Best First Impressions - Ranking Doctor Who Companion Introductions
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- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
- It's important to get off on the right foot. So I'm going to take a look at the companions of the modern era of Doctor Who and rank how well they came across in their first appearance.
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The thing with Mickey is - we're supposed to not like him in his intro, we're supposed to write him off as goofy and an idiot, so Rose running away is more sympathetic. So him being so low is exactly where he's supposed to be.
Donna's first appearance was a complete story - her character developed from shouty and abrasive to being so much more by the end.
Compared to other companion's where their introductory episode stopped at the first impression and the development played out over a year or more.
Donna coming back as a companion worked so well because we'd already seen the conclusion of her first arc, and now got to see how she exists as the changed character play out in her season as a companion proper.
As an audience we are already invested in her character, have already seen her character grow and evolve, by the time she became a companion - she started off where Rose, Amy and Clara were at the end of their first season or where Martha was when she left.
That's why the Runaway Bride works well as a first episode - it wouldn't had she joined straight away, but coming after Martha the audience was ready for a companion who just wanted a mate and we already knew that's what she would be.
It should be ranked higher, not because her first impression is anything special, but because of the way it set her up for her run as a companion later on.
I kinda feel like Sarah jane deserved a shout out, or even an honorable mention. Even though it was a re introduction, for a lot of people who joined with new who it effectively was an introduction to the character and even without seeing the classics, you can feel the history between the characters, despite one of them having a different face...
I love Bill’s intro. It already establishes she is going to be more of a typical young girl. It establishes that the Doctor is intrigued by a kid seeking knowledge, even though it’s above her head and she isn’t paying for a degree. She also was so open, and used what seemed like non-sequiturs to get to a point. She was so different, and felt like a young adult/kid. It was great.
I completely agree with number 1, by the way. River Song’s intro is so good, along with two of the best episodes.
I liked Bill from her first monologue in the pilot. She just fitted in so perfectly in her odd en enthusiastic way. She started talking and I was like, yeah this is a character Im gonna like...
Hmm, I still would have ranked Donna much higher (maybe near Rose). Even in subsequent viewings, I can see her character transforming from the shrill bride-to-be to someone much more accepting of the timey-wimey stuff and even more compassionate by the time the special ends. Her characterization in The Runaway Bride makes her feel extremely real to me and her last conversation with the Doctor really stuck with me. I actually would have put Amy below Rose, she just didn't draw me in.
8:30 I'll still die on the hill that Grace and Graham should have been the companions. Ryan and Yaz being only the _red shirts_ of the first 13th Doctor story. It would have been a nice inversion/homage to Barbara and Ian with the 1st Doctor.
Grace was so much more interesting as a character than any of the others. I loved her from the start and felt that her death was a huge wasted opportunity. When even her ghost is more interesting and charismatic than the other companions, you know you done messed up.
@@eshbena So weird how much better written her character was in that episode alone than the others. Not that it would have taken much to be more charismatic than Ryan... A plank of wood with a smiley face could manage that.
Here's my idea
Series 11: Grace, Graham. Grace dies in the finale
Series 12: Graham, Yaz, Ryan ('Spyfall' only)
Series 13: Dan, Professor Jericho
@@funbricks1
Series 11: Graham and Grace
Series 12: Graham and Grace, leave with finale.
Series 13: Dan & Karvanista
I think Martha might be my favourite first impression, followed by Rose and Jack. With Rose and Martha I was so excited at the prospect of them travelling with the Doctor, I could see how well they fit and why the Doctor was drawn to them. Jack is just pure charisma and fun
Is there an argument for Missy being a companion? I know it's all kinds of messy.
A video about intros with a perfectly crafted outro.
Seriously it was a great list but there was something about the feeling of your closing statements that just made me smile That was great!!
I agree with your top 2 but I would have Donna and Clara higher. Donna was understandably annoyed that her wedding had been interrupted and freaked out by what was going on, but as the episode progresses we see her calm down and show her courageous, compassionate side. I loved Donna as a companion from the first episode. The seeds of the Donna we all came to love were there. I personally would rank her into at number 3. I would also have Clara higher. While I see why you didn’t include the earlier incarnations of Clara, I can’t seperate them from the Clara we see in her true introduction. The fact that that intro was a little more low key in terms of personality makes it more intriguing. Who is this? Soufflé girl? The Governess or this young au pair trying to find her way in the world? So my Top 5 would be River, Amy, Donna, Clara & Rose. I would then have Bill, Martha and Jack just out of the 5 and in no particular order, followed by Rory - who I like a lot from the start but he is overshadowed by Amy. The rest kind of blend together.
