Yes, the Doctor likes to show off and be the man in charge, and that's fine. However, his companions should be more capable in that they have skill sets that can solve their predicaments along with the Doctor, rather than just looking at him to have a plan. As the 2005-era of the show has progressed, it seems that the female characters have become less complex. When viewers met Rose, they also learned of her job, her family, her friends... Martha, meanwhile, was training to be a doctor and she had a somewhat turbulent relationship with her family. Donna's life played a similarly significant role and each of the women had their own problem-solving skills that assisted the Doctor in ways he could not have (or would have more slowly) accomplished. Then there was Amy Pond with her absent family, ever changing jobs that are barely even mentioned and her whole life centring around what Rory and the Doctor wanted. While her loyalty and love were admirable, she seemed to lack something compared to previous companions. If her lack of family compounded her need to create one with Rory and the Doctor, that loneliness should have been better explored, not to mention the devastation of never being able to raise her own baby. Clara, while given a job and an occasionally appearing family, was only a slight improvement. Just when fans saw her move beyond lying about her life with the Doctor, and just when she wanted to dedicate herself to properly balancing her life with Danny, the show decided to kill him off. She's written as a Doctor-saviour with quirks, always looking at the Doctor for a plan, and that isn't always enough.
Sara Habein is the author of INFINITE DISPOSABLE. She is a staff writer for Persephone Magazine, and the editor of the Word Riot blog. Her Doctor is number Eight, but the Twelfth is right behind.
