Since the origins of Doctor Who, the Doctor has always had a companion who they have taken with them on adventures across time and space. Therefore, being introduced to and discovering the Tardis is usually a major moment within a companion's first story. There is a recognisable magic and styling to the scene where the companion has the limitless potential of the universe put in front of them. It’s a moment of pure wonder. I will only be including moments where the character is introduced to the Tardis for the first time and the scene will need to include the “bigger on the inside” moment where you see them witness the Tardis for the first time in order to qualify. Without any more delay, let's get started!!!
10.) Vicki in the Rescue
Vicki across her run as a companion often feels like she is designed as a generic replacement for Susan. However, she does have an important place in Doctor Who history being the first companion which the Doctor willingly invites upon the Tardis. The Rescue functions in its character driven simplicity both as a breather after the epic Dalek Invasion of Earth story and a smooth and mellow way to introduce the audience to Vicki. You can see the loss and aftermath of Susan weighing on the shoulders of the Doctor throughout the story and there is a lot of concern from Ian and Barbara. Maureen O’Brien also does a terrific job of conveying the fear, naïve optimism, confusion and loneliness of her character, with everything going on around her. Throughout the story, a bond develops between Vicki and the Doctor, and a sense of trust is established. You can feel that they need each other. This all sets up the invitation. With all that Vicki has lost, it makes sense for her to go with the Doctor as she feels a sense of comfort with him. Whilst processing all the trauma with Bennett, there is comfort, adventure and relief in her character as she gets invited aboard the Tardis. There is a magic and sense of childish pleasure in Vicki’s reaction to the Tardis, but it's authentic and merged with a sense of human happiness as she feels supported by her surroundings and friends.
9.) Sergeant Benton in the Three Doctors
Ten years into a series and you can start playing around with and subverting tropes in the formula. What I love about Sergeant Benton’s reaction to the Tardis is that it happens in the middle of an action sequence. Benton, as a member of UNIT, is well used to impossible and strange circumstances having battled against Cybermen, Axons, Daemons and the Master. He is well equipped and used to dealing with alien trouble and knows the Doctor’s expertise at dealing with it. Therefore, Benton’s lack of surprise at the Tardis fits things. Benton’s introduction to the Tardis comes not through a moment of magic but a rushed situation of circumstance and danger. They are dealing with an unknown antimatter menace and within these circumstances; the Tardis becomes an ideal place to hide. Sergeant Benton does have a look of great wonder which John Levene plays rather well. However, the character doesn't express that to the Doctor quite rightly. Benton would have expected this kind of bizarre impossibility from the Doctor and rolls with things and goes along with it. It’s a casual, funny moment amongst a lot of drama and high stakes. I especially like the wittiness of Jon Pertwee’s Doctor and how he comments on the way humans usually react to the Tardis. It also nicely puts Benton in the right place for a nostalgic throwback to past Doctor Who.
8.) Martha Jones in Smith and Jones
What I love about Martha’s reaction to the Tardis in Smith and Jones is the fact that it personifies the magic and adventure the Doctor offers amongst the boredom of a mundane and boring life. I’ve never been overly fond of Martha as a companion, but you do feel for her position in her life and the troublesome and difficult circumstances of her parents' divorce as a lot of conflict ends up on her shoulders. You feel relief for her that she finally has some source of escapism in her life. There is a humour to the interaction and I like the way Martha tries to hold the upper hand over the Doctor with her bold and sassy nature. The Tenth Doctor’s charisma and determination to impress ultimately win her over. The inclusion of showing the capabilities of the Tardis and linking the time travel concept into the start of the story is very clever, well plotted, and has simple and satisfying results. Whilst the scene is full of magic and fun, it's also cleverly playing around with the tropes of the Tardis reveal moment. The Tenth Doctor’s sarcastic and witty remark to Martha’s reaction makes the scene a wonderful and memorable moment which subverts conventions. My main problem is the relationship which is established between the Doctor and Martha. The flirtiness of Martha and the Doctor moping over Rose sets up an unpleasant dynamic that would plague the series as things went on.