I have to ask, because of how you read Donna in her first episode, any chance you're from the UK? I've noticed a pattern with the way people react to her, especially early on, where you need to have met or known this particular flavour of British person to get her nuance and see beyond the bluster.
I think this list is how I'd ultimately rank them as well. Though I might switch up Rose and Martha. I agree that Martha's introduction was amazing. It's just what they did with her for half a season after that mucked it up. Amy and River definitely have the two strongest introductions thus far.
River Song's intro really is fantastic. I sincerely wish I liked her story better. I feel like she's one of those characters I just enjoyed less and less with each appearance, apart from a few exceptions. It didn't help that there was only like one point where I was convinced Matt Smith's Doctor was in love with her. Imo Alex Kingston had better chemistry with both Tennant and Capaldi, but she hardly spent any time with either of them.
Otherwise though, I do agree that Martha and Amy probably have the best intros of the full-time companions. Martha's in particular is one that I don't feel gets enough love.
My favorite companions never seem to have great introductions or departures. Donna's entrance was fantastic though because it was so different and she herself was not like any of the Doctor's other companions in the least.
I loved your characterization of Song it was so sweet and thoughtful. I didn't love her down the line but her intro was fantastic
Jenna was supposed to be a strong characterl but they made her a total K-hunt. It would be cool if you're the next companion and in your first episode you get blacked by Nguti Gatwa on the Tardis console. That would be awesome.
So um... I would ask you to explain what the hell you mean by "blacked" but I fear that I already know.
Wait, I always heard that the Victorian Clara was intended to be the actual Clara that was supposed to be the Companion, and 21st century Clara was the result of a way past the eleventh hour directive from upstairs. There's remnants of Victorian Clara in Neil Gaiman's Cybermen script for that season.
They should have stuck with Victorian Clara.
And in The Bell’s of Saint John - that’s why she knew nothing about Twitter. Someone from 21st century London who’s rubbing with computers making a Twitter comparison… maybe.
Someone from Victorian era London making a Twitter reference - now THAT would stand out.
River is Amy's daughter so she commands attention like her mom. And she actually gets to marry The Doctor. I honestly don't have a favorite companion, but Wilf would top my list.
I love the deep cut FF7 plushy. Didn’t even know they made those.
Technically speaking you could have added Elizabeth Sladen to this list. She was in the titles for the 2 part finale of season 4. (And you knew someone would mention her, didn't you?
That's a re-introduction, surely?
@@GamerWho That's why I said 'technically'. She had an introduction. It was in 'The Time Warrior'.
This felt like such a classic CoG vid! I loved every second, Vera your sparkle really shone through in this! ❤️
I don’t think he would have been high on the list, but I think Craig (James Corden) got on the opening credits for Closing Time (S6) but first appearance was The Lodger (S5).
No Sarah Jane Smith? She had her name in the titles and was in more than 1 episode. I know it wasn’t her first Doctor Who episode, but it was the introduction to her character for an enormous portion of the audience.
There's your answer right there, it wasn't her first DW episode. Vera's also going off introduction in the show as a companion, not to the audience who don't know them.
Just popping in to say I really got a kick out of your Seven reference right at the end of the video. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the companions!!
Good video. River as number one, is a good one. Good list and I understand your impressions on each of the companions.
I would've put Donna at No. 1. In this first episode we already see how much she cares and how brave she is. "Never mind all that. You're a doctor. People have been hurt." That's already the Donna who wants to save Pompeji and cries for the Oods. But she's not ready to travel with the Doctor yet, which is an interesting twist, and Catherine and David have great chemistry.
Pompeii isn't her first appearance.
@@funbricks1 The Runaway Bride is. Well, technically Doomsday, but we don't get to know her then, do we.
River will always be my #1. Introducing a character with the end of their story is just brilliant.
Donna and Amy are my favourite companions in doctor who
Hey Vera! Love this list. I do enjoy a good list vid. I’d possibly have Donna & Wilf higher than rose but I agree with the placement of River!
I definitely agree on your top 4. River Song, my beloved. She is why that two-parter is one of my absolute favorite stories. (also she's my favorite companion and character, so I'm a little biased but still) Amy and Jack's introductions are amazing and I love Martha's as well, despite what they did to the character later. Even though I love Donna I agree that she was very irritating in her first episode, but yes, it makes her journey even stronger. I'm more annoyed now with Rose than I was when I watched her for the first time, but she has a very good first episode. I might have placed Bill higher, I really liked her introduction. I understand that you don't include the other Clara versions but if they had been included, I would have placed them very high up, probably over Rose and Martha. I will always mourn that we didn't get any of those versions instead of 'regular' Clara.
