Here we go...
Rose had romance with Doctor, Mickey and ended with Tentoo
Whole Martha's story was based on her infatuation with Doctor and she ended with Mickey.
Donna's story ended with her wedding day.
Amy's story was basiclly a soap opera 'Pond life'.
Also we had Doctor/River romance.

Now we have Danny Pink who will probably be Clara's boyfriend.


Don't get me wrong, I really liked Martha's story and Pond life was also good until some point. But I'd really like to see sth different and really hoped that Clara will be developed in different way. But now it seems to me that DW is becoming a soap opera. And I am a little bit disappointed that they can't develop any character without romance. Romance is good, but too repetitive in DW IMO.

So, what do you think?

He could just be a friend who makes Clara laugh with tales of his escapades.

Because having relationships is a big part of everyone's life- it gives the characters a third dimension

Relationships are a part of most peoples day to day life to one extent or another. That said its not as if Clara has had anything resembling a love life since she started and you're just guessing about Danny Pink.

Human interactions and love stories do not equal soap opera. Its always been an integral part of storytelling for centuries.

I think it brings more to the characters to be honest. I love it as a Sci-Fi show - but let's have it more real by introducing stuff like this into it. (American Sci-Fi does it all the time!) The Classic series was different......it wasn't the 'done thing' in those days! They just got on with the story.........but now it's a different scenario. As long as their affairs do not interfere with the main story - what the heck! Let's have a bit of fun in-between!!

I think the question should be; "How did Classic Who get away with turning all the characters into eunuchs?"

The Classic series was full of romantic relationships for the companions.


They just weren't spread out over multiple stories

Bye Doctor I'm off down the Amazon with this Scientist I just met who is like a young version of you.

Bye Doctor I'm staying on Gallifrey with this guy I just met even though non Time Lords aren't really welcomed here.


Bye Doctor you thought I was dead but I'm really eloping with this alien Barbarian King.


Bye Doctor I'm leaving you to travel with this Intergalactic Con Man.

Why can't people live their lives without creating romantic relationships?

Thank you for the mahoosive and explanatory thread title.

This will be pleasing to some folks.

Btw, the Donna point is tenuous.

Lots of sci-fi fans do, I believe....

Increased probability of extinction,

Agree, she clearly didn't want to "mate"

P. S. Antimon, is this a minor or major irritation?

P. P. S. Were Amy and Rory really the only characters to in the TARDIS? There could be oh so many "~timelord-alikes~" out there born of "love in a Type40US" !

I just rewatched 'The Daleks' aka 'The Mutants' (by God, it gets tedious), and at the end of it Barbara planted a pretty passionate kiss CLOSE to the mouth of a pretty stunned Thal dude, after he'd very forwardly kissed her hand. She flirts pretty strongly with Ian in the Romans too. The Doctor himself got engaged in 'The Aztecs'.

The fact is, it was later when Doctor Who became very self-conscious about portraying any kind of romance and it became some sort of production taboo. To it's detriment.

I've said before: romantic content doesn't bother me as long as it's handled naturallisticaly (ie not 'let's give Clara a boyfriend' for the sake of it) and realistically (ie not the Doctor and rose) and is part of the characterization, not the basis for the plots.

well I can imagine that its only been Amy and Rory that have in the Doctor's TARDIS, I cant think anyone else has, well since the Doctor has occupied it! Oh and certainly no one else in the Whoniverse since Gallifrey has been frozen.

Not true. I can think of many people who have never had a romantic relationship in their life. And you can have good or decent characters without them having romance e.g. Jonathan Creek (In that case I would say having a wife made the character worse), Inspector Morse, Bart Simpson, Poirot, Miss Marple, virtually all the characters in the Gerry Anderson puppet series, Sherlock Holmes, the main characters in Yes Minister, Blackadder, Dad's Army, Wallace and Gromit and many others.

Actually laughing deliriously. God bless this wonderful forum and all who sail in...post on...oh whatever. You know what I mean.

Being a huge Blackadder fan I feel the need to point out Blackadder did indeed have romance in his life. The opening episode of Series 2 he had a romance with 'Bob' otherwise known as Kate and nearly married her until Rik Mayall's Lord Flasheart turned up and whisked her away. There was also an underlying and unspoken romance between him and the Queen which came to the fore in the last episode.

And in the Fourth Series he had more of a Sexual Relationship with a nurse at a hospital and there was a hint of romance there.

As for Doctor Who, it managed for 26 years with major romance though there were companions who fell in love when they left, not sure if you would count Leela amongst those really though! I don't mind the new romantic angle in the New series but I do agree it would be nice to have one more companion who's just there for the journey like Donna was.

Clara kept her crush on 11 fairly hidden with only the little mention of his "sad eyes" and a touch to the face. She may not be attracted to 12 now and is looking at Danny Pink instead. It is going to be interesting to see how Moffat is going to take this.

With the creator of Coupling in charge I don't imagine things are going to change.

Although she not only had a romantic relationship in Forest of the Dead, she settled down, got married and had kids!

Doctor needs his friends and they need him. However sometimes they need more. Their own loves and lives. It is sad but he has to let them go eventually. Maybe Clara and Danny will get a happy ending. Leaving the tardis to marry and possibly have a family. Rather that then another sob fest in a graveyard like Amy and Rory.

I was going to say something about Wallace and Gromit, but there's really no point, is there?

First of all... Wow!

Secondly, I'm sorry, but you're wrong with many of those. Bart has frequently fallen in love and been smitten with girls.Sherlock Holmes has/had Irene Adler.Blackadder has been explained previously. Both Wallace and Gromit have had love interests, with Wallace's being major pivotal plot points. Either you are ignoring the romance, or you're just not seeing it. Either way it is very much, quite obviously there.

You can have some characters without having romatic relationships. But in creating a character who is incapable of or actively shuns them, that is an essential part of their character which is often exposed, in much the same frequency as a romantic relationship would be. And to create a character that is capable of it, doesn't actively shun it, but it just never happens for - that would be a very one-dimensional character.

I never said romantic relationships- you made that bit up. Like I said relationships are a big part of everyone's lives and so they've got to have some contact with outsiders- romantic relationships just happens to be a good way to do that as there are so many possibilities