Doctor Who: 10 Reasons Rose Tyler Is The Definitive NuWho Companion

8. Keeping It In The Family

An insight into the "normal" lives of the Doctor's companions is now a commonplace convention of the new series but Rose Tyler can be thanked for setting the trend. Before Rose, a companion having any form of life away from the Doctor was practically unheard of but the trials and tribulations of her Earth escapades were just as important to the overall narrative as her timey-wimey adventures. In fact, more often than not her two worlds became intertwined which added a new dynamic to the proceedings as it was discovered that the Doctor doesn't take all that well to the mundanities of domesticated drama. Viewers were introduced to Rose's mother, Jackie, and long suffering boyfriend, Mickey Smith, and for the first time fans were shown just how one's relationship with the Doctor can impact their respective loved ones who are usually left to sit at home to twiddle their thumbs and wait for the doorbell or phone to ring. When they themselves became embroiled in the drama it presented a unique spin on the traditional sci-fi formula and it was one that only Doctor Who could employ. Say what you like about Rose, but that girl had issues. That's meant as a compliment, by the way, because it was the experiences of her past - most notably her father's death - which made her story such compelling viewing. Companions had never before been treated to such a rich and established backstory and here was one that had enough of one to warrant a spin off series of her very own (and she very nearly had one, too - Rose Tyler: Earth Defence was devised as a one off post-Doomsday Bank Holiday special before it was ultimately canned by Russell T Davies). Rose Tyler well and truly kept it in the family and it was like nothing viewers had ever seen before.