Doctor Who IV - Everything Whovian - Would you like a jelly baby?

[Ragdoll]

As for Ace compared to Sarah, I think Ace was really one of the first companions with a more fleshed out backstory and tough persona. It's too bad her arc was sort of abandoned in the TV series, apart from a weird footnote in Sarah Jane Adventures.

That's why Big Finish is so nice to have, they have done so much more with the Ace character than the show ever came close to touching on. I think Ace might be my favorite companion of all time. I'm shocked that, in this age of everything-edgy, there hasn't been any bad ass companions like Ace in the relaunch, who are delinquents and spent their free time before meeting the Doctor blowing things up and dumping beverages on old ladies heads.

[Jim Kelly]

I don't like Sarah Jane. I've just sort of accepted her. I think I've posted on this thread before about that. She has a very artificial way of speaking--there's too much about the presentation of the character that distances me from her to really care. I much prefer Jo Grant--one of my favourites--as is Leela.

I think River/Amy/Rory represents an attempt to try and weave a complex mystery into the series that takes a long time to tell. It's something that holds the whole Amy Pond era together and keeps a new viewer watching to see where it goes. Best not to talk about it too much. Spoilers.

I don't believe in pre-judging stories that haven't been seen yet. Sure, the next Christmas special could be a dud--they often are--but I suspect that Moffat has some idea for what that's about and bringing River Song into it fits with his plan. For all we know, nothing might be what it seems. When Billie Piper showed up in Day of the Doctor she played a very different role from what I expected.

[superupaman]

I've been asking this for the past two seasons: Bring back River (Song or Tam, or both) and take Clara Oswin Oswald! Clara (I can't believe she's the same girl I used to LOVE in her initial episodes) is such a disappointment right now. They really need to write her better or write her off!

[Ragdoll]

They really need to write her better or write her off!

Sometimes I think I dislike her. But when the last Christmas episode ended with the reveal that she was going to stay with the Doctor, I was overwhelmingly happy. That episode had an amazing, emotional ending.

But honestly, Danny was the real co-star of series 9. He was a good mix of Mickey and Rory attributes, only his end was so tragic that it still hasn;t sunk in yet. I keep thinking Moffat tricked us again and that Missy will bring him back as a peace offering. How many times did Rory come back, Danny deserves a chance. And hell, I was bawling like a baby in the series 9 finale when Clara lied to the Doctor and said Danny was still alive and that that was why she was staying. Poor Clara is like a widow now, she learned the hard way what dating a soldier is like. Danny might be my favorite Moffat character yet.

[ChrisIII]

Yeah, I suppose a ressurection for Danny is possible, he's still in the Doctor who version of the afterlife (Although not the Nethersphere which was mainly sort of a "Matrix" that Danny's mind was "Downloaded" to) although he sent back the kid he killed. One of the sneak peak photos from the series does show a skull with what appears to be a metal disc on it, makes me wonder if it's what's left of Danny somehow and might be the key to bringing him back. Some have criticized that it's fairly easy to bring back a Cybermen from the process these days (see Craig and Danny of course), but then again that's kind of what's happened in both the old and new series-Toberman, Lllyton in the old series for example (although they died shortly thereafter)...even the trope of redeemable Daleks has been used in Evil of the Daleks years before the new series made it a thing.

Funny thing about the Christmas specials, with the exception of Christmas Invasion the companions are often sidelined for the 'special guest star', true I think of "Voyage of the Damned" (Although it did have the Wilf appearence) and "The next Doctor", and almost the "Runaway Bride" as well (Although it could be argued RTD intended Donna to return anyway). Moffat's first two specials also do so, with Amy and Rory kind of pushed aside. The formula was sort of repeated for the 2009 specials, "Planet of the Dead" and "Water of Mars" as well, although "End of Time" sort of returned with Donna and wilf and gave her story more closure.

[Jim Kelly]

Oh no. Now you make think about it, this could be a bad omen for Clara. Given what Christmas specials are like and that Jenna Coleman will likely leave the series and given River is already in the afterlife. I don't want to think about it.

Really most DOCTOR WHO Christmas specials haven't been proper Christmas stories. You could argue the point but the Christmas Invasion was the only one that made me feel the holiday spirit.

[Spike-X]

I've been asking this for the past two seasons: Bring back River (Song or Tam, or both) and take Clara Oswin Oswald! Clara (I can't believe she's the same girl I used to LOVE in her initial episodes) is such a disappointment right now. They really need to write her better or write her off!

They need to stop making the show about her and her eccentric time-travelling sidekick, for a start.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

See as far as Clara goes , I do enjoy the character. The only episode I really didn't like in season #8 was the tree episode. The one where the trees are protecting Earth. But I loved where the Doctor posed as the janitor at the school and was so bizarre he showed he can't fit in at all. I like how this older Doctor views Clara as a daughter perhaps. The episode where Danny can't get his acceptance til the end is perfect. He realizes why he can't....no man will ever be perfect enough in the Doctor's eyes for her.

Also the fact I have always had a crush on Coleman. She is a nice looking woman so that helps me enjoy her on Who.

