Sherlock Holmes and the Other Villains

If you are a fan of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' smash hit and bloody wonderful updated Holmes series, Sherlock, you may know by now that the identity of the show's next nemesis has been revealed. Charles Augustus Magnussen will be played by Lars Mikkelsen, the Danish star of such hit shows as The Killing and brother of fellow veteran villain Mads Mikkelsen who starred opposite Daniel Craig in bond film 'Casino Royale' and is the title character in the Hannibal series.  

Following on from the brilliant Moriarty who met his apparent demise in the series two finale (he shot himself in the head but Sherlock survived a close encounter with a pavement so who knows!), there's much pressure on Mikkelsen and the production team to create a villain as effective and memorable as Andrew Scott's dangerous beegee-loving lunatic but let's hope Moffat and Gatiss' Midas touch continues.They are certainly sticking to their golden rule, to remain close to Conan Doyle's originals, as Mikkelsen will presumably be playing a modern version of Charles Augustus Milverton, the Master Blackmailer, who was such a formidable foe for the Great Detective that the one story he appears in was named after him. 

The choice to take another villain from the canon rather than create a totally new one shows that although Holmes' most famous adversary has bit the dust, Sherlock has still got a lot of mileage left in terms of who Baker Street's Finest can be pitted against. Here's a list of some Conan Doyle creations who could be great inspirations for further villains in the series - and may well be already set to appear. 

Dr Grimseby Roylott

Roylott is the devious doctor from 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band', one of Conan Doyle's barmiest and best short stories. Possessing a menagerie of exotic animals including a cheetah and a baboon, Roylott aims to get his hands on his stepdaughter's fortune by attempting to murder them with a deadly swamp adder snake - until Sherlock Holmes gets on the case! Moffat has stated that 'Speckled Band' is his favourite Holmes adventure and would apparently love to adapt it sometime. In that case, it seems highly plausible that sometime in the future we may see a modern version of Roylott on screen. An updated take on the story appears on John Watson's blog titled 'The Speckled Blonde', after a joke made on screen in 'A Scandal in Belgravia.' Who knows, they could adapt the adaptation...

Von Bork

As the story that this no-gooder appears in, 'His Last Bow' - Sherlock Holmes' finale case before he retires - is to be updated as series three's finale, 'His Last Vow', it is very possible we could see the scheming German agent brought to life. Sherlock's valedictory case (before he goes off to keep bees on the Sussex Downs, trivia fans) sees Holmes turn spy to thwart Von Bork from feeding military information to his home country on the eve of World War One. As it has now been revealed that Magnussen is the big cheese this series, he will likely be the star of the series finale but Von Bork could still make an appearance in a secondary role. Moffat, who is writing the episode, would certainly have fun revamping Von Bork's story, quite particular to its time period, to the 21st century. 

Colonel Sebastian Moran

Colonel Moran must be a dead cert to appear in Sherlock this year, and a fine villain he shall be. The antagonist of 'The Empty House' (to be updated as 'The Empty Hearse' this series by Mark Gatiss'), Moran is out for revenge on the recently-resurrected Holmes (having survived his fight with Moriarty atop the Reichenbach Falls). The reason - he's Moriarty's right hand man and the second most dangerous man in London after the pernicious professor. Moran's such a well-known figure from the canon to Holmes fans, Moffat and Gatiss surely couldn't help themselves but slot him into the series. 

The Giant Rat of Sumatra

Yes, a rat can't technically be a villain but going by the concept alone I thinks it is safe to say that the enigmatic rodent would stray into antagonistic territory. The centre of the Holmes canon's most well-known 'lost' story (unchronicled adventures of Holmes and Watson's that Conan Doyle only hinted at), a great deal of people would love to see the Rat finally realised on the small screen. Plus, many have already got their hopes up thanks to the clues to this year's episodes that were released last year; 'Rat. Wedding. Bow.' The Giant Rat and whatever adventure that revolves around it for which, 'the world is yet to be prepared' for would make an excellent and unexpected addition to Sherlock series three. Oh, please Mr Moffat, Mr Gatiss, I think the world is more than prepared now. Maybe a shock twist will be that Magnussen will turn into a giant rat. You heard it here first, folks.

