If we had to include every person who collaborated with the Doctor, we would include the off-series companions, wives and companions-that-never-be. Edit: I would disagree about Jenny, though. Not because she logically WAS a supporting character in terms of relevancy, but because the DW mythos officially classified her as an one-time (or once-and-again, if you include the comic books) companion of the Doctor simply because *she's family.* Yeah, Companion Classifications can be nepotistic.
I think Jack definitely counts since he went on consecutive adventures with the Doctor. Characters like River or Vastra, Jenny and Strax are more like friends of the Doctor, but not companions who travel with them
There’s indicated to be stories that took place between The Doctor Dances and Boom Town where Jack traveled with the Doctor and Rose by TARDIS, a gap which expanded media has populated. The easygoing nature of the dynamic between the three of them, Jack and the Doctor in particular, doesn’t seem like it picks up right from from The Doctor Dances left off.
And yet somehow people still wanna count freaking Adam as a companion, even though he was barely present for one episode before being kicked out in the end. Credit where it's due to Prisoners of Time for portraying him in a better light, but within the context of the show itself - yeah, no.
@@jbcatz5 yeah but after just rewatching season 1, The Doctor really only took him for Rose. While never outright says it, it's pretty clear the Doctor would like it to be a 1 time trip anyway. Adam just made it easy. I don't really count that as being a companion. I'd take that more as someone else asking The Doctor to show you earth from space and then dropping you off at home. You weren't a companion, he just showed you something. If that makes sense. (General you, obviously not you personally lol)
For Donna's first episode I would count her as a one off companion, rather than secondary character. She did fulfill the role of a companion in the episode, she just didn't become a primary companion yet.
@Ben G that's kinda the point of the video though. several times he makes distinction of one character changing their role, I was just pointing out that the one hid said fir Donna isn't what I would have gone with.
Was that first appearance after she travelled with the Doctor and had her mind wiped or before? Been a while since I seen those episodes so my memory is rusty at best on it, it could easily be both for her.
I haven’t watched the video yet but I’d say a companion is someone to ground The Doctor. They are also someone for The Doctor to have a laugh with while travelling. That’s why I think 10 and Donna worked so well,
@@Paradox-es3bl seeing as for most of the Fandom she is considered some of the best, I hope you elaborate! To me, she is a lot of fun with a rare soft side that is very much appreciated. Whilst she's not my favorite (rory is goated) I still enjoy her time on the show and would rank her pretty high...
Donna and Nardole are the best companions. Both injected copious amounts of humour into their roles although Clara and 12 were excellent together as well. Say what you like about Chibnall the inclusion, near the end of Power Of The Doctor, of a companions anonymous group was absolute genius and I hope it's referenced again.
@@calumbishop7082 *Nardole is my least favourite of the era I'm not actively trying to forget. But I'd even rank John Bishop (genuinely can't remember his character's name) and maybe Graham (on a good day) ahead of Nardole. It's all personal preference though, I get why people do like him
Jack definitely counts for me, he was in like 5 consecutive episodes in series 1 which should qualify him to be a companion. Characters like Micky, River, Adam, Jenny/Vestra/Strax are reoccurring friends of the Doctor but not companions. One off companions like Astrid, Christina, Madge, Wilf, and even Donna in The Runaway Bride aren’t full companions because of their limited screen time. The new who criteria is different from the classic who criteria for a companion but either way there has to be a substantial number of consecutive episodes across stories. But I don’t really count Rory as a companion till series 6 so I’m sure people will be less rigid
You mentioning Wilf being a one-off companion honestly makes it more valid for me to not refer to him as a companion, but as more of someone who is either The Doctor's equal, if not a father figure (at least how I see the 10th Doctor viewing him)
@@oxcare5 totally agree with that way of interpreting their relationship, it’s definitely not a typical companion dynamic in The End of Time - but Wilf is the character that most fills the companion role in those episodes
Jack is definitely a companion. Cause he literally has gone on many adventures with The Doctor and Rose. We may not have seen those adventures, but they still happened. Think of it like Big Finish Companions if that helps. They still happened, we just didn't see them.
I would do this a little bit different, although I agree with you so far. Main and secondary companions I agree 100% The third category I would change to "side companions". For the simple reason of scaling. Terciary companions seems less important than secondary, which is not the case for a lot of characters in the list (River and Jack, for instance). They are a category of their own. After that, terciary companions would be those characters that apear for one or two stories max, while not being recurrent characters.
@@ftumschk language is made up and can change at any time. Technically it's all optional. That's how we get things like vermillion not being a shade of green even tho like every language ver/vir starts green
When it comes to NewWho, I usually count the primary companions (Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy, Rory, Clara, Nardole, Bill, Ryan, Graham, Yaz, Dan) and add Jack, Mickie and River, all of whom had quite the impact during their multiple appearances. I'm willing to accept arguments for Jackie, Sarah-Jane (specifically in NewWho), Wilf, Kate, Osgood and Vinder, but I wouldn't count them. No strict rules for any of those, just vibes really...
I'd say that The Brigadier, Benton, yates are all Primary or Secondary companions in the 3rd/4th doctor stories! Specially in the 3rd Doctor stories leading upto The three Doctors
A possible definition of Tertiary companion: They have lots of important offscreen activity not involving the Doctor. The Brigadier has unit to run, Captain Jack and Sarah Jane both head their own series. River song is shown to have lots of adventures unrelated to The Doctor. By comparison, Donna Noble _tries_ to be this between her first and second story, but nothing she does added up to much, and what she was really doing was following the strange in the hope she’d find the Doctor again. (Which ultimately worked.)
Technically Sally Sparrow saved *Martha's* life - the Doctor, being immortal, could have simply gotten back to his box "the long way round" and beaten the angels
I believe companions are the people who believe they can help or save The Docor. Be that from dramatic events or himself. And there you have 2 options. 1) They continue to believe this and will pay the price (Rose/Donna/Amy & Rory). Because the wrath of The Doctor knows no bounds. 2) If they are smart and leave of their own volition, they will forever be haunted by what they know and learned.
