Favourite New Series Doctor Who Companion (Spoilers?)

[HellCat]

With the show's fourth revived season coming in 2008, I thought it might be fun to see who is the preferred companion. We've had Nine and Ten clash in an older thread, only fair to give the companions their time

Rose Tyler- A working class teenager from contemporary London, what Rose lacks in formal qualifications she makes up for in spirit. The Doctor's first companion in the new series, before being trapped on a parallel Earth

Adam Mitchell- A young prodigy, working for tycoon Henry van Statten. Adam got one trip in the TARDIS, where he visited the distant future. Unable to resist the opportunity, he stole large amounts of information which he planned to take back to his own time. Depending on what you go by, he was either greedy or was looking for a cure for his ill father. After this action nearly got his fellow travellers killed, Adam was booted out.

Captain Jack Harkness- Before encountering the Doctor, Jack was a time travelling con man. With even his name being stolen, Jack joined the TARDIS as his morals grew back. Killed by Daleks and then brought back as an immortal, Jack spent decades trying to find 'the right kind of Doctor'. After helping save the universe from the Master, Jack has currently returned to his role as head of Torchwood-3. Much sex follows.

Mickey Smith- Rose's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Mickey was initially distrustful of the Doctor and too scared to become a companion. He ultimately joined up, but was left as something of a third wheel. He soon after chose to leave the TARDIS and assume his counterpart's life on the parallel Earth.

Donna Noble- A pawn in an ancient scheme to destroy the Earth, Donna was a sometimes acidic companion. Although warming to the Doctor, she was unwilling to commit to a life of travel with him. Well, at least the first time anyway...

Martha Jones- A doctor in training, Martha joined the Doctor in a misguided attempt to win his heart and escape the stresses of her own life. After this decision nearly destroyed her family and she was forced to endure a hellish alternate time line under the rule of the Master, Martha chose to return to her normal life. At least for a little while...

Astrid Peth- A waitress on the starship Titanic, Astrid wished to be a traveller and planned to join the Doctor. However, she sacraficed herself to foil a plot to crash the ship into Earth.

Lynda with a Y- The Daleks got her.

[James]

Captain Jack all the way, followed by Martha Jones.

[HellCat]

Captain Jack all the way, followed by Martha Jones.

It's probably between those two for me as well. I think Jack suffered a bit during his time in Torchwood. I hope they don't do the same with Martha.

Mickey deserves a nod. He went from an unlikeable clown to a better everyman than Rose. The Girl In the Fireplace was a great episode but I think it suffered from its placement. Mickey joins the TARDIS and his first episode seems him shoved to the sidelines for heavy focus on the Doctor. Then next episode involves him being treated like crap and deciding to leave. A real shame. I'd loved to have sacraficed Fear Her to get an additional Mickey story to give him a fair tenure.

[MonkeyFunk]

Mickey might have been more appealing if he hadn't been so badly miscast. I don't really have much against Noel Clarke when he's in a straight role (as in Kidulthood and to a lesser extent season 2 of Who), but making him the comic relief was a terrible idea. He just can't do funny.

[HellCat]

Mickey might have been more appealing if he hadn't been so badly miscast. I don't really have much against Noel Clarke when he's in a straight role (as in Kidulthood and to a lesser extent season 2 of Who), but making him the comic relief was a terrible idea. He just can't do funny.

I think he got off to a bad start in 'Rose', where he had to play the very cheesey Auton doppleganger (Rose not seeing through that....wow). I think by the end of 'Aliens of London' he was on his way to being something better. He still gets crapped on in 'Boom Town' but he also gets to leave partly with his head held high when he shows Rose she can't have everything. It's a real shame that 'Rise of the Cybermen' treats him so poorly.

[XOMiss_Samantha]

I support Martha Jones even more than Jack (who has his own special place in my heart). Martha is passionate, strong, pretty smart, and willing to risk her life for the Dr. She loves him.
Rose was nice, but Martha is better.

[Temple Fugate]

I also have to go with Martha, despite the fact that every second of hinted romantic feelings she had for the Doctor felt completely out of character (even before her character was firmly established in "Smith and Jones"!). When she wasn't pining futilely after the Doctor, she was smart, determined, and she didn't look half bad, either. (Certainly a better dresser than Rose.) She also has a strong sense of responsibility, both to the Doctor and to her family, and knows when to put one over the other. I'm very interested to see where the writers take her after this.