Doctor Who at 50: The Best of the Master

Every hero needs a nemesis. Just as Sherlock Holmes has Professor Moriarty, Superman has Lex Luthor and the teletubbies have those tyrannical speaker things that come out the ground and dictate their lives (I think I remember that right), the Doctor has the Master. Both are Time Lords, higher beings who should not be interfering in the affairs of other worlds yet do so for their own very different reasons; the Doctor seeks knowledge of, and more often than not save, the universe, the Master seeks to control it. For over forty years and across numerous actors, the Doctor and the Master have battled in incidents involving everything from the fate of the entirety of reality to whether or not the Magna Carta will be signed. Whatever the occasion, though, the pair are inseparable and absolutely need the other one to define themselves by. The Master, full of greed, is the perfect antidote to the Doctor, full of compassion, making him one of Doctor Who's most enduring characters. Here are some of his most masterful moments. Go on, or do I have to hypnotise you to read on...

'I am the Master and you will obey me!'

The Master first appeared in 1971's 'Terror of the Autons' against Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor and instantly makes an impression. We find ourselves in a seemingly innocuous circus - and we all know that circuses in fiction are rarely charming, harmless places - when, shock of shocks, a TARDIS arrives in the shape of a horse box and out walks a man in black suit and goatee, and soon hypnotises someone to do his bidding. From the off, the Master is a force to be reckoned with, the brilliant Roger Delgado immediately nailing the brand of suave, understated villainy that his Master is known for. Doctor Who would never be the same again.

Clangers

While you might expect all of the Master's best moments to involve scheming or instigating a great big evil plot, here's a great little gem from 1973's 'The Sea Devils' which illustrates a side to the character rarely seen. Imprisoned in Stangmoor island prison, the Master is watching children's television show, the Clangers, on the television and comments to his jailer Colonel Trenchard that they are 'an interesting extra-terrestrial life-form.' The gullible Trenchard completely missing the joke states that they are just puppets. It's a tiny moment but not only demonstrates that even the Master likes to have a joke now and again but is also the fiendish felon testing Trenchard's mental prowess and how easy it will be for him to bend the man to his will later on. Genius.

Merging with Tremas

Sadly in 1974, Roger Delgado died in a car crash, causing the character to be put on hold for several years. It wasn't until many year's later that he returned as an emaciated figure, thirsty for revenge and a way of rejuvenating himself. In 'The Keeper of Traken' (1981) he finally got just that. After failing to take the Doctor's own body, the desperate Master (Geoffrey Beevers) takes possession of the Doctor's friend Nyssa's father, Tremas (have a read of that name again...) played by Anthony Ainley who would face off against Doctors Four, Five, Six and Seven, plus others retroactively in the 20th anniversary special. Speaking of which...

'A cosmos without the Doctor scarcely bears thinking about.'

In the star-studded nonsensical birthday party that is 'The Five Doctors', amongst all the stuff about finding the secret of immortality in the fabled Dark Tower on Gallifrey is a scene where the Time Lord council asks the Master - of all people - to rescue the Doctor from the deadly, er, Death Zone. At first it seems an odd choice, but as he delivers the line above you realise that the Master would actually miss his ultimate foe. The Third Doctor once called them best enemies, and here you can see that clearly. It seems a nemesis needs a hero too...


'Or as I've always known him the Doctor...'

