The Role of the Companion
The primary focus of the popular scifi franchise "Doctor Who" is a strange alien being known only as the Doctor. He/she is an ancient time and space explorer with a tendency to play the hero. The Doctor is most often accompanied by at least one traveling companion. These are usually (though not always) relatively young human women from modern Earth. At the start of both the classic and revived series the Doctor is a somewhat abrasive and incredibly mysterious figure who is difficult to approach. The companions whether they be Ian, Barbara and Susan or Rose Tyler act as our way into the story and we meet the Doctor through them. In stories like 'The End of the World' we see these characters exposed to a side of reality which is outside of anything they have established a context for. The Doctor is on the other hand far more knowing and has a different perspective than the companions of the audience. Here lies a major part of what makes an effective co