Now there is an interesting What-if, Season 11, but instead of Grace, Ryan (and perhaps even Graham) died. Suddenly feels a lot darker.
Edit: at number 2, drawing a complete blank on who is even left for spot 1. That does not happen often... No one besides Jericho is even coming to mind.
#TeamProfessorEustaciusJericho
I'm glad you liked Martha's introduction.
Smith and Jones is my favorite series opener!
This'll probably get clarified in the opening/intro but will Clara's "first introduction" count as prime Clara from Bells of St John or the timeline scattered variants?
It's Prime Clara that counts unfortunately.
Only just started watching this video but I'd say it should be prime Clara as, going by the criteria established at the start, that's when they became a companion. The earlier versions were one offs and not companions.
Engagement for the engagement god! Subs for the sub throne!
I was so confused about the numbers not working out with companions, but when I realized WHO was 1 it made total sense. I would switch Rose and Jack, and Amy and Martha, but otherwise solid list
Martha’s introduction was amazing, and then they seemed to forget who she was for some silly crush. I loved her character, and wish she came back without the crush. Amy is my number one introduction.
Totally agree on Clara. I miss Oswin, she was amazing.
I actually agree with you on all of that 😮.
I love Donna as a companion and she is in my top 2 BUT I did not like her in Runaway Bride for every reason you stated. When she was announced as a companion I was dreading it.
Rose ugh well not my favourite companion actually far down the list although I liked her much more when she reappeared with Donna but again I agree on your assessment of that introduction.
River is also in my top 2 I love her character arc and well I just love her. I especially love her introduction episodes 2 of my absolute favourites along with Turn Left of season 4.
I think weay have similar views on most things (there are some we do not 😅).
I love your hair. It's sick!
Thank you for the video, Vera!
The common reason for the (well justifiable) placement of companions at the lower side of this list is the Doctor Who showrunners and/or writers being unaware if the characters will become companions for the Doctor in the future. It is a bad excuse, but they being introduced as side characters makes their first appearances in the TV series to suffer (River Song being the big exception for that).
Mickey's introduction is awful. Initially, his character is portrayed as the best friend/wannabe boyfriend for Rose. I really hate this trope! He is a better character when finally travelling alongside Rose and the Doctor.
The first appearance of Donna is also bad. Despite having some fair reasons for that, she acts like a "karen" (and, later on, finding out how her mother Sylvia acts and treats her, it is also a reason). Her second appearance is so much better and funny.
I really appreciate you including Wilfred in the list (Rest in Peace, Bernard Cribbins)! I fear that the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special episodes will break my heart because of him...
The Wilf introduction was also incidental, as he replaced Donna's father after the actor's death, and the decision to have him recurring only happened after the Christmas episode.
I'd be curious to know how you'd rank the one off companions...or if you already have a video like that and I either missed it or just don't remember.
Still loved Amy's introduction
3:50 Ayyyy Nardole appreciation! Glad to see that! I do wish we got a lot more of him... He was the only one equal to the Doctor since Jack Harkness
should do a list of the companions that never were.....
Sally Sparrow
Perkins
Aisling Bea - Sarah
Don't forget Rita from the god complex
@@CMW003 I was genuinely upset she wasn't coming onboard the Tardis. She had a far better introduction than some of the regular companions and her religious convictions would have brought something really new to the table.
Rita, Jericho, Lynda with a Y....
Not surprised Clara was towards the bottom of the list (unfortunately) since the other two versions of her would have been higher, but since they didn't become the actual full-time Companion they don't count. Too bad. 😕
I was surprised Donna wasn't farther down the list based soley on her introduction being as abrasive as she was. Rory, typically, was middle of the pact. He was always overshadowed by Amy and the Doctor and tended to play second fiddle to them in terms of development and importance.
Didn't surprise me that Amy was #2 and River #1. they had great intros that really established both their characters and fleshed out there past histories with the Doctor in that one episode alone. That's how you make an entrance!
Wasn't Bernard Cribbins only in the credits for the special The End of Time?
Yes but he was introduced prior to that.