1986's 'Trial of a Time Lord' may be a whopping fourteen episodes long but it does at least have the odd absolute cracker of a moment; the best of which involves the appearance of the Master in the penultimate episode. As the Doctor's case isn't going very well at all thanks to the unscrupulous prosecutor, the Valeyard, the Master buts in for no real reason other than just to throw a spanner in the works. Apparently working on the Doctor's side, he reveals that the Valeyard is in fact a villainous future incarnation of the Doctor! This is no doubt a great twist in the story but is also a brilliant moment for the Master as it is just so characteristic of Ainley's portrayal. While Delgado was smooth and urbane, this Master is a trickster and seems to like concocting any diabolical scheme, no matter how harebrained, for the sole aim of making trouble. Just what he's doing here!

'If we fight like animals, we die like animals!' 

The last ever Who story of the original run, 'Survival' is a fabulous piece that sees the Doctor's companion, Ace find out her friends are being taken to a faraway world and are transforming into cheetah people. Also marooned there is the Master, himself becoming more animalistic the longer he stays. At the climax of the story, both enemies are becoming effected by the planet and engage in a savage fight as the world dies around them. Stripped of their intelligence, its fascinating to the see the Doctor and the Master's raw spite for each other come out until the Doctor composes himself enough to get away. Not a bad way to end.

'I always drezzz for the occasion!' 

Except it didn't really end. In 1996 Doctor Who was brought back for one night only in a British/American co-produced TV movie with Paul McGann as the Doctor and Eric Roberts as the Master. At his most vengeful, the Master is again dying and, having trapped the Doctor in his own TARDIS while Earth is beginning to fall apart, is about to take the Doctor's lives for his own. But first, the Master changes into something more fitting for the occasion. This is another one of those scenes that nails the Master; while also being unutterably evil and irrevocably insane, the Master is also very camp. There's something inherently over-the-top about him and this scene is one of the campest across all his lives.


'The Master Reborn'

When the show was rejuvenated it took until 2007's 'Utopia' for the Master to return - but it was well worth the wait. Hiding at the end of the universe, it turns out that kindly old human, Professor Yana, is actually the Master in a disguise that fooled even himself. Taking the Doctor's TARDIS, the dying Master swears that if the Doctor can be 'young and free' than so can he before regenerating into a new body. The last few moments of this episode on first viewing are some of the most exciting of the revived series. Derek Jacobi is superb at turning his performance from bumbling and absent-minded to oozing evil and the first glimpses of John Simm's bundle of murderous energy leave us wanting more. Thankfully, we got that the very next week...


'I refuse...'

Despite ruling over the Earth for a year, while keeping an aged Doctor in a birdcage, 'The Last of the Time Lords' sees the Master defeated and all his efforts undone (let's not get into it here). And as if things aren't bad enough for the poor guy, his wife shoots him. In the Doctor's arms, the Master realises the only way that he can win; by refusing to regenerate and dying. Earlier I mentioned how we had seen how much the Doctor meant to the Master, here we see it the other way around. As the Doctor sobs and cradles his enemy, he is not so much grieving over the loss of the Master per se but more at losing the last remnant of his homeworld other than himself. He was once again alone in the universe.

Redemption...

When the Tenth Doctor's own death knell tolled in 2010's 'The End of Time: Part Two' the Master had to be involved. The Time Lords have returned and, obsessed with survival are planning to bring about the end of time itself (and, yes, that does make sense). Their link to Earth is the Master, the sound of drums in his head, the cause of his life-long madness, is a signal that connects the time-locked Gallifrey to the present-day. While the Doctor is about to be killed by Rassilon, the Time Lord president, the Master intervenes. Full of revenge for what they've done to him, he attacks the Time Lords and disappears with them back into the Time War. After all the years of fighting, the Master and the Doctor act on the same side against a bigger evil. Could his final act be his own sacrifice? Somehow I think he still out there in the Whoniverse somewhere. Up to his old tricks...

Monthly Mini-Reviews: June

Welcome to another line-up of mini-reviews for your reading pleasure! First up, stretching the definition of what this monthly feature is for, here's a look at something I attended recently...


