CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: K9 (John Leeson, First Appearance 1977); The Master (First Appearance 1971); Ace McShane (Sophie Aldred, First Appearance 1987); Wilfred Mott (Bernard Cribbins, First Appearance 2007); Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, First Appearance 1973); Donna Noble (Catharine Tate, First Appearance 2006)
Strong, brave, comforting, loveable or cute? K9? Clara? or River Song? Who is your favourite Dr Who sidekick? To mark the Dr Who 60th Anniversary, I asked fans to name their favourite Doctor Who supporting characters. With over 1100 votes, I compiled the Top 10, and the reasons people chose them. All of The Doctor’s friends have been unique, but this shows the true variety that makes up what was once called “the biggest family in the universe”.
Number 10 - K9 (John Leeson, First Appearance 1977)
K9 was a robot dog from the year 5000 who was both a useful tool and a great sci-fi spin on a familiar pet. He endeared himself to viewers by a mix of adorable cuteness and hilariously dry delivery. Despite being a companion over 40 years ago, he remains relevant with appearances in the revival series and in three of the show’s spinoffs, two of which were about him. He is one of few designs to have joined the TARDIS and the Sonic Screwdriver as parts of the series’ core iconography, he is well deserving of a spot in this list.
Number 9 - Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman, First Appearance 2005)
Tom Baker might have had a mechanical dog, but Christopher Eccleston picked up another futuristic stray during his travels. Captain Jack Harkness was a rogue Time Agent with more time travel experience than any previous companion, and an almost polar opposite approach to conflict than the Doctor. Fans found it entertaining watching his flirtatious scene-stealing antics in Doctor Who, but he was then granted a greater level of depth and darkness in the Torchwood spinoff series. In the survey, fans also said his status as the first openly queer Doctor Who character, his immortality, and his “electric chemistry with multiple incarnations of the Doctor”. With these in mind, there’s no surprise the character has endured.
Number 8 - Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman, First Appearance 2012)
Clara Oswald was the centre of an intriguing mystery for the 11th Doctor, a figure that appeared repeatedly throughout his lives. But it was in the 12th Doctor’s era that fans felt she was solidified as a special character in and of herself. One of the longest-running companions, her arc took place over three series, allowing her to achieve a greater emotional depth than many who came before, something that was helped by the maturity of Steven Moffat’s writing and Jenna Coleman’s outstanding performance. The survey voters felt that Clara was the companion who comes “closest to being the Doctor’s equal”, constantly challenging him and forcing him to be better. Her relationship with the Doctor is just as complex as she is, it can feel toxic and dysfunctional at times as it is used to explore the conventions and flaws of a Doctor/companion dynamic. She’s considered one of the strongest parts of the last 10 years of Doctor Who, and will likely always be thought of among the best companions.
Number 7 - Ace McShane (Sophie Aldred, First Appearance 1987)
There was very clearly something different about Ace. She had some traits that had previously been reserved for the male characters, like power and aggression. But she was still emotional, flawed, and human. She had the moving arc of overcoming the trauma of her backstory and growing into a defiant and strong woman. Survey voters felt that her “bright personality and attitude” elevated every scene she’s in, and that her more active role in the stories leads to an interesting dynamic with the Doctor. Sylvester McCoy’s incarnation was especially manipulated, and she calls him out on it, having more conflict with him than most of the companions who came before him. Her most iconic moment was destroying a Dalek with a baseball bat, and she became the definitive companion of expanded media following the show’s cancellation in 1989. Ace broke the mould, then set a new one. She became the standard for what future companions were capable of. The new series owes a lot to her and, with her return in 2022’s Power of the Doctor, it seems likely that we’ll see her again soon.
Number 6 - River Song (Alex Kingston, First Appearance 2008)
It can be hard to imagine The Doctor being part of any kind of romance, so it was a bold decision for the series to introduce his wife. What helped sell fans on River Song was the remarkable energy that Alex Kingston brought to the character, and a sci-fi concept so brilliant, it’s a surprise it took Doctor Who this long to try it. The Doctor and River are two time-travellers who meet and fall in love in the wrong order. As The Doctor spends more time with River, she knows him less and less until he is a stranger to her. Seeing a couple grow closer together as time pulls them apart is deeply compelling. She plays a key role in the overall narrative of the 11th Doctor’s series, but the fans who voted for her made it clear that she is more than a plot device. She is a “capable and badass archaeologist”. She’s intelligent, funny, and quirky in a way that feels original but not unlike The Doctor. She helps the audience see the Doctor in a very different context to what we’re used to, and works equally well with the three incarnations she’s met on-screen. Many fans hope she will return.
Number 5 - Wilfred Mott (Bernard Cribbins, First Appearance 2007)
Originally meant as just a one-scene cameo, national treasure Bernard Cribbins won the hearts of all Doctor Who fans when he became the recurring character of Wilfred Mott, Donna’s grandfather. He provides comic relief while remaining authentic and believable, bringing an emotional weight that puts him at the centre of so many of the show’s most devastating moments. But at his core, he is a purely loveable character, probably one of the most loveable ever put to screen. So many fans mentioned his “kindness and enthusiasm”. He was scene-stealing in a supporting role, but they made the genius decision to make him the main companion in David Tennant’s final special, instantly becoming one of the best. It’s quite the feat to convincingly portray a father figure to a 900-year-old man, but seeing Wilf fill that role is one of the highlights of the episode. A common opinion was that Wilf feels like he's part of our own family.
