10 Most Useless Doctor Who Characters
Вставка
- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- The Doctor doesn't always travel with the best, as this lot sufficiently proved.
For more awesome content, check out: whatculture.co...
Follow us on Instagram: / whoculture
Catch us on Twitter: / whoculture
#DoctorWho
Micky stayed on a parallel universe to fight Cybermen came back a badass tiny bit unfair judging by first couple episodes
100% dude had a lot of growth
Took care of his gram while in that parallel universe also.
Went from zero to hero
Mickey saved the world in 'World War Three', he opened the heart of the Tardis for Rose in 'Parting of the ways', he called Rose and the Doctor to investigate the school in 'School Reunion'.
Just to name a few Mickey's early accomplishment.
How many times did Donna Noble admit she was nothing? There was growth in Donna's character. The same way Mickey had growth.
So why put Mickey in this list and not Donna?
I do think putting Micky on a list such as this, is a mistake.
But i guess this is Ellie's opinion.
YES. Mickey did a lot in his time on the show. I think he's underrated. ☹
Mickey became an endearing character.
@@laurabailey1054 i personally like Mickey more then rose how she treats him is so shitty. But imo rose is the worst of new who companions
Same for the tesselecta. Its existence saved the Doctors life.
@@sampenney545 Not only that but she made the Doctor become a bully to Mickey too. The doctor took every opportunity to belittle him and call him names, just because he wanted to bone Mickeys girlfriend.
Sniperbots: Highly advanced machines from another part of the universe.
Ryan Sinclair: CALL OF DUTY
Choosing Victoria was unfair - she was a young girl completely, and literally, out of her time. The Doctor had promised her dying father that he would look after her. If it hadn't been for her amplified screams, in the story 'Fury From The Deep', then the parasitic seaweed entity could have overrun the earth. Useless? I think not. Just a very scared young girl.
I feel like you are disrespecting Mickey by putting him on this list. Yes wasn't the most brave or fearless but he was able to do some pretty remarkable things and being able to follow the doctors orders alone is not someone who is useless.
Exactly
Mickey was about trasfomtion he is not the same person at the end
Especially with how he took agency of himself, actually clapped back at the doctor instead of taking his jabs, and lead the preachers/Torchwood in Pete's world, before coming back and being freelance with Martha. Mickey became more than just rose's ex. He became what most side companions should be, which is funny, clever and able to kick butt like how Rory would be.
Wholeheartedly agree
Yeah, leave Ricky alone 😏
Susan's not that bad. She saved all their lives in The Daleks by traveling all the way back to the TARDIS to get the radiation drugs. Not only that, but she personally negotiates with the Daleks, who allow her to keep the medicine.
Susan had potential but, the writers had no confidence. The writers gave some hope for her character development for example in S1 E7 "The Sensorites" Susan reveals that she's exceptionally gifted at telepathy and she makes peace with them but, as I said the confidence dwindles down to redundant classic twisted ankles. Witch is why Carole Ann Ford left the show on her own.
She was a 16-year-old teenager what exactly did they expect her to do or be? (Susan states to Ping Cho she's 16 in Marco Polo) The fact she got to do more than just be a damsel in distress like Victoria makes her more than useful. She was a timelady, a good esper, well educated in maths and science, she had a good head on her shoulders and a good heart when the doctor was more inclined to be cold. The reason she stacks up as the definitive companion of the 1st doctor when Ian, Barbara, Ben & Polly had more time with the 1st doctor than she did on screen is that she was good foil.
These characters may have been “useless”but at least they got to hang out with the Doctor. Better than all of us 😂
Funny thing, most of us would be completely useless.
Mickey to this day is one of my favorite characters in the Doctor Who universe. His character development was really well written and the actor's performance was perfect. True, he was useless at first, but that just goes to show how the Doctor can absolutely change the lives of his companions.
