Anyone who is an admirer of the amazingly brilliant TV show Doctor Who has at one point or another fantasized about being his companion.
What if you heard the TARDIS appear outside your window? Would you run to it with only the clothes on your back? Would you pack a tiny suitcase like young Amelia Pond? Would you grab your best friend to join you in the unfathomable journey through time and space? I’m not sure. I don’t know you. The only thing I do know is that the companions the Doctor has encountered through the years are, for the most part, worthy of all the adventures and wisdom he has to offer. Here are the top five companions of the Doctor since 2005, after its sixteen-year hiatus.
1. Amy Pond
This fiery ginger is the worthiest counterpart the Doctor has ever encountered. Even when she first encountered the Doctor as a little girl, her bravery, maturity, and level-headedness shone through. She tells it like it is—no sugarcoating, which is why she even changed her name from the delicate "Amelia Pond" to plain "Amy Pond." She met, and caught the eye of, the stunningly brilliant Vincent van Gogh, saved the life of the last Star Whale, and even impressed Winston Churchill. Her roller coaster relationship with Rory keeps everyone on their toes, and eventually leads to the wonderfully dazzling River Song, the only woman in all of history for the Doctor. And best of all, she’s traveled with my favorite actor who has ever portrayed the Doctor—Matt Smith.
2. Rose Tyler
As the first companion of the Doctor since a sixteen-year break, she had big shoes to fill, and she did not disappoint. After meeting the Doctor during a night of terror when shops' mannequins came to life, Rose instantly became our new favorite character of the series. She's sharp, witty, and most of all a real, relatable character. Her personality meshes perfectly with the Doctor's, leading the Doctor to be the best version of himself, making her his rock. Of course, our hearts were ripped out when her adventure with the Doctor ended, but at least she got a human version of him to spend her life with. Additionally, Billie Piper's role in The Day of the Doctor as the "Bad Wolf version" of Rose only reminded us of how brilliant she was as the Doctor's companion and tugged at our still-aching hearts.
3. Clara Oswald
Ah, the Impossible Girl. Clara went on more adventures with the Doctor than the audience ever sees. She has also died after an encounter with him more than we will ever know. This is because when she went into the Doctor's tomb in Trenzalore to try to repair his damaged timeline, the time winds splintered her off into millions of versions of herself, sticking a copy of Clara into countless times and places throughout the Doctor's life. Her relationship with Danny Pink sent us through our own whirlwind of emotions, eventually leaving us in tears. She's been a Dalek, a schoolteacher, a modern-day nanny, a Victorian governess, visited the afterlife, talked to the younger version of Danny, survived "The Crimson Horror," carried around the TARDIS in her purse, and has lived innumerable lives. So run, you clever boy, and remember...
4. Bill Potts
As I am not completely caught up on season 10, I don't yet have a fully-formed idea of who Bill Potts is, but she made a very memorable first impression. She's a student, like me, so I understand her level of curiosity and eagerness to see and learn about the world. I’m a bit envious of her tutoring lessons with the Doctor, and I can't even fathom her opportunity to see the whole universe. She is known for being "the first gay companion," but that doesn't limit her role on the show. For a show all about time, her interactions with love interest Heather did provide a much-needed updated and modern feel that the show was missing, but her interactions with the Doctor are what really make her stand out as a companion. She’s young, casual, and has loads of potential. I can’t wait to see where her adventures take her.
5. Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith. Where to begin? Her reappearance with David Tennant portraying the Doctor gave old fans a blast from the past and new fans a memorable character to love. Maybe I'm biased because she's a journalist, which I admire, but Sarah Jane seems like one of the most compatible companions the Doctor's ever had. She's known his old selves, and they have a history together. Even if it ended without a goodbye, nothing's better than old friends reconnecting. Plus, she has her own spin-off show, The Sarah Jane Adventures, showing she's an independent character who didn't and doesn't lean on the Doctor to stand but can give him support when he needs it.
*Honorable Mention: Astrid Peth
The Doctor met Astrid on the Titanic, the one in space, of course, and I believe she would’ve made the one of the greatest companions yet. She had a heart aching for adventure, a witty tongue to keep up with the Doctor, and most of all, a clear set of morals and a sound heart. Having no family or friends to get back to on her home world and only a waitress job tying her down, she would’ve made the perfect asset in the Doctor’s spontaneous nature. Sadly, but nobly, she scarified herself in order to save the Doctor and numerous other lives, only reinforcing my claim of her being the ultimate companion. She never set foot in the TARDIS; however, her dreams of traveling the galaxy were partially fulfilled when the Doctor scattered her atoms and consciousness across the whole of space. Rest in peace, Astrid.
