doctorwho:

A Companion To The Doctor’s Companions: Sarah Jane Smith

The role of the Doctor’s companion has always been a tough balancing act. For the producers of the show, they need a human who can be confused by the alien concepts, so that the Doctor can explain what’s going on. They’ll also need to be someone with the nerve to tackle grotesque creatures as if they were no more troubling than a spider in a bathtub, but also scream and look scared so that the special effects don’t look silly.

Ideally there’ll be some chemistry which is like flirting, but not actually flirting. A kind of bickering overfamiliarity where no one ever has to fully admit to their feelings for anyone, but each is utterly loyal to the other. The lonely Doctor is fascinated by his new chum, and his new chum is bowled over by the things her Time Lord pal can show her.

Sarah Jane Smith – played by Elisabeth Sladen – managed all of these things, while looking hot in Andy Pandy dungarees. She is, therefore, the standard against which all other companions are measured…

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