@@CouncilofGeeks Oh right, my bad. Just didn't understand your conditions correctly. Love Wilf btw❤❤❤
My only change would be river and her mother Amy cause I would have Amy first and river second other then that great list with Rory the thing about him is especially in the 11th hour he was able to notice the thing out of the ordinary like when everybody else was filming the spaceship he was focused on the guy and his dog cause he was supposed to in the hospital in a coma and it turned out it was prisoner zero taking the form of the guy and his dog it showed how good of an observer Rory was by noticing him when everybody else was distracted by the spaceship even the doctor remembered that when thinking back on that in the episode
Same here, although I'd have Amy first because I don't classify River Song as a companion. By my criteria, she's a recurring "guest hero" like the Brigadier, Sergeant Benton, Kate Stewart.... and Captain Jack for that matter, who also isn't on my list for that reason.
Matt Smith was okay, but Alex Kingston should have been the 11th Doctor in retrospect.
That's really interesting. Though I love what Matt Smith brought to it and his dynamic with River.
Adore River 😍
Id have ranked Wilf higher because i loved him from the get go and maybe swapped Bill and Rose around but otherwise i mostly agree with you.
Since you make a point about "primary" companions, it would be interesting to rank the one-off "secondary" companions. Willfred would obviously be first. You could argue Sally Sparrow counts as one. But besides those two, in my opinion, it's kinda a race to the bottom.
Nardole is definitely my least favourite companion on account of the disparity between his characterisation in The Husbands Of River Song and that of his later appearances.
Admittedly, it is partly to do with the fact that Matt Lucas is the only regular actor from the show who I recognised from elsewhere, and therefore had a preconceived opinion of. Whilst I had seen Jodie Whittaker in Get Santa, Bernard Cribbins in Fawlty Towers (as well as an old audiobook of Burglar Bill), and Bradley Walsh in The Sarah Jane Adventures, I only recognised them in hindsight, whereas seeing Harry Hill’s evil twin playing a character who is meant to be taken seriously just didn’t cut it for me.
Overall, I would have preferred it a lot more if they’d just stuck with the original archetype of the bumbling assistant and used him for occasional comic relief rather than the whole subplot about trying to keep The Doctor grounded.
It also doesn’t help that the focus is inevitably split between him and Bill. Having a second companion in addition to the “main” companion worked when one companion was essentially tagging along with the other, such as with Amy and Rory, or where the second companion was introduced in a later story, such as with Jack, but introducing Nardole first just means that the show has to work even harder to develop Bill’s character, something which is especially noticeable given that, if you count Twice Upon A Time as part of series 10 (or count the Testimony version of Bill as a separate character), she is the only main companion whose appearances are confined to a single series of the show.
For me at my age it’s always Sarah Jane.
Amy is a top companion but I remember at the time being put-off by her flirty forwardness with the Doctor. I guess we'd seen two or three Doctor/Companion love stories and wanted something else (Donna was brilliant) but glad it changed after Amy's Choice. Then Clara had the same vibes but she was no Amy Pond.
Is this only going to be “New Who” companions?
Need to include “Classic Who” in this as well…..
Sarah Jane Smith would be right up there in the list.
The only companion whose had a spin off series of her own. 😊
You can't make a list featuring all the classic companions if you haven't even seen all of them
@@PipsyProductions Then, maybe, watch them...? And then make a list.
@@MichaelPhillipsatGreyOwlStudio It's not exactly easy to watch the Highlanders or the Wheel in Space is it?
@@PipsyProductions Maybe just exclude the ones that aren't possible to watch and make a list of the others. Fans have been dealing with this sort of thing for decades. It's hardly an excuse to not do a separate video of them. That's all I'm saying.
She actually had a very good introduction too, being independently investigating the same mystery as the Doctor, and accidentally getting drawn back in time with him.
I'll just say that if you're going to count Donna from a one-off special where she wasn't a companion (at that time), then it's only fair to count Oswin as Clara's first appearance. It was also from a one-off episode (not a special) and they didn't become a companion until later. Oswin may be a fragment but they are still Clara. I can understand the reasoning you apply but I can't agree with it. Either do both from their very first appearance, or both from when they became a companion.
I was also going to disagree with you putting Amy at number 2, when she should be number 1. Then you reminded me that I'd forgotten River's intro and I changed my mind. River is number 1.
great video but i will say i just heard you call liverpool a town(its a city), scousers are a wild people i’d be careful demeaning their home like that 😂 anyway much love i always enjoy your videos 🤍
Oh, I see, this is NuWho only. Okay.
For me, it's: 1. Amy/Rory (The Eleventh Hour), 2. Captain Jack (The Empty Child), 3. Rose (Rose), 4. Martha (Smith and Jones), 5. Donna (The Runaway Bride), 6. Clara (The Bells of St. John), 7. Nardole (The Husbands of River Song), 8. Bill (The Pilot), 9. all the 'Chibnalls' together (The Woman Who Fell to Earth), 10. Dan (The Halloween Apocalypse). Donna would be #2 if I counted her debut as "Partners in Crime".