3) Or in Yaz's case just get kicked out the Tardis because the Doctor wanted to regenerate alone... even though he/she has regenerated in front of companions before just fine. (The writing of the Chibnall era is just not good)
@@calumbishop7082 I don't think she got kicked out, but left of her own volition. She was in love with The Thirteenth Doctor, and is not interested with travelling with another Doctor after bad experience with The Master-Doctor.
You know what I like about classic Doctor Who? That you can go watch any serial and not have to know about what happened before or after. They are all stand alone episodes for the most part where prior knowledge isn't needed.
@@DigitalLeonardo As the first two Doctors have missing episodes (some have been recovered and/or animated tho) I recommend starting with Jon Pertwee (Season 7) or Tom Baker (Season 12) unless you want to start with episode 1 (the pacing of Classic Who can be slow and stories are stretched to 4-6 parts, so they might put you off) or choose a story from each Doctor. Look up which stories are considered the best or check out the episodes that aired alongside a documentary series called “The Doctors Revisited” and go from there.
Is Craig Owens tertiary? I would say he’s at lease as important as Vinder especially as the Doctor visited him just before he thought he was going to die which seems like something he would do with a tertiary companion
Third Doctor-era Sarah Jane > Fourth Doctor-era Sarah Jane. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I think RTD agrees, too, because revival Sarah Jane was much more like how she'd been written under Terrance Dicks' script editorship than under Robert Holmes'.
You forgot to mention K9 who I would argue was a primary companion. (if you consider a broader agency related to travelling with the doctor...while K9 never chose to travel, or was invited to travel,he chose to stop travelling several times showing a decision to travel.
I don't really see how you can count Liz as a primary companion but not the Brigadier. The latter spent much more time working directly with the Doctor.
The title doesn't matter, but the actions do... brilliant, but shamed (not your fault though). A missed opportunity to mentioned this one character, I would say she's a one-story companion, but in a sense, she's the companion's companion... It's Grace... not the TV Movie, but Series 11... Onle appeared in Episode 1, but she's consistently being mentioned in Episode 3, 4, 9 and 10. and finally in New Years Special Revolution of the Daleks (though it might be the Solitract leaking through, but let's not talk about that...) Even though she's not there, she's one those who influenced the companions on the action that they took, like at the end of Episode 10 of Series 11. Even Yaz look up upon her when she confranting the Solitract, saying that she'll lead the charge thorugh that mirror. There's more to talk about her, but that's the gist... Gosh, she's amazing...
Where would you put Turlough? He traveled with the doctor in several consecutive episodes, but he started doing so as a stowaway with the intent to kill him (albeit it under duress)!
"Every primary companion started as a supporting character" Don't forget about Mel, she just appears in the middle of Trial of a Time Lord as an ongoing companion, mid-story.
As a Huddersfield Town fan, seeing our Blue and White there as the example of "almost but not quite making it" was more unexpected and hurtful than I thought it would be 🤣
Where does Liz Shaw fit into your definition? As she didn’t travel in the TARDIS, due to (SPOILERS) the Time Lords taking away the Doctor’s knowledge of said ship.
These are the main companions in NuWho i count only: Rose Martha Donna Amy Rory Clara Nardole Bill Graham Ryan Yaz Dan Jack, River, Mickey, Adam or Paternoster Gang, Wilf or the final Tennant semi companions i do not count as they did not have long enough stints in the TARDIS i count them more like in The Brigadier mould acqaintences more than companions.
Yeah but then that makes it so characters like Liz Shaw and The Brigadier don't count (he did go into the Tardis but far after the time he was considered a "companion")
@@williamhollenbach1249 the Doctor always introduces them self as “I’m the Doctor” and in the recent era, 13 does the same along with introducing the fam
I also use this tier system to sort out the companions, but my definition is different from yours. I'll be focusing on the TV companions. Primary / Main Companions: These are the series regulars or main cast that's almost on the same level as the Doctor actor. They're on promotional materials like the Doctor actor, and is generally considered to be one of the leading stars of the show almost on par with The Doctor. Often times there's an announcement of the new companion, just like there's an announcement of the new Doctor. These are Martha, Vicki, Clara, Peri, Leela, Ace, etc. They are THE companion. Secondary / Supporting Companions: These are considered to be proper companions despite not being one of the leading stars of the season/series/show. They are not the main focus of the show unlike the Main Companion or The Doctor, but they play a significant role and are unambiguously companions. They are A companion, but not necessarily THE companion. Such as Captain Jack in Series 1, Mickey Smith in Series 2, Nardole in Series 10, etc. Nardole is a good example because he's a proper companion, but Series 10 mostly focus on The Doctor and Bill, and promotional materials features mostly Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie. Tertiary / Recurring Companions: Unlike most companions, it's not really clear if they really *join* The Doctor and the TARDIS crew. They join The Doctor intermittently or on a part-time basis unlike proper companions that joined full-time. They usually have a "home base" or something else that occupy them. Examples are River Song, The Brigadier and other UNIT staff (excluding Primary Companions like Sarah Jane), and former full-time companions like Captain Jack, Martha, Sarah Jane, etc in Series 4, and possibly the Paternoster Gang. Allies / Temporary Companions: These are characters that never really *joined* The Doctor. They never intent to join The Doctor as part of the TARDIS crew in the long term, but only in so far as to mitigate the current dangers. These includes your single story companions or your one-off companions. For these, they may fulfil some narrative or technical criteria of companionship, such as travel in the TARDIS, but some may not consider them to be proper companions. Such as Sara Kingdom, Wilfred Mott, Jackie Tyler, etc. Off-screen Companions: These are characters that did join The Doctor and have had multiple adventures with him/her referenced/depicted in the show, but most of which happened off-screen. These characters travel with The Doctor just like the proper companions, and would have been considered companions in-universe, but because their role on-screen is limited, they may not be considered companions out-of-universe. Examples include Mel for The Sixth Doctor, Handles from The Time of The Doctor, possibly Canton Delaware III from The Impossible Astronaut, and also Rose Noble in The Giggle (unseen adventures referenced). Almost companions: Characters that never got to *join* The Doctor either by choice or by circumstance. They usually still occupy the narrative role of the companion in the story. These includes the characters that The Doctor has 'invited' to travel with him or her, but for one reason or another, never got to. Examples are Lynda with a Y, Madame de Pompadour, Astrid Peth, Rita from The God Complex, Osgood from Death in Heaven, Osgood from The Zygon Inversion. etc. Also Donna in The Runaway Bride before becoming a Main Companion in Series 4.
