10 Doctor Who Characters Who Don't Deserve The Hate

6. Nardole

Nardole Doctor Who
BBC Studios

Nardole joined the Twelfth Doctor in a full-time capacity following instructions left by River Song after their time on Darillium, and appeared throughout Series 10.

Many viewers found him annoying and couldn't take him seriously, and his first appearance in The Husbands of River Song certainly focused more on the eccentric side of the character.

But what makes Nardole a special companion is his unwavering loyalty and sense of duty and care towards the Doctor. He understands how broken Twelve is following the loss of River, and stands by to make sure he doesn't lose himself entirely.

He doesn't fit the common mould for a modern companion, which is why he's more of an acquired taste. But the combination of Bill's wit and Nardole's wisdom is exactly what the Doctor needed at that point in his life, and Matt Lucas' quirky performance brought something fresh to one of the most underrated TARDIS teams in the whole show.

 
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Ellie has been part of the WhatCulture team since 2021 where she began as a freelance presenter for the WhoCulture channel. As a diehard Whovian with a BA (hons) degree in Drama and Acting, this role was the perfect opportunity for her to combine her screen presence training with her extensive Doctor Who knowledge. From there, she branched out to various other WhatCulture channels, including TrekCulture, and became a full time Content Producer/Video Presenter in 2023. Ellie is now a regular fixture on both WhoCulture and TrekCulture and has become a well respected public figure within both fandoms, building up a substantial following across her social media platforms and being given the opportunity to represent the channels and the wider communities at several industry events. Her favourite Doctor Who character is River Song and her favourite Star Trek character is Captain Janeway - which tells you everything you need to know about how she approaches her role within a generally male dominated field.