Return to the Eleventh Hour

Over the weekend I went to my second Doctor Who convention and am pleased to say it was as enjoyable as the first. Whereas the previous one I went to was a celebration of Russel T Davies' Who, featuring guests such as David Tennant and Billie Piper, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd from Torchwood and Anjli Mohindra from the Sarah Jane Adventures this one was largely dedicated to the Matt Smith era - with two of the headline guests being Madame Vastra and Jenny themselves, Neve Mcintosh and Catrin Stewart. Plus, it seems just because the organisers could, Catherine Tate was also there!
The guests (of which these names are just a selection) were all extremely nice, funny people and my fellow conventioners were also very friendly, coming from a variety of places from across the world. At one point, Karen Gillan was attached to appear at the convention and while I can't deny, as a big Amy Pond fan, that her attendance would have been brilliant, Catherine Tate stole the show all on her own, being incredibly warm and inviting  - and hilarious. Her Q and A session that wrapped up the weekend must be the highlight of the convention. However, close in second place must be the unexpected surprise of Simon Fisher Becker, who played the wily and blue Dorium Maldovar in a string of appearance in the show recently, slipping into character at the event's closing ceremony - as a life-long Doctor Who obsessive himself, he knows what the fans like.

The Dark Knight Returns

For the third year of my Creative Writing degree, I'm studying graphic novels (I know, university's a grueling thing, really) and so in preparation I decided to read that bastion of comic book greats, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns which sees an old Bruce Wayne come out of retirement to clear up Gotham City once and for all. As a fan of the bat from mainly his many forays onto the small and silver screens, it's interesting to read the comic from which both Tim Burton's and Christopher Nolan's film adaptations were inspired. However, none of the films have gone as far as this in its depiction of violence and a very amoral Dark Knight. Personally, I prefer my Batman a little more heroic and the story's primary villains, the Mutants, have none of the show and iconography of many of Batman's other enemies. Having said that, you have to admire Miller's ambition and confidence to take Batman's world and make it his own.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 
While it is not a superb film, I was left rather fond of this unusual genre-bending sort-of romcom when I saw it for the first time this month. An asteroid is set to hit Earth and while the rest of the world lives it's way to oblivion, Steve Carrel is sitting around, moping after his wife has left him  - until quirky Keira Knightley drops into his life and the pair end up on a road trip to tie up loose threads before the end of the world. It's an intriguing spin on both romantic comedies in general and the usual presentation of the apocalypse; the film explores just how different people really would react if the end was nigh. Although I am not totally convinced by the film's climax, it's lightly funny and occasionally touching and I would recommend a watch, though it might not be good enough to feature on one of those 'films to watch before the world ends'-type of lists.

Top Five Fictional Sidekicks

To tie in to my upcoming mini-blogathon concerning favourite fictional characters, I thought I would follow on from my previous post, Top Five Fictional Characters With No Name, with a list of the best sidekicks from fiction. A hero is nothing without a loyal trusty sidekick who will never leave their side - as I, a humble blogger, am nothing without readers. So do read on and discover a few of the most loyal and trustiest sidekicks of them all.


Baldrick
Appeared in: the Blackadder series, played by Tony Robinson

It's a staple of comedy that the main character will have a bumbling idiotic sidekick and the fiendish Edmund Blackadder's servant through the ages, Baldrick, is the epitome of the stereotype. As with the best double acts, Baldrick is a perfect foil for his wily master; with a brain not big enough to be spread over a small water biscuit, he often tries to aid Blackadder in his schemes with a 'cunning plan' that always fails to live up to the promise. On a side note, if you're not familiar with the Blackadder series it's the Shakespeare of television comedy and is a clever as a fox that's been made professor of clever at Oxford University.


