It was only a matter of time before Whofound its way into the favorite character write-ups. When I was first mainlining New Who (and Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures,) I was struck by the fact that I basically adored every major character. I like some more than others, of course – you might possibly have noticed that I have a hard time relating to Clara – and others needed time to grow on me – after Nine, it took Ten a while to win me over – but overall, the series and its satellites have given me countless characters to love. I’ve already written a bit about my favorite Doctors, so I figured, companion-wise, I might as well start with my first.
I know plenty of Whovians tend to wrinkle their noses at Rose, and I get where they’re coming from, but I really feel a lot of that comes from how the show regarded her than who she is as a character. Regardless of how much does or doesn’t get acted upon, it’s clear that the feelings between Rose and the Doctor (both Nine and Ten) are less platonic than the classic Doctor-companion dynamic, and for old-school adherents to the “no hanky-panky in the TARDIS” philosophy, Rose represented a dangerous incursion. Furthermore, because our society tends to think that romance > friendship, Rose’s illustrious position could be perceived as a slight against Sarah Jane/Romana/Leela/Jamie/insert companion of choice. And finally, Rose’s reputation was maybe hurt most by the fallout from her exit and Ten’s interminable mooning over her, which colored the whole of Martha’s time on the TARDIS and made Ten look like a dick to her.
That’s a lot of fandom baggage to overcome, and I get why people are put off by that. (Disclaimer: I am notsaying those are the only reasons to dislike Rose, and I’m not looking to invalidate anyone who doesn’t like her.) I know most of my quibbles with her come from the above external issues. But enough about that. I love Rose, okay? She was the first of Russell T. Davies’s “ordinary people who meet the Doctor and discover their own extraordinary potential” companions, and she is, for my money, an excellent introduction to that theme.
As a companion, Rose’s strongest qualities are her personability, her common sense, and her loyalty. After the one-two punch of “The End of the World” and “The Unquiet Dead,” some fans rolled their eyes at the “Rose bonds with the help” scenes, but I like that she connects with the people she and the Doctor meet on their travels. Right off the bat, it helps us to connect with them too, raising the stakes when they’re threatened by the alien menace of the week. Also, as thoroughly as Rose has thrown her lot in with the Doctor, she’s not a doting puppy, and when they clash, it’s often because he’s looking at the big picture and she’s looking at the human one. While she doesn’t have Martha’s schooling or Donna’s super-temp skills, Rose is a smart cookie, an observant girl with a talent for asking Excellent Questions. More than just being the in-show excuse for exposition, someone for the Doctor to explain things to, Rose is (as Sherlock Holmes would put it) a conductor of light. She’s never going to be as brilliant as the Doctor, but she can help him find the pieces he needs to solve the puzzle. And if you’ve seen “The Parting of the Ways,” you don’t need me to tell you Rose will move heaven and earth for the Doctor’s sake. She’s someone I’d want in my corner, that’s for sure.
All in all, a fantastic gateway companion for newcomers. Having no one with whom to compare her, I loved her, and now that I’ve worked my way through nearly all of the show’s TV canon, she still rates pretty highly.
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