Oddly enough, my daughter and I debated this very subject the other day! :) My stance is: for NuWho, if the actor's name ever appeared in the opening credits, that's a companion. If not, they aren't. Simple! Doesn't apply to the classic series, though.
I like the 'pyramid scheme'... So to speak. It works. Nicely done. However, when you said the Doctor puts some thought into selecting companions, well... Dodo. An exception, and not alone. The TARDIS materializes... Parking in the Common. She wanders in looking for police assistance. (unintentionally foreshadowing Tegan). Obviously, the nature of the TARDIS then, meant the Doctor couldn't say "backsies" and drop her right back on Earth (again, Tegan). It doesn't seem to be much thinking went into her becoming a companion on the Doctor's part. Now Tegan... :)
If we had to include every person who collaborated with the Doctor, we would include the off-series companions, wives and companions-that-never-be. Edit: I would disagree about Jenny, though. Not because she logically WAS a supporting character in terms of relevancy, but because the DW mythos officially classified her as an one-time (or once-and-again, if you include the comic books) companion of the Doctor simply because *she's family.* Yeah, Companion Classifications can be nepotistic.
IIRC Teegan was never invited to join. She wandered into the TARDIS thinking it was a normal police box and then the Doctor took off not even knowing she was there, leaving her no other choice but to "join" the team.
Was a Clara a companion or not ??? Some people say she was a special type of doctor ,after jumping into the doctors timeline to save him in an episode in series 7 with Matt Smith .
Jamie and Adric are my top favorite companions. Clara would have to be my third favorite but then again, she's also cute and charming, so I'm probably biased in her being my number 3. Jack is my number 4. Graham number 5.
i always thought the brig and sarah were much diffent companions compaired to other ones. many of the old ompanions had left because of the doctor or because they said they wanted to go. susan was forced out as the doctor knew she wouldnt leave him and go to have her own family. iain and barbra left because they had been kidnapped by this old man. and jamie was forced to leave. but sarah and the brig were more than the person asking the question and be eye candy. yes jamie was somewhat like this. being the second doctor's friend in many cases before and after the war games. but once sarah comes on you know shes diffent. she's mosty not a woman whos gonna let the men do most of the work. which shows later on as she has her own kids and her own friends. she was forced to leave by the time lords forcing thr doctor to come back to his home. which he cant take sarah too. and yes, jamie was also forced to leave and forget yet the doctor knew these actions would happen as he asked for help. this was just some random time after the hand of fear. so sarah has to leave like that. its not up to her or the doctor. not like charlie or tegan where it became not so fun and had enough. so she sadly leaves the tardis for a good few years. on many cases the doctor really did see sarah as a best friend. we could say all his friends are his best as he lets them into the tardis. but could we say adric was his best friend ? sarah to me was something great as she built up her own new life after the doctor. off course ace, tegan, nissa, and even others have done that. but sarahs was the most doctor like than anyone. she used all she learnt from him and used it to save the world when the doctor or unit arent there. not to mention the action helps with liz and tom baker being friends in real life and writing their last seen together. the brig on the other hand is diffent. another side of the coin to the doctor. the doctor being so hateful of weapons and death with his friend being in UNIT, a taskforce being able to shut down many alien ships and make sure it doesnt get into other hands than the govements hands. but as the both of them get to know each other, going up agaest the daleks, the sea devils, the master and the deadly robot. not to mention the cybermen or the yetis. yet when ever the doctor meets with him its always so nice to see. the 8th doctor met him once while he had no membray of who he was and nic brigs and clamed to be the doctor. with only the help of the brig and charlie could the doctor get his membarys back. he was more than a friend. i felt with the both of them, it had always felt diffent yet great to have them both on screen and even in the tardis in some cases (doctor who unbound masters of war for the brigs)
in general i agree with these rulings, but i feel like the names 'secondary' and 'tertiary' as well as tertiary being placed under secondary is a bit misleading. i feel that they are almost 2 sides to a coin, two paths that a non-primary companion could take, neither being more or less of a companion than the other. i do agree that they should be two separate groups, but perhaps on the same level of the pyramid, with the names changed. The only problem with that is i have a hard time pinpointing what the names of their groups could be. i could, however, also see the argument be made to make them one group, all-together being secondary companions. it would be a very broad range of definitions, but it could potentially work better than there being tertiary companions.
I don't think Vinder is a companion, as he didn't JOIN The Doctor, it's just a temporary alliance. Otherwise, you'll have to include other supporting characters like Sabalom Glitz. Teaming up together to defeat the baddies then parting ways after the story does not make you a companion, even if you return later to help. Otherwise, you'll include Harriet Jones, Rigsy (Flatline & Face the Raven), Ashildr/Me, the father and son pirate team that showed up in season 6 mid-season finale
In my honest opinion anyone that hasn't traveled into tardis with the doctor is it really a companion of sorts if there are still on earth and not traveling in the tortoise through time and space he just got thinner a lot of thin air
I really don't think companions' family members should be counted as secondary companions. By that logic, you could count literally any character as a companion. To me, secondary companions should be the likes of Mickey Smith and Captain Jack Harkness, who travel in the TARDIS for at least one consecutive adventure in a different story but aren't as important as the main companions.
