back to article Dr Who scores new companion from Emmerdale

Former Emmerdale actress Jenna-Louise Coleman has been selected to play the latest assistant to Gallifreyan Time Lord Dr Who, beginning with the 50th anniversary Christmas special at the end of the year. Coleman is best known for her four-year stint as Jasmine Thomas, the recalcitrant school-girl turned journalist who battered …

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  1. Tezfair
    FAIL

    Dr No

    After Tennant left so did I

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      eye candy?

      But just cannot act.

      Disaster.

      1. Robert E A Harvey
        Paris Hilton

        @AC 20:37

        Whereas Billy Piper looked like the south end of a north-bound warthog? But is spoken of in hushed whispers to become Dame Lianne Piper?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: @AC 20:37

          > Billy Piper looked like the south end of a north-bound warthog

          Sounds and "acts" like one, as well.

        2. h4rm0ny

          Re: @AC 20:37

          Have you ever seen her apart from such roles. If you want to see how good an actress she is, watch the New Earth episode where she's possessed by another person. Her behaviour, voice, manner is all completely different.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: @AC 20:37

            > Have you ever seen her apart from such roles.

            Oh yes, unfortuantely. She's unmistakable, since she only knows how to be Billy Piper, and has that toe-curling estuary bleat in every role. As Dorothy Parker once said (of Katherine Hepburn?) she can run a whole gamut of emotions, from A to B.

            1. h4rm0ny

              Re: Estuary Twang

              Right - as I thought. Despite you saying you've seen her in varied roles, you plainly haven't. Here's an interview with her where you can hear her actual, natural voice. She's not quite the Queen, but she's pretty far from the character and voice she plays as Rose. The way she talks in Doctor Who is NOT her natural voice, this is:

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk34lKIa5aE&feature=related

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      maybe with the

      BBC cutbacks there was no money left to pay someone decent?

    3. SleepyJohn
      FAIL

      Re: Dr No

      And me. When the Doctor's flippancy was a protective mask for deep feeling it worked well. Now that it simply masks infantile stupidity it does not. And as for the Debilitating Duo; well, they all suit each other, don't they?

      I tried to like it, and persevered until I was expected to believe that the gormless Amy had a greater understanding of a deep, most complex cosmic issue than a 900 year-old Time Lord. Then I reached for the OFF button.

      The prospect of a new companion who not only looks like the Awful Amy but sounds even more obnoxious is not likely to encourage me back.

    4. h4rm0ny
      Mushroom

      Re: Dr No

      Tennant was great. But so is Matt Smith. When he's given good episodes, he's actually great. But after enjoying most of Season 5 a lot (finalé was a bit magicy-wagicy), Season 6 was mostly awful. I'm really tired of Stephen Moffat projecting his sexual fetishes onto the story. He clearly has a thing for males being bossed around / made fools of / upstaged by females. I don't care about that in general, but the Doctor is supposed to be the brilliant character in this and maybe for those who want to fantasize about River Song, they like that. But seeing the violent psychopath (she even does that stupid shooting people behind her without looking thing) drag around the lead character like she's his spoiled younger mistress just really undermines the character and makes it harder for people to respect him / relate to him. I have this horrible feeling that Moffat thinks he's doing women a favour in showing an over-powering female character repeatedly treat the Doctor like dirt. Hint: that's about as enticing as it would be for a male audience to see, I don't know, a male lover continually upstage and belittle Lara Croft. Guys wouldn't go "Ooh, I feel empowered because someone of my gender is upstaging the sexy lead I like". Same thing with women and the Doctor. (Note: general comment - countless exceptions exist and no-doubt will say so).

  2. oregonensis
    FAIL

    Ugh. After watching a YouTube interview with her, I have drawn the conclusion that Rebecca Black has been cast in this role. She did "excitement, excitement" ("we so excited") and also "fun" ("fun fun fun"). I question her judgment in saying that the current cast is her favorite as well -- obviously the best Doctor/companion duo was Pertwee with Jo Grant -- but more importantly, she *likes* the snivel fest that Moffat has dumped on us? At least Karen Gillan is my type, but really a good companion should hold an advanced degree in science and/or (believable) ass-kicking.

    1. RachelG
      Joke

      Oh come on...

      She's young, I think we can forgive her a little display of excitement about being offered the Companion role on one of our most iconic TV shows. Us old farts and fartessas who've been offered that role *hundreds* of times are bound to get a bit blasé about it, and forget how exciting it all was the first time.