Ron and Hermione
Appeared in: the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling and film series, played by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson

We're all familiar with these two. That boy wizard in the glasses would surely have never made it through all the magical mayhem if it were not for his infallible friends. Both are likeable characters; while Hermione is the intelligent one, Ron is generally seen as the comedy sidekick thanks to the character's presentation in the films (though Rupert Grint does a great job, particularly in The Deathly Hallows: Part One) but he is more fleshed-out in the books. As with everything in Rowling's stories, Ron and Hermione come from familiar moulds but the moulds work well, hence why they are moulds in the first place. Moulds.

Nick Carraway
Appeared in: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

When thinking of classic sidekicks one's mind doesn't necessarily jump to the narrator of F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. However, I'm fond of Carraway (not neccesarily Tobey Macguire's film version, although I didn't dislike him as others did) and find his friendship with Gatsby rather Holmesian/Watsonian. Like many other classic sidekicks, we see the hero of the story through Nick's eyes; while Gatsby is the star of the novel, Carraway, his closest friend, is an equally well-fleshed out character who contrasts and compliments the protagonist. Definitely a sidekick. A great sidekick.

Sarah Jane Smith

Appeared in: Doctor Who, the Sarah Jane Adventures and K-9 and Company, played by Elisabeth Sladen

In its illustrious fifty-year history, Doctor Who has featured many beloved sidekicks, or companions as we fans call them, for everyone's favourite eccentrically-dressed, Sonic Screwdriver-using alien. But of them all, Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith is the most treasured; a character that every companion created since is measured up to. An intelligent, adventurous journalist, Sarah was the star of her own popular spin-off show (that was only cancelled upon the event of Sladen's untimely passing) and, like the Brigadier, has worked with multiple Doctors. Sarah Jane is simply the Doctor's greatest friend.


Dr Watson
Appeared in: the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and numerous film and TV adaptations and literary pastiches

In a list of the greatest fictional sidekicks, who else could take the top spot over Baker Street's finest doctor, chronicler and moustache-spotter, Sherlock Holmes' right-hand man, Dr John (sometimes James, but let's not get into that now) Watson? He is everything the hero's best friend should be; an everyman to contrast with the hero's extraordinary nature but also with a streak of brilliance to be of aid to the hero. Together with Holmes he is known for being one half of the greatest friendship in literature but even by himself Dr Watson is one of the most popular and enduring characters fiction has ever produced.

Monthly Mini-Reviews: May (Movie Special)

The post you are now reading is my 100th blogpost. Isn't that something? Anyway, do continue.

After a month off, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear my ongoing series of Monthly Mini-Reviews is back! And, for one month only, it's all about the silver screen. First up, let's take a trip back to the roaring twenties...


The Great Gatsby

Baz Luhrmann's colourful, extravagant film based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's superb novel that defined a decade always had a lot to live up to. And, while it does not capture all that is great about the book, it is an entertaining journey with an impressive central performance from Leonardo DiCaprio as the wealthy, enigmatic Jay Gatsby. The film's use of narration has been criticised as a mistake and although it doesn't always work it does make sure Fitzgerald's voice runs throughout. It might not be entirely fair to judge a film adaptation against its literary predecessor but in this case, when the source material is so good, it is hard to avoid.


Psycho

This month I finally got round to seeing the Alfred Hitchcock classic thriller/horror Psycho. As it is such a well-regarded film - and knowing all the twists - I was worried it would not live up to the expectation. However, true to popular opinion, the film is a real cinema great with little at fault. Hitchcock's direction is excellent; the story actively plays with the audience and does exactly as a thriller is meant by keeping us on the edge of our seats. Other things to praise are the effective, memorable score and Anthony Perkins' terrific performance as Norman Bates, one of film's greatest characters. This has all been said many times before, of course, and all I have left to say is that if you haven't yet seen Psycho you certainly should.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

I realise it is heresy to say this on the internet but I'm really not a big fan of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. While I appreciate them as very well-made, gorgeous-looking films, they are just not my sort of thing. Despite this, I was interested in seeing Jackson's prequel based on Tolkein's beloved novel mainly due to the involvement of Martin Freeman, an actor I'm a fan of thanks to his roles in such things as Ricky Gervais' The Office and, obviously, Sherlock. Thankfully, Freeman is thoroughly endearing as Bilbo Baggins, the ordinary Hobbit off on an adventure. While I thought it was overlong and more than a little self-indulgent, I enjoyed the lighter tone compared to the seriousness of LOTR. Also, having former Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy as a good-natured, bumbling wizard is perfect casting.

