10 Doctor Who Changes That Were Completely Justified

Back in the day, a common criticism levelled at the show was the companion dynamic, which often played hard into ‘damsel in distress’ tropes.

That’s not to say the classic companions didn’t have their moments of heroism, but a less than ideal amount of time was spent screaming "DOCTOOOOR", or just screaming in general – particularly the female characters. The trend was bucked with characters like Ace, but the likes of Susan and Mel really didn't have a whole lot to contribute.

The 2005 revival saw a major shift in this regard, essentially promoting the companions to co-leads, giving them a ton more agency, and massively increasing their contribution to saving the day. We also spent a lot more time getting to know them, their families, and giving them meaningful character arcs and journeys.

The modern companions are much more well-rounded as a result, and tend to have stronger emotional connections with their Doctor. Except Dan, who speaks to Thirteen about four times and buggers off.