the companions havent gone anywhere we are still ingame
I like some of the body guards. Vivanne was great. Aeda Brightdawn the Warlock tank who attempted to pull the entire planet, not so much. I was ever grateful for the bodyguard miniaturization device since some of their mounts were WAY too big.
Same in Legion, some of them I liked, some I didn’t. It was nice to have a choice where you could have one actually travel with you, or have one that only popped out once in a while to steal your kill (looking at you Hemet), or on demand emergency help. I loved the equipment that added a bit of pocket change for doing world quests.
I can’t stand any of the ones from Naz. I think the alliance ones have more annoying dialog. The horde ones more annoying abilities. (You STUPID GIANT!!! Why are you killing that tiny snail? What did it do to you??? Now we’re all going to die to the 10,000 naga you’ve attracted while slaughtering a snail. Except you. You’ll disappear when you’re really needed.) Once I got the achievement, I never picked one up again on this toon. I think Blizz did their best to make them as annoying as possible so people would stop asking for body guards ever again.
No, not really, they felt almost as braindead as pets. WoW just don’t work with follower systems, IMO.
I loved them, really helped with classes who needed someone to tank for them.
They didn’t feign with me. I’m glad they’re gone. 
I certainly don’t miss freaking Nesingwary popping up every 30 seconds and screaming THIS ONE COUNTS AS MY KILL.
I also really like stories with characters like chen stormstout and how he came to like you and said he feels better knowing you were at his side.
Or how the shado pan came to respect you and said they would fight with you anyday, it was feel good moments and I wanted to enjoy them longer and have their company with me.
The only one I like was on my mage, who would show up and buff and then disappear. I don’t like pet classes for a reason, so having this thing that you had little control over and was constantly in the way was a nightmare.
We only had them in nazjatar in BFA, but did have them a bit.