10. Clive Finch
Jabe wasn't the first ill-fated NuWho guest character who fans took an instant liking to. In the preceding episode, Rose, viewers joined the show's first 21st century companion, Rose Tyler, as she embarked on a treacherous journey to find out more about the mysterious Doctor (OK, she just Googled his name and found a
website all about him, but it
could have been treacherous!). Her stupendous investigative skills led her to the doorstep of Clive Finch (played by Mark Benton), an obsessive conspiracy theorist who conveniently lived just down the road. Obsessed with the Doctor for seemingly no reason whatsoever, he had a shed full of pictures and drawings depicting the Ninth Doctor at various points in history. Our beloved hero was present at the Titanic, apparently, which was never mentioned again, but it certainly helped to move the narrative along. And then Clive went and got himself shot by an Auton... in the face... in a shopping centre... in front of his family. Because having somebody else on 21st century Earth who knew all about the Doctor's ongoing extra terrestrial liaisons would only distinguish the importance of future storylines (despite the fact the human race already comprises of a plethora of the Time Lord's previous companions, allies and a little thing called UNIT), so Clive was seemingly doomed from the start. It's a shame he had to meet such a starling end, though, since Rose would have literally gotten nowhere without him. An unsung hero of the Whoniverse and one to whom Rose - and the viewers - owe a lot. Rest in peace.