Doctor Who: 10 Best Companion Performances In NuWho

Planet of the Ood may not be the first thing that people think of when asked about a great episode of Doctor Who. It may not even be the first thing they think of when asked about Series 4 (or 30, for the Classic fans out there). However, it contains one of Catherine Tate's best performances in her role as Donna Noble. 

To be fair, for the first part of the episode it's merely a solid performance, albeit one that allowed Tate to represent a range of emotions. She's excited and a little bit frightened at the start of the episode, then she's sympathetic, yet struggling to help when the Doctor finds a wounded Ood in the snow. This coupled with the sass and fire that define the character when they reach Ood Operations create a foundation for what comes next.

Great performances are made of great moments, and this certainly has one. Donna's reaction upon hearing the Ood's song for the first time is a fantastic piece of acting. It's not overblown, but the pain and moroseness that cross her face portray to the audience how shattering hearing the song is. Donna being unable to stand it comes off as completely believable. This scene is the main reason why this particular performance deserves a place on this list.