Depends on what season Missy you are talking about... 8 is just downright villain 9 is like series 1 annoying British guy (i think his name is adam...) from the long game 10 is like series 1 annoying British guy but better written and better preformed and also more capable and also you get the point Correct me if you have a better way of explaining missy
Jack is a companion for the Ninth Doctor. He’s brought on board at the end of The Doctor Dances, is in the whole of Boom Town and only parts ways because events forced that to happen. The second trio of Ninth Doctor novels has Jack as the second companion alongside Rose (he gets a brilliant subplot in Almost Human when living in 21st century London with a displaced caveman, who Jackie hits on in a club!) and the Titan Comics with the Ninth Doctor are also set in this period. The Ninth Doctor entry for Destiny of the Doctor has similar placement.
To call Sarah Jane Smith a tertiary companion after being the primary companion to BOTH the third and fourth Doctor does not make sense at all. By your definition several former primary companion like Jo Grant, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, and as you said Captain Jack are all now tertiary companions. If you count all the cameos, Susan, Jamie, Ian, Tegan, Mel, Ace, Donna Nobel, etc. are now all tertiary companions.
I only have 3 categories. Primary, Captain Jack, and everyone else, who isn't very important. (The Captain Jack category is actually all secondaries. Everyone else is basically... everyone else. One-offs. Jenny, specials, technically someone who is in a 2-parter or something. Also, anyone who doesn't even go in the TARDIS, or only does to escape Unit exploding and are shown immediately being dropped off after or whatever. They'd have to go on at least 3 adventures in the TARDIS to be considered for the Captain Jack category.) Edit: River is a Captain Jack.
It is literally said on the TV show itself that River Song went on adventures with the Doctor while she was imprisoned for his supposed murder? How can you possibly claim River Song is not a primary companion?
Well river song was retconed with the timelessbullshit there is no way she could get her regeneration power and there for never kidnapped by the silence but hay Amy and Rory probably left the TARDIS early to raise melody and they didn't brake up prior to asylum of the Daleks the Daleks still kidnapped them but they had to go back home after the episode.
@@ericreese7792 not really It brakes River Song, Timelords got there regeneration from exposure to the time vortex melody was exposed as she was conceived But now with the timelessbullshit exposure to the vortex no longer grants that ability there for melody doesn't get her ability regenerate and is never kid napped by the silence. But at least Amy and Rory got to raise melody normally. This isn't makeing stuff up to be angry about its just being logical and exploring the wider implications of chibnalls lore change
this isn't how doctor who canon works either. nothing "breaks" something else just because it contradicts it. look at the last 60 years of doctor who and tell me it was a smooth ride until chibnall came along.
You have no idea what you're talking about the companions are just as much part of the show as the doctor himself is or herself but you want to talk about you know nothing
companions go brr
www.patreon.com/harbowholmes
If we had to include every person who collaborated with the Doctor, we would include the off-series companions, wives and companions-that-never-be.
Edit: I would disagree about Jenny, though. Not because she logically WAS a supporting character in terms of relevancy, but because the DW mythos officially classified her as an one-time (or once-and-again, if you include the comic books) companion of the Doctor simply because *she's family.*
Yeah, Companion Classifications can be nepotistic.
The Doctor with his abductions, lol.
What about Missy?
I think Jack definitely counts since he went on consecutive adventures with the Doctor. Characters like River or Vastra, Jenny and Strax are more like friends of the Doctor, but not companions who travel with them
There’s indicated to be stories that took place between The Doctor Dances and Boom Town where Jack traveled with the Doctor and Rose by TARDIS, a gap which expanded media has populated. The easygoing nature of the dynamic between the three of them, Jack and the Doctor in particular, doesn’t seem like it picks up right from from The Doctor Dances left off.
And yet somehow people still wanna count freaking Adam as a companion, even though he was barely present for one episode before being kicked out in the end. Credit where it's due to Prisoners of Time for portraying him in a better light, but within the context of the show itself - yeah, no.
@@alexandergonyea4642 He’s a short term companion, one with a deliberately short time on the show.
Yeah. Jack, Rose, and The Doctor came back from The Doctor Dances borderline thruple.
@@jbcatz5 yeah but after just rewatching season 1, The Doctor really only took him for Rose. While never outright says it, it's pretty clear the Doctor would like it to be a 1 time trip anyway. Adam just made it easy. I don't really count that as being a companion. I'd take that more as someone else asking The Doctor to show you earth from space and then dropping you off at home. You weren't a companion, he just showed you something. If that makes sense. (General you, obviously not you personally lol)
wow, imagine not mentioning that one unnamed dude who said hi to rose that one time
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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Wilson
😂 Um...
Episode?
For Donna's first episode I would count her as a one off companion, rather than secondary character. She did fulfill the role of a companion in the episode, she just didn't become a primary companion yet.
Same!! :D
@Ben G that's kinda the point of the video though. several times he makes distinction of one character changing their role, I was just pointing out that the one hid said fir Donna isn't what I would have gone with.
Was that first appearance after she travelled with the Doctor and had her mind wiped or before? Been a while since I seen those episodes so my memory is rusty at best on it, it could easily be both for her.
@@daviniarobbins9298 it was before. It was the very first time she met the doctor, when at her wedding she suddenly popped into the tardis.
I haven’t watched the video yet but I’d say a companion is someone to ground The Doctor.
They are also someone for The Doctor to have a laugh with while travelling. That’s why I think 10 and Donna worked so well,
Donna, my least favorite companion? Worked so well?
@@Paradox-es3bl seeing as for most of the Fandom she is considered some of the best, I hope you elaborate!
To me, she is a lot of fun with a rare soft side that is very much appreciated.
Whilst she's not my favorite (rory is goated) I still enjoy her time on the show and would rank her pretty high...
@@Paradox-es3bl Donna is goated cope
@@Paradox-es3bl why dont you like donna?