How can they talk about screamers and forget Mel ? She could scream the ears of both Victoria and Susan in a heartbeat. She was also slightly less useful than no companion at all.
Ace was an improvement it seems
Adam did get something of a better story/redemption in the Titan Comics Doctor Who Graphic Novels.
In the 2013 crossover event Prisoners of Time, Adam had grown bitter at the Doctor for being left behind, so allied himself with the Anthony Ainley Master and used technology recovered from the Van Statten museum to enact his plan.
Their scheme:
Kidnap companions from up and down the Doctor's timeline and then force the Doctor to choose one companion to save. The rest would be killed.
He kidnapped Ian, Barbara, Vicki, Jamie, Zoe, Liz, Sarah Jane, The Brigadier, Leela, K9, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan, Peri, Ace, Grace, Rose, Martha and Clara amongst others but was ultimately defeated by all 11 Doctors and the shapeshifting companion Frobisher. Realizing what he had become, Adam sacrificed himself and the Doctors buried him with a headstone saying "Adam, a companion true."
I've always thought that "Let's Kill Hitler" was written just to get them out of the hole they had dug by showing the Doctor being killed. By always I mean half way through watching it for the first time!!!
Can we have an underrated list next please? Harry Sullivan was an underrated companion as was Bill Potts.
I thought most people loved Bill and wanted to see more of her? Or was that _just_ the reaction of the American fans when it aired on BBC America? Did the UK’s homophobia ruin Bill’s reception across the pond?
@@Popcultureguy3000 I’d like to hear the answer to that question as well.
@@Popcultureguy3000 idk but i fall in love with bill, her character and charisma were so good
@@duodecim3452 His?
@@Popcultureguy3000 sorry, my bad english jejr
Katarina knew what she was doing when she opened the airlock, sacrificing herself to help the Doctor and Steven get away.
And don't forget the Audio Adventure "Daughter of the Gods" either.
@@mr.vanillamilkshake3 I absolutely *LOVED* that Big Finish Early Adventures audio drama! The fact that the writers initially conceived it as a “Five Year Anniversary Special that never was” by revisiting The Dalek Masterplan, and then it just naturally progressed from there into a sweet character piece for poor doomed Katarina, was just icing on that delicious sound cake!
It’s so sad that the writers gave her original actress so little to work with in plots and scripts that put more emphasis on the new arc guest characters, rather than putting more focus on the actual TARDIS Trio of the First Doctor, Steven, and Katarina. If she got more time for these small moments in the actual show, than the Expanded Universe writers wouldn’t have to carry the burden of fleshing her out as a character.
I'd have to disagree with your inclusion of Turlough. I started out not liking him AT ALL, but watching his stories, with them culminating in "Planet of Fire", I realized he's not really that bad. He chose NOT to kill the Doctor, at the Black Guardian's behest, which I think says a lot about him. (For those who don't know, go watch "Mawdryn Undead", when we meet Turlough and get to see the Brig once more!)
Katerina purposely opened the airlock to save the Doctor and Steven. That's as useful as you can be I would think. Sacrificing yourself for your friends
Agreed.
I also agree.
The Justice department aren’t useless
Ellie's change of tone was a wonderful way to emphasise how embarrassing it is to lose to a wheelie bin. If it was planned, it is elite. If unintentional or improvised, even better.
Mickey is not useless, he was the man
Please read
The key to this universe is within the Bible. Jesus Christ taught several truths and inner work that heal parts of your soul that open your eyes to the spiritual realm. The key is in four spiritual milestones done in order. Forgiving your parents is an extremely important first step. Genuinely open your heart to that idea and you’ll know what I’m talking about. To be forgiven we must forgive. Our parents have loved us, understanding that natural humanity makes mistakes and needs forgiveness is the key to understanding everything in this universe. You’ll understand Christ. Jesus leads the way, that’s why you need to follow him to salvation. He unlocks the doors to the father’s chambers. Breaking down your will to the eternal Love God has in store for us all shows things inside your soul. Please, ask for forgiveness and mercy. At the least please read at least three books of the Bible in your life, Genesis Mathew and one you chose yourself.
