Companions

Nitcentral's Bulletin Brash Reflections: Doctor Who: Companions
'I'm Doctor Who. And these are my plucky assistants, Thing One and The Other One. We picked up your distress call, and here we are to help, like awesome heroes.' 'Yeah, we're not assistants.' 'Okay, right, so, so what does he call you? Companions? Pets? Snacks?' 'He calls us friends.'

Ah, those Companions. As vital to Who as the Doctor him/herself? Or just a worthless bunch of ankle-twisting screamers?