@@Paradox-es3bl She’s better than Rose and Martha, the two who wanted 10’s D 🤢
Donna and Nardole are the best companions. Both injected copious amounts of humour into their roles although Clara and 12 were excellent together as well.
Say what you like about Chibnall the inclusion, near the end of Power Of The Doctor, of a companions anonymous group was absolute genius and I hope it's referenced again.
I agree that group was genius.
I'd love to see it a little larger next time.
Having a group was really great, making it a sort of AA meeting for past companions was a bit corny
Donna is my favourite companion and Nardole is my least favourite
@@jameskilgour387 Eh, still put Nardole above pretty much all of Jodie's companions.
GOD the Chibnall era sucked.
@@calumbishop7082 *Nardole is my least favourite of the era I'm not actively trying to forget. But I'd even rank John Bishop (genuinely can't remember his character's name) and maybe Graham (on a good day) ahead of Nardole. It's all personal preference though, I get why people do like him
Jack definitely counts for me, he was in like 5 consecutive episodes in series 1 which should qualify him to be a companion. Characters like Micky, River, Adam, Jenny/Vestra/Strax are reoccurring friends of the Doctor but not companions. One off companions like Astrid, Christina, Madge, Wilf, and even Donna in The Runaway Bride aren’t full companions because of their limited screen time. The new who criteria is different from the classic who criteria for a companion but either way there has to be a substantial number of consecutive episodes across stories. But I don’t really count Rory as a companion till series 6 so I’m sure people will be less rigid
You mentioning Wilf being a one-off companion honestly makes it more valid for me to not refer to him as a companion, but as more of someone who is either The Doctor's equal, if not a father figure (at least how I see the 10th Doctor viewing him)
@@oxcare5 totally agree with that way of interpreting their relationship, it’s definitely not a typical companion dynamic in The End of Time - but Wilf is the character that most fills the companion role in those episodes
Goes through a sensible hierarchy of companions and then dismisses the importance of the title in a great summary epilogue. Absolute gigachad move
This is the Harbo way
Just as we in real life have relationships of various kinds and levels, the Doctor has companionships of various kinds and levels.
Jack is definitely a companion. Cause he literally has gone on many adventures with The Doctor and Rose. We may not have seen those adventures, but they still happened.
Think of it like Big Finish Companions if that helps. They still happened, we just didn't see them.
Now that I think about it. Rose saved the world in literally the first story
I would do this a little bit different, although I agree with you so far. Main and secondary companions I agree 100%
The third category I would change to "side companions". For the simple reason of scaling. Terciary companions seems less important than secondary, which is not the case for a lot of characters in the list (River and Jack, for instance). They are a category of their own.
After that, terciary companions would be those characters that apear for one or two stories max, while not being recurrent characters.
Tertiary is spelled with a T.
@@Paradox-es3bl perks of being bilingual. English is not my first language. Thanks for the correction
@@meurer13daniel honestly i prefer terciary
@@MakenaForest It's from the Latin "tertius", meaning "third place", so the "t" isn't optional :)
@@ftumschk language is made up and can change at any time. Technically it's all optional. That's how we get things like vermillion not being a shade of green even tho like every language ver/vir starts green
Donna Noble: Best. Companion. Ever.
Having Jackie as a second tier and River as a third tier confuses me a great deal
When it comes to NewWho, I usually count the primary companions (Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy, Rory, Clara, Nardole, Bill, Ryan, Graham, Yaz, Dan) and add Jack, Mickie and River, all of whom had quite the impact during their multiple appearances. I'm willing to accept arguments for Jackie, Sarah-Jane (specifically in NewWho), Wilf, Kate, Osgood and Vinder, but I wouldn't count them. No strict rules for any of those, just vibes really...
I would add Missy to that list.
I'd say that The Brigadier, Benton, yates are all Primary or Secondary companions in the 3rd/4th doctor stories! Specially in the 3rd Doctor stories leading upto The three Doctors
A possible definition of Tertiary companion: They have lots of important offscreen activity not involving the Doctor. The Brigadier has unit to run, Captain Jack and Sarah Jane both head their own series. River song is shown to have lots of adventures unrelated to The Doctor. By comparison, Donna Noble _tries_ to be this between her first and second story, but nothing she does added up to much, and what she was really doing was following the strange in the hope she’d find the Doctor again. (Which ultimately worked.)
Technically Sally Sparrow saved *Martha's* life - the Doctor, being immortal, could have simply gotten back to his box "the long way round" and beaten the angels
I believe companions are the people who believe they can help or save The Docor. Be that from dramatic events or himself.
And there you have 2 options.
1) They continue to believe this and will pay the price (Rose/Donna/Amy & Rory). Because the wrath of The Doctor knows no bounds.
2) If they are smart and leave of their own volition, they will forever be haunted by what they know and learned.
3) Or in Yaz's case just get kicked out the Tardis because the Doctor wanted to regenerate alone... even though he/she has regenerated in front of companions before just fine. (The writing of the Chibnall era is just not good)
@@calumbishop7082 I don't think she got kicked out, but left of her own volition. She was in love with The Thirteenth Doctor, and is not interested with travelling with another Doctor after bad experience with The Master-Doctor.
What always surprises me is who the BBC count as companions. They count Sara Kingdom, but not Wilf. Which seems weird to me.
Wilf isn't a companion. He's a supporting character, who helped the Doctor a few times through his connection to Donna.
You know what I like about classic Doctor Who? That you can go watch any serial and not have to know about what happened before or after. They are all stand alone episodes for the most part where prior knowledge isn't needed.
Ace is the greatest companion of all time ❤
Watching your videos really make me want to deep dive into some classic Who.
Do itttttt
@@AshBob5000 Any recommendations on where to start? Or do I just go to episode 1?
