Over a millennia old, and having gone through 13 incarnations, you would have thought that the Doctor had managed to tick off every life goal. But there’s one thing he’s never managed – he’s not been ginger, no matter how hard he wants it. But that hasn’t stopped him from picking up some red-headed companions along the way. Amy Pond might be the most famous of ginger companions, but today it’s a battle between old-school companions Turlough and Mel.
BBC NAME: Vislor Turlough
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Trion
DOCTOR: Fifth
Other companions might have tried to kill the Doctor, but Turlough was first. An alien exiled to Earth after being on the losing side of a war, Turlough gets picked up by the Doctor at the school where he’s hiding out. In his first serial, Turlough manages to crash a car, gets blackmailed by a man with a bird on his head (the Black Guardian, one of the more fashion-challenged of the Doctor’s enemies) and fails at dropping a rock on the Doctor’s head. He’s an integral part of Five’s final Team TARDIS, albeit a sneaky, cowardly part. For most of the time, anyway, although if pushed he is willing to use the TARDIS’ hatstand as a weapon.
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Trion
DOCTOR: Fifth
Other companions might have tried to kill the Doctor, but Turlough was first. An alien exiled to Earth after being on the losing side of a war, Turlough gets picked up by the Doctor at the school where he’s hiding out. In his first serial, Turlough manages to crash a car, gets blackmailed by a man with a bird on his head (the Black Guardian, one of the more fashion-challenged of the Doctor’s enemies) and fails at dropping a rock on the Doctor’s head. He’s an integral part of Five’s final Team TARDIS, albeit a sneaky, cowardly part. For most of the time, anyway, although if pushed he is willing to use the TARDIS’ hatstand as a weapon.
BBC NAME: Melanie Bush
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth
DOCTOR(S): Sixth, Seventh
Mel’s different, in that we never get to see her first adventure with the Doctor. In the first bit of timey-wimey Doctor Who shenanigans, she met the Doctor before he met her. After helping to clear his name (see the series-long “Trial of a Time Lord”), Mel goes off to travel with the Sixth Doctor. Although in the next episode, he promptly regenerates into the Seventh. Given that Mel was played by former child star Bonnie Langford, perhaps it’s no surprise that she was perky and optimistic at all possible times. Mel was a computer programmer, although mostly what she did was scream and try to get the Doctor to go on a health kick. Most memories of Mel are of her exercising, or exhorting the Sixth Doctor to drink carrot juice and exercise.
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth
DOCTOR(S): Sixth, Seventh
Mel’s different, in that we never get to see her first adventure with the Doctor. In the first bit of timey-wimey Doctor Who shenanigans, she met the Doctor before he met her. After helping to clear his name (see the series-long “Trial of a Time Lord”), Mel goes off to travel with the Sixth Doctor. Although in the next episode, he promptly regenerates into the Seventh. Given that Mel was played by former child star Bonnie Langford, perhaps it’s no surprise that she was perky and optimistic at all possible times. Mel was a computer programmer, although mostly what she did was scream and try to get the Doctor to go on a health kick. Most memories of Mel are of her exercising, or exhorting the Sixth Doctor to drink carrot juice and exercise.
Neither companion might be a ninja, but they're definitely ginger.
But which is your favourite Doctor Who Companion?
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