There is an interesting moment in the Big Finish audio production called 'Legend of the Cybermen'.

The 6th Doctor is reunited with Jamie and Zoe, both of whom have had their memories restored. Jamie challenges the Doctor as to why he never returned for them, or at least to check if they were OK. And the Doctor is unable to answer.

There is a similar scene in Her Final Flight, where the 6th Doctor meets up with Peri years after he (basically) abandoned her on Thoras Beta (to marry King Yrcanos, poor cow . . .). Again, he is unable to explain why he never went back for her.

Taking into account other more recent incidents (how the 9th Doctor abandoned Captain Jack, for instance) I would be interested to hear how other forum members feel about the Doctor's loyalty to his companions.

I understand the lessons we learnt in School Reunion (that the Doctor cannot stand to see his companions age and die). But this doesn't really explain his actions for the likes of Jamie, Zoe, Peri etc.

Does his loyalty only last whilst a companion is actually travelling with him?

I think The Doctor is a lot more compassionate these days. Rose and Donna had that effect on him. And he made his reasons for leaving Jack behind clear.

Maybe he couldn't go back to those two, because there would have been real danger of him being forcefully regenerated again by the time lords. Of course now that the time lords have left he could return, on the other hand at one point they would have to leave him again.

With regards to Peri, maybe he did go back but we didn't see it and she was happily married to Brian Blessed() or she had actually died and the Doctor had been lied to.

In the cases of Jamie, Zoe and Peri, the leaving from his side was due to the results of the Time Lords actions. So it wasn't him being disloyal, the split in both cases was taken out of his hands.

He may have made them clear, but lets face it, doesn't change the fact it was a terrible thing to do, and pretty unjustifiable morally, especially as once he spent a short amount of time in his company he had no issue whatsoever with his "immortally", thus only underlying why his abandoning him such a way was unnecessary in the first place.

In answer to the OP, for better or worse I don't think loyalty has ever been The Doctors strong suit. I thought it was interesting how this was touched on in Amy's Choice, and it would be good to see it explored more at some point in the future.

I don't think it ever stopped becoming an issue for the Doctor but he just accepted it. It was hardly Jack's fault anyway. He's a fixed point in time and space, a fact. An impossible thing. Someone who is immortal who shouldn't be. It's "wrong" and that's what irks the Doctor imo.

The bigger question is, why does Jack feel any loyalty to him after being abandoned?

I don't think continually jumping into people's lives would be a requirement for loyalty - we've seen how much the Doctor turns people's lives upside down when he visits. I've been a loyal boyfriend in the past, but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep calling up my exes to see how they are. Sometimes you just have to let people have a bit of closure on the chapters in their lives, sometimes that's the best way for things to be.

Of course, that's all in-universe - in reality, you wouldn't keep revisiting actors who have left.

I always liked Jamie & Zoe (recon et al)-- the Doctor seemed to like them as well.... love sarah jane( kids love her as well) , tom was very earthy ( 70;s thing, we have to change!!).. Matt very cute.... what was the question?

he is sort of kind once you travel with him but he moves on , its just his perception is different from us, we hang on to people , he as the dreamlord said loses people a lot but in fairness there a lot of men like that in real life , he is very prejuiced but open minded too as he took Donna on and she ravaged him from start(not that way) |I just get the fact he is a tad up himself (Water on Mars) He is kind too and a laugh and dam charming and dam manuiplative ax