New Companion/s Expectations

[Exterminate]

Ok, so I think the cat is pretty much out of the bag that the companions, or at the very least Rory, will be packing up and heading out of the TARDIS, so what do we want from the next TARDIS occupants?

[poprockgeek]

I'd still really like to have just a male companion with the Doctor - we haven't had that since the show returned & I think it would make a nice change.

Canton would be good 

[Exterminate]

I want River full time, for half a series at least. I wouldnt mind a M/M dynamic in the TARDIS but I don't think they would do it as I think they need a female there. I remember an interview a few years back about how important it is to have a woman in a regular role on the show as a way to draw in more female viewers or something. It might not be the right thing to do but I figure they will stick to that formula

[poprockgeek]

River would be good too.

I'm personally not of the opinion that they need a woman in it to get women to watch (do they actually ask us ladies what we want?!) - just good & interesting stories & characters is all I ask for. Maybe that's just me though - we've already established elsewhere that I'm odd! 

[Exterminate]

I don't think they need a woman, but I do think its good to have that difference. But thats also why I like having two like Amy and Rory, because then you get to see the difference between how they tackle each adventure from a fresh perspective as the Doctor is probably a little jaded by it all now so doesnt really count

[Aneurin]

AK full time would make me all sorts of happy!!

Other than her I want someone either from the past or another planet

[Aneurin]

And preferably female. I dont think the M/M dynamic would work very well

[poprockgeek]

Just me for that then 

It would have to be the right male companion for it to work anyway.

I guess I'm just irked that someone behind the scenes thinks that you need females to get females to watch. I have nothing against female companions I just hate the assumption - not directed at anyone here at all. And it's probably just a hang over from my annoyance with something Matthew Vaughn said about women & the new X-Men film yesterday - I'm slightly sensitive. Apologies 

Someone from the past would be great too. Would make a nice change from 21st century Earth 

[Aneurin]

I read the same thing that Exterminate is talking about. It might have been in The Writers Tale or something. I seem to remember RTD saying it anyway. I don't think it was his opinion though, I think it was one of the early stipulations from the BBC. Whether they still feel the same now though is anyones guess.

If they went with a guy only companion it could work I guess. Right now it's not something I want but if it worked I'm sure it would be great, but like you said it needs to be exactly right and if they mess it up then it won't go down well. They would have to try and do it without any of the sort of 'typical blokey' stereotypes attached.

[poprockgeek]

I kind of suspected it would have come from the BBC rather than the actual DW team. Can't say I'm surprised in all honesty 

[Aneurin]

The BBC are still a bit backwards in their ways I think.

What was the X-Men comment about?

[poprockgeek]

He said he asked Take That to do the music as his strategy to get women to go and see it 

Again probably just me who finds that a smidge insulting cause I was going to go & see it anyway. And if I'm honest, the fact that Take That are doing the music has the opposite effect for me - not what I would have picked for a superhero movie & I'm not keen on the song either.

Still I guess there will be women out there who do go & see it for that reason. And men too I suspect.

[Nyki]

That does sound like some sort of "received media wisdom" thing (is "media wisdom" an oxymoron?) and it's just possible it might have an effect on casual viewers, but I don't think people are nearly as much "men or women" as they seem to assume.

There's never really been just a male companion long term, just a story or so between females (Stephen, Jamie, Adric, Turlough).  I'd be fine with that, if it's the right companion.  I do like the dynamic of having a male and female, though generally I'd rather they were unconnected (I'm fine with Amy and Rory, but I don't want them to repeat it any time soon).  I'd like a non-21st-century-human companion too.  Someone genuinely alien (ie not human-looking) would be interesting, but I'm not sure they'd go for that.  A historical figure would be great too.

[2cajuman2]

Canton ♥

I for one, don't want River full time, I love River, completely and utterly, just prefer her, lack of order and alt timeline and think she works better staying wibbly wobbly not constant, by all means, have her in more Eps, but not whole series constant

I want an alien. I do, I want an alien, I've said it for a long time, I think, even a basic humaniodal alien, with a little difference would do, I mean, it adds a whole new dimension, failing that the classic companion from the past would be fun... Get to play on technology, get someone from, what 1960-70's? Technology is growing, but boom to the future... Reluctant on future kind, could work, but then you'll be working with spoilers half the time, no, they'd stay clear of that...

I do rather hope that they don't stay on track and try and keep the modern link of having a family/background based in Modern England and keep returning to that location, yeah it adds depth and allows an easier connection, but it gets boring!

I think a male companion would be wonderful, be so different and refreshing, doesn't need to be all series, but some of it, very interesting, we are always testing writers abilities with female characters, but I think at the same time, a new angle of man would be interesting...

[Dame Roger]

I do rather hope that they don't stay on track and try and keep the modern link of having a family/background based in Modern England and keep returning to that location, yeah it adds depth and allows an easier connection, but it gets boring!

Completely agree with this. I understand entirely why all the companions since the show came back have been from modern-day Earth, but now that it's been back for a while, and Steven Moffat is getting braver and more ambitious in taking it to new and interesting places, I think it's time to branch out a bit. Have an alien companion, or a human one from an entirely different time. I think the show is sufficiently well-established now for people to not need to see things through the eyes of a companion from the same background as themselves, they're ready for all the main characters to be from somewhere entirely different.
In many ways to do this would would be the bravest decision Moffat (and the BBC bosses, who could presumably veto him if they thought he was going too far) has yet taken, and I hope he goes for it!

[missadric2]

I think the idea of River full time would be good but it does look like they only meet every so often, like popping up now and then so having someone completely different in the TARDIS would be my preference. A male companion would be good to see, just to see how their relationship went, like two best mates having a laugh would certainly be interesting to watch

[Saber]

I'd like someone from the past, but perhaps not too far back, the 60's say. Perhaps something draws the Doctor back to Coal Hill School in 1963 and he ends up taking one of her classmates with him or something

[Exterminate]

I think a companion from the 60's would be great. Just the fact that when the show began airing that was contemporary and now we are seeing it as 'historical' I think is great. It would probably be a bit too fanwanky to have a companion from Coal Hill School though

[Nyki]

I for one, don't want River full time, I love River, completely and utterly, just prefer her, lack of order and alt timeline and think she works better staying wibbly wobbly not constant, by all means, have her in more Eps, but not whole series constant

I completely agree with this.  River's great as a recurring character (like the Master, though on the other side - presumably) but it would destroy the mystery to have her around all the time.

[Tardis-Console]

Someone from the past would be awesome. Also, a genuine looking alien would also be great. Would probably limit Earth stories, but I don't mind that. Someone/thing like Chan Tho or something would be cool