One day I hope Vera gets to see enough classic Who so they feel comfortable doing a full list. It's understandable to not do it now as I don't think they've seen enough of all the companions, or even all the companions.
No offence, but you’re like, ridiculously pretty. Also this video is good.
Amy was never my favorite companion, but damn is her introduction not a masterclass of characterization.
what about sarah jane?
School Reunion is a reintroduction, not an introduction.
Blasemy. Amy has to be number 1.
I googled kiss a gram and wish it was a real thing.
Amy was the best companion ever and most beautiful.
Kissograms are a real thing, or at least they used to be.
Honestly, Donna's first scene is pretty grating.
Am I the only one who burst out laughing at that? I mean, her response was the most realistic thing ever. She was about to get married and suddenly she was being kidnapped by an alien. XD I loved her from the start.
No Sarah Jane?
No because its a return not an introduction. Now you could argue she’s being “introduced” to a new generation of fans and the episode is structured to be newcomer friendly but it didn’t really seem like it fit what I was going for here.
I agree. We wouldn't count Tegan and Ace, would we? Nor Ian, Mel, or Jo in Power of the Doctor. They don't count.
My ranking of the companion introductions would go something like this:
1. Martha (Smith and Jones)
2. Rose (Rose)
3. River (Silence in the Library)
4. Amy (The Eleventh Hour)
5. Bill (The Pilot)
6. Jack (The Empty Child)
7. Dan (The Halloween Apocalypse)
8. Donna (The Runaway Bride)
9. Rory (The Eleventh Hour)
10. Clara (The Bells of Saint John)
11-13. Ryan, Graham and Yaz (The Woman Who Fell to Earth)
14. Nardole (The Husbands of River Song)
It's kind of hard to rank them, I actually think most of these characters, with the exception of the bottom four, made an unambiguously positive first impression, and none of them made a _bad_ first impression, per se, at least in my opinion
My ranking! And a short explanation to their ranking
16. River Song
Honestly I think she is the most annoying character in the entirety of Doctor Who and I absolutely cannot stand her. The way she flirts with everyone is creepy, she is written as if she has a genius level intellect but is never seen doing anything even remotely intelligent, and is just so self righteous and smug all the damn time I cannot understand for the life of me why everyone seems to like her so much.
15. Nardole
I HATE Little Britain and this performance brought out most of what I dislike about Matt Lucas's character in that show. He came across as more of a well rounded character and less of a caricature in later appearances, but not during his first rodeo.
14. Donna
Similar case as with Nardole. I HATED the Catherine Tate show and was not happy to see her basically do a caricature of herself throughout the Runaway Bride. Thankfully she dialled that down with later appearances.
13. Dan
Very poorly written and poorly acted character throughout. He doesn't actively antagonise me the way the above three companions do though.
12. Clara
Incredibly annoying companion in later series, but in series 7 she was mostly non-offensive I think.
11. Yaz
Very forgettable in her first appearance, especially since she had to share her first episode with the introduction of two other companions both of which tied directly into the plot.
10. Mickey
Mostly forgettable on first appearance, could have done without the plastic Mickey scene but as that technically wasn't him I can't dock him any points for that.
9. Rory
Mostly forgettable also, but came across as pretty supportive to Amy at least.
8. Bill
Although one of my all time favourite companions, her first appearance didn't leave that much of an impression if I'm honest.
7. Ryan
Same as Graham, but lower because honestly I don't think the actor who plays him does an especially great job with the material he's given.
6. Graham
It was very touching to see his reaction to Graces death, and what a great job the actor did a great job in expressing his sorrow without having to dissolve into overacting and theatrics.
5. Wilf
Even though he only appears briefly, he still manages comes across as the most genuine and sensitive old man on the planet. Love Wilf.
4. Amy
Captures her fun loving personality to a tee while giving the correct amount of weight to her past trauma.
3. Captain Jack
Perfectly sums up his charming yet flawed personality in one story.
2. Martha
Mostly this high because of the strength of the episode she first appears in, but it helps that they establish right off the bat what her skills are as a doctor and how determined she can be in stressful situations.
1. Rose
Perfectly epitomises why Rose is my favourite companion. She's introduced not as someone especially special with extraordinary skills, but as a typical woman you might bump into in the street who is then sucked into extraordinary circumstances. And her chemistry with Eccleston is FANTASTIC!
I’m going to be the first to say it, Donna should’ve been higher.
He isn't ranking companions, he's ranking the companions first appearances. In that regard, she should have been lower