Doctor Who season 14 has confirmed one significant character return, and their presence promises to bring back even more classic companions.
The presence of an old friend in Doctor Who season 14 means even more classic companions could return to the sci-fi TV show in 2024 and beyond. For any actor, joining the world of Doctor Who means a job for life. Between multi-Doctor stories and Big Finish audios, no actor is ever truly finished with Doctor Who, and that has proven especially true for companions. In the main TV Show, Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith, Sophie Aldred's Ace, and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble are just some of the Doctor Who companions who have made comebacks at one time or another.
Thanks to one key addition, the classic companion floodgates could open further in Doctor Who season 14. Among the various characters confirmed to appear alongside Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor, Jemma Redgrave will reprise her role as UNIT leader Kate Stewart. While any appearance by a Lethbridge-Stewart in Doctor Who is always welcome, the CSO could potentially have a knock-on effect that brings more classic companions back into Doctor Who.
Kate Stewart Could Use Doctor Who's Companion Support Group In Season 14
Kate Stewart last appeared in Jodie Whittaker regeneration story "The Power of the Doctor," bringing returning companions Ace and Janet Fielding's Tegan along with her. The episode explained that Stewart's UNIT had been hiring "freelancers" with experience in extraterrestrial threats - in other words, anyone with TARDIS miles behind them. The final moments in "The Power of the Doctor" then revealed a companion support group had been established by Thirteenth Doctor pal Graham. Kate Stewart was present at the meeting, and these "dumped-by-the-Doctor" gatherings provide the perfect opportunity for UNIT to find new freelance recruits.
For the first time in Doctor Who, companions are organized and connected into a proper social network - and Kate Stewart has their phone numbers. Now she no longer needs to go hunting for ex-companions; Kate Stewart can bring any living Doctor Who companion with her into season 14 as a UNIT consultant. That process has potentially already started, as Bonnie Langford's Mel has already been announced for a Fifteenth Doctor team-up. Since Mel was present at the companion support meeting in "The Power of the Doctor," she may be Kate Stewart's latest assistant.
Which Doctor Who Companions Should Return Alongside Kate Stewart
As long as Kate Stewart is in Doctor Who, classic companions will now follow, and season 14 does not need to stop at Mel. The most obvious inclusion would be Susan, who has the added benefit of being a Time Lord herself. Doctor Who canon left Susan's story largely unresolved, but Russell T. Davies cryptically teased her return back in January, and original actress Carole Ann Ford has expressed interest in a comeback. Since fellow First Doctor companion Ian joined Kate Stewart at the support group, he could potentially put her in touch with the Doctor's own granddaughter.
A slightly more complicated comeback, albeit a much-needed one, would be Jamie McCrimmon, played by Frazer Hines. Before the tragedy of Donna Noble, Jamie suffered a similarly upsetting fate in Doctor Who. After traveling with the Second Doctor for much of his regeneration, the Time Lords forced Jamie to forget everything and return to his own timeline in the past, despite Jamie firmly believing he would remain by the Doctor's side forever. Since other companions have surely heard of Jamie, it is feasible that UNIT could bring him into the 2020s and restore his memories if they need specialist knowledge on the Great Intelligence, or another Second Doctor foe.