Hey, testing out a new format for these video essays so please let me know in the comments what you think of the video! Also, Patrons can vote on the next video topic so check out my Patreon!

I think it's great how the companion role has evolved to such an extent every new series companion sees their career continue to new heights afterwards, whilst in the past most Classic Who companions suffered from being shunned due to their association with the show, through no fault of theirs. Even Elisabeth Sladen considered herself retired for a decade.

7:30 I thought that you were going to say "His Doctor Who fan shed is within walking distance of lots of grass for him to touch" there, your Doctor Who grass touching deep-dive has obviously left its mark on me!

I love how that image of rose in the thumbnail isn’t even from 2005 despite it saying 2005

Rose & her introduction will always be one of my favorite parts of the show. Ep 2 of S1 in particular where she gets overwhelmed with so many aliens was really well done & felt realistic. And then also seeing just how her going affected her closest. Also glad you mentioned in the video that the show started out an educational show. Ppl forget that.

The Classic series had a lot of intelligent, capable companions. Barbara Wright, Zoe, Liz Shaw, Romana, Nyssa

I loved how you showed which music was playing at the time. Always good to cite the composer or 2nd-hand composer. Secondly, I always identified with Harry Sulivan the most, I empathised with how he made mistakes but meant-well.

I have some more ideas for you if you’d care to consider them. 1. When did every Master touch grass in Doctor Who? 2. Retrospective: All Doctor Who Children in Need appearances. 3. Analysing every possible neurodiverse representation in Doctor Who 4. All Doctor Who charity events beyond Comic Relief and CID 5. Retrospective of every LGBTQ+ representation in the Whoniverse (main show, big finish and spinoffs) 6. Retrospect of the 1985 hiatus and its impact on the show. 7. Discussion of the wilderness years.

I have to say, thank you for including the names of the music you use when you use it. And I like this new video format.

I think that the fundamental difference that Russell brought to Doctor Who is that he treated the companions as real characters with real lives, something that the old show almost never even considered, with them being mainly plot devices, or more often, a means for the Doctor (and the writers) to explain the story to the viewers. In Classic Who, we rarely got even the littlest view of the companions' lives before the Doctor and their families and friends, except for when they were part of their debut stories. And then it was usually quickly forgotten (savages and janis thorns notwithstanding.) One of the things that felt so fresh to me when the show returned was how it explored Rose's family life, and how it would affect both her and THEM for her to just disappear from her life and theirs. Even in the Pertwee/UNIT era - the only time in Classic Who where the companions lived at home between TARDIS journeys, we never saw any of their families or friends. The contrast/evolution struck me more with your recognition that all of Russell's companions (even failed companion Adam) left the TARDIS for a family life. We don't even know if most of the Classic companions ever saw any of their friends and family again, other than Turlough (where family was a plot element to explain why he left the TARDIS/show and only in his very last episode) and Sarah Jane (and only through a spinoff many years later). We know that most of them never will return to anything from their past lives, since they were left somewhere or somewhen else - something that would be deeply traumatic for most people - but it's never even hinted at in Classic Who. That's probably due to the show's pseudo-episodic storytelling, moving quickly from setting to new setting, with new characters every few weeks, but it would have been nice for the companions to be actual people. No wonder so many of the actors quit the job. And no wonder why so many of them would love to return to the show now.

You missed the greatest Terrance Dicks put downs of all: Both about RTD's remake "What we were making was plot driven, serialised, Sci Fi Adventure drama. What RTD is making is, with the greatest respect, the most sophisticated form of gutter soap opera" "I love Bob Holmes' Gallifrey, I adore Bob Holmes' Gallifrey: It informs everything I write in the setting and I refuse to accept the legtimacy of any Whoniverse without it firmly at its centre"

RIP, Clive.

This was amazing, I'd love to see more video essays like this!

I am absolutely biased because Rose is my favourite character of all time but this has got to be my favourite video you’ve ever made (even better than the grass touching one if that’s possible). Rose had such an impact on me as a little kid and absolutely solidified Doctor Who as being forever my favourite show. How could I ever go back to the unrelatable upper class airbrushed protagonists of the CW and Disney channel after seeing Rose in all her completely average human glory? Her impact on the show is undeniable. It makes me think of that quote from Chistopher Eccleston’s memoir: “She is a woman with an independent mind, willing to confront received wisdom. Rose arrives on screen fully formed, one of the strongest female characters of any show, any year, painting a solid line directly to Jodie Whittaker.” I’ve been loving the video essays, the writing is wonderful and editing of the clips is great as well. Keep it up! :)

Actually Peri is seen observing two alien plants in Timelash and Revelation but they are brief.

