The Next Companion?

OK, so in 2010 there will be a new Companion character travelling with the brand spanking new Doctor#11. Rumour has it that this character will not be the usual contemporary woman, but someone from the past. Personally, I want it to be 1960's dollybird character in the same vain as Polly from the Troughton years. From the past, but not too far in the past that everything in the modern World has to be explained in great detail. Someone who thinks she is really far out and radical, but is in reality horribly old-fashioned. And of course, being a 1960's dollybird, she will wear extremely short skirts.

I'd like to see The Doctor have both a male and female companion.

The Browncoat Cat wrote:OK, so in 2010 there will be a new Companion character travelling with the brand spanking new Doctor#11. Rumour has it that this character will not be the usual contemporary woman, but someone from the past. Personally, I want it to be 1960's dollybird character in the same vain as Polly from the Troughton years. From the past, but not too far in the past that everything in the modern World has to be explained in great detail. Someone who thinks she is really far out and radical, but is in reality horribly old-fashioned. And of course, being a 1960's dollybird, she will wear extremely short skirts.

Madonna?

Aspadistra wrote:

The Browncoat Cat wrote:OK, so in 2010 there will be a new Companion character travelling with the brand spanking new Doctor#11. Rumour has it that this character will not be the usual contemporary woman, but someone from the past. Personally, I want it to be 1960's dollybird character in the same vain as Polly from the Troughton years. From the past, but not too far in the past that everything in the modern World has to be explained in great detail. Someone who thinks she is really far out and radical, but is in reality horribly old-fashioned. And of course, being a 1960's dollybird, she will wear extremely short skirts.

Madonna?

Ach-y-fi.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:I'd like to see The Doctor have both a male and female companion.

The problem is now that the Doctor appears to be "young and pretty", a male companion is a bit superfuluos. I mean, look at how under-used Jack has been whenever he returns to the mother series.

The Browncoat Cat wrote:The problem is now that the Doctor appears to be "young and pretty", a male companion is a bit superfuluos. I mean, look at how under-used Jack has been whenever he returns to the mother series.

Good point. I actually think we were seeing the end of the young male companion even earlier than that - with RTD well and truly setting the concept up as a non starter by his use of Adam.

I want to see a female and male companion team. Could work. I think Sarah and Harry were a really good setup so something like that only more modern day would be fine for me.

Johnstone wrote:I want to see a female and male companion team. Could work. I think Sarah and Harry were a really good setup so something like that only more modern day would be fine for me.

Don't think it's going to happen for a number of reasons, youngster. First, there's the Cat's excellent points and then there's something else to consider: these days the companion figure is much more a genuine co-star rather than an old fashioned sidekick. Three co-stars for a prolonged period is both expensive and difficult to maintain. Especially with a young, dashing Doctor as the central figure.

Sid Seadevil wrote:

Johnstone wrote:I want to see a female and male companion team. Could work. I think Sarah and Harry were a really good setup so something like that only more modern day would be fine for me.

Don't think it's going to happen for a number of reasons, youngster. First, there's the Cat's excellent points and then there's something else to consider: these days the companion figure is much more a genuine co-star rather than an old fashioned sidekick. Three co-stars for a prolonged period is both expensive and difficult to maintain. Especially with a young, dashing Doctor as the central figure.

That's a very fair point. However if there's any weight in this older Doctor rumour...

Johnstone wrote:That's a very fair point. However if there's any weight in this older Doctor rumour...

Oh, I think it's a dead certain that whoever the new Doctor eventually proves to be he's not going to be so old that he isn't more than capable of swashing his own buckle with suitable aplomb.

Sid Seadevil wrote:

Johnstone wrote:That's a very fair point. However if there's any weight in this older Doctor rumour...

Oh, I think it's a dead certain that whoever the new Doctor eventually proves to be he's not going to be so old that he isn't more than capable of swashing his own buckle with suitable aplomb.

