Last but not least, it's the one and only Sarah Jane Smith. The definitive article, you might say. This brave, resourceful and faithful investigate journalist went down in TV history when she was introduced as Jon Pertwee's fiesty companion back in 1973 and then, alongside Fourth Doctor Tom Baker, she became one of the show's most popular and beloved leading lades to date. She made such a long lasting impact that she is still widely cited as the best companion ever, so much so that her return in 2006's School Reunion - exactly 30 years after her original departure in 1976's The Hand of Fear - convinced the BBC to grant the character her very own CBBC spin off, The Sarah Jane Adventures, which ran for 5 successful series before Elisabeth Sladen passed away in 2011. A true Doctor Who legend, Sarah Jane and Elisabeth are gone but not forgotten. What did you think of this list? Are there any other Doctor Who characters who you find yourself missing more and more every day? Join the conversation in the comments section below.
Dan Butler is the Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture.com. When he isn't writing his own articles or editing other people's, he can be found trawling the internet for gifs of Steven Moffat laughing. Contact him via dan.butler@whatculture.co.uk.
