Who is the best Doctor Who companion? It’s a perpetual question with no definitive answer… except the Radio Times tried to answer it, by asking its readers to vote on which f the Doctor’s travelling friends deserve to be named the greatest Doctor Who companion.
And it’s a pertinent time to mull over the result: Donna Noble has been named the best Doctor Who companion!
The character, played by Catherine Tate, originally appeared in The Runaway Bride in 2006, then again throughout Series 4, followed by a cameo in The End of Time. She earned 23% of the vote, just nipping Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) to the top spot. He got 21%.
So why’s this important right now? Because Donna is back next month, once more opposite David Tennant, who this time plays the Fourteenth Doctor in three 60th anniversary specials.
But looking at the list, you’ll notice tat actually, this isn’t a list of the best Doctor Who companions ever — actually, it’s solely confined to 21st Century Who. Here’s that list in full:
- Donna Noble — 23%
- Captain Jack Harkness — 21%
- Rose Tyler — 11%
- Clara Oswald — 10%
- Wilfred Mott — 10%
- Amy Pond — 8%
- River Song — 4%
- Martha Jones — 3%
- Sarah Jane Smith — 3%
- Yasmin Khan — 3%
(Yay for Sarah!)
It’s rather shocking that there’s such a gap between the second and third places on this list. Also shocking that Wilf and Captain Jack are the only guys who have made the Top 10. Where’s Rory?! And Nardole? And where’s Adam?! Okay, okay, but the points about Rory and Nardole still stand. Similarly… Amy at #6?! AMY POND?! I’m organising a riot if anyone wants to join me.
So, a flawed list. But interesting nonetheless. Donna is still well-remembered and beloved by the voting public. And that bodes well for The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder, and The Giggle…
