10 Unluckiest Doctor Who Characters
9. Joan Redfern
There's a lot going on in Human Nature/The Family Of Blood, from the Doctor's human life to Martha's struggles to the unusual actions of the telepathic Timothy Latimer, and as a result, the tragedy of Joan Redfern's story often goes overlooked.
Imagine you meet the man of your dreams: he's smart, caring, and you both have lots in common. Even better, he looks like David Tennant! You feel like you've found your life partner, and you're both ready to settle down, get married, and start a family.
Okay, now imagine that all of that gets snatched away in the span of a single day.
This is the exact situation that Joan finds herself in: unbeknownst to her, the man of her dreams - "John Smith" - is actually an alien called the Doctor, the last person in the universe who would settle down for a quiet country life.
Joan is left heartbroken, and in mourning - because, when the Doctor emerges, she considers John to be dead. It's always bad luck to fall in love with the wrong person, but with the added twist of John's true identity, Joan's case has an extra level of pain.
Oh, and did we mention that her village was bombarded and her friends were killed?