      :-P

    2. ThomH

      Are you kidding? Even if you restrict yourself to the Pertwees then I'd still pick either of the others above Jo Grant. And I wouldn't even go Pertwee if given free choice — his stuff always appears to be self consciously trite.

      Sadly for us, it doesn't appear that having strong opinions in this area is helpful in securing the job.

      1. Blubster

        @ ThomH

        You bastard . You're talking about the woman I love :o)

      2. oregonensis
        Childcatcher

        Fine-- pick Liz or Sarah Jane or even another Doctor. That's not really what's at stake, even if my tastes are a bit trite. My point was just that she's picked easily one of the worst eras in Doctor Who. The most hopeful reading sees this as just sucking up to the boss, but I know there are plenty of people out there who genuinely like the current state of fandom-as-canon. I'm disappointed that someone can accept and even praise a decline from Holmes's intended audience of mature adolescents to the current emotionally-stunted [age of Moffat's kid] year-olds.

      3. oregonensis

        You're right that it isn't helpful in getting the job. It shouldn't be either. Some of the better actors on uber-fan series have come to the role without knowing much if anything about their larger fictional universes, and most of the Who geeks I know would make for horrible actors. My complaint isn't that she's wrong about who the best Doctor and companion are, it's that if she thinks the current series is just fine, she'll uncritically accept scripts as bad as the ones that are on now. To be clear, I've been OK with Matt Smith from the start. He fits the role quite well, but the stories and dialogue he has to work with generally are no good, and he likes the current state of things, so no one's saying, "are you serious?" to the showrunners.

        1. ThomH

          I think I was overly negative before; to pick a favourite set I'd go Baker + Sarah Jane + Harry. I seriously considered Troughton + Jamie but couldn't pick a favourite third (or third and fourth).

          That being said, another thing I can't be that negative about is the current cast, as I think they're all excellent. I'm not willing to say the same about the stories. I'm finding one or two episodes a year to be really good television and most of the rest to be, well, like they want to be Lost but without any discipline. If you're going to invest in story arcs then there's only so many times you can cheat the audience by answering a question with a question or by inserting some get out of jail free nuance into established events before it just becomes impossible to suspend disbelief.

          1. Tom 13

            I'd agree that all of Bakers companions

            until Cedric were good ones. But let's face it, if you're really looking for the one companion who could always keep up, it wasn't a he or a she, it was K9 in any incarnation.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Holmes

      Who's better, Who's best

      "...obviously the best Doctor/companion duo was Pertwee with Jo Grant..."

      Pertwee gets my runner up prize. But 'any fule kno' the only 'real' Dr. Who was Tom Baker.

      ...And I see your Jo Grant and raise you Romana [V1] and Leela.

      1. Will Godfrey Silver badge
        Thumb Up

        Re: Who's better, Who's best

        Oh spot on sir!

      2. Steve Evans

        Re: Who's better, Who's best

        Now I like Pertwee, and I like Baker - but which one is better?

        There's only one way to fine out...

      3. VinceH

        Re: Who's better, Who's best

        You appear to have made a typo. Clearly V1 should read V2.

        1. Tom 13

          @VinceH

          Nope, while it is true that Baker actually married V2, her portrayal was greatly inferior to V1. V1 actually exceeded the doctor in knowledge and skill, at least in the first episodes before the writers started dumbing her down. By V2 the transformation was complete except for an occasional throw-away. And I think V1 was the prettier of the two too.

          1. Sir Runcible Spoon

            Re: @VinceH

            +1 for the sheer refreshment of seeing someone spell to/two/too correctly.

      4. Dave Bell

        Re: Who's better, Who's best

        Sarah Jane has to be on any sane shortlist. Who might win from such a shortlist maybe depends just how old we were when they first appeared.

  3. Fractured Cell

    Well, Dr. Who was fun while it lasted.

  4. Cliff

    Give the girl a chance! She may be brilliant - I didnt hold much hope for Smith and rather enjoy him now.

    1. Kevin 6

      True

      I thought (like quite a few others) smith would be crap due to how he looked like some emo kid who would stand around reading bad poetry, and slit his wrist from the pictures of him used when they made the announcement.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        and

        you were right. Well done sir!

  5. This post has been deleted by its author

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    never liked

    Tennant, just too smooth chinned.

    Now Mat Smith has that quirky style that the Doctor needs.

    Eccleston was close to the darkside but he should have done another series.

    As to Karen Gillan=wooden

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: never liked

      "As to Karen Gillan=wooden"

      Or was wooden the response to her outfits?