@@DigitalLeonardo As the first two Doctors have missing episodes (some have been recovered and/or animated tho) I recommend starting with Jon Pertwee (Season 7) or Tom Baker (Season 12) unless you want to start with episode 1 (the pacing of Classic Who can be slow and stories are stretched to 4-6 parts, so they might put you off) or choose a story from each Doctor. Look up which stories are considered the best or check out the episodes that aired alongside a documentary series called “The Doctors Revisited” and go from there.
@@tokublwhovian thanks! I think I might start with the 5 Doctors Special and get kind of an idea of the characters and go from there.
Is Craig Owens tertiary? I would say he’s at lease as important as Vinder especially as the Doctor visited him just before he thought he was going to die which seems like something he would do with a tertiary companion
Sarah Jane Smith started out with the THIRD Doctor!
Best companion ever.
Third Doctor-era Sarah Jane > Fourth Doctor-era Sarah Jane. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I think RTD agrees, too, because revival Sarah Jane was much more like how she'd been written under Terrance Dicks' script editorship than under Robert Holmes'.
You forgot to mention K9 who I would argue was a primary companion. (if you consider a broader agency related to travelling with the doctor...while K9 never chose to travel, or was invited to travel,he chose to stop travelling several times showing a decision to travel.
This video was super interesting - very good done
I thought yesterday the same question. Its nice to see someone who thinks like.
I have long used the guideline that if they travel in the TARDIS, they can be counted... Sara Kingdom, River Song, they count.
I think The Brigadier is definitely a primary companion- same reason as you gave Liz Shaw imo
i think the word companion has lost all meaning it’s starting to sound like a fake word now ahah
Hang on, Mickey smith is definitely secondary. He had 2 stories where he started in the tardis
I don't really see how you can count Liz as a primary companion but not the Brigadier. The latter spent much more time working directly with the Doctor.
I really like Foon. I don’t believe in companion tiers but I understand why you done what you done.
In my mind a companion is someone who travels with the Doctor. Technically that would include the Brigadier(The Three Doctors) but not Yates .
The Brigadier may be the only person besides the Doctor to have traveled in the TARDIS twice at the same time (Mawdrwyn Undead).
The title doesn't matter, but the actions do... brilliant, but shamed (not your fault though).
A missed opportunity to mentioned this one character, I would say she's a one-story companion, but in a sense, she's the companion's companion...
It's Grace... not the TV Movie, but Series 11...
Onle appeared in Episode 1, but she's consistently being mentioned in Episode 3, 4, 9 and 10. and finally in New Years Special Revolution of the Daleks (though it might be the Solitract leaking through, but let's not talk about that...)
Even though she's not there, she's one those who influenced the companions on the action that they took, like at the end of Episode 10 of Series 11. Even Yaz look up upon her when she confranting the Solitract, saying that she'll lead the charge thorugh that mirror.
There's more to talk about her, but that's the gist... Gosh, she's amazing...
Where would you put Turlough? He traveled with the doctor in several consecutive episodes, but he started doing so as a stowaway with the intent to kill him (albeit it under duress)!
"Every primary companion started as a supporting character"
Don't forget about Mel, she just appears in the middle of Trial of a Time Lord as an ongoing companion, mid-story.
As a Huddersfield Town fan, seeing our Blue and White there as the example of "almost but not quite making it" was more unexpected and hurtful than I thought it would be 🤣
I have nothing against Huddersfield, don't worry, just picked the most recent playoff runner up!
Anybody that has traveled in time or space with the doctor aboard the tardis voluntarily for even a single trip is a companion.
As opposed to just someone the Doctor met?
Where does Liz Shaw fit into your definition? As she didn’t travel in the TARDIS, due to (SPOILERS) the Time Lords taking away the Doctor’s knowledge of said ship.
These are the main companions in NuWho i count only:
Rose
Martha
Donna
Amy
Rory
Clara
Nardole
Bill
Graham
Ryan
Yaz
Dan
Jack, River, Mickey, Adam or Paternoster Gang, Wilf or the final Tennant semi companions i do not count as they did not have long enough stints in the TARDIS i count them more like in The Brigadier mould acqaintences more than companions.
list the Classic Who companions that count
Thank you for changing the thumbnail
My head canon has always been that a person has to travel in the TARDIS to be a companion.
Yeah but then that makes it so characters like Liz Shaw and The Brigadier don't count (he did go into the Tardis but far after the time he was considered a "companion")
@@crpalstuck2966 Right.
I don't think The Doctor ever introduced Himself by saying "I am the the Doctor and these are the people that travel with me in my Tardis.
@@williamhollenbach1249 the Doctor always introduces them self as “I’m the Doctor” and in the recent era, 13 does the same along with introducing the fam
I also use this tier system to sort out the companions, but my definition is different from yours.
I'll be focusing on the TV companions.
Primary / Main Companions: These are the series regulars or main cast that's almost on the same level as the Doctor actor. They're on promotional materials like the Doctor actor, and is generally considered to be one of the leading stars of the show almost on par with The Doctor. Often times there's an announcement of the new companion, just like there's an announcement of the new Doctor. These are Martha, Vicki, Clara, Peri, Leela, Ace, etc. They are THE companion.
Secondary / Supporting Companions: These are considered to be proper companions despite not being one of the leading stars of the season/series/show. They are not the main focus of the show unlike the Main Companion or The Doctor, but they play a significant role and are unambiguously companions. They are A companion, but not necessarily THE companion. Such as Captain Jack in Series 1, Mickey Smith in Series 2, Nardole in Series 10, etc. Nardole is a good example because he's a proper companion, but Series 10 mostly focus on The Doctor and Bill, and promotional materials features mostly Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie.
Tertiary / Recurring Companions:
Unlike most companions, it's not really clear if they really *join* The Doctor and the TARDIS crew. They join The Doctor intermittently or on a part-time basis unlike proper companions that joined full-time. They usually have a "home base" or something else that occupy them. Examples are River Song, The Brigadier and other UNIT staff (excluding Primary Companions like Sarah Jane), and former full-time companions like Captain Jack, Martha, Sarah Jane, etc in Series 4, and possibly the Paternoster Gang.