Thor

Another film franchise I'm not an avid follower of is the Marvel Superhero films, although I'm familiar with the Avengers and the Iron Man movies. However, even without being a major fan I still recognise Thor as an enjoyable superhero film that's a little different. Unlikely director Kenneth Branagh adds a Shakespearean feel to proceedings, especially with Tom Hiddleston as the treacherous Loki - if you enjoy a bit of the bard I'd recommend his excellent turn as Henry V. The cast is great all round, including Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth who proves likeable as the lead.

Farewell, Doctor: Matt Smith to leave Doctor Who

After three series and four years, it has been announced this evening that Matt Smith, the eleventh actor to play that time-travelling, planet-saving madman in a box, the Doctor, is to leave Doctor Who; regenerating in this year's Christmas special. As any reader of my blog will know, I'm a great fan of Mr Smith's. While I love every incarnation of the Doctor, none of them absolutely nail the character like Matt does with his mix of young and old, silliness and seriousness, and compassion and detachment. Every episode he appears in, Matt always gives a dedicated and enthralling performance that nearly always steals the show. Despite the marmite reaction his tenure has received, in my opinion the Matt Smith Era, as so it shall be known by fans of the future, are my favourite years of the show over its whole history of half a century. So far. 

But as sad as this occasion is we must not forget that Doctor Who is all about embracing change. Whoever takes over the helm of the TARDIS (does the TARDIS actually have a helm? Discuss.) will have a lot to live up to. However, I would have said just the same at the end of Tennant's tenure and clearly that worked out fine. There are of course many capable actors (and actresses) who could tackle the role and I'm sure, as previous occasions have shown, the production team will cast the best person for the job. But for now we have two hour-long specials to enjoy with Matt Smith's eternally-endearing Eleventh Doctor before the, gulp, Twelfth appears. Thank you, Matt Smith! Matt Smith is cool!

Doctor Who at 50: The Best Companions

In a similar style to my Doctor Who's Best Monsters post a few months ago, I've picked my favourite companions. However, to have a range over the whole history of the show, I've chosen the best companion of each Doctor's era. Who is full of great companions of the Doctor on his travels - never 'assistants' and certainly never ever 'sidekicks' - but here are eleven of the best...



First Doctor: Ian Chesterton & Barbara Wright

The Doctor's original companions. The two teachers investigated an 'unearthly' schoolgirl's home to find she lived in a police box - and her grandfather was an alien time traveller! And that's how it all began...
Accompanying the Doctor until they returned to Earth using a stolen Dalek time machine, Ian and Barbara were fiercely brave, loyal and intelligent; perfect companions for the Doctor at any time of the show.

Second Doctor: Jamie McCrimmon

A young Scottish Highlander from the 17th century, Jamie was a companion of Second Doctor on nearly all his adventures. Other  companions - such as hyper-smart Zoe and super-screamer Victoria - came and went but Jamie was forever at the Doctor's side. It was only due to the intervention of the Time Lords themselves that Jamie was forced to leave the TARDIS and returned to his original time and place with his memories of the Doctor wiped. Sad.

Third Doctor: Josephine 'Jo' Grant

The lovable-but-clumsy Jo was hired as the Third Doctor's assistant - all right, in this instance, assistant is correct - when he worked as scientific advisor for UNIT. At first the Doctor disliked her but the two grew to be very close friends. One of the most stirring and understated companion leaving scenes occurred when Jo left the Doctor to marry scientist Clive Jones and travel the world. Recently, Jo returned to meet the Eleventh Doctor in the Sarah Jane Adventures episode 'The Death of the Doctor.'

