. Russell T Davies is a notable fan of this era of Doctor Who, so much so that he offered to let them show the 9th Doctor regenerate within its pages. If you've not read the Doctor Who Magazine comics, you should be. If for no other reason than for the Eighth Doctor's sublime era.

Ninth Doctor: Rose, Mickey, and Jack

Rose is a very divisive companion in the fandom. I know because I've taken part in the mud flinging until I realised that such endeavours were stupid. Seriously, if you're a hater of other people's tastes, you should stop. Let people like stuff. That's not to say I am a fan of what they did with her when David Tennant came into the TARDIS. For me, Rose Tyler will always work best with the Ninth Doctor. Having both met at a time when neither of them knew particularly what they wanted from life, they both seemed to have a healing quality toward one another. I was willing and able to believe that the two of them genuinely cared about one another, and the relationship blossomed because of this. It was a great way to reintroduce fans to the show after such an extended hiatus. The Doctor was this unknown figure who we got to discover and learn to trust through Rose Tyler's eyes. When the family grew with characters like the flirty Captain Jack or the goofy but earnest Mickey Smith, it only added to the dynamic. It was an exciting group to watch, and one that hooked countless new viewers.

Tenth Doctor: Donna

I will go up to bat for Donna Noble. I once had a roommate who brought a guy home who didn't like Donna Noble. When I asked why, he said she was ugly and annoying. When he left our house, I told her to dump his ass for his bad opinions about women (she agreed). Donna is a goddess. Much like Evelyn, she has the ability to temper the Doctor's shittier qualities. I mentioned I dislike how the Tenth Doctor interacted with Rose, and he definitely didn't appreciate Martha for the MVP she was. Donna was funny, she was nurturing, and she didn't let people push her around. There is nothing I don't like about her character. She gave the Tenth Doctor an accountability like Ian and Barbara gave the First Doctor. Seeing him interact with someone as an equal developed his character in ways we hadn't seen before. It was also really nice, after so much puppy love mooning over the Doctor, to see a companion who was literally just a friend. I've always preferred the Doctor's relationships to be platonic. I know some people like the idea of love in the TARDIS, but I'm old fashioned. Donna was so perfect for the Doctor that her ending could only be tragic. They say you never forget your first Doctor, but in the case of Jamie, Zoe, and Donna, it's sadly not true!

Eleventh Doctor: Amy and Rory

This one seems like a no-brainer to me. I would say the golden age for Matt Smith are his early adventures with Amy and Rory. I've heard people complain about Amy because of her lack of development outside of an obsession with the Doctor. While Rose Tyler had a job and a family, Amy had the raggedy man and years of therapy. But I can forgive all of this because of Karen Gillan's fiery personality. She kills every line of dialogue and sells every dramatic moment. I absolutely love her. Rory is more of a slow burn, but he achieves something I think they've tried with many other male companions and failed. He's able to question the Doctor's actions in a way that doesn't make him come off like a cocky prick (Adric) or horribly misguided (Danny Pink). His lack of hero worship toward the Doctor is a sober counterpoint to Amy's undying adoration. (If you remember correctly, I also named my other cat Rory after him). By the time the three gel into a team, they're like a family, and not just because of River connecting them in a familial way. You'll notice that I didn't include River, and this is simply because I have a lot of issues with the way her story was written. The whole meeting from opposite directions thing led to a lot of implied chemistry. It broke the rule of "show, don't tell," in a way I felt was detrimental to her character development. Despite a really lousy final episode, Amy and Rory are some of my favourite modern companions. Seriously, their goodbye in "The God Complex," should have been their actual goodbye.

Twelfth Doctor: Clara

Oh, Clara... I could write an entire article on my feelings about Clara Oswald. I would title it "The Many Faces of Clara," but it wouldn't be any of the split time stream versions, it would be about the ever-fluctuating character type of the companion Clara Oswald. She's all over the place, and it's a mess. Sometimes she's goofy, other times she's a stern killjoy, then she's a careless daredevil. I don't believe the writers knew what to do with her for most of her run. The impossible girl thing was, in my mind, a total misfire. But I can't help but feel like when she's with Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, she's given the most to work with. I went back and rewatched a lot of her episodes, and her stuff with Capaldi is some truly great Doctor Who. I didn't include Danny because he had so many issues as well, but I couldn't reconcile them. He spends the entire time barking at the Doctor in what was becoming a really sad trend of the Doctor not being able to get along with male companions and competing for the attentions of the female companion. I really tried to come away with a new appreciation for Danny, but his reluctance to stop a Cyberman invasion to prove a point that the Doctor is a general, was so stupid. "I'm going to let the world burn to win an argument." The worst part is, he wasn't even right about the Doctor, and we as the audience knew it. Clara, on the other hand, when she's outside the influence of the "impossible girl" storyline and Danny Pink, she's actually pretty damn compelling. It took her three seasons, but she gets there. This was just barely enough to edge Bill out of running. I'd also love to see Bill come back in an audio, as I feel she never got a proper shake. Make it so!

Thirteenth Doctor: Ryan, Yaz, and Graham

What other choices were there? That being said, I rather like all three of these companions. I've covered, rather extensively, the pros and cons of all three companions in my reviews for season eleven. I find it humorous that most of my friends were least excited by Graham, considering what a darling he's become in the fandom. I love the guy. It's no secret in this blog that I have been a big Graham fan from the start. Yaz is a character I think all of us can agree needs way more development. With that being said, I think we get a pretty good idea of her moral compass. I also really love Mandip Gill in the role. She's a great actress and not at all hard on the eyes. Tosin Cole as Ryan is a really interesting character because I keep fluctuating in between not being able to tell if he's a good actor or not. Either way, the scenes between him and his dad were some of the best of the season. I love the way the group defers to the Doctor. They really do seem like a team with a belief in the good they're doing. People can talk about the spotty nature of season eleven, but the fact remains, the characters are there to make me want to see what's in store for season twelve. Chibnall has given us three distinct individuals that we want to watch develop, and at the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about?

Well, friends, that's it for now! I hope you enjoyed this article! Did any of these match your picks? Was I totally wrong? Who are your favourites? I like to think there are no wrong answers because this fandom is vast and there's so much to love! I'll see you all soon!

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