Doctor Who: 9 Years Retrospective Look At The Ninth Doctor

7. A Commoner Companion

While this wasn't an entirely new concept for Doctor Who (see Sarah Jane Smith), Rose Tyler was by far the show's most personally defined companion that fans had, thus far, ever seen. Pretty much by at the end of that first episode, viewers had been told all about her family, her ordinary life, and for the Doctor - who flatly says that he "doesn't do domestic" - this was unchartered waters. This has radically changed. Every companion since has followed suit, none of them lacking in personal life and real-world problems, and it's safe to say that the Doctor now handles it much better than he did with this prototype. Clara in particular is much like an upgraded Rose. She has a boyfriend and a life, but the key difference is that she doesn't drop everything for the Doctor. Rose's family and Mickey are difficult to stand, because Rose obviously puts them second to her travels. They're not unlikable, they're just not handled as well as in later series', which damages the overall product in retrospect.