It wasn’t a wheelie bin though was it. It only had the form of a wheelie bin and was intelligent plastic
You'd think Ryan's disability would have worked against him against the Sniperbots. And Krasko felt like the show's obsession with making the villain a real living breathing thing, and not the actual villain of Rosa.
Which is stupid seeing as the time period and its attitudes were more than enough of a threat.
No wonder Mickey killed himself in Star Trek into Darkness. He couldn't take it anymore.
Mickey and a great story arc. He was not useless by the end of his story.
If you're wondering what the canon explanation was for Kamelion never being seen or even mentioned during the on-screen events that took place between "The King's Demons" and "Planet of Fire", it was revealed in a quadrilogy of audio stories by Big Finish called "Devil in the Mist", "Black Thursday", "Power Game" and "The Kamelion Empire". I'll give it in brief:
After the events of "The King's Demons" Kamelion initially joined the TARDIS team as a full-time companion and he, the Fifth Doctor, Tegan and Turlough had a few adventures together. Unfortunately Kamelion very quickly proved to be a major liability for the other members of the TARDIS team. The problem was the simple fact that part of Kamelions' inherent nature was that he was extremely weak-willed and could be easily influenced or controlled by people with strong willpower. In fact, Kamelions' automatic "loyalty" to strong minds was so great that a person with strong enough willpower could influence Kamelion without even realising it. The natural result of this was that Kamelion kept being influenced or taken over by external forces and used against the TARDIS team both advertantly and inadvertently.
Kamelion soon realised that this was only going to continue happening because, as stated before, his automatic "loyalty" to strong minds was part of his inherent nature. He thus asked the Doctor to permanently deactivate him as he wanted to die rather than continue being forced to attack his friends. The Doctor offered Kamelion the alternate solution of reconfiguring a disused storeroom in the TARDIS into a Zero Room in which Kamelion could safely isolate himself from external forces. Kamelion accepted and asked the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough to not speak or even think of him as this would help him isolate himself
Shame the Doctor didn't try and yoink his chameleon circuits for the TARDIS. Barring that, pull the loyalty chip and swap it out for a morality control unit (MCU).
Please read
The key to this universe is within the Bible. Jesus Christ taught several truths and inner work that heal parts of your soul that open your eyes to the spiritual realm. The key is in four spiritual milestones done in order. Forgiving your parents is an extremely important first step. Genuinely open your heart to that idea and you’ll know what I’m talking about. To be forgiven we must forgive. Our parents have loved us, understanding that natural humanity makes mistakes and needs forgiveness is the key to understanding everything in this universe. You’ll understand Christ. Jesus leads the way, that’s why you need to follow him to salvation. He unlocks the doors to the father’s chambers. Breaking down your will to the eternal Love God has in store for us all shows things inside your soul. Please, ask for forgiveness and mercy. At the least please read at least three books of the Bible in your life, Genesis Mathew and one you chose yourself.
Honestly, most of these points sound like bashing (except Krasko and the Sniper Bots). Also, some companions were redeemed in Extended Media:
1. Susan later joined the Time War in "Susan's War" by Big Finish, using her psychic abilities (Carole Anne Ford was promised her character would have psychic powers back in the Hartnell era, they never brought that up onscreen, though) for negotiations.
2. Katarina returned in Big Finish's "Companion Piece" when her "ghost" helped defeating the Nine, who was kidnapping the Doctor's companions for his collection.
1. Adam's actions and him being rejected made him the main villain in the comic "Prisoners of Time", where he teamed up with the Anthony Ainley Master and kidnapped all companions (kind of like the Nine in the Big Finish audio mentioned above)
I would've swapped Mickey or Susan with Pex (Paradise Towers). Pex might have redeemed himself in his final act.. but up to that point, all he was good at was breaking down doors & boasting loudly.
