Doctor Who wouldn’t be the same without the Doctor’s companions—the brave, adventure-seeking humans and aliens who are lucky enough to travel the universe with a madman and his blue box. Over forty regular companions have passed through the TARDIS, charming audiences and changing the Doctor’s long life forever.
But what about the characters that, despite winning fans’ hearts and fully connecting with the Doctor, never had the opportunity to traverse time and space as they deserved? From a courageous French aristocrat to a space train’s Chief Engineer, there are many characters who should’ve become companions.
10 Craig Owens Deserved An Adventure In Outer Space
The Eleventh Doctor meets Craig after he’s been left stranded in the companion-lite episode, “The Lodger.” He rents a room from Craig, befriends him, and even gives him the confidence to confess his romantic feelings to his friend Sophie. Later on, Craig joins the Doctor on an adventure against the Cybermen in “Closing Time”.
Their dynamic differed greatly from the Doctor’s relationships with his companions, as the Doctor allowed himself to be a lot more playful while hanging out with Craig and his son Alfie. If not a full-time companion, Craig should’ve at least gotten to experience an adventure in outer space as a last goodbye.
9 Madame de Pompadour Never Got To Enjoy Her Romance With The Doctor
“The Girl in the Fireplace” is one of the first new Who episodes to focus on a real-life historical figure. The episode follows the Tenth Doctor, Rose, and Mickey as they interact with Madame de Pompadour, an 18th-century member of the French court who is being targeted by strange clockwork creatures.
Madame de Pompadour’s short-lived romance with the Doctor was incredibly heartbreaking despite only spanning an episode. Her bravery, kindness, and open-mindedness immediately made her a fan-favorite would-be companion. The Doctor did invite her to travel with him, but unfortunately, she died before she could join him.
8 Canton Everett Delaware III Would’ve Added Some Diversity To The Cast
Played by Supernatural actor Mark Sheppard, Canton Everett Delaware III made his debut at the start of season six when the Doctor and his companions were investigating the Silence. He was one of the five people who were invited to witness the Eleventh Doctor’s death at Lake Silencio.
He’s a capable, intelligent man who seemed fascinated by the Doctor’s adventures. His short time as a pseudo-companion proved that he should’ve been added to the team, at least semi-permanently. Furthermore, as Canton is an American gay man, having him join the TARDIS would’ve added a new layer of diversity that Doctor Who desperately needs.
7 Grace O’Brien Would’ve Made An Exceptional Friend For The Doctor
Ryan’s lively grandmother, Grace, was introduced in the season eleven opener, “The Woman Who Fell To Earth.” She took care of Ryan through most of his adolescence, as his mother had died from a heart attack and his father had become estranged as a result. Her sudden death at the end of the episode would continue to affect her grandson and her husband Graham throughout the rest of the seasons.
An avid fan of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Grace was known for her compassion and optimism, two traits that she shares with the Doctor. If they’d had more time to spend together, there’s no doubt the Thirteenth Doctor would’ve welcomed her into the TARDIS with open arms.
6 Petronella Osgood Deserved To Travel With Her Idol
Petronella Osgood is the ultimate successful fangirl. A longtime admirer of the Doctor and his feats, she was finally able to meet him during the events of “The Day of the Doctor” and even got to work alongside him to stop a Zygon invasion. Since then, Osgood has made several appearances in other episodes involving UNIT.
While the Twelfth Doctor extended an invitation to Osgood’s Zygon twin, he never did the same for the human Osgood, who continues her job at UNIT well after the organization’s rumored closure in 2020. Ultimately, Osgood was still able to help her beloved Doctor despite never getting to travel the universe with him.
5 Perkins Could’ve Made A Great Addition To The TARDIS
The Twelfth Doctor and Clara encountered Chief Engineer Perkins on a space train based on the real-life Orient Express. When the Doctor has to face the Foretold, Perkins immediately assists him with his broad knowledge and deductive skills. After examining the Foretold’s victims, he’s able to identify the monster’s attack pattern and helps the Doctor put a stop to its plans.
Given Perkins’ skills, the Doctor asks him to join the TARDIS crew, an invitation that he readily declines. English actor Frank Skinner, who portrayed the character and is a longtime Doctor Who fan, expressed his disappointment at not being able to join the Doctor in his tour of the universe.
4 Rigsy Would’ve Made An Excellent Companion
While wandering the streets of Bristol in “Flatline,” Clara Oswald happens upon Rigsy, a graffiti artist serving community service for illegally practicing his art. After telling her about some strange disappearances in the city, Rigsy joins Clara and the Twelfth Doctor as they investigate the strange anomaly.
Rigsy is clever, street-smart, and brave; all important qualities that would’ve made him an awesome companion. His artistry and background also would’ve made him one of the most unique characters to travel with the Doctor. Years after their first encounter, Rigsy would meet Clara and the Doctor again in “Face The Raven,” now as a father of one.
3 Astrid Peth Should’ve Gotten At Least One More Adventure
In 2007, Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue starred alongside David Tennant in the show’s most-watched Christmas special, “Voyage of the Damned.” Minogue played Astrid Peth, a human waitress working onboard the starship Titanic who encounters the Tenth Doctor and befriends him before her untimely death.
While Astrid did serve the role of the Doctor’s companion for the entirety of the special, viewers were quick to point out that if not for her death, she would’ve made a fantastic regular travel partner. Her dissatisfaction with her job and her need for change and adventure made her an ideal candidate for the part, but Minogue’s busy schedule probably stopped her from joining the main cast.
2 Jenny Should Reunite & Travel With Her Father
Played by David Tennant’s wife and Peter Davison’s daughter, Georgia Moffett, Jenny made her first and only TV appearance in the season four episode “The Doctor’s Daughter”. She was born from the Tenth Doctor’s tissue sample, officially making her ‘his daughter’ to his absolute dismay.
Jenny went on to have her own adventures in other Doctor Who media, including audiobooks and comics, but she has yet to return to the main series. Having her join her father on his travels would provide a Doctor-companion dynamic that hasn’t been explored since the days of the First Doctor and Susan.
1 Sally Sparrow Is The Most Popular Companion-That-Never-Was
The season three standalone episode “Blink” introduced both the terrifying Weeping Angels and the inquisitive Sally Sparrow, a young photographer with a love of old things and plenty of courage. A still relatively unknown Carey Mulligan played Sally beautifully, giving her a charm and vulnerability that would’ve made her an ideal companion.
Sally only really appeared for one episode, but she has remained the most popular companion-that-never-was since her debut. Her wit and investigation skills would’ve made her a wonderful friend for the Doctor, who values curiosity and bravery above most things. Despite her potential, she never even gets to step inside the TARDIS and settles down with her friend’s brother, Larry.
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