7.) Ruby Sunday in the Church on Ruby Road
There is a magic in Ruby’s discovery of the Tardis and I think it’s because everything is so stripped back and simple. It's isolated and focused upon Ruby herself and her pure reaction to the adventure and mystery that lies in front of her. We’ve seen Ruby connect with the Doctor over the story and her become compelled by the Doctor’s erratic whirlwind of adventure and madness which surrounds him. There is a madness and bonkers energy to the Church on Ruby Road which Ruby is caught up in and she doesn't really have time to process things or ask questions. She naturally has the guts of a companion and the Doctor recognises this. I like the way the Doctor is removed almost entirely from Ruby’s Tardis reaction. It feels like the Doctor is testing her ability and cleverness and I love the way her character is able to piece things together and work it all out for herself. Ruby’s reaction to the Tardis has a natural confusion merged with excitement, but it's well restrained and the scene lets Millie Gibson’s facial acting do all the work. You can see the rush and process of emotions and feelings going through her head as Ruby pulls herself together. Seeing her play off of Mrs Flood as she faces her decision has a unique vibe and works well. The reveal of the Doctor as Ruby enters the Tardis is also made into a charismatic and climatic moment.
6.) Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart in the Three Doctors
The Brigadier’s reaction to the Tardis is really rather a special moment, especially considering that he had existed as a character for quite a long time and had known of the Tardis but somehow had never seen it. It feels like the buildup to this moment leads all the way back to the Web of Fear, when he puts his trust in the Doctor and his impossible claims that he has a machine disguised as a police box which can pass the barriers of space and time. I do think the Brigadier across the Three Doctors can be very out of character. His disbelief at there being two Doctors at once feels somewhat unbelievable considering what he has been through. However, his reaction to the Tardis does not disappoint. Nicholas Courtney plays the under-reaction well as the character consumes and adjusts to the reality around him and justifies the whole thing in his own reasoning. It’s a characteristically very Brigadier reaction that blames the whole thing on the Doctor’s scientific tinkering with funds and equipment. There is a lovely silliness at how unimpressed and uninspired the Brigadier is by the Tardis, as he seems to immediately want to get out. There is something wonderful about the fact that the Brigadier is introduced to the Tardis through the Second Doctor. It feels unexpected but right considering he is the Doctor the Brigadier originally met.
5.) Rose Tyler in Rose
Rose’s reaction to the Tardis is one of the best of all the companions because it’s one of the most realistic. In 2005 there was special attention on introducing the various components of Doctor Who to a new audience, which is certainly the case for the Tardis. I really like Rose’s progression across the first episode in slowly uncovering the Doctor’s mystery. She soon finds herself woven into his troublesome lifestyle and becomes a target. Rose encounters the Tardis whilst trying to escape from a living plastic replica of her boyfriend, so there is chaos and action wrapped into things and Rose is someone who naturally thinks on her feet and is very proactive. There is automatically an overwhelming magic to the Tardis, but Rose’s reaction weaves in a humanity and sense of action in a way which is not only memorable but endears us and connects us to Rose as a character and a companion. The culture shock Rose experiences on the Tardis and how she deals with the emotion of the death around her, and having to come to terms with what has happened to Mickey is very realistically portrayed by Billie Piper. I love the conflict between the Doctor and Rose and the way the Doctor’s more callous and alien qualities are demonstrated. It uplifts Rose with her relatable feelings and conflicts in this situation. Rose’s unexpected sense of reality in this moment is very truthful and feels right.
4.) Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in An Unearthly Child
The very first Tardis reaction is still one of the best, arguably because the whole of the first episode of An Unearthly Child is either leading towards it or dealing with the aftermath. In a way, the first episode of Doctor Who is about the Tardis reaction. You have a compelling and rewarding mystery with Ian and Barbara trying to uncover the truth of their student; Susan Foreman, which leads them to 76 Totters Yard. I really love their conflict with the Doctor and the suspiciousness of his character, which all makes sense once Ian and Barbara discover the Tardis. Their denial of the facts makes a lot of sense and is indicative of the way people try to justify what they don’t understand and fit it into the confines of their own knowledge and limitations. Ian and Barbara’s inability to believe and grasp the facts and truth feels very realistic and truthful of humanity. Furthermore, I love the attitude and the coldness of the Doctor in this situation. His uncaring and incredibly ruthless attitude and elitist and patronising manner creates interesting conflict and turmoil for the series to deal with. His motivations for kidnapping Ian and Barbara whilst cruel also feel sympathetic with his want to preserve the secret of time travel and maintain history. It sets up the foundations the series is built upon and the character conflict that would evolve in a gripping way that has a magic and a grounded realism.