Whilst I certainly echo the praise for Billie Piper's superb acting skills, it's worth bearing in mind that she'd been in drama school since she was 12, and she herself sees herself as an actress first and foremost. She might have been "cast" as a pop singer at 15 but, looking back, she was basically playing that part, too, and played it very well. The same could be said of Natalie Imbruglia and Kylie Minogue, except they continued with their singing careers, whereas Billie returned to her natural home as an actor... and we're all grateful for that decision :)

FANTASTIC!

Thanks for another insightful video-essay MrTARDIS

Fantastic work here (pun intended). I found the reality TV reading of Russell's series especially fascinating since I wrote a dissertation analysing Series 5 through Moffat's 'fairy tale' philosophy. I think its interesting how different those interpretations of the show are.

Definitely a good format. ...I can't help but wonder if we're going to get any Traitors references in the next few seasons, both RTD and Moffat have indicated they're huge fans of the format on social media.

Something not touched upon here is how much rtd1 took from the wilderness years, and this is also apparent with Rose. I can't speak for the vna's, but early big finish introduced two characters who I would argue are stepping stones that allowed us to get to rose. The first and most obvious is Charley (I even saw an interview in which India recalled RTD contacting her and saying how he couldn't have come up with rose without the influence of charley). Now, at first glance charley doesn't appear in any way relatable since she is an uppperclass Edwardian adventuress. But in spite of this, we relate to charley as the stories (especially early on) are often from her perspective and she is given as much weight as the doctor in the writing (not to mention importance in the overall plot, but thats another discussion). And secondly we have my favourite companion of all time, Evelyn Smythe, who is in a lot of ways the antithesis of the stereotypical classic who companion. Evelyn is headstrong, capable, intelligent and sure of herself (even more so than Colin Bakers 6th doctor whos bravado concels one of the most sweet and sensitive incarnations). Evelyn refuses to be a passive character and is moved to action by a strong sense of right and wrong. And all of this means that for really the first time we had a companion that challanges the doctor in a meaningful way (and is often right to do so). I really do think that without her we wouldn't of had Rose at the end of dalek challenging the doctor about wanting to kill the dalek, or Donna in fires of pompei demanding that he save someone, just to name a couple of examples. And so, I genuinely believe that Charley and Evelyn (as well as being immaculate charcters in their own right) were instrumental in getting us to Rose, and by extention the modern templete of the companion role in revived who.

This was really good I love a mirrored comparison and this kind of reading behind the lines analysis of not just the presentation of the companion, but the way Russell is mirroring himself and evolving that formula know hearing so much about, Rose has also made me realise how similar but unique the 9th and 15s presentation to the audience is, I’m really excited myself to see more 9 esk characterisation injected into the show

Well done, sir!

Really well done, congrats! A lot of stuff in here that's going to make me think anew on the differences between classic and new who, or Nu-Who. I always enjoy your videos but especially like this one. Thank you.

I watched a few tom baker episodes recently, and the inconsistency with the eye of harmony is ridiculous. It seems to start of as a unique time lord relic holding gallifrey together, but by Matt Smith's episodes it's the power source of a tardis

Still making banging content I see epic dude 😎

Four-letter name beginning with R one of whose meanings is a shade of red, thank you very much. Well, we haven't said goodbye to her till her last episode airs.

This is good!

It would be nice if the show deviated more from the template, alot of the companions are starting to blend together, would like to see companions from other points in time, just to get some more variety.

4:29 so what’s that, it sounds like a power source in the my little pony universe like the elements of harmony, the tree of harmony and the lack of harmony (this only happens when someone walks in on you watching the show, it’s my favorite one)

GREAT VIDEO

Ace's story was beautifully woven organically into the background of 2 and a bit series. Rose's was repeatedly smashed into your face until you were so sick of it you wanted to see the Doctor throw her into a supernova (which reportedly Stephen Fry did in a script he submitted to RTD by well of telling the 'talentless micromanaging little s***' to go f*** himself which itself led to the only RTD 1 era episode written like an actual Doctor Who story Fear Her. The only reason it holds that distinction? It was hastily comissioned to replace Fry's last minute histrionic drop out!)

Thank you

I knew people who refused to watch newwho because it starred 'that pop singer' but then after like four episodes had heard so much about it they were won round, Billie was so controversial at the time

Companions being brought on board by accident is yet another FEATURE NOT A BUG thing the remake fails to understand. Left to his own devices the Doctor would travel alone, with a robot or a talking cabbage.