[Jim Kelly]

I'm glad they figured out that having Clara taking care of those two kids was a bad set up and they shifted her to Coal Hill School. Thinking all the way back to the first series, Coal Hill School was a missed chance with Ian and Barbara. Instead of this lost in space set up where they could never find their way back home, I would have rather they got back right away and just kept travelling with the Doctor, because it's fun.

[Ragdoll]

I would have rather they got back right away and just kept travelling with the Doctor, because it's fun.

Ian and Barbara had a much different relationship with the Doctor than any other companion. The Doctor essentially kidnapped them, or, if you believe the Doctor that the TARDIS was just ignoring his orders, then the TARDIS kidnapped them, and they were in a constant state of trying to return home. The Doctor tried to prevent their return at every chance he got, and would take them even mentioning going home as a personal attack. And when they finally found a way back, he didn't even give them a proper send-off. He yelled at them for being ingrates and sent them away mad. Classic Hartnel. His goodbye rant almost felt like Hartnel was talking directly to the actors, calling them idiots for leaving a successful franchise.

I guess the writers hadn't considered that people would actually WANT to be swept away by the Doctor before then, because it was portrayed as a total inconvenience in early seasons. As much as I like the companions that genuinely want to see the universe, there's something about the unwilling companion that is always fun. Like when Rory's dad accidentally got dragged along in Dinosaurs On A Spaceship.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Ian and Barbara had a much different relationship with the Doctor than any other companion. The Doctor essentially kidnapped them, or, if you believe the Doctor that the TARDIS was just ignoring his orders, then the TARDIS kidnapped them, and they were in a constant state of trying to return home. The Doctor tried to prevent their return at every chance he got, and would take them even mentioning going home as a personal attack. And when they finally found a way back, he didn't even give them a proper send-off. He yelled at them for being ingrates and sent them away mad. Classic Hartnel. His goodbye rant almost felt like Hartnel was talking directly to the actors, calling them idiots for leaving a successful franchise.

I guess the writers hadn't considered that people would actually WANT to be swept away by the Doctor before then, because it was portrayed as a total inconvenience in early seasons. As much as I like the companions that genuinely want to see the universe, there's something about the unwilling companion that is always fun. Like when Rory's dad accidentally got dragged along in Dinosaurs On A Spaceship.

I think that the Doctor had basically a very grumpy acceptance of Ian and Barbara. He had traveled for years ...years with Susan. He had became in a sense her grandfather as she called him. He had grown so used to them. Then these 2 strangers come into his place and he really didn't expect to bond with them. But he did. He liked Ian , he wouldn't admit it and he liked Barbara. Its just that he didn't wanna let them go because he had wanted them to keep traveling with him.

Clara reminds me of Susan in a sense. She has became like a relative to this gruff Doctor. So hopefully when she does leave , I'd love to see her leave on an alien world or something like Susan did. She finds some reason to stay there and tells the Doctor she chooses to be there.

[Enigmatic Undead]

New season 9 trailer!

[Ragdoll]

Clara reminds me of Susan in a sense. She has became like a relative to this gruff Doctor. So hopefully when she does leave , I'd love to see her leave on an alien world or something like Susan did. She finds some reason to stay there and tells the Doctor she chooses to be there.

I like this comparison. I hope Capaldi starts calling her his granddaughter, too, just to throw more fuel on the fire for the debate on if Susan was actually his granddaughter or a companion who had been with him a long while. In the series 8 finale, when they showed the Doctor fleeing Gallifray, he did not have Susan in tow. Just retcon it already Moffat. It'll sure piss off Big Finish, who have done a ton of stories that treat her as a Time Lord.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I like this comparison. I hope Capaldi starts calling her his granddaughter, too, just to throw more fuel on the fire for the debate on if Susan was actually his granddaughter or a companion who had been with him a long while. In the series 8 finale, when they showed the Doctor fleeing Gallifrea, he did not have Susan in tow. Just retcon it already Moffat. It'll sure piss off Big Finish, who have done a ton of stories that treat her as a Time Lord.

The whole thing with Susan is something I have read recently. Its seems in the 1960's they never really meant for the Doctor to be her grandfather. But one person working on the show felt it would be weird for a really old man to be traveling with a teenage girl. So she pushed that Susan be his grand daughter. As years passed Ford was asked to be on the 5 Doctors special in 1983. So as she said producers came to her and said they didn't want any mentions of her saying "Grandfather" to the 1st Doctor. She refused and wasn't gonna do the special til they changed their minds.

I believe as she explained they felt it would "age" the Doctor's character as well as them claiming they didn't want him to have any links to having sex then. It was pretty funny.

Now with Clara I don't think he needs to call her daughter or grand daughter. That he feels a bond to her and will feel that connection. When she departs (and lets hope its nothing dumb and over dramatic like we have seen of the last companions) , she will go away happy. If she has found someone to move on , he can say a line how he feels like any parent who watches their child move onto the next phase of life.

I have heard people say they wonder if Coleman will stay around longer. To possibly become the longest running companion in the shows history. (Almost every companion departs after 3 seasons....she is going on #3 right now....will she stay on longer ?)

[saul_on_the_road_to_damascus]

I'm currently attempting a complete reboot rewatch. I'm on partners in crime now and I started monday with Rose. I should be done by the time the premier airs in 2 weeks from today (right?)