Howling:If The Doctor can go anywhere in time and space, then why does he always go to Earth in the 20th/21st century? Even when he is looking for a new companion?

I know there are out-of-universe reasons why The Doctor has mainly human companions and travels to Earth but he always boasts The Tardis can go anywhere in time and space. So why does it feel sometimes like the only places he goes is Earth in the 20th/21st centuries or Earth in particular. If he is going to stick with humans as companions for whatever reason, then at least go to another point in Earth's timeline, e.g. 14th century England or Earth in the 94th century. It just seems a simple and very easy contradiction to make and very easy to notice. I'm just a bit bored now of every companion (main companion) being from the same year in which they are introduced. That's why I like the comics as they can use aliens that are obviously not human like e.g. ice warriors or 12 feet robots. Although for some reason even alien companions are taken to Earth a lot. Think of Torlough. He was a Trion but went to Earth or was involved with humans quite a few times in his travels. It just seems stupid to think one species-humanity-is so important and influential when others seem to come and go as if they're nothing.


 * The simple answer is that he HAS gone to other centuries and planets for Companions, at least in the Classic series (and I'm guessing some novels, too). The new series has featured 21st century Companions but the DWU is much bigger than that. And as far as his travels, he travels widely through time and space from Pompeii until the end of universe. Badwolff ☎  21:59, May 22, 2013 (UTC)


 * One possible rationale for the Earth bit, though not the 20th-21st century bit, & for the difference between the companions of the classic series & those of the revived series is the destruction of Gallifrey. In the classic series, the Doctor still had a home planet, even if he tended to stay away from it as much as possible. In the revived series, he no longer has a home planet & the Earth had become (over the course of the classic series) something of a second home. This rationale hasn't been made explicit but there have been a few hints at it.


 * In the classic series, there were also several companions with anomalous origins. For example, on 20th-century Earth, he gained an alien companion (Vislor Turlough, a Trion); on 13th-century Earth, he gained a shapeshifting robot as a companion (Kamelion); on Svartos in the far future, he gained a 20th-century human companion (Ace).


 * To some extent, it also depends on who is counted as a companion. Astrid Peth, who wasn't human or from Earth, died before she could travel in the TARDIS but she had been invited to do so & had accepted the invitation. The Doctor met Jack Harkness on 20th-century Earth but Jack wasn't a local. River Song is... well, she's not a 20th-21st-century Earth human, even though her parents were.


 * The Paternoster Gang probably don't count as companions -- in most people's opinions, anyway -- but they're certainly close associates of the Doctor. One's a Silurian from about 65 million years ago (but, admittedly, she's from Earth & he met her in the 19th century). One's a 19th-century human, who's the Silurian's wife. And one's a Sontaran.


 * I agree that the range of main companions ought to be more adventurous. To give him due credit, however, Moffat has broadened the selection of the Doctor's associates more than RTD did. What's more, Jack & River, although they were introduced in the RTD era, are both Moffat characters. --2.96.16.178talk to me 23:21, May 22, 2013 (UTC)


 * Badwolff, "he HAS gone to other centuries and planets for Companions, ... (and I'm guessing some novels, too)": I've not ready many of the novels but I've read enough to know your guess is correct. --2.96.17.223talk to me 08:53, May 23, 2013 (UTC)