Doctor Who should try a group of alien companions like Moya's crew for a couple of seasons instead of more people from modern day UK.

When JNT was talking about Peri and promoting her introduction, it makes me wonder if he predated Steven Moffat as the first DW showrunner to write with one hand, although Moffat’s kinks are more visible in his writing. 😂

As you point out, Rose chooses to travel with the Doctor and IMHO that is not a good thing. It ruins her relatability. No remotely sane person would go on a trip, knowing that all the time new dangers would appear that will threaten ones life. You can write a character who might enjoy this kind of thing but that character would then not be the most relatable to the audience, see Amy or Clara. Moffat wrote those characters not as the most relatable to the audience and that was all for the better. We might want to imagine ourselves being able to travel the universe with the Doctor and see its wonders but who would actually want to face perils like Daleks, Cybermen, Sontaran, Rootans, the Master and more on a very regular basis? Rose, at least in the beginning, never struck me as the kind of person who would do that. Rose later got a motivation that would explain her being willing to put herself in constant mortal danger - she wanted to see her father again and during her travels with the Doctor, she fell in love with him. Similarly, Martha had a big crush on the Doctor from their first adventure onwards. Still, I don't really buy someone like Rose becoming a companion to the Doctor out of free will.

I loved this thanks 10/10, no real notes

I’m Australian but as a politics student, I’d say “thank you Tories, Blair and Tories”. Don’t forget Thatcher! 😵

What odd timing given I was reading a hilarious article on the man. Anyways, for once I will not lie on KZfaq. Russell T Davies is a mostly friendly but not harmless egotist who is obsessed with Doctor Who, Soap Operas, being Welsh and his own sexuality. But dang can he write when he wants to! That is all.

Peri being a student of botonny does come up again. Certainly in Timelash and I think in the opening of ToaT.

Wait hold up, Chris Chibnall "reinvented" the Weeping Angels? I watched Village of the Angels... I guess I would have to see that potential vid cause I don't see it. He just seemed to do what he always does: Grab an existing thing and cram that shape into the circle he needs it to fill.

I like the format! Some details I disagree with in the material though. I think Liz Shaw, Leela & Romana (esp 2) had more agency than Rose. Sarah Jane as well, in a sort of Lois Lane mold. That said the writers were prone to making them scream too much, as was the style at the time. Nonetheless al lot of good points here, thanks for the hard work!

What's the music used around the 1:30 mark on the video? I swear it's the same music used in the 8th Doctors TARDIS in LEGO Dimensions, and I never was able to name the tune

11:11 So she basically was the UK's Taylor Swift?

I've got to admit, as much as the Chibnall era is my least favorite of the modern era, I love that her companions join the Doctor through "accidental" kidnapping

I have a theory that's probably crap but Ruby could be Romana. And so could the new companion. Her DNa test after all.

What would you do I would stay home and watch it

I never made the reality tv connection, pretty interesting

I would disagree with the statement of Russell making it more popular cause he may have wanted to do that but it actually took moffat getting his job for that to actually happen cause before moffat’s era here in America the show was aired on syfy channel and not a channel I get along with over my dislike of them cancelling a show I really liked it the 2000’s but after BBC America got it either moffat it seemed to explode in popularity internationally and i really don’t connect with rose thst doesn’t mean she is bad and it doesn’t help that her fans soured me on her by repeatedly claiming she was why the show was still around seemingly ignoring other reasons it was still around and Amy is a way better companion then rose in terms of modern companions and Sarah Jane smith is the best companion of the classic era

Wow!...I'm here really early 😅

Any missing episodes recovered?

With all of Russel's love for reality shows and pop cultures isnt that ironically funny how they cast a pop singer who had her entire teenage years broadcast, stalked, tailored and became a huge pop culture symbol? Huh

damn that classic doctor who director sounds like a gig ahcad

👍

So far I don’t know how I feel about Ruby. Idk if it’s the Moffat boy in me but in RTD1 I didn’t really care for the families and friends of the companions unless it’s something like Danny was to Clara where it’s to exemplify something about the character.

bruh were kids really scared of the daleks

Sorry micky was taken advantage of by her, not the other way around.

Dr who used to be good

Doctor Who has a problem with women

The whole premise of your essay is a faulty public perception. RTD just constantly remade Mel Bush only without the charm, useful skills or reason to exist.

Can we all agree that lenny harry should be casted as the doctor in the show