Number 4 - The Master (First Appearance 1971)
The Master is possibly an unfair inclusion because they can feel more like multiple great characters than just one. Like The Doctor, they are a Time Lord who can regenerate and change actors. But despite the unique characteristics that make each iteration so wonderfully distinct, The Master has fundamentally been the same person from the start. Their shared backstory with The Doctor as childhood friends makes them a far more personal enemy, leading to a fascinating relationship that exposes some emotional weaknesses of The Doctor that viewers rarely get to see. They're a lonelier version of The Doctor, lacking the humanity that the companions provide. There is a clear parallel between the hero and the villain, and the character’s most celebrated incarnations are the ones who directly mirror the Doctor of that time. Roger Delgado’s Master attempted to outdo Jon Pertwee’s suave sophistication to great effect. John Simm took David Tennant’s wired and lively charisma and turned it into something more sinister. And as the Twelfth Doctor wondered if he was a good man, Michelle Gomez’s Missy (short for The Mistress) grappled with who she was and how she fit into the universe. But fans agree that - regardless of the incarnation - there is always a delightful balance of terrifying chaos, emotional nuance, and unfiltered camp fun.
Number 3 - Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney, First Appearance 1968)
The Brigadier is unlike any other supporting character on this list or in the show, as the head of UNIT, the alien-response military organisation. He fills a role often reserved for antagonists, as he brings a combative attitude to scientific problems, but The Doctor cannot remain unhappy with him for too long. The same is true of the viewers, thanks to Nicholas Courtney being a “powerhouse of charisma and charm” (according to one fan), bringing a masterful dry humour to the ridiculous scenarios, and always quick with a quotable line. In a series that never stays anywhere for too long, The Brigadier is one of very few constants. After he stopped being a series regular, we never went too long without seeing a new Doctor check in with him. Even now that Nicholas Courtney has passed away, The legacy of the “Brig” is felt, through his daughter Kate Lethbridge-Stewart leading UNIT in the modern series.
Number 2 - Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, First Appearance 1973)
Elisabeth Sladen was a force of nature as Sarah Jane Smith, first alongside Jon Pertwee, then even more so with Tom Baker. She was a strong, brave, and comforting presence in some of the original series’ best episodes. If she had only ever appeared in the classic series, it still would have been an exceptional contribution to Doctor Who. But the character was given a whole new life as part of David Tennant’s era, connecting the show to its history and giving us a look at the lives of the companions after The Doctor leaves. The new generation of fans immediately fell in love with her because it’s hard not to. She’s a joy to watch, overwhelmingly kind but with a feisty edge, retaining the spark that made her so great in the 70s, but with added layers of depth.
Russell T Davies had a lot of brilliant ideas in his time as showrunner, but The Sarah Jane Adventures spinoff might have been the best one. As the series was targeted at a younger audience, Sarah Jane became the equivalent of The Doctor for many new fans, acting as an entry point to this world of aliens and adventures and doing so with such a warm twinkle in her eye that it was impossible not to want to follow her in these stories. Elisabeth Sladen’s death came as a shock to fans around the world, and brought The Sarah Jane Adventures to an end long before its time. But she left an incomparable impact on the world of Doctor Who, and her own series was beloved and iconic in its own right.
Number 1: Donna Noble (Catharine Tate, First Appearance 2006)
Catherine Tate was a guest star for a one-off special, but people thought she was so spectacular that she was promoted to full-time. After some messier romantic and unrequited dynamics between The Tenth Doctor and his companions, Donna Noble is refreshingly committed to just being friends with the skinny spaceman who whisked her away. This platonic relationship was the thing that was mentioned most often in the survey.
Fans were happy to see that they were just mates because they were thoroughly entertaining mates. Often, a good duo needs two people with contrasting vibes, but Tate matched Tennant’s high energy and displayed an electric chemistry. Like all great companions, she’s not afraid to call The Doctor out on his alien antics when some humanity is needed.
Donna is almost unanimously considered the funniest of the companions, the result of hiring a comedian for the role, but the comedy never becomes a caricature. She’s full of sass and personality, but not at the expense of authenticity, Donna is grounded and “normal in a very relatable sense”, given the grand importance of so many stories and characters. But she has always been more than the humour, Catherine Tate was able to deliver dramatic and emotional beats exceptionally effectively. The light that she usually brings to the series makes the darker moments all the more moving, especially in her departure. One of the most exciting aspects of the upcoming 60th Anniversary specials is seeing her again, reunited with Tennant’s Doctor.
The best companions provide an answer to the questions of why The Doctor has such a love for Earth, and why he fights so hard to save the human race. Donna eliminates these questions entirely, “epitomising everything that’s great about humanity”, and doing it in a way that is moving, compelling, and endlessly hilarious.
Joe Brennan graduated last year and wrote this piece as part of his final-year project. He has a YouTube channel specialising in Dr Who, Star Wars and related shows.
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