I wonder how an older companion would work? Something like Evelyn, I think she worked really well in the BF's.

Johnstone wrote:I wonder how an older companion would work? Something like Evelyn, I think she worked really well in the BF's.

I'd certainly like to see one - but I very much doubt we will. Younger Doctor = even younger companion. Tis the way of modern television, sadly.

Sid Seadevil wrote:

Johnstone wrote:I want to see a female and male companion team. Could work. I think Sarah and Harry were a really good setup so something like that only more modern day would be fine for me.

Don't think it's going to happen for a number of reasons, youngster. First, there's the Cat's excellent points and then there's something else to consider: these days the companion figure is much more a genuine co-star rather than an old fashioned sidekick. Three co-stars for a prolonged period is both expensive and difficult to maintain. Especially with a young, dashing Doctor as the central figure.

Also, look at how much trouble they had finding something for both companions to do in a standard-length classic series story, then imagine how difficult it would be if thetime was halved again.

Doc Filth wrote:Also, look at how much trouble they had finding something for both companions to do in a standard-length classic series story, then imagine how difficult it would be if thetime was halved again.

Another very good point. If you take all these disparate points together they make a pretty compelling argument for why a regular three person Doctor/Boy/Girl team simply couldn't be sustained in the modern series.

Hey Johnstone, stop copying my posts!!!

Hey C=O, stop copying my posts!!!

The Co=Ordinator wrote:Hey Johnstone, stop copying my posts!!!

The cheek of the nipper! :p

Johnstone wrote:Hey C=O, stop copying my posts!!!

Copying your posts. Why that danged scamp! :p

Bloody hell. I feel a chronic hysteresis coming on..............

The Co=Ordinator wrote:Bloody hell. I feel a chronic hysteresis coming on..............

Take a smartie and lie down for five minutes. If you feel no better after that. Tough.

Sid Seadevil wrote:

Johnstone wrote:I want to see a female and male companion team. Could work. I think Sarah and Harry were a really good setup so something like that only more modern day would be fine for me.

Don't think it's going to happen for a number of reasons, youngster. First, there's the Cat's excellent points and then there's something else to consider: these days the companion figure is much more a genuine co-star rather than an old fashioned sidekick. Three co-stars for a prolonged period is both expensive and difficult to maintain. Especially with a young, dashing Doctor as the central figure.

I think that the Doctor has to be First Amongst Equals, so whilst the companion or companions appear to be his equal, when it comes to the crunch, the Doctor is always the most important character, that if it was not for him, then the companions just would be a bit rubbish. He is The Doctor, he is the man who makes people better, so he will always be the centre of attention.

The Browncoat Cat wrote:I think that the Doctor has to be First Amongst Equals, so whilst the companion or companions appear to be his equal, when it comes to the crunch, the Doctor is always the most important character, that if it was not for him, then the companions just would be a bit rubbish. He is The Doctor, he is the man who makes people better, so he will always be the centre of attention.

Certainly that's ideally how it should be - but that's something that might prove problematical to maintain using the modern model. Especially when, over time, you possibly run the risk of finding yourself with a companion/co-star who's popularity threatens to equal or even eclipse that of the actor playing the Doctor.

You know, it occurs to me that there is another problem with having two companions (whether the second companion is male or female), and it stems from something I read in "Sphere." In the book, as the characters in the story began meeting sticky ends, we get left with three characters for the climax of the story. Michael Crichton posed the theory that three is an inherently unstable number for a group, particularly a group being exposed to stressful situations, because you have shifting allegiences.

I don't know how translatable that theory would be in a Doctor Who context, but it's at least worth offering up for discussion: how would having more than one companion effect the traditional Doctor/Companion dynamic?

Jealousy. Great big heaps and lashings of jealousy.

Lucy McGough wrote:Jealousy. Great big heaps and lashings of jealousy.

What the duce are you feeling jealous about, Minor?