Donnatella Moss & Rose Tyler ⇒ pink and yellow

I’m pretty big on both characters, Doctor Who and The West Wing, and I’ve come to really see a lot of parallels between these two. Let go of the context a little, and perhaps you’ll see what I mean. Firstly, there’s the foundation level of flaxen-haired, inquisitive, sympathetic assistant roles. They both start out, arguably, in the shadow of a powerful man to whom their loyalty belongs immediately. Oftentimes, certain situations occur where they act on behalf of the audience by questioning language or references (to alien planets and technology or politics). Very quickly, though, they become much more than that and you get to see the altruistic, compassionate aspects of their character (e.g.s, Rose: Dalek, Donna: The Benign Prerogative). They also begin offering valuable input to The Doctor and Josh respectively, who are, in themselves, relatively similar. That assistant-level role grows to become a covalent bond, a partnership.

Their romantic relationships are quite similar too. I have big shippy feels for both Ten and Rose and Josh and Donna. The Doctor and Josh playing charismatic, often silly, over-confident, show-offy bossyboots roles. There is a term within The West Wing fandom that we regard Josh as a tragedy magnet (x). I don’t think anyone will argue that that could easily apply to The Doctor too. But, Donna and Rose keep their boys happy and together and together they can do important stuff. They are both incredibly intense, all-consuming relationships — and both, sadly, platonic for the overwhelming majority of the time. It creates a really enjoyable, playful banter for both shows though.

Then comes the separation and return. With Rose it was that fateful day on Bad Wolf Bay, without a choice. For Donna it was a reluctant choice decision to part ways with Josh. But, it is the return that provides further similarities. Rose rocks back up with a giant gun, and a seriously bad-ass facial expression to save the world one final time from those pesky daleks! Donna, meanwhile, defies Josh’s self-destructing move of rejecting her and returns to save America once again from those pesky Republicans in the general elections! I did just inadvertently refer to Republicans as daleks, but nevermind. They both return with boldness, refusal to passively accept what ‘should’ happen or how they should behave. They fight for what they believe in, and just prove to complete an arc that spans from happy-go-lucky assistant to seriously fierce head bitch in charge. And, a final parallel is that I love them both very much.