Not exactly useless when without the Teselecta The Doctor would have died.
The "ducking" thing always cracks me up. I loved it when Nick defeated Daleks by ducking in Eve of the Daleks. Brilliant. Why don't they all duck more often?
They're useless. "Blimey, that's amazing. Do you know in 900 years of time and space I've never met anyone who was..."
As always thank you so very much for the video.
I heard The Doctor Who graphic novel Prisoners of Time did Adam Mitchell a bit of justice
True. It gives a perspective of how companions that are "just tossed aside by the Doctor" feel the pain of abandonment for years/decades later. While the Doctor may miss the companion, it is a brief mourning period & then she just moves on to the next companion. As as aside, "The Prisoners of Time," were weekly comics that were later compiled to make it available as a "graphic novel."
“Which is hardly the level of due diligence you’d expect from law enforcement” I mean hey perhaps they were American?
And at number one... the Stormtroopers of the Doctor Who universe.
Every single companion for Chibnall’s “Doctor” should be on this list. In fact “Chibnall’s “Doctor(s)” should all be on the list.
There was no useless companions in the RTD era, exept Adam. Mickey was so important to the plot and has a lot of individual scenes with Rose that polish his character even more. Him being in this list is just disrespectful.
Mickey had THE best character development.
Yeh putting Mickey on this list is 100% entirely because of what’s happened to Noel Clarke and we want to normalize trashing the character. The same thing will probably happen to jack. Mickey has such good character growth and it’s the point of his story how he goes from useless to a legit hero
Actually, it’s not, it’s because there’s an argument for him to be here.
We have a list coming out soon that praises Mickey, and we’ve praised Captain Jack countless times over the last few months alone!
@@danthemeegs8751 good, because jack and John still deserve it. Madness now he’s been treated worse than actual predator Noel Clarke
I have to say, the Dalek that was supposed to make me a cup of tea was pretty damn useless
There was a promise of tea. Someone lied
Unlike Handles who was almost as good as K-9.
I just want to say I love all the videos and the efforts you all put in to each and every video and just thank you for that
Thanks for the kind words!
@@WhoCultureMickey isn’t useless he went from zero to hero over time.
The Justice Department had many success’s against criminals of history.
Your description of Krasko was hilarious
Jackie Tyler - she was... there.
The cowardly Mickey STILL did more than her.
Only if you consider her a companion (I don't). And if she qualifies then Martha's mom should as well and she's absolutely horrid.
Absolutely love these videos!
Thank you so much for creating them!
I always watch them as soon as i can after you upload. And love the ups and downs. This and trekculture are my two favourite channels on UA-cam. More please! 😁😁
Think Peri is pretty useless. All she did was whine, complain, scream and argue with the Sixth Doc.
Would am animated Doctor Who/Magic School Bus crossover work? Maybe the bus is a more tech advanced TARDIS and Miss Frizzle is a Time Lord?
I think River would win most useful companion:
- Knows how to pilot and maintain the TARDIS.
- Unbelievably resourceful and plans for pretty much everything.
- Adapts to pretty much every situation.
- Willing to stand up to and even override The Doctor when necessary.
- Puts The Doctor and the mission before herself.
- Is truly never cruel nor cowardly.
I want a Big Finish of her meeting up and doing a mission with time frozen Clara.
River is useful in so many ways!
@@RaggedyDoctor11 Most other companions want to be The Doctor, River could actually pull it off.
Unfortunately she's extremely irritating to me.
Romana would eat River for breakfast
Romana was smarter, would out fight her (she after Leela is the best female companion when it come to combat, she kicked the arm off a Movellan)
How do the sniperbots qualify as companions?
