Doctor Who’s First Companion Sets Record Now Unbreakable With 60+ Year Return

Attention: Massive spoilers lie ahead for the sixth episode of season 15 of “Doctor Who,” titled “The Interstellar Song Contest.” In this episode, Carole Ann Ford reprises her role as Susan, breaking a franchise record that appears to be unsurpassable. The inclusion of Ford in the cast of season 15 comes as an unexpected delight, despite Susan having a limited presence in her return appearance. She was instrumental to the early years of “Doctor Who,” serving as the original companion to the Doctor. To this day, Susan stands alone as the only on-screen family member of the Time Lord, being the granddaughter of the First Doctor, William Hartnell’s character.

In “The Interstellar Song Contest”, Susan’s appearance subtly introduces a secondary plot thread that intertwines with the main storyline. By the close of this episode, it remains a bit vague as to how and why Susan is contacting her grandfather. However, this enigma adds to the thrill of Ford’s sudden comeback. Her inclusion in the narrative serves both as an artistic boost for the storytelling and a behind-the-scenes accolade that might forever be attributed to her character.

Susan’s Doctor Who Return Comes Over 60 Years After Her Debut

Carole Ann Ford appeared in the Doctor Who pilot episode & beyond

In a groundbreaking moment on November 23, 1963, the debut episode of “Doctor Who,” titled “An Unearthly Child,” aired for the very first time. This historic broadcast introduced audiences to William Hartnell as the initial manifestation of the Time Lord and Carole Ann Ford as his granddaughter Susan. Remarkably, more than 61 years later, Susan makes another appearance in “The Interstellar Song Contest,” setting a significant milestone for the longevity of her role within the show.

It’s worth mentioning that Carole Ann Ford made a comeback to the series after her character Susan was left behind in 1964 when William Hartnell’s Doctor departed. Significantly, she reappeared in the 1983 special “The Five Doctors” to mark the show’s 20th anniversary. Nevertheless, this doesn’t alter the fact that her subsequent return in 2025 maintains her unique record. Although she has played Susan in numerous Doctor Who audio dramas, the validity of these productions beyond live-action TV episodes is at best unclear.

In the 2022 special “The Power of the Doctor,” Ford lost her title as the companion with the longest gap between first appearance and return in “Doctor Who,” as William Russell briefly reprised his role as Ian Chesterton. Although Russell initially held this record, his return fell just short of the 60-year mark, as he had been part of the show from its beginning in 1963 until leaving in 1965.

It’s Unlikely Any Other Companion Will Return To Doctor Who 60 Years After Their First Episode

Susan will probably hold onto this title forever

In 2024, William Russell, who was part of the original cast for “Doctor Who,” sadly passed away. This leaves Carole Ann Ford as the last surviving member of the initial crew. Consequently, it’s unlikely that any companion from Doctor Who will surpass her record. Frankly, I find it hard to imagine anyone breaking Carole Ann Ford’s remarkable achievement. It’s a feat worthy of admiration, and the fact that she returned to the show is a storyline twist that many long-running TV programs struggle to execute successfully.

As a die-hard Doctor Who fan, I’ve got to share an intriguing thought: If Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan, were to surpass Susan’s record as the character with the most time travel episodes, she would need to make another appearance in 2062. That’s because she first appeared as the Eleventh Doctor’s companion back in 2010. Now, breaking Ford’s record isn’t something that happens every day; it calls for an extraordinary level of sustained success for the show over several decades and a series of unpredictable circumstances that are almost impossible to foresee and orchestrate.

It seems more probable that characters from the early seasons of the show will reappear, portrayed by different actors. This isn’t unprecedented, considering William Hartnell was replaced twice as the First Doctor. Swapping out the Doctor is typically not problematic and is a key aspect of the series, but swapping out companions can be tricky because they don’t possess regenerative abilities like the Doctor does. However, given that Ford’s character in Doctor Who is a direct descendant of the Doctor, this shouldn’t pose a problem regarding regeneration.

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2025-05-19 15:08