    2. Fogcat

      Re: never liked

      Ditto-ed for Mr Ecclestone, I really would have liked to have seen him do another series, the dark tone had great promise for a new slant with the re-vamped series and he had the potential to be up there with Mr Baker.

      1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge
        Trollface

        Another +1 for Ecclestone

        I'd like to have seen Ecclestone do more. He was the first one that arrested the downward trend started by Patrick Troughton...

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Is that

    a sonic screwdriver in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Should have been Carey Mulligan

    Who played Sally Sparrow in the excellent Blink episode.

    (http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Sally_Sparrow)

    She's probably too famous now, pity - brains, beauty and could act.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Should have been Carey Mulligan

      Amen to that one. They couldn't afford her now though.

  9. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    Meh

    Hmm.

    Pretty face, but that's about it really.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

    After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing... it went down-hill.

    When Dr Who was brought back with Christopher Eccleston there was some quite brilliant sub-plots woven through the series. Bad Wolf, The Face of Bow, The Dr Donna, The ever beating drums, must rank as exceptional story telling.. but the gradual development of the messiah complex meant it was always going to be hard to continue (without wandering into heresy of Dr Who was Jesus).

    Without the Epiphany, the story has hit a wall just died and should be given a decent burial..

    .. but when’s the next series of Torchwood coming round?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

      Torchwood = too many gay references. I mean every bloody episode. Ruined the story for me - stopped watching it.

      I like watching Dr Who though (and not for the totty either, police woman's outfit or not).....

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

        > Torchwood = too many gay references

        If you were to believe a certain serial pirate bay commenter, Dr. Who (or should that be Doctor? Let's forget branding for now) is a BBC conspiracy to turn everyone into "teh gay".

        I'd protest, but after watching a few episodes of the new Dr. Who, I've turned into "the only gay in the village". BTW, that /is/ Tom Baker doing VO there isn't it? I smell a rat --- you might even say I smell a cyber-rat!

        1. John G Imrie

          Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

          Yes it's TB doing the voice over for Little Briton. In one episode he actually says "I used to be Dr. Who you know"

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

            Who is downvoting all these RTD comments?

            They seem fair to me.

            Best series of Torchwood - 1st

            Best New Doctor Who episode - Blink

    2. An0n C0w4rd

      Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

      Unfortunately the last Torchwood (Miracle Day) was a disaster IMNSHO. Could have told the story in 4 episodes and maybe been OK. 10 episodes was too long and boring. Even Children of Earth was better. I had to force myself to finish watching Miracle Day - I got really bored after episode 3.

      Bring back the original Torchwood concept and it'll be better.

      1. MJI Silver badge

        Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

        Miracle Day was terrible.

    3. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

      Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

      The only good thing Russel T did was bring it back. His scripts were terrible, like Mills & Boon with Daleks.

      1. John 48
        Flame

        Re: After Russell T Davies finished writing/directing .. it went down-hill

        RTD wrote nicely paced episodes, and was quite good with building tension and climax etc. The main problem was he was hopeless at science fiction, drifting more into fantasy fiction much of the time.

        Just compare some of the plot lines like in the early Tennent episode an alien race enslaved half a populous by "blood group control", to one of the better Moffat episodes like The Empty Child or Blink...

  11. An0n C0w4rd

    Height of Karen Gillan vs Daleks

    They brought out new Daleks so that Karen and Matt would be eye-to-eye-stalk with the new Daleks. I don't know for sure but I think Ms Coleman is much shorter so I have to wonder if this will mean ANOTHER reinvention of the Daleks to match the new TARDIS crew heights.

    Either that or Ms Coleman is going to be on stilts when she meets Daleks.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. chriswakey

      Re: Height of Karen Gillan vs Daleks

      "They brought out new Daleks so that Karen and Matt would be eye-to-eye-stalk with the new Daleks."

      No, they brought out the new Daleks just in time for Christmas, and all that delicious merch money.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Amy was introduced wearing a nice policewoman's uniform.

    As long as the new companion wears something of similar suitability, I'll be happy.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Amy was introduced wearing a nice policewoman's uniform.

      They'll have to go a long way to replace Amy's legs.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Amy was introduced wearing a nice policewoman's uniform.

        Nothing can go as long a way as Amy's legs...

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Neb worth

    Back on-topic of the new bint. It's good to see Michael Jackson's nose is finally making its showbiz comeback.