Mickey deserved better
His actor deserves worse
Micky fandom we need it
Wait did I see the Brigadier with the first Doctor? The Tesselector was probably one of the worst NuWho concepts. You are minaturised and locked inside a shell with death robots who are trying to kill you every second of every day unless you are wearing a flimsy wristband which often malfunctions.
How did Micky make this list but Yaz didnt? A police officer who never uses any of her training ever... Oh wait, she did hold a gun in the last episode, my mistake...
Lol Mickey did so much he literally saved the world in ww3
Yaz was as useful as a screen door in a submarine
she does use training. she is an officer in her probation period, trained to only solve domestics. nearly every episode, she defuses situations and asks question to get a fully story, which is what she would've been trained to do
I mean, she did use her basic training to help The Doctor identify the weird alien plastic devouring disease in that one episode from the last season. But I will concede that the autopsy scene felt like it was one of the very few times outside of the first two New Year’s specials her being a cop was really utilized in a very exciting or plot progressing way.
I rated micky he was a solid character
Micky was useless at first by design, he had personal development and became a bad arse
Everybody always hates on Mickey, it’s called Character Development. He was useless until he wasn’t. I think they put him in this list just to get the comments.
Susan Foremann does NOT Belong on this list!
Every companion from 13s era
Ellie's cadence and delivery were extra pleasant in this video. Her voice sounded like a Smile. *Krasko was a distracting character because the actor was exceptionally #Manlicious. It was unfortunate not even his shirt got torn off (at the very least). 😁
Was he an alien in the first series? I thought he was just a man from the future.
Mickey made me cringe for the first few years, I’m happy he was on the list, not super high either and that you comment on his story arc and that he got better later.
I would like to see Big Finish explore the gaps between The Myth Makers and The Daleks Master Plan
Big Finish has two stories that explore what happened in the gap. First there is "Scribbles in Chalk" from their Short Trips: Life Science anthology. It tells about how Katarina helps getting the medicine for Steven. Then there is "The Daughter of the Gods" from their audio series "The Early Adventures," it tells about what happened just before the Dalek Master Plan and why Katarina was so willing to sacrifice herself to save the others. Both are in my opinion excellent stories.
@@Llinl1337 I can confirm that *Daughter of the Gods* is an absolutely _fantastic_ audio drama. On the one hand it has the heightened drama and high stakes action appropriate for a story meant to be “A Five Year Anniversary Special that never was”, and on the other hand it gave us scenes where we hear the First Doctor doting on her and tries to give her a good education which she never had as Greek handmaiden! It’s also a First Doctor and Second Doctor crossover story, because *ALL* Doctor Who Anniversary Specials are.😂
i love all your videos and keep Them up. but you forgot DAN. He was asking episode one (first episode in the TARDIS/ meeting the doctor) questions throughout his time in the TARDIS and he was just a waste
Yaz too
@@tardistime6857 Yaz less so, as she could FLY THE TARDIS and was a girlboss carrying the doctor back into the TARDIS and was generally actually useful
For a selection of Ten Most Useless Characters you've picked one's that served as integral to a storyline. You can't say they were useless. Susan to Victoria just weren't allowed to develop
Well, Kamelion's era was especially short so that he's a lot of underrated. He could have become one of the most iconic companions. It would be great to give him a come back, using all the technology available now, (instead of Vlinx) to improve his character.
Also Adam would be cool to return for taking retribution to the doctor.
The laughs alone for Mickey the Idiot mean he shouldn't be on this list. I can think of so many other ersatz characters who genuinely added nothing - including later companions. Show Mickey some love!
Harry Sullivan, that guy didn't do a lot
Perpugillum (peri) Brrown she was so useless she got killed off during a holiday break
These people put so much work into a UA-cam video to entertain us. It is amazing how good these vids are
mickey is meme from every horror film, the black man that dies stupidly
11th most useless? The TARDIS's Chameleon Circuit. TARDIS Navigation system 12th most useless...
