Doctor Who's best companion pairing wasn't a love story like fans think

Since the very first episode of Doctor Who debuted back in 1963, there’s always been one thing that has remained true: no matter how many regenerations the time-hopping alien has gone through, the Doctor always has a companion. That person can be the Time Lord’s friend, relative, or even lover — no matter who they are, there is always at least one companion by the Doctor’s side throughout their adventures.

Every Whovian has their favorite Doctor and companion pairing. As a fan of the Russell T. Davies 2005 revival era, aka New Who, my own tastes skew towards the more recent Doctors and their companions. In my defense, I’m not the only one. Everyone and their mother adores David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor and his first companion, the working-class icon Rose Tyler (Billie Piper). They’re so beloved that, even 20 years later, Doctor Who’s last era showrunner, Davies, refuses to let the pair go.

Look. Ten and Rose are great. Their chemistry is electric. Their love story is heartbreaking but with a bittersweet, happy ending. Yet I hesitate to call them the best Doctor/Companion pairing of all time. That title belongs to a couple who came much later and who perfectly highlight the beauty and destruction of what it’s like for a normal person to enter the orbit of the Doctor.

Peter Capaldi debuted as the Twelfth Doctor in 2014 with the series 8 premiere “Deep Breath.” Reeling from the loss of Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill), Eleven spent his final season with young schoolteacher Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), and she remained with the Time Lord through his regeneration into the Twelfth Doctor. Just as Rose struggled adjusting to the Ninth Doctor’s (Christopher Eccleston) transformation into Ten, Clara had to deal with the shock of seeing Eleven transition into Twelve.

Though their time together was brief, Clara and Eleven’s relationship was burgeoning into something romantic at times, which made Eleven’s change into Twelve feel almost like whiplash. Much like Rose, Clara has to learn that the man she’s formed an intense companionship with is still there underneath those imposing eyebrows and Scottish accent.

The result is two seasons worthy of the fiery pair, with one of the most interesting dynamics in New Who's history. By the time Twelve arrived, Clara was already a veteran in the TARDIS. Not only was she used to the wonders of going on adventures with the Doctor, but she was hungry for more. Furthermore, the mystery of who Clara was as the Impossible Girl had been solved with Eleven — there was nothing left on the horizon except more adventures through time and space.

Yet unlike Eleven, who had a kind of emotional vulnerability to him, Twelve was far more reserved, pragmatic, and even ruthless at times. The contrast worked well in several ways, the most fascinating of which was its impact on Clara. At first, Twelve’s unsentimental streak infuriated and frightened Clara enough that she actively considered walking away from the Doctor and the TARDIS altogether. Ultimately, she was unwilling to do so because of the freedom that came with traveling with the Doctor, as well as her own complicated feelings regarding the Time Lord.

Traveling with the Doctor changes your life forever, but the experience impacts the Doctor just as much. Most of these relationships — romantic or otherwise — come with the acknowledgment that the Doctor and companion bring out the best in one another. Take Rose, who helped both Nine and Ten curb their more destructive tendencies by grounding them in their inner humanity, and who, in return, helped open her eyes to the world. It’s no wonder they fell in love.

Yet for all the infatuation Twelve and Clara shared, their relationship was far less healthy — some might even say toxic — and I love their partnership for it.

Throughout their two seasons together, the Doctor and Clara’s codependency turns destructive — not just for them, but for everyone around them as well. For example, Clara began to lie to her then-boyfriend, fellow teacher Danny Pink, about continuing to see the Doctor. She also lied to the Doctor about Danny, which fuels the antagonistic relationship between the men. They’re both deeply protective of Clara, but also a bit possessive. Even when Clara betrays the Doctor in an attempt to save Danny’s life, he is understandably hurt, but immediately forgives her, stating, “Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?"

This push-and-pull dynamic eventually leads to their undoing, with Clara’s reckless abandon causing her to take on a death countdown meant for another in “Face the Raven” the tenth episode of series 9. Clara is so confident that the Doctor will find a way to save her, as he always does, that she never once entertains the possibility that he can’t. But the countdown reaches zero. She dies.

Clara’s death quickly pushes the Doctor to the extreme, with the Time Lord going through billions of years of torture in the penultimate episode of series 9, “Heaven Sent,” in order to escape and confront the Time Lords in the finale “Hell Bent,” all so he can save Clara’s life. This jaw-dropping two-parter still shocks me even years later, as we see the Doctor go against his own moral code — conspiring to break the universe, and even killing another Time Lord — in a desperate attempt to keep Clara by his side. It’s a mind-blowing display that’s deeply unhealthy… and I loved every single second of it.

The Twelfth Doctor and Clara may not have the epic highs and lows of the love story that was Nine/Ten and Rose, or the found-family charm of Eleven and the Ponds, but its stark contrast to these match-ups makes them one of the most compelling duos that’s ever stepped foot in the TARDIS. There hasn’t been a Doctor/Companion pairing like it since, and even if Doctor Who does make its way back to our screens at some point in the future, I doubt there ever will be. Twelve and Clara were truly one of a kind.

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Doctor Who’s 2005 to 2025 seasons are available to buy via Amazon or Apple. They can also be streamed via AMC+. You can watch the two most recent seasons and some specials on Disney Plus.