  14. Belgarion

    I thought it was only the Doctors

    that aged in reverse. Shouldn't Ms(?) Coleman still be in high school?

  15. Charles Augustus Milverton
    Facepalm

    Worst companion ever !

    Bonny Langford

    (now who has the mind bleach ? I feel dirty remembering that name).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Gimp

      Re: Worst companion ever !

      Poor old Bonnie. Actually a decent actress ever tarred with the Violet Elizabeth brush. The writing for her character in Doctor Who was awful as was the direction.

      Shame really as in the audio adventures she has recorded more recently Ms Langford really shines and shows what might have been possible with some decent writing and direction.

      1. h4rm0ny

        Re: Worst companion ever !

        Yep - she's really great on the audios. Particularly when pared with Seven in something like Bang-Bang-A-Boom. (One I thought I would hate but after endless positive comments actually tried). Six is another Doctor who comes across better on the audios in some ways than was given the opportunity to do on screen.

        For anyone who is interested in the Doctor Who audios by Big Finish - stand out ones to try would be Davros, Jubilee, and The Holy Terror.

  16. Some Beggar
    FAIL

    Ahhh.

    I love the sound of deskbound middle-aged virgins complaining about the actress they'll be masturbating over later in the year.

  17. Blubster
    Coat

    Re: Ahhh

    I love the sound of deskbound middle-aged virgins complaining about the actress they'll be masturbating over later in the year.

    The Doctor's new cumpanion?

  18. Dave 125

    Welly rack?

    Made me lol (in the traditional sense) but I have no idea why. What's a welly rack?

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    sticky end for Amy and Rory

    "that's it Doctor, if you thought you could disappear for years and then come back and make it up again with a bag of toffees(*) then you're wrong. Clear off, we never want to see you again"

    Now, that should do it.

    (*) by using a bag of toffees instead of jelly babies this does leave open an option for a later series where this Doctor is revealed to be a replicant Doctor that Amy and Rory need to defeat so that they can release the real Doctor and "save the universe"(tm) in case they producers decide they need to bring them back

  20. Big_Ted
    Facepalm

    Your all wrong

    The best ever Doctor / Companion team was Sylvestor Mccoy and Ace in the final series they did. It was just getting interesting when they canceled it.

    And the worst team of all.........Colin Baker and Bonny Langford.........

    1. Dave Edge

      Re: Your all wrong

      I agree, if they'd been given another series they could have turned the show around if they'd have got chance to implement the Cartmel Masterplan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartmel_Masterplan

    2. Tom 13

      Re: Your all wrong

      McCoy and Ace were great, but I'll still give the edge to Baker and either Ramana v1 or Leela.

      It still pisses me off the Beeb were clearly intent on killing the show when McCoy had the role. I've heard better soundtracks on Hanna Barbara cartoons.

      And okay, maybe I am just a crazy 'Merkin, but I really liked the shows better when they had the feel of the monarchy back on Galifrey. It made them different, and therefore that much more enjoyable.

  21. James Micallef Silver badge
    Facepalm

    Gibberish

    "It's not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it's about to happen"

    In the last couple of years I've had a feeling that some of the Doctor's rants are deliberately thrown out at super-speed simply because there's a hole in the plot that needs to be explained away by something unbelievably technical that only the Doctor can understand. It's ANNOYING. Slow down already, what's the point of writing dialogue if it can't be understood?

    1. Hooksie

      Re: Gibberish

      James, I would enquire as to what age you are and how long you've been watching Dr Who because it's been like that from day 1. Reverse the polarity, there's a kink in the whachametrusses etc etc. My wife doesn't get how much I love Dr Who when I pick plot holes all over the place in any other TV show; it's because Dr Who doesn't need to make sense. It's about a guy travelling through all of space and time in a blue box that's bigger on the inside. What part of that makes sense??

      It's just a laugh - let goooooooooooo.

  22. This post has been deleted by its author

  23. Doug Glass
    Go

    How is Doctor Who like Apple?

    No matter how you treat the faithful, they keep coming back for more. So it was in the beginning, so it shall be.

    47 comments on a geek site does not a successful anything make.

  24. Seanmon
    Meh

    Dr Who = kids TV

    To summarise for the Dads: Karen has better legs, but the new one (forgotten already) appears to have bigger tits.

    That is all. You can go back to your proper Sci-Fi now.

  25. Stoneshop
    Mushroom

    Romance

    Even by the Doctor's standards, this isn't your usual boy meets girl," beneath a silvery moon, which then explodes for no adequately explored reason.