The whole point of Adam was to show us a bad companion. Also you leave Micky alone. He wasn’t beaten by a wheelie bin. It only had the form of a wheelie bin. You say his replacement was convincing and that it says something about him but it says far more about rose that she couldn’t tell the difference of her boyfriend. He is far from useless. Dislike for including Micky in this list.
Who tf wrote this??? Mickey is on this list at all??? Mickey was the best
ELLIE can we PLEASE get the Diary of River Song series ranking BC some of River's best moments are on Big Finish
Alot of Doctor who as a series best moments are on Big Finish, as they have turned out far better stories than the TV show has for years probably since series 6.
Random comment, unrelated to the video: I just wanted to thank you for bringing us content with this channel and cheer you to keep it up. I love your videos and they always keep me company when I have some free time.
I'm a massive Doctor Who fan, but here in Italy it isn't that popular and I have no one to share my passion with. Doctor Who is barely known here and I really hope the Disney + era will bring more fans to it.
Having your videos is a way to keep my interest alive. Sometimes I agree 100% with your lists, sometimes I don't, but I know for sure it's a pleasure to hear you guys talking about a series that means a lot to me.
We want this to be a space where we can all nerd out together, so very happy to have you with us!
The Dalek invasion where the Doctor threatens to spank Susan's bottom. 😂😂😂 Wtf
I'm wondering why Dodo and Mel weren't on this list.
I know, especially since they call out Victoria Waterfield for her scream, my ears are still bleeding after hear Mel every scream two minutes!
I guess its because (as they said) Victoria's screaming was called out in the show.
But although Bonnie is a wonderful person (I met her at a con and she was amazingly lovely), Mel was the only companion I've ever actively wanted dead.
When she got trapped in the bubble in Time and the Rani, I was rooting for the explosive to take her with it.
Susan Foreman? Tut tut. She was the primal 60s screamer. In the old days, I used to joke that, if they ever had a female Doctor, I wanted loads of screaming male companions.
Well, fair play with Kamelion. I mean, what the hell?
With the rest, eh. Maybe.
And of course 2 chitnals characters here, not surprisingly😊
The 13th Doctor should be No1. She almost killed herself & her companions on a regular basis by incompetence & is only saved by 3rd parties, she can't escape a Judoon prison without help & 3 quarters of her "Fam" cut their loses & quit on her.
Yes ! But let’s be honest these people don’t actually watch dr who
And did anyone of you read the title of this video?
It says "companions", not "Doctor incarnations".
@@deavacui2825 Either you're a Bot or you didn't read the title yourself, it says "Characters"
Mickey's evolution was impressive.
The best thing about Krasko: It's really fun to sing "Space Racist! Spaaaace Racist!"
I’m not sure Mickey should be on this list lol as he started proving himself from the end of season 1 lol
Next do top 10 unit members
Surprised you didn’t mention how Kamelion was snuck into “Dimensions in Time”. 😁
And also I disagree with the first one, Susan was amazingly good
Since we are talking about all characters across doctor who I feel like no companion deserves to be o this list as they all did things to show their worth where as some one off characters we just so useless
We all remember Mickey's fate
I have a feeling the Sniperbots violate more than an Earth country's laws but also violate the Shadow Proclamation section whatever etc etc etc.
But when does that Proclamation get accepted, and if earth isn't a space fairing civilization, how do we get protection from it? I haven't seen the episode though.
What about Mel Bush, Bonnie Langford she was absolutely terrible and that scream
HE I LOVE TURLUGH!!! I am a huge fan of Mark Strickson.
This is a ridiculous list. For a start mickey was a great character. As good if not better than rose. Rose became arrogant and so far up her own arse. Tbh her and the doctor treated mickey appallingly. Unlike Rose he showed growth, whereas she showed regression.
