Tegan Jovanka’s arrival in Doctor Who in 1981 was a breath of fresh, albeit sometimes exasperated, air. Stepping into the TARDIS almost by accident in “Logopolis,” she mirrored the audience’s initial bewilderment and wonder, much like Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright did in the very first Doctor Who serial, “An Unearthly Child.” While the circumstances differed – by the 1980s, viewers were well-versed in the TARDIS’s quirks – Tegan’s initial experience brought back a sense of the unfamiliar and even hostile nature of the Doctor’s world, a feeling somewhat lost as the show progressed.
Tegan’s introduction is visceral. Lost and scared within the TARDIS corridors, she’s a stark contrast to the seasoned travelers viewers were accustomed to. Her raw fear and understandable confusion, exemplified by her nervous introduction into the TARDIS communicator, immediately resonated with audiences. She wasn’t a scientist, a Time Lord, or even particularly adventurous by nature. Tegan was, in essence, an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary situations, making her instantly relatable and compelling. This grounded perspective was a powerful tool, allowing viewers to experience the Doctor’s universe through the eyes of someone just as bewildered as they might be.
In those early episodes of “Logopolis,” Tegan’s character was rapidly established as multifaceted. She cycled through a range of emotions – happiness, sarcasm, anger, fear, frustration, excitement, and humor – all within a short span. This emotional range, vividly portrayed by Janet Fielding, solidified Tegan as a believable and deeply human character, a quality arguably unmatched by any companion before her. This realism made her not just believable, but intensely interesting, leading many to consider Tegan Jovanka as one of the most captivating companions Doctor Who has ever produced. Despite her significant presence throughout the Fifth Doctor’s era, often compared in length to Jamie McCrimmon or Sarah Jane Smith’s tenures, Tegan’s profound impact is sometimes understated.
Often simplistically labeled as “feisty,” Tegan’s character is far more nuanced. While she certainly possessed a fiery spirit, a trait shared with companions like Ace, Tegan’s “feistiness” was rooted in a more complex emotional landscape. Unlike Ace’s almost gleeful embrace of danger, Tegan’s courage was often born from necessity, masking a deeper vulnerability. She wasn’t fearless; she was brave in spite of her fear, a far more relatable and human form of heroism.
A prime example of this is in “Earthshock.” Tegan, insisting on accompanying soldiers, almost immediately regrets her decision, famously declaring herself “just a mouth on legs.” Yet, moments later, she demonstrates surprising bravery, seizing a Cyberman’s weapon and destroying it. This contrast – her bravado and her underlying fear – is what makes Tegan so compelling. She’s not presented as a superhero, but as someone who rises to the occasion despite her very human anxieties and limitations. Her courage is all the more admirable precisely because she isn’t depicted as inherently tough or exceptionally intelligent. Could anyone, truly, figure out a Cyber-gun in such a chaotic situation? Tegan’s impulsive action, born from fear and desperation, highlights her very real, very human courage.
This vulnerability is further explored through Tegan’s relationships. Her friendships, particularly with Nyssa, revealed a fiercely loyal and deeply caring woman. In “Castrovalva,” the Doctor even acknowledges her coordinating abilities, assigning her a central role in the TARDIS team. Despite her outward bravado, moments of near-collapse, hints of “I can’t do this!” bubbling beneath the surface, underscored her humanity and made her the emotional anchor in the often turbulent TARDIS environment, especially in the early Fifth Doctor episodes.
Tegan’s complex personality extended to her interactions with other companions. Her prickly relationship with Turlough and Adric, while sometimes abrasive, added an interesting dynamic to the TARDIS crew. While she often clashed with them, these tensions humanized her further. Moments of genuine connection shone through, particularly in the aftermath of Adric’s tragic death in “Earthshock.” Tegan’s raw grief and demand for answers from the Doctor, followed by her emotional collapse into Nyssa’s arms, is a powerful display of her deeply felt emotions. Similarly, Nyssa’s departure in “Terminus” became as much about the breaking of their friendship as Nyssa leaving the Doctor, with Tegan’s tearful reaction underscoring the depth of their bond, making it a profoundly poignant scene.
Tegan’s own departure in “Resurrection of the Daleks” remains one of the most impactful companion exits in Doctor Who history. Unlike more dramatic farewells, Tegan’s was abrupt and understated, making it all the more powerful. It highlighted the deep, if sometimes turbulent, friendship she had forged with the Doctor, especially after Nyssa’s departure. Her simple statement, “It’s stopped being fun,” belied a deeper, more complex disillusionment. It wasn’t just the accumulated trauma and violence; it was a growing unease with the Doctor’s methods, a sense that he was becoming someone she no longer recognized or admired.
This departure scene hints at a deeper, perhaps unspoken, connection between Tegan and the Doctor. Were their feelings purely platonic? The text hints at something more, a possible romantic undercurrent on Tegan’s side. Their age proximity, their close bond, and the Doctor’s own admission that Tegan sometimes “takes his breath away” suggest a dynamic beyond simple friendship. Did Tegan leave because the Doctor, the man she admired, perhaps even harbored deeper feelings for, revealed a darker side, becoming “Davros’s executioner”? This interpretation adds layers to her departure, making it not just a rejection of violence, but a deeply personal and emotional parting. The Doctor’s almost desperate plea, “don’t leave, not like this,” and Tegan’s whispered, “Doctor, I will miss you,” as she returns briefly, further fuel this intriguing possibility.
Tegan Jovanka was a character of contradictions: brave yet frightened, outspoken yet insecure, angry yet tender. Her complexity and plausibility are what made her so captivating. Even small moments, like her frustrated “rabbits!” while struggling with a filing cabinet in “Frontios,” grounded her in relatable human behavior. These moments of realism, amidst the fantastical backdrop of Doctor Who, made Tegan resonate with viewers in a way few companions have.
While many companions have returned to the Doctor Who universe, Tegan’s post-TARDIS life remains largely unexplored. What happened to her after she walked away into London? Did she return to her air hostess job? Did her experiences with the Doctor forever alter her perspective? Perhaps, some questions are best left unanswered, allowing Tegan Jovanka to remain a compelling enigma, a testament to the power of a truly human companion in the vast and often inhuman world of Doctor Who. Her legacy isn’t just as a “moaning Australian,” but as a complex, believable, and profoundly human character who challenged the Doctor and resonated deeply with audiences, making her an unforgettable part of the Doctor Who tapestry.
