Being Married In The TARDIS

[Tardis-Console]

After finally watching Jo's exit story, and remaining relatively spoiler free about how and why it occured, I have to admit it made her appearance in SJA seem even more sad. She makes a comment there about how the only reason she left was because she got married and seems saddened by the fact that he was now travelling with a married couple. I always thought it was a sad scene but never fully appreciated why until now. I know it was never said, but now I can't help thinking that perhaps the Doctor told her she couldn't travel with him any more because she had met/married this man. What do you think?

[Nyki]

I've never got that impression.  It seems more that Jo and Cliff had their own project and their own journey, and the Doctor simply accepted that.  Also, remember that the Doctor wasn't travelling constantly at this time - he was working for UNIT, and (presumably) she'd resigned from her job with them.  It was definitely presented as her decision to leave.

[TheDoctorDonna]

I can understand, based on the SJA conversation, why it would seem that way, but based on this story I would say it was her choice to leave. I think more than anything she probably just assumed she wouldn't be able to travel any more because she married, rather than the Doctor saying she/they couldn't. I think in SJA she was just more disapointed that he never returned for her like he promised he would.

[Roranicus]

I think in SJA she was just more disapointed that he never returned for her like he promised he would.

Exactly this. She says something to him like 'did you think I was stupid? Is that why you never came back?', which in itself was a heartbreaking scene. I think once she knew he had been back to Sarah Jane more than once she began to wonder why he had never been back to her. I think the comment about being married was more a shock that it was allowed and that the Doctor would go for it, rather than wishing she could have done the same, or even wanted to.

[Aneurin]

In this story the Doctor asked her to join him on another adventure and she was the one who said she wanted to stay and get married. It's possible she didn't know she could take Cliff with her but they were all set to go up the Amazon and she seemed pretty sure that she wasn't going to be travelling with the Doctor. More importantly, it very much seemed like it was her choice. I think Roranicus is right in that in SJA she was more dissapointed that he had never checked in on her again.

[Exterminate]

I would say it was her choice to stay behind. The stuff in SJA confuses it slightly, but doesnt change whar we see in this story

[Tardis-Console]

Perhaps I was just looking at it in the wrong way. It had been a while since I saw DOTD but it's just how it made me think about it. I like how it all ties in though, all the same