  26. Wupspups
    Meh

    Dont care really as long as it isnt that awful Tate woman.

    1. h4rm0ny

      Donna Noble?

      How could you. Donna, Liz Shaw, Leela, Jaimie. Best companions evar!

    2. Fogcat

      I fully expected to hate Ms Tate in Doctor Who, i wasn't encouraged by the Christmas runaway bride episode, but in the end I though she was probably the best of the new series.

      1. Tom 13

        @Fogcat

        I won't go as far as the best of the new series, but yes, by the end of her run I was sad to see her go. She actually made a good foil for him.

  27. FreeTard

    Ze doktor

    I didn't think much of Matt at first, but he has found his character now and I like him equal to Tennant. Yer was is well fit, so it will be a pity to see her go, not a huge fan of the new one from Emmerdale but lets not pre-judge her eh?

  28. Hooksie

    whine whine moan moan

    It's not as good as it was in my day blah blah blah blah....wipe your chins and take off the rose tinted glasses. Any of you ACTUALLY gone back and watched any of the old Doctor Who stories? I've loved Dr Who since I was about 4 (30 years now) and EVERY SINGLE TIME it changes people whine and moan, some like it some don't, some claim they don't watch/won't watch anymore etc etc etc. Well guess what? It's the longest running Sci Fi show on TV EVER. For a good reason, it keeps evolving, keeps changing.

    I wasn't sure about Christopher Eccleston, then I watched him and although he was a bit wooden at times (Have you got that) I thought he brought somehting totally different to the role, I really thought David Tennant would be terrible but he wasn't and when Matt Smith was announced I thought "He's too young" until I saw him in the role and now I think he's probably the best doctor since Tom Baker.

    Quit your whining, make constructive comments where possible and if you really don't like it anymore, don't watch it, nobody is making you. Anyway, it's not supposed to be for you, it's supposed to be for kids so get a grip.

    PS, new girl looks hot, can't wait to see her in the TARDIS

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: whine whine moan moan

      Yes, I watched Tom Baker in The Genesis of the Daleks and it's still fantastic all these years later.

      Best parts are Davros interviewing the Dr and saying how he would be happy to release a virus that would destroy all life in the universe, and the Dr worrying about the ethics of destroying the Daleks who brought peace to warring planets by forcing them to work together. Some actual intelligence, and not much silliness. Also scientists getting slaughtered by the bucketload - these Daleks don't have designer colours, they look like armoured killing machines and show it.

      (OK, so Sarah Jane and Harry wonder around getting captured, and the killer clam is a bit dodgy).

      1. Hooksie

        Re: whine whine moan moan

        Now, Genesis of the Daleks I have to grant you is an excellent series of episodes. The reason I asked the question, though, is that I too had been watching some old episodes just out of nostalgia/curiosity and whilst there was the odd gem like that there were far too many incomprehensible stories and improbable aliens with so much bad RADA acting and terrible sets, as well the most tedious direction and timing that you simply lose interest.

        I would love to see some more high brow stories during a series but if you look at the Almost People what is that other than an investigation into what makes us people? That was a very creepy and clever duplex; The Doctor's wife, very clever and interesting adn, although some people didn't like it, the stories that carry across the arc of the Silence and the Question are fantastic. Remember that all of that was trailed in Matt Smith's very first episode "Silence, Doctor, Silence will fall". Oh, and even the mildly annoying Britain on a ship episode had an undertone of animal welfare and moral judgements.

    2. Some Beggar
      WTF?

      Re: whine whine moan moan

      Tom Baker had already left Doctor Who before you claim to have started watching it.

      Are you herp derping or just confused?

    3. Tom 13

      Re: Any of you ACTUALLY gone back and watched any of the old Doctor Who stories?

      Yes I have. Two nights ago as a matter of fact: The Three Doctors downloaded from Netflix.

      I'd buy DVDs of the old shows if the Beeb would just have the decency to repackage them in season sets and sell them at the same price as they sell the current ones. Right now I only have them on aging VHS tapes from when they use to run on PBS.

  29. earl grey
    Happy

    you still wouldn't be happy

    If the part were played by Summer Glau.

    I doubt they have waited to start fapping, to tell the truth.

    1. Platelet
      Terminator

      Re: you still wouldn't be happy

      "If the part were played by Summer Glau."

      Who would be happy to see the show terminated?

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I vote for...

    ...Derpy Hooves for next assistant!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMAhGnH8SO8

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I vote for...

      I second the motion!

      *Trollface*

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