With the announcement of the new companion, it got me thinking. What has been the best introduction and end for each companion. You can judge this however you want, whether it is the quality of the episode they are in, or if it was a fitting sendoff, or a great introduction.

For me the best introduction has to be Ace, not because Dragonfire was the best story, but Ace made a great impression on me that episode. Or Captain Jack in the Gas Mask episodes, which was also brilliant.

The best end for a companion, now this was a tough one. But i have to go with Jo's departure in the Green Death, as it was a fitting yet sad end, and also a great story. Closely followed by Sarah's departure in The Hand of Fear, or even Adric in Earthshock.

So what are your personal favourites?

The introduction one is a tough one but it's probably down to Liz Shaw, Leela or Romana I based on how effectively they were introduced. Liz's first story was all round brilliant and introduced a very smart and resourceful character. Leela was one you could instantly fall in love with because of her comedic innocence and I love how her first story heavily explored her background without it being a modern Earth setting. Romana's introduction was pure joy, seeing her and the Doctor getting competitive with each other because the Doctor is now stuck with somebody smarter than him, and the dynamic between the two carried that initial story.

Best ending is easy: Jo Grant. Katy Manning was at her absolute best in her final story and never has a companion's departure being so poignant. None of the rubbish stuff from scenes like Rose's exit such as the overblown music or the unconvincing romantic climax, it was simple but impactful, and the scene with Jon Pertwee driving away in Bessie is an image that sticks with you.

If not Jo, than Mel Bush, because she was finally gone.

Captain Jack's introduction in The Empty Child is simply great. As for departures, I like Donna's in The Stolen Earth/The Journey's End, Adric's in Earthshock and Susan's in The Dalek Invasion of Earth (simply because The Doctor's speech is so good).



Probably the worst introduction and the worst departure would both belong to Dodo. She is brought onscreen in an annoying fashion, stays onscreen as an annoying companion, and then leaves the show with no fanfare or goodbye whatsoever.

Ah Dodo, she really did infuriate me, and she was given a fitting departure. The only story i liked her in was the Celestial Toymaker.

Had they stuck with Peris original demise then that would have got my vote for best exit. A rather harrowing and tragic end but as it is she got lumbered with Brian Blessed shouting at her all day instead.

While his character got slightly lost in between, Turlough had good entrance and exit stories, as he was a key character in both. His exit felt well written, further exploring the character, and giving him a proper and justified exit

Peri's entrance in the same story was also memorable, though for different reasons

In the Pertwee era, Jo got a great exit in The Green Death, while Liz got a terrible off screen exit

In the modern era, and this is a slight cheat, Clara got the best entrance, albeit as Oswin - appearing unbilled in Asylum of the Daleks 5 months early, and completely stealing the episode. I also loved her unique exit in Hell Bent

My favourite companion entrance would be Amy/Amelia's introduction (though I do also love Victorian Clara's response to the TARDIS "It's smaller on the outside!").

My favorite departure would be Donna's, simply because it's so sad that she, essentially, was back to where she started. To have experienced all that with the Doctor and then lose all memory of it...

The originals are the best!

Intro: Barbara and Ian
Depart: Susan

Being stuck with Brian Blessed would be pretty harrowing and tragic too...

Best intro - 20th century - Sarah Jane Smith had a good one, impersonating her aunt, stowing away in the TARDIS and thinking that Irongron and his not so merry men were in some way dressing up for the tourists...

Best intro - 21st century - Donna. Twice. That's one hell of a big dramatic intro when you're just beamed into the TARDIS in your wedding dress. And then Partners In Crime was a brilliant re-introduction to the character.

Best exit - 20th century - Jamie and Zoe. Echoed by Donna's goodbye much later on, we see Jamie and Zoe put back in their rightful times and places as if they'd had just one adventure with the Doctor and then never stepped into the TARDIS with him. Very sad, especially for Jamie, who'd learned so much with the second Doctor.

