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Will 'Doctor Who's Rory Ever Return & 7 More Questions 'The Ultimate Companion' Special Should Answer
Whovians rejoice! BBC America is embracing the return of our favorite Time Lord with the Doctor Who Takeover Week. Leading up to the premiere of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, there will be a Doctor Who marathon starting on Monday, August 18 and a TV special, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Companion , will air beforehand on Aug. 16. Fifth Doctor Peter Davison will host the special that will explore the role of the Doctor's companions over the years. And a bearded Tenth Doctor David Tennant (oh heart, be still!) will also be popping in.
Hopefully Doctor Who: The Ultimate Companion will cover the most pressing questions we have about the Doctor’s companions throughout the show's long tenure. The TV special is only an hour long, so I don't expect too much, but here are some of the questions Doctor Who fans would love to see answered. (Spoilers ahead.)
Image: Adrian Rogers/BBC
What Would Have Happened To Sarah Jane Smith?
Sarah Jane Smith was voted as the favorite Doctor companion in a 50th anniversary poll by BBC America. Portrayed by Elisabeth Sladen, she traveled with the Third and Fourth Doctors. But if you didn’t watch classic Who, she’ll still be a familiar face as she came back to the series when she reunited with the Tenth Doctor in the episode “School Reunion.”
She even had two spin-offs of her own — K9 and Company, which only had a pilot episode in 1981, and The Sarah Jane Adventures, which ran from 2007 to 2011 and featured both the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. Sadly, Sladen died in 2011, so what would the Whoniverse have had in store for one of the most beloved companions if she hadn’t passed away?
Image: BBC America
Will Rory Ever Return?
Amy Pond and Rory Williams were a married couple who accompanied the Eleventh Doctor — and they have a pretty important daughter. Since the Weeping Angels got the best of them in “The Angels Take Manhattan,” Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill haven’t been back to the show as a unit. Amy returned for Matt Smith’s last episode in a hallucination, but that was it. Would the show ever just bring back the loyal Rory sans Amy? That could be fascinating.
Image: BBC America
Will a Companion Ever Become a Time Lord?
Known for beating a Dalek with a baseball bat, Ace accompanied the Seventh Doctor. Actress Sophie Aldred played the final companion of the classic Doctor Who in its 26th season.
She was a kind of template for the companions in the modern series (particularly Rose). A badass young woman who built her own bombs, she called the Doctor the Professor. If the show hadn’t been cancelled, there were plans for Ace to attend the Time Lord Academy to become a Time Lady (although I would hope she would have squawked at the term “Time Lady”). What would the world be like if companions could become Time Lords?
Image: BBC America
What Happened To Rose, the Bad Wolf?
Another tough teenager from London, Rose accompanied the Ninth and the Tenth Doctors when Doctor Who returned in 2005. Portrayed by former pop star Billie Piper, she was a fabulous introduction companion to fans who started with Doctor Who at the reboot.
Her story has seemed to run its course, but I’d love the special to cover the details of her as the entity Bad Wolf. I admit that I wouldn’t mind a refresher in how exactly she came to be Bad Wolf. (And how did she find the time to graffiti the words as a message to herself?)
Image: BBC America
Could Romana Be a Companion Again?
Romana, short for Romanadvoratrelundar, was a Time Lady from Gallifrey, who accompanied Fourth Doctor Tom Baker. When the actress portraying Romana (Mary Tamm) left the show, she regenerated into Romana II played by Lalla Ward (pictured). Ward and Baker were married offscreen during her time on the show.
In the episode “The End of Time” with the Tenth Doctor, a Time Lady was featured which led fans to speculate whether or not it could be Romana (other theories are that it was the Doctor’s mother or his first companion Susan). Romana has a third incarnation in Doctor Who novels, but hasn’t officially appeared on the TV show since Romana II. Would the show ever bring her back? Just sayin’ it could be pretty cool if she was the next companion after Clara.
Image: BBC America
What Exactly Is Captain Jack Harkness' Deal?
Not technically a companion, the Time Agent Captain Jack Harkness was an amazing addition to the show. Alongside the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, he frustrated the Doctor with his cocky attitude and his willingness to hit on almost anyone. Portrayed by the charming John Barrowman, Jack worked for Torchwood and starred in the spin-off series of the same name.
Companion Rose accidentally made it so he could never die and later in the show, Jack revealed that he had the nickname the Face of Boe. This led to Martha and the Doctor (and viewers) to believe that he was the ancient creature that had given guidance to the Doctor. So, how did Captain Jack morph into what would eventually become the Face of Boe? I guess becoming a giant head is a consequence of living forever.
Image: BBC America
Could Susan Return for a "Family Reunion"?
Susan — the companion who began it all! Portrayed by Carole Ann Ford, Susan appeared in the very first episode of the show, “An Unearthly Child.” Another Time Lady from Gallifrey, she was the Doctor’s granddaughter. She came back to the show for the Fifth and Eighth Doctors, but would they ever have her return now — perhaps alongside the Doctor’s “daughter,” Jenny? It could be a bizarre family reunion!
Image: BBC America
What If Donna Still Remembered the Doctor?
At first, Donna was just the obnoxious bride that joined the Tenth Doctor for a Christmas episode. But Catherine Tate came back as a full-time companion and her interactions with the Doctor are some of my favorite from the reboot. How refreshing was it not to see just another young girl drooling over the Doctor? And she wasn’t afraid to give anyone the sass they needed.
After saving the world from the Daleks by becoming “Doctor Donna,” the Doctor had to erase her memory of their adventures so her mind wouldn’t burn up. But Donna proved herself to be strong, so will the special answer if she ever could have survive if she remembered her time with the Doctor? And what would life be like if she could?
Image: BBC America