Dan Lewis
You could take him out of any of the episodes he appeared in and it’d make no difference whatsoever
The Doctors reaction to his departure was as nonplussed as the audience
People were hid behind targets in a target range and the Stenza still couldn't hit them USELESS
I think they perfectly showed what I've come to expect from law enforcement, regardless of the branch.
Krasko was so bad I forgot about the character lol
I love Mickey 😭
"Rosa" turned me off "Doctor Who", thinking that it was trying to be a British "Quantum Leap", by "correcting" history (making sure that Rosa Parks got on that specific bus), and the bad guy time traveler (like the "Evil Leaper"). Being part of history was fine previously, but deliberately correcting it was not a direction that I wanted to see the show.
Perri was mentioned but not as a useful character. Granted I didn't see all of her appearances, but the one thing I will never get out of my head is her incessant whining.
Gosh I hated Adam Mitchell so much
I love Susan. To me she acted like that on purpose and is actually pretty manipulative and almost an evil genius.
5:40 ….that is on the contrary *exactly* the level of due diligence I expect from law enforcement.
Would have liked Katarina to become a full time companion
She does in audio drama "Daughter of the Gods". Sort of.
@@mr.vanillamilkshake3 I've heard that's a popular audio
'Lost a fight with a wheelie bin' aka the funniest thing I've heard since I got here XD
Utter joy to watch.
It has to be Dan at the tip of the list. Totally useless standing around most of the time looking gormless.
Turlough is a bit of an antagonist. As is Adric who actually sympathizes with the villian in Four to Doomsday.
"Now listen here you young idiot." *cue stretch frame of Matt Smith*
Also, two words: Big Finish. That is all.
The writers destroyed the Adric character in the "Lets make Adric stupid trilogy"(4 to Doomsday, Kinda and Visitation) Adric worked better with the 4th Doctor especially after Romana leaves.
Turlough was a coward and ironically his worst action was the one time he was brave and rescued Peri from drowning.
What about Harry the imbecile, Mel, since we're talking about characters, not companions, I'll say any Maddox from Warriors of the Deep and Anita in the Two Doctors. I don't mind Turlough, to be honest, I think if one of his stories was an extra Tegan-Nyssa story his tenure may have been less extended.
For the recurring characters, two words: Big Finish. Need I say more?
Harry was very useful in the first 4 stories, but then they made him an afterthought in Revenge of the Cyberman and wrote him out with no real use in Terror of Zygons
I'd call Rose a THOUSAND TIMES MORE useless than Mickey, personally, but what do I know? 🤷
Also, I think Adam Mitchell was 100% set up to fail and wasn't as "bad" or useless as many people make him out to be. In fact, I have a long rant about it, if anyone is bored:
First off, in 'The Long Game', the Ninth Doctor told him: "The thing is, Adam, time travel is like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book. You've got to throw yourself in, eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers - or is that just me? Stop asking questions. Go and do it!". Very 'When in Rome' advice.
So, Adam actually DOES that and therefore gets tech in his head. And in that time he uses it to call back to the past -- which the story said was for the history of the microprocessor, but there was supposedly a bit in the original script that he wanted to send the cure for cancer back for his ill Dad. Anyway, he also accidentally got Rose and the Doctor captured by the Jagrafess. But how was he supposed to know that putting tech in his head would get them caught? ITS NOT LIKE HE HAS A SEASONED TIME TRAVELER AT HIS SIDE TO TELL HIM RIGHT FROM WRONG.
And I mean, he's not the only companion to try to do something "wrong" -- Martha mused on recording 'Love's Labor's Won', for example, but the Doctor was there to tell her about the ramifications of messing with time. In fact, the big set-up is that Adam can't "work alongside the Doctor" successfully, but honestly, when was he given the chance? He was abandoned by the Doctor and Rose within minutes, whether out of some ill-placed jealousy or maybe because he fainted upon seeing the future. Which, is, you know, not the worst thing he could have done?
