Doctor Who’s Rory Actor Has 1 Critique About Matt Smith Era, 11 Years After Companion Exit

Doctor Who companion actor Arthur Darvill has one complaint about the disappointing way that Rory Williams was handled during the Matt Smith era.

While one Doctor Who star enjoyed his time on the show, there is one problem he had with the Matt Smith era. During Matt Smith’s early seasons, Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) served as the Eleventh Doctor’s first companions. They stayed on for several seasons before eventually exiting after being trapped in a crisis induced by Weeping Angels.

As the cast of Doctor Who season 14 prepares for its time in the spotlight, Arthur Darvill has been reflecting on his own experience with the show. In an interview with RadioTimes.com, Darvill explained the one thing he had an issue with during his era — Rory’s lack of any true presence in the narrative. He believes that Rory had a perfect arc, leaving him with no regrets, but he wishes he had a few more lines. Check out his quote below:

There were some episodes where I did just end up standing in the background nodding, so I would have given myself more lines! But no, [I wouldn’t change anything], those bits actually just helped his character arc because he ended up being a bit of a third wheel at times and then he had to really prove himself. I think it’s a pretty perfect story arc, I’ve got no regrets really, which is really rare.

Rory’s Relatively Minor Role In Doctor Who Explained

Many companions leave an eternal mark on Doctor Who, such as Rose, who forever changed the Doctor into a fairly down-to-earth and romantic figure. Adric proved that the Doctor could not always protect his companions, who could easily die in the line of duty. Susan was the reason that the Doctor connected to humanity in the first place, while Jack Harkness and Sarah Jane Smith had spin-off shows dedicated to them.

Unfortunately, Rory never had those same opportunities. He was always a relatively minor figure in the grand scheme of the Doctor’s universe since he often stood in the twin shadows of Amy and the Doctor. His biggest moment came when he chose to stand guard over Pandora’s box for 2,000 years, but he rarely had a chance after that.

In honor of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, it is worth reviewing that Rory never really had the opportunity to shine the way that Amy or Clara did. The Matt Smith era used Rory as a tool to further Amy’s story. Rory did not need the spotlight, however, because his role was simply to prove just how far Amy had grown over the years. Not everyone in Doctor Who needs to be a star, and Rory is the perfect example.