Allies / Temporary Companions:
These are characters that never really *joined* The Doctor. They never intent to join The Doctor as part of the TARDIS crew in the long term, but only in so far as to mitigate the current dangers. These includes your single story companions or your one-off companions.
For these, they may fulfil some narrative or technical criteria of companionship, such as travel in the TARDIS, but some may not consider them to be proper companions. Such as Sara Kingdom, Wilfred Mott, Jackie Tyler, etc.
Off-screen Companions:
These are characters that did join The Doctor and have had multiple adventures with him/her referenced/depicted in the show, but most of which happened off-screen. These characters travel with The Doctor just like the proper companions, and would have been considered companions in-universe, but because their role on-screen is limited, they may not be considered companions out-of-universe. Examples include Mel for The Sixth Doctor, Handles from The Time of The Doctor, possibly Canton Delaware III from The Impossible Astronaut, and also Rose Noble in The Giggle (unseen adventures referenced).
Almost companions:
Characters that never got to *join* The Doctor either by choice or by circumstance. They usually still occupy the narrative role of the companion in the story. These includes the characters that The Doctor has 'invited' to travel with him or her, but for one reason or another, never got to. Examples are Lynda with a Y, Madame de Pompadour, Astrid Peth, Rita from The God Complex, Osgood from Death in Heaven, Osgood from The Zygon Inversion. etc. Also Donna in The Runaway Bride before becoming a Main Companion in Series 4.
I only count my favourite characters as companions, the rest are forgotten about in my mind 😂
Oddly enough, my daughter and I debated this very subject the other day! :) My stance is: for NuWho, if the actor's name ever appeared in the opening credits, that's a companion. If not, they aren't. Simple! Doesn't apply to the classic series, though.
Does that mean that Peter Davison was playing a companion in "Time Crash?"
@@jb888888888 Yes, clearly that's exactly what I meant.
Hey Harbo, do you know when you’re planning on releasing the Deep Breath review?
I like the 'pyramid scheme'... So to speak. It works. Nicely done. However, when you said the Doctor puts some thought into selecting companions, well...
Dodo. An exception, and not alone. The TARDIS materializes... Parking in the Common. She wanders in looking for police assistance. (unintentionally foreshadowing Tegan).
Obviously, the nature of the TARDIS then, meant the Doctor couldn't say "backsies" and drop her right back on Earth (again, Tegan). It doesn't seem to be much thinking went into her becoming a companion on the Doctor's part.
Now Tegan... :)
The Doctor with his abductions, lol.
If we had to include every person who collaborated with the Doctor, we would include the off-series companions, wives and companions-that-never-be.
Edit: I would disagree about Jenny, though. Not because she logically WAS a supporting character in terms of relevancy, but because the DW mythos officially classified her as an one-time (or once-and-again, if you include the comic books) companion of the Doctor simply because *she's family.*
Yeah, Companion Classifications can be nepotistic.
IIRC Teegan was never invited to join. She wandered into the TARDIS thinking it was a normal police box and then the Doctor took off not even knowing she was there, leaving her no other choice but to "join" the team.
Don't worry at least 1 person in ur audience got the football analogy
Try this: family, relatives, allies
would donna not be a one story instead of a supporting?
Was a Clara a companion or not ??? Some people say she was a special type of doctor ,after jumping into the doctors timeline to save him in an episode in series 7 with Matt Smith .
Jamie and Adric are my top favorite companions. Clara would have to be my third favorite but then again, she's also cute and charming, so I'm probably biased in her being my number 3.
Jack is my number 4.
Graham number 5.
Adric? Our own Wesley Crusher?
i always thought the brig and sarah were much diffent companions compaired to other ones. many of the old ompanions had left because of the doctor or because they said they wanted to go. susan was forced out as the doctor knew she wouldnt leave him and go to have her own family. iain and barbra left because they had been kidnapped by this old man. and jamie was forced to leave. but sarah and the brig were more than the person asking the question and be eye candy. yes jamie was somewhat like this. being the second doctor's friend in many cases before and after the war games. but once sarah comes on you know shes diffent. she's mosty not a woman whos gonna let the men do most of the work. which shows later on as she has her own kids and her own friends. she was forced to leave by the time lords forcing thr doctor to come back to his home. which he cant take sarah too. and yes, jamie was also forced to leave and forget yet the doctor knew these actions would happen as he asked for help. this was just some random time after the hand of fear. so sarah has to leave like that. its not up to her or the doctor. not like charlie or tegan where it became not so fun and had enough. so she sadly leaves the tardis for a good few years. on many cases the doctor really did see sarah as a best friend. we could say all his friends are his best as he lets them into the tardis. but could we say adric was his best friend ? sarah to me was something great as she built up her own new life after the doctor. off course ace, tegan, nissa, and even others have done that. but sarahs was the most doctor like than anyone. she used all she learnt from him and used it to save the world when the doctor or unit arent there. not to mention the action helps with liz and tom baker being friends in real life and writing their last seen together. the brig on the other hand is diffent. another side of the coin to the doctor. the doctor being so hateful of weapons and death with his friend being in UNIT, a taskforce being able to shut down many alien ships and make sure it doesnt get into other hands than the govements hands. but as the both of them get to know each other, going up agaest the daleks, the sea devils, the master and the deadly robot. not to mention the cybermen or the yetis. yet when ever the doctor meets with him its always so nice to see. the 8th doctor met him once while he had no membray of who he was and nic brigs and clamed to be the doctor. with only the help of the brig and charlie could the doctor get his membarys back. he was more than a friend. i felt with the both of them, it had always felt diffent yet great to have them both on screen and even in the tardis in some cases (doctor who unbound masters of war for the brigs)
What about missy in s10 ? I'd say secondary half way through
Liz couldn't go anywhere in the TARDIS as the doctor was exiled to earth and the knowledge of time travel etc was taken way from him
This is a tad strange since I’m having an argument on twitter about companions
Has the thumbnail changed like 3-4 times?
in general i agree with these rulings, but i feel like the names 'secondary' and 'tertiary' as well as tertiary being placed under secondary is a bit misleading. i feel that they are almost 2 sides to a coin, two paths that a non-primary companion could take, neither being more or less of a companion than the other. i do agree that they should be two separate groups, but perhaps on the same level of the pyramid, with the names changed. The only problem with that is i have a hard time pinpointing what the names of their groups could be.
i could, however, also see the argument be made to make them one group, all-together being secondary companions. it would be a very broad range of definitions, but it could potentially work better than there being tertiary companions.