Fourth Doctor: Sarah Jane Smith

One of Doctor Who's most beloved characters is journalist Sarah Jane, companion of the Third and Fourth Doctors, friend of the Tenth and Eleventh and acquaintance of the First, Second and Fifth. Sarah Jane is the classic template of a companion; young female from Earth with a keen mind who is looking for something more in life. Of course, a big reason for Sarah Jane's enduring popularity is actress Elisabeth Sladen who played the character with a spark that ensured her place in Who fans' hearts.

Fifth Doctor: Vislor Turlough

Sadly, during the Fifth Doctor's era the TARDIS was so jam-packed  with companions characterisation tended to be a bit thin. There was Mouthy Tegan. geeky Adric and, um, yes, Nyssa. However, Turlough has a unique angle as he was an alien fugitive disguised as a human schoolboy tasked to kill the Doctor. Obviously, he didn't and joined the TARDIS crew as a good guy who's enigmatic past was finally revealed in his last appearance.

Sixth Doctor: Perpugilliam 'Peri' Brown

American student Peri (don't ask about her full name) at first joined the Fifth Doctor on the TARDIS. However, shortly after he sacrificed his own life to save hers and regenerated into his arrogant, abrasive Sixth incarnation. Peri was a fine companion thanks to her tenacity and dedication to continue travelling with the Doctor despite his frankly terrible attitude - until the terrible events of the Doctor's corrupt trial at the hands of the Time Lords took place...

Seventh Doctor: Ace

Ace is perhaps the first of the 'modern' Doctor Who companions - a character with a proper character arc who makes the show just as much about them as the Doctor. Ace was a troubled teenager with a love of setting things alight and blowing things up. The Doctor found her on an alien world despite her being from 1980s London - a mystery that was solved in the penultimate story of the classic series. The relationship between the Doctor and Ace - one of mentor and student, father and daughter but also great friends is one of the best the show has produced.

Eighth Doctor: Dr  Grace Holloway

When the Doctor was shot in San Francisco he was operated on by the talented Grace who was confused by his alien physiognomy and, um, killed him. Neverless, when he regenerated the Eighth Doctor took a great liking for Grace - both doctors, they had a  respect for each other although Grace turned down the offer to travel with the Doctor at the end of their adventure. Grace has the esteem of being the first companion to snog the Doctor. Although she wasn't the last...

Ninth Doctor: Rose Tyler

One of the most important people in the Doctor's lives, Rose Tyler helped heal the war wounds of the Ninth Doctor and became the best friend of the Tenth Doctor whom he felt the loss of for the rest of his life after they were separated at the Battle of Canary Wharf. Rose got her happy(ier) ending in the end as a duplicate half-human Doctor now lives with her on a parallel world.

Tenth Doctor: Donna Noble

In her first appearance Donna was a shouty gossip but proved herself as someone better when helping the Doctor defeat the Racnoss, also growing as a person over her travels with the Tenth Doctor. Donna's exit - saving the whole of reality before the Doctor was forced to wipe her mind of their time together, ridding Donna of the confidence in herself that she had gathered - is simply the saddest exit of a Doctor Who companion ever.

Eleventh Doctor: Amy Pond & Rory Williams

For viewers of the current incarnation of Doctor Who, Amy and Rory need no introduction. Unlike nearly every other companion in the show, Amy and Rory had a life e.g. got married, had a child, had jobs while also travelling the universe with the Doctor - albeit most of those things were given a timey-wimey twist. Sure, they may have died several times each and existed in several different universes and alternate timelines (let's not get into that now) but Amy and Rory, at the heart of it, were a couple who managed to remain so despite the terrible things that happened to them. It is perhaps too early to say just yet how Clara rates next to them but she has a hard job to beat the Ponds.