After last week’s slightly complex and possibly puzzling article, I’ve cut the rule-bending and gone for a simple recommendations list. This week’s article consists of my five favourite companion moments from all of Doctor Who. I made this list purely from memory because for me, the greatest moments are the ones that stuck in my mind. The list is as follows…
Stumbling into the TARDIS
An Unearthly Child
One of the greatest and most important scenes in Doctor Who history is Ian and Barbara finding themselves inside the TARDIS. Ian and Barbara were the audience’s gateway into the show and their shock to discover a Police Box is bigger on the inside replicates that of the audiences.
Zoe’s Vase Smashing
The War Games
What’s a shame about this fantastic scene is that I couldn’t find a video nor a picture of it, however it shouldn’t take much to persuade you into buying The War Games. Zoe is very smart and likes using intelligence and logic to solve things. So when she smashes a vase onto Gorton’s head, knocking him unconscious, it’s quite an unexpected, out-of-character surprise. What makes this scene even more delightful is when Zoe apologies to the Doctor straight afterwards despite the fact she’s just gotten them out of danger!
P.S. watch The War Games, it’s fantastic!
Leela’s Escape
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
When I watched Leela’s awesome self-defenestration, I had to rewind and watch it again. I bloody love Leela and, for me, this story is her best performance. Her misunderstanding of words and manners, getting the Professor to eat his chicken off the bone, “bent-face”; there are so many Leela moments in this story I could share with you that made me laugh, but the one above was just too kick-ass to leave out.
Moody Tegan
Four to Doomsday
I don’t know what I love more; the video, or its title on YouTube – “Brilliant Tegan attacks Stupid Adric (Hooray Well Done Tegan)”. This scene doesn’t show how horrible and nasty Tegan is, it shows how human she is. She didn’t even want to travel with the Doctor in the first place so who can blame her for being confused and annoyed. She was right as well, Monarch was a bad guy.
Ace vs. the Daleks
Remembrance of the Daleks
The second part of the video is possibly my favourite and most badass companion moment ever (just out-defenestrating Leela). It’s so chaotic and fearless; I love it and it sums up Ace in one scene. If you, like me, love these scenes, then I recommend checking out any 7th Doctor story that has Ace in it; she likes blowing things up.
Before I move on, a few other honourable mentions include Sarah getting unstuck in The Ark in Space and Polly using nail varnish remover to attack the Cybermen.
Best Companion Departures
I was planning for this list to be a future article, however I really don’t want to spoil these fantastic departures so I thought I’d let you find out for yourself (if you haven’t already)…
10. Victoria Waterfield, Fury from the Deep
9. Martha Jones, Last of the Time Lords
8. Sarah-Jane Smith, The Hand of Fear
7. Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, The Chase
6. Donna Noble, Journey’s End
5. Tegan Jovanka, Resurrection of the Daleks
4. Susan Foreman, The Daleks’ Invasion of Earth
3. Adric, Earthshock
2. Jo Grant, The Green Death
1. Jamie and Zoe, The War Games
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That Doctor Who Blog 
Thanks for not spoiling the companion departures. 🙂
Of the companion farewells that I’ve seen, Jo Grant’s is my favorite so far. It’s so heartbreaking in such quiet, understated way. It really goes to show that you don’t need the bombast of New Who to create emotional moments.
Oh yeah, and thanks for sharing the video of Ace attacking the Daleks. I never tire of watching that. (Though I am a little disheartened that Barbara Wright doesn’t seem to get much credit for mowing down Daleks with a truck in The Dalek Invasion of Earth)