The Five Companions

Bonus Release

Released: 11 December 2011

Listened: 11/30/19

This special release takes place in the middle of “The Five Doctors,” specifically while the Fifth Doctor is fooling around with the transmat in the Capitol. It features Ian, Steven, Sara, Polly, and Nyssa, so definitely weighted toward the First Doctor era. It’s nice to see the interactions handled realistically -- some companions know each other, and some know about regeneration -- but mostly it’s nice to see the characters behaving very much like their younger selves, while still acknowledging that they’re older, and not as physically capable as they once were. It’s especially nice for the Doctor to acknowledge Polly’s role on her team. This story was made before the Early Adventures and other series put a spotlight on these early companions, so it was probably nice in 2011 to see them get some attention.