I don't think Vinder is a companion, as he didn't JOIN The Doctor, it's just a temporary alliance. Otherwise, you'll have to include other supporting characters like Sabalom Glitz.
Teaming up together to defeat the baddies then parting ways after the story does not make you a companion, even if you return later to help. Otherwise, you'll include Harriet Jones, Rigsy (Flatline & Face the Raven), Ashildr/Me, the father and son pirate team that showed up in season 6 mid-season finale
I wouldn't consider Susan or The master as companions as they have a primary relationship with The Doctor that trumps "Companion".
New one is so fit
In my honest opinion anyone that hasn't traveled into tardis with the doctor is it really a companion of sorts if there are still on earth and not traveling in the tortoise through time and space he just got thinner a lot of thin air
Does Liz Shaw count? ‘cause she didn’t travel in the TARDIS due to (SPOILERS) the Time Lords taking away the Doctor’s knowledge of said ship.
I really don't think companions' family members should be counted as secondary companions. By that logic, you could count literally any character as a companion.
To me, secondary companions should be the likes of Mickey Smith and Captain Jack Harkness, who travel in the TARDIS for at least one consecutive adventure in a different story but aren't as important as the main companions.
How would Missy fit into this triangle?
Depends on what season Missy you are talking about...
8 is just downright villain
9 is like series 1 annoying British guy (i think his name is adam...) from the long game
10 is like series 1 annoying British guy but better written and better preformed and also more capable and also you get the point
Correct me if you have a better way of explaining missy
7:58 what scene is this from????
That was series 7 DVD-only minisode "Rain Gods." ua-cam.com/video/BJRV0O6DXUI/v-deo.html
@@jb888888888 thanks!
Capt Jack, RIver Song, The Brigadier, Sabalom Glitz are not companions
Jack is a companion for the Ninth Doctor. He’s brought on board at the end of The Doctor Dances, is in the whole of Boom Town and only parts ways because events forced that to happen. The second trio of Ninth Doctor novels has Jack as the second companion alongside Rose (he gets a brilliant subplot in Almost Human when living in 21st century London with a displaced caveman, who Jackie hits on in a club!) and the Titan Comics with the Ninth Doctor are also set in this period. The Ninth Doctor entry for Destiny of the Doctor has similar placement.
Where's Nardol???
To call Sarah Jane Smith a tertiary companion after being the primary companion to BOTH the third and fourth Doctor does not make sense at all. By your definition several former primary companion like Jo Grant, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, and as you said Captain Jack are all now tertiary companions. If you count all the cameos, Susan, Jamie, Ian, Tegan, Mel, Ace, Donna Nobel, etc. are now all tertiary companions.
Wilf is the best companion and i will die on this hill
Madam dapompado didn't die young and alone! She died old and married
She died young and married. 42 isn't old.
children of earth
+1 day
A companion is just someone who travels with the Doctor. Pretty simple tbh :/
How about Liz Shaw?
@@tokublwhovian Exactly, plus dozens and dozens of people have travelled with the Doctor, and they're not all companions.
@@tokublwhovian She travels with the doctor. Not in time and space, but she travels with him. By traveling, I don’t mean just in space and time.
Okay not strange. Definitely aimed
it's whoever you decide to include, tbh.
I only have 3 categories. Primary, Captain Jack, and everyone else, who isn't very important. (The Captain Jack category is actually all secondaries. Everyone else is basically... everyone else. One-offs. Jenny, specials, technically someone who is in a 2-parter or something. Also, anyone who doesn't even go in the TARDIS, or only does to escape Unit exploding and are shown immediately being dropped off after or whatever. They'd have to go on at least 3 adventures in the TARDIS to be considered for the Captain Jack category.)
Edit: River is a Captain Jack.
It is literally said on the TV show itself that River Song went on adventures with the Doctor while she was imprisoned for his supposed murder? How can you possibly claim River Song is not a primary companion?
A companion is a person or sentient creature that joins another in a non-adversarial manner. You’re welcome.
Well river song was retconed with the timelessbullshit there is no way she could get her regeneration power and there for never kidnapped by the silence but hay Amy and Rory probably left the TARDIS early to raise melody and they didn't brake up prior to asylum of the Daleks the Daleks still kidnapped them but they had to go back home after the episode.
You're really just making things up to be angry at.
@@ericreese7792 not really It brakes River Song,
Timelords got there regeneration from exposure to the time vortex melody was exposed as she was conceived
But now with the timelessbullshit exposure to the vortex no longer grants that ability there for melody doesn't get her ability regenerate and is never kid napped by the silence. But at least Amy and Rory got to raise melody normally.
This isn't makeing stuff up to be angry about its just being logical and exploring the wider implications of chibnalls lore change
@@vanimapermai no, that's not how timelords gain regeneration. it may have contributed but it's never been "we looked at the time vortex".
this isn't how doctor who canon works either. nothing "breaks" something else just because it contradicts it. look at the last 60 years of doctor who and tell me it was a smooth ride until chibnall came along.
Yo 24th comment!
You have no idea what you're talking about the companions are just as much part of the show as the doctor himself is or herself but you want to talk about you know nothing
Why do the companions HAVE TO leave when the doct changes? I cant find anything on youtube about why they HAVE TO leave when the regeneration happens