5. A Ham-Fisted Bun Vendor Turned Ally
When bubbly Jo Grant was introduced to the Doctor as his new assistant in the episode
Terror of the Autons, he was not at all pleased. After all, he had just come off a fabulous partnership with the brilliant Liz Shaw of UNIT. Jo Grant did not even pass her A-levels in general science, and it was implied that the only reason for her employment at UNIT was the fact that her uncle had connections to the United Nations. The Doctor initially mistakes Jo Grant as the tea lady; one of the very few people allowed to visit in his laboratory at UNIT headquarters. Jo Grant frustrates him immediately after she uses a fire extinguisher to put out what she presumes is fire from his "steady state micro-welding." He loudly declares her a ham-fisted bun vendor and dismisses her intelligence immediately. The Brigadier reminds him that his former assistant, Liz Shaw, felt the job was really just passing the Doctor test tubes and admire his brilliance. Grumbling, the Doctor makes quite a few less than flattering comments about Jo's existence and continues on with his work. Despite Jo's ability to constantly get into trouble, the two quickly become inseparable. The Doctor treats Jo as a sort of surrogate daughter, happily sending her a wedding present after she meets her future husband in
The Green Death.