3.) Clara Oswald in the Snowmen
I’ve never been a major fan of the Snowmen or the Eleventh Doctor and Clara’s relationship, but Steven Moffat did nail the Tardis introduction moment and we got something really wonderful. I like the parts leading up to it involving chaos and danger, as the Doctor and Clara are trying to get away from the Ice Governess. I enjoy the way the Doctor seems to be testing Clara and assessing her cleverness, problem solving and ability to cope in stressful and dangerous situations. It adds a lot to the dynamic and adds to the Doctor’s motivations. The reveal of the Tardis is rather wondrous and grand. Matt Smith’s performance has a proudness, and he is very much enjoying the adventure and showing off to a new companion which I love. He is enjoying the surprise of Clara and slowly stepping back into the idea of taking someone around the universe again. The smaller on the outside line from Clara is a simple but incredibly clever subversion, and a line and memorable moment that sticks inside your head. There is a simplicity to the professor vibe of the Eleventh Doctor in the Tardis environment and a feeling of adventure and excitement. I love the emotion Clara stirs and brings out in the Doctor with the gifting of the Tardis key. Clara unveils the passion and adventure in the Doctor conveyed in a magical and emotional manner.
2.) Jo Grant in Colony in Space
Jo Grant’s reaction to the Tardis and the way the scene plays out, and is performed by both Katy Manning and Jon Pertwee, has the expert mix of feeling incredibly traditional but at the same time having a vivid dose of believability and reality. What sets it apart from other Tardis introduction moments is the fact that Jo is accustomed to the Doctor and his exploits and adventures. She has already had time to form a connection with the Doctor and grasp his lifestyle, so the reveal of the Tardis is a big moment. With the Doctor always tinkering with the Tardis and getting nowhere, Jo doesn’t take the Doctor especially seriously. Therefore, the Third Doctor takes great pride and amusement in showing off to Jo and demonstrating the Tardis to her. You have a very authentic reaction from Katy Manning. The whole thing has a sense of surprise but with witty dialogue that feels self-aware. It’s the part where the Tardis lands and Jo sees what’s outside that brings in a lot of humanity. Jo’s feeling of being shaken and panicked and not knowing what to do with the impossibility, and yet endless possibilities of what lies outside, feels very human and relatable. I also really love the way it conflicts with the Doctor’s passion for the universe, with his alien nature not grasping and understanding her feelings and doubts. It's played beautifully by Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning with well-crafted emotion.
1.) Bill Potts in the Pilot
There is something about Bill Potts' reaction to the Tardis that just transcends the tropes. The whole creation of Bill Potts seemed to be largely concerned with an off-kilter personality which not only subverts, but pushes beyond the tropes of Doctor Who companions in a way that feels grounded but in a fittingly comedic way. Pearl Mackie finds the right blend of comedic wackiness but also relatable emotion and rawness for this to work. I like the way Bill asks unconventional questions, which feel obvious. She enters the Tardis in the middle of a tense situation where she has come to the Doctor for help. I love Peter Capaldi’s incredibly assured and grand performance in the Tardis. He has a delight and a swagger and intelligence in his manner. I adore the way Bill, rather than accepting the situation right in front of her, tries to fit the Tardis into what she already knows to be possible. To start with, she thinks the Tardis is a knock through, then a lift until she is slowly able to piece things together. It’s amusing, but it also feels very realistic and grounded. The underplayed reaction conflicting with the confusion of Peter Capaldi’s performance is just perfect. It has a comedic touch, but it's relatability is the reason it feels so transformative, imaginative and memorable. Bill’s mind and thought process works in a way which we can all relate to and is going to be very difficult to top.
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