Companion

**Companion** was a somewhat vague term used to describe the Doctor's closest friends. Such people knew the Doctor's "secret": that they were someone non-human who travelled in time and space in a police box-shaped craft called the TARDIS. The Doctor's companions often directly saved the Doctor's lives or provided the Doctor with a perspective that prevented them from abusing their Time Lord powers. On some occasions, they were the proximate reason that the Doctor sacrificed their then-current life and regenerated. On others, they lost their lives in pursuit of the Doctor's goals.

The Doctor typically travelled with companions to see the universe through the eyes of somebody who hadn't experienced it all already, taking great care in choosing them. The companions also helped the Doctor in their battles against evil throughout time and space. People were companions or assistants to the Doctor for varying lengths of time, but most stayed with him for more than one adventure. Because the term was a shortening of the expression "travelling companion", most companions did in fact voyage with the Doctor in the TARDIS.

## List of companions on television

The "last episode" column only includes the last episode on TV in which they appeared in a companion role and excludes minor roles, cameos, flashbacks, and so forth. Also, the table refers solely to adventures with the respective Doctor. Some companions who appear with two or more Doctors appear in separate tables.

### Fourteenth Doctor

1. ↑ Elias originally left after *Morgaine's Revenge*, before returning in *Shattered Hope*.
2. ↑ There is an implied gap between *Revolution's Vice* and *True Colours* where the Doctor and Elias travelled together alone before meeting Fleur.
3. ↑ Pax continued travelling with the Doctor after her regeneration.

### Sixteenth Doctor

1. ↑ Tari would later return in *Oh Hell, It's Tari*.

### Seventeenth Doctor

1. ↑ Rahul Kohli played Jayanna throughout Series 16 and Jessica Chastain played a past incarnation in *I Predict a Riot*.

### Eighteenth Doctor

1. ↑ Damien was introduced during *Monsters and Legends*, but didn't become a companion until *Hope for the Hopeless*.
2. ↑ Milly was introduced during *Hope for the Hopeless* and also featured in *All Hope Lost*, but didn't become a companion until *A New Hope*.

### Nineteenth Doctor

 Nimueh Sheehy | Angourie Rice

1. ↑ Orla continued travelling with the Doctor after his regeneration.
2. ↑ Tamara continued travelling with the Doctor after his regeneration.
3. ↑ Alexis continued travelling with the Doctor after his regeneration.

### Twentieth Doctor

1. ↑ Drelick originally left after *The Opal: Part Two*, before making an extra appearance in *Duality* and fully returning in *The Eye of the Storm*.
2. ↑ Kyber originally left after *Harmony and Redemption*, before making an extra appearance in *Duality*.

## List of companions from other media

The *Doctor Who* spin-off media have seen the creation of new characters acting as new companions to the Doctor.

## Behind the scenes

### Televised longevity

In televised *Doctor Who*, actors who played companions rarely stayed more than a series. The tally of such companions is extensive and impractical to list them all here, but to name a few, include - Alec & Constance; Taylor & Luna; Osric; Roxy, Jasmine & Axel and Charlotte. Though some companions had notably long runs, they were the exception more than the rule.

Discounting one-off companions like Fiona, Kamiko, Mosdra and Abe — each of whom appeared in only one or two stories — the record-holder for the shortest run is shared with both Milly and Kyber. They each appeared in only four episodes or about 240 minutes of televised *Doctor Who*. *However*, seeing how Milly also appeared in Series 20 and 21 in a supporting role across numerous episodes, the record truly belongs to Kyber.

Record-holders for *longest* tenures can be measured in different ways.

* In terms of consecutive individual episodes, there are two clear winners with both being at 40 episodes; Fleur between *True Colours* and *To Hell and Back Again* - and Orla between *The Infinity* and *The Twelve Days of Christmas*, also including *Requiem of a Dream* and *Through the Looking Glass*, but not minisodes.
	+ Their closest rival would be Damien with, a not to be sniffed at total, 38 episodes between *Hope for the Hopeless* and *The Eye of Sontar* - also including *Monsters and Legends*, *Deception*, *World's At War* and *Through the Looking Glass*, but not minisodes.
* In terms of stories, the mark has also been set by Orla, appearing in 35 full-length televised stories from Series 21 to her exit in at the end of Series 23.
	+ Both Fleur and Damien are right behind her with 32 episodes apiece.
* In terms of season count; Fleur, Damien, Orla and Anna are the only travelling companions to appear during 3 consecutive seasons as a regular - although the percentage of episodes they appear in during their three series vary per companion.
	+ Elias appears in 3 non-consecutive series; those being 1, 2 and then 5.
	+ Drelick appears in at least 1 episode for 3 consecutive series, but is only a regular for two of them.