Best exit - 21 century - Rose Tyler (the first time). I know this gets a lot of stick for being an overblown sniffle-fest, but at the time, and watching with my kids (who were devastated) I actually found it quite moving and very well done. The music is great too.

Best debuts, in Classic Who, agree Ian and Barbara and indeed Susan's were all good. Loved Polly's as well as it was so refreshing after the staleness of some of the later Hartnell stories. Jo and Sarah's I thought were quite strong and off course, Peri's.....say no more!

In New Who, Rose had the strongest, not surprisingly as the episode was based all around her. Thought Donna's full debut, rather than her actual one, was good in Partners In Crime. Amy's I liked but that was obvious reasons as well. And Clara's too, she was a lot more charming and witty than in later stories and that red dress was a bonus as well......

Departures. Classic Who, Susan's was particularly sad. I liked Jo's as well, there was a lot left unsaid in her final episode, which I really liked. Adric's final episode was awesome. I also liked Tegan's, which was her character really, she just did it, she randomly decided she had to leave.

New Who, Rose and Donna's departures were brilliant, I loved both the episodes they went out in. Clara's was good too, I liked the twist at the end and it was a twist on the Donna situation as well.

Pond's introduction was fantastic, surely.

And if we count Oswin as being Clara 'Asylum of the Daleks' was a pretty cool debut, especially as it was a surprise appearance by the incoming companion. That was a pretty great way to introduce Jenna Coleman to the series.

Special mention for Peri: her bikini sure made a big first impression for her character. I think they won over a large portion of the male audience pretty much right away there.

Not a companion as such but I love the mysterious and suspicious way the Brig (not yet the Brig) is introduced into the story in 'The Web of Fear'.

Departures: I like Victoria's exit in 'Fury From the Deep'. Sarah-Jane's exit is nicely understated and Jo Grant's in 'The Green Death' was a high point for that time.

I liked Clara's (non)exit at the end of 'Death in Heaven' and then each of her subsequent departures a little less each time.

The Brigadier is a companion; he fills the companion slot, works with The Doctor in many, many serials and he (eventually) travels with The Doctor in The Tardis.

I don't personally disagree but I was just heading off any pedantic 'he's not a companion' type comments in advance.

Gosh this is quite hard actually so going on the criteria of the introduction made me go wow I really like this and the exit made me go wow that was amazing or moved me I think

Classic who : Best Introduction Romana 1 : love d the banter between her and the Doctor and Ian & Barbara which is just brilliant tension.
In New Who : Best Introduction Probably Donna in Runaway Bride who was brash but had a vulnerability too and Asylum Clara as that story was just fantastically plotted and she was witty without being annoying and sad

Best Exits : Classic Who based on only what I've seen : Jo Grant ; understated as others have said and beautiful, Peri as a metamorphosed slug ( that was such a wow moment which felt brave for the time shame it was spoiled later ) , Tegan because I didn't want her to go and actually Adric because that was the climax of a great great story.
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New Who probably Rose's original exit : to almost see her die & than trap her in an alternate world brought a lump to my throat ( I didn't know she would be back) and probably Donna losing all her memories

I recently re-watched The Time Warrior and it does immediately present Sarah Jane Smith as a very different companion than we'd seen previously. A very strong introduction and possibly my favourite.

For new Who I'd have to say Rose remains, for me, the best introduction simply because it doesn't just deliver a companion but sets such a strong context for her as a person - her life and the reasons she would run away with the Doctor. I think RTD was very talented at creating not just a companion, but an entire life around them.

In terms of exits, I loved Romana's exit in Warrior's Gate. In one way it was a bit sudden. But in another, the wheels had been put in motion as early as Meglos and it was great to see her act (impulsively?) on her wish not to return to Gallifrey.

For new Who, I have grown to love Martha's exit. I was very upset at the time because it felt like one season wasn't enough. But I now see it as being the only truly empowered exit for any New Who companion - Martha chose to leave on her own terms.