Doctor Who: 10 Best NuWho Recurring Characters

Episodes: A Good Man Goes to War, The Snowmen, The Crimson Horror, The Name of the Doctor, Deep Breath

The Paternoster Gang's butler, Strax, is generally a source of humour. His lust for battle, warfare and bloodshed and lack of understanding of humanity often failing to fit in the Victorian era he lives in. For some, he's hilarious, generating laughs with every one liner. For others, the jokes grate and Strax becomes tiresome. Some fans even go so far as to suggest that he's made the Sontarans a permanent joke. That hit and miss nature is why he's so far down this list.

However, that comic relief is often a much needed aspect of the show and the episodes featuring the popular Paternoster Gang just wouldn't be the same without Strax. His heart is in the right place (even when he''s becoming too obsessed with his grenades!) and his battle expertise makes him one of the Doctor's most useful allies.

Furthermore, far from ruining the Sontarans, he's actually helped to provide an insight into their culture. His struggles to understand gender suggest Sontarans don't have such a concept and his role as a nurse after being disgraced shows the Sontarans' concept of honour, being forced to heal is a disgrace for the warlike race. These insights make Strax a highly interesting character.