Second is Captain Jack, for many reasons, but the primary among them was his martini (or whatever it was) he had programmed in for "emergencies" in the "Empty Child" arc. That was the icing on the cake, but despite all his subsequent appearances, I think he was best characterized in that first two-parter. Oh, and finding out he's the Face of Boe? Shazam! Legendary.

Third is...well, Rose. When she was good, she was good. Where some didn't like her attitude in series 2, I enjoyed it. She and the Doctor had chemistry, and they operated like a real team in several episodes. Examples: In "Reunion," Rose was almost exposed for consorting with "Mr. Smith," and instead of bumbling like an idiot, Rose quickly came back with "I was just chatting with this teacher. (He doesn't like the chips.)" She deflated the situation by turning it into a protest against the food, deflecting suspicion. In "The Impossible Planet," when they first arrived on the station, Rose mockingly suggested that if there was any danger, they could turn around and leave. She and the Doctor promptly broke into laughter. These are just a few of the instances where Rose felt like a real companion, and not a puppy dog.

But oh yes, she was TOTALLY a puppy dog. That's why she ain't #1.

Lynda with a Y- The Daleks got her.

I was wondering why you put her on the list. Brilliant.

[James]

Mickey deserves a nod. He went from an unlikeable clown to a better everyman than Rose. The Girl In the Fireplace was a great episode but I think it suffered from its placement. Mickey joins the TARDIS and his first episode seems him shoved to the sidelines for heavy focus on the Doctor. Then next episode involves him being treated like crap and deciding to leave. A real shame. I'd loved to have sacraficed Fear Her to get an additional Mickey story to give him a fair tenure.

I agree all the way (good start to the new year, n'est pas). From being an idiot, he became a great addition to the cast and then to the TARDIS. Loved him in GITF and the Cybermen saga, and yes, his treatment in that said saga seemed to be an unintentional allegory to how iced out the audience felt in the TARDIS family - yes, if your name wasn't "Rose", you weren't really let in on the jokes.

I therefore expand my list:

Jack
Martha
Mickey
Adam (as a Turloughesque imperfect character, I think he had far more potential than was offered)
Donna (as annoying as she was for the first act of TRB, I have high hopes for her potential)

I must admit, I really can't stand Rose anymore. She was fine alongside Eccleston, but her involvement in series two almost made this long term watcher dump the show. She was a good character stretched out for too long and given too much influence and respect within the fictitious sphere of the show. IMO.

[HellCat]

I was wondering why you put her on the list. Brilliant.

Lynda seems to have made quite the impact with fans, so I felt she deserved a nod. I nearly put Sally Sparrow down too but that's a bit of a stretch. I'd probably have to put Elton Pope down too in that case.

I agree all the way (good start to the new year, n'est pas). From being an idiot, he became a great addition to the cast and then to the TARDIS. Loved him in GITF and the Cybermen saga, and yes, his treatment in that said saga seemed to be an unintentional allegory to how iced out the audience felt in the TARDIS family - yes, if your name wasn't "Rose", you weren't really let in on the jokes.

I therefore expand my list:

Jack
Martha
Mickey
Adam (as a Turloughesque imperfect character, I think he had far more potential than was offered)
Donna (as annoying as she was for the first act of TRB, I have high hopes for her potential)

I must admit, I really can't stand Rose anymore. She was fine alongside Eccleston, but her involvement in series two almost made this long term watcher dump the show. She was a good character stretched out for too long and given too much influence and respect within the fictitious sphere of the show. IMO.

Good start indeed

I think Rose is an example of the fandom having an impact. If you go to dedicated DW forums like the former-OG, you can't escape the Rose gushers. That Rose was awesome, Martha sucked and Rose apparently NEEDS to come back as his companion. And don't argue otherwise because then they'll come after you and get personal if they feel like it...all over a fictional character.

I agree Rose peaked by the end of season 1. I think by the time of Boom Town she was starting to lose her appeal, probably not helped by the strong implication that alot of her development had happened off screen. The romance angle was also painful. I preffered how when Rose travelled with Nine, it was strongly suggested they were more like uncle and niece and the suggestion they were a couple was a running joke to annoy them. Then come the regeneration and it suddenly became "I love my Rosey-wosey!" "My Doctor! MINE!!" By the end of season 2, she'd become incredibly selfish. Leaving the mother who raised you trapped on an alternate world because you want to have fun with your alien boy toy?