From Gary Russel's book 'Doctor Who: The Inside Story', he said of Adam: "...he has no responsibility, he is totally self-motivated, and he's clever and informed in a way that Rose isn't (not that she's not intelligent, but she's not a technological genius or a gadget wizard like Adam was). That gives us the opportunity to show the viewer what could happen with advanced knowledge in less capable hands. I think leaving Adam with doors in his head is a comedic punctuation to the story and in a sense he's got what he wanted - he wanted to be ahead of the game, he wanted to be more advanced, but was too greedy about it,
and now he's got doors in his head! Let that be a lesson! The Doctor and Rose are a team and Adam just didn't live up to the Doctor's expectations. He realizes Rose is unique, is irreplaceable and that's a valuable lesson at the end of the day."
Um...yeah, I just didn't get that out of it. Sorry. Adam was set up to fail, not a failure in and of himself. And that doesn't make Rose or any other companion inherently better, its just bad writing if that's the point you're trying to make.
And don't even start me on Adam being abandoned with future tech in his head after the Doctor was all snippy about future things being out of time. Speaking of irresponsible -- that's so irresponsible FOR THE DOCTOR (much like when he tosses Ms Foster's sonic pen in the garbage at the end of 'Partners in Crime', where it could be found by someone). As if Adam is going to be able to keep that a secret. I still imagine in my fanon that Torchwood found him at some point or an evil alien race. In my heart of hearts I wish one day that whole affair would come back to bite the Doctor, where some invading aliens use Adam as a weapon against him. OOPS!
So, I could see this as an interesting story for a 'failed companion', if only it wasn't pounded into our heads at the end that the Doctor only "takes the best" (which the Doctor and Rose are sooo smug in that moment, it makes me throw up in my mouth a bit). But it fails for me because IN THE VERY NEXT STORY 'Father's Day', Rose makes an even more epic mistake and, in my opinion, is a far WORSE companion than Adam ever was. Let's see: no responsibility, totally self-motivated, and greedy when saving her father? CHECK.
Maybe Rose gets off the hook with people because she was trying to save her dad, but as mentioned before, maybe Adam was too? Maybe that WAS a cure for cancer for his dad lost in the white noise of his phone call? We didn't see that part. Still...that's just conjecture.
What we do know is:
+ Adam just gave information Rose and the Doctor to the Jagrafress and the Editor. Not on purpose, mind you. In fact, that scene always makes me laugh because the Doctor's yelling out "What has he done?" -- Um, Doctor, he did what you told him to do -- do "what the people of that station are doing" (again the 'When in Rome' advice). Remember?
But in Father's Day, Rose on the other hand NEARLY DESTROYS THE MULTIVERSE AND ALL EXISTENCE AS WE KNOW IT with her actions. And I'm sorry, but I think that's a wee bit bigger of an ordeal than what Adam did.
But does she get thrown off the TARDIS because the Doctor ONLY THE TAKES THE BEST as a result? No, she just has to pout and say she's sorry and all is right in the world. I mean, HUH? REALLY?
If you're going to show me how much better of a companion Rose is in the show, FREAKING SHOW ME, not tell me and don't completely contradict yourself in a the very next episode. My memory is not that short.
(And, yes, I know the Doylist reason is that Billie Piper was signed on to be the main companion that season where as Bruno Langley was not, but I'm a loss for what the in-universe Watsonian reason is as to why Adam was a supposedly failed companion and Rose was not. I mean, don't get me wrong, I wasn't super keen on Adam as a character either, but I think he gets a bit shafted for no good reason and I don't think he's a failed companion so much as a victim of the Doctor and Rose's smug cliquishness when they're together. End of.)
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. 😉
Ouch
I suspect Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister, would agree with you.
I liked Rose but you are absolutely right, she almost destroyed the universe by causing a time paradox, or should I say two paradoxes. Her dad (who was actually written as a useless character was not mentioned) had to fix her doing.
The only reason she isnt a "useless character" is because she was popular.