Doctor Whois no stranger to life-threatening stakes, but the 2005 revival set a more personal tone over the original run with the shocking death of Clive. Played by Christopher Eccelston,the Ninth Doctor was fresh off of a regenerationand hit the ground running in the wake of the Time War. He was soon joined by long-term companionRose Tyler (Billie Piper)and part-time ally Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke). Together, they find themselves embroiled in a plot overseen by the Nestene Consciousness and carried out by its Autons posing as store mannequins. It is Clive, however, that left a mark on countless fans around the world.
Where Rose and Mickey carry over intoDavid Tennant’sDoctor Whoera, Clive wasn’t so fortunate. Played by Mark Benton, Clive is introduced as something of an audience surrogate. He is aslearned about The Doctor as long-time fans of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s eras are. As such, he is a fount of knowledge and thus feels like somebody destined to travel in the TARDIS one day. Unfortunately, in one of manylong-runningDoctor Whotropesfor his first era, showrunner Russell T. Davies had an entirely different fate in mind for Clive, and it was one that set the stage for the future.
Clive’s Death Was A Shocking Moment In Doctor Who Season 1, Episode 1
Clive’s Own Words Turned Out To Be Prophetic
Having tracked The Doctor and his many faces across time and space, Clive was quick to warn Rose. Clive knew thatwherever The Doctor went, death and destruction tended to follow. Those words were meant to reflect the danger Rose was in by teaming up with The Doctor. Ultimately, however, it was Clive himself that served as proof of that fact. As the Nestene Consciousness sought to complete its invasion, Clive was gunned down in front of his wife and child. The devastating moment helped to solidify season 1 as one ofDoctor Who’s best seasonsdue to being utterly gasp-worthy.
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Whether it’s on or off-screen, some Doctor Who companions' best stories happen after they decide to depart the TARDIS and say goodbye to their Doctor.
Clive’s Brutal Ending Was An Early Sign That Doctor Who’s Modern Era Wanted To Break Your Heart
Clive Was The First To Meet Such A Fate But He Was Far From The Last
Clive’s death was as heartbreaking as it was brutally unceremonious, to see someone so much like a member of the fandom meet their end. Early on, it punctuated the fact that no supporting character was safe. While The Doctor has a high degree of plot armor,everybody else was fair game — including companions and those with the potential to be. Russell T. Davies struck a chord early and signified that his version ofDoctor Whowas going to be grounded as much in heart-wrenching personal stakes as it would deliver epic science-fiction spectacle.
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Setting the show apart from the original run, Russell T. Davies could rivalThe Doctor’s own kill count. Clive was the first of many. Where minor characters from the original run could be thinly drawn, RTD imbued many with humanity and pathos. There was Lynda Moss inDoctor Whoseason 1, episode 12, “Bad Wolf.” There was Astrid in the Christmas special “Voyage of the Damned.” And there was the tragically nameless Hostess inDoctor Whoseason 4, episode 10, “Midnight.” However, the wholeDoctor Whotrend all started with Clive and the modern era wouldn’t be the same without him and the precedent he set.
