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Terry Hooper-Scharf

Saturday 27 December 2014

Longest "Modern Era" Dr Who Companion

As I pointed out a few months ago, while everyone was talking about Clara being killed off, the actress who plays her, Jenna Coleman, WAS to continue in the role.  But what do I know (again) heh?

Here's a fun RadioTimes Online item:


Jenna Coleman will overtake Karen Gillan to become longest serving modern era Doctor Who companion

Jenna Coleman will overtake Karen Gillan to become longest serving modern era Doctor Who companion

What a difference a few months can make. When rumours began to circulate in August that Jenna Coleman was set to leave Doctor Who, it felt as if she'd only just arrived. With season eight yet to air, we'd had less than one full series with companion Clara Oswald, during which the "Impossible Girl" had often seemed like more of a plot device than a character.

Now, 13 episodes later, confirmation that Jenna has had a change of heart and will be staying for another full series means that this time next year she'll be the longest-serving companion since Doctor Who returned in 2005.

By then, Jenna will have starred as Clara Oswald in 36 episodes – three more than previous title holder Karen Gillan as Amy Pond. Both have made other appearances  either in dream sequences, as different or returning versions of their characters or in completely different roles  but however you work it out, by the end of 2015, Jenna will come out as the Impossible Girl on top...

Here's how the three longest-serving companions will compare as of this time next year...

Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald

Doctors: Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi
Time in role: December 2012– end of series 9 (autumn 2015)
Episodes as companion: 36
Other appearances: 1: as Oswin Oswald in Asylum of the Daleks (Sep 2012)

Karen Gillan as Amy Pond

Doctors: Matt Smith
Time in role: April 2010–September 2012
Episodes as companion: 33
Other appearances: 2: as Soothsayer in The Fires of Pompeii (Apr 2008); as vision of Amy in The Time of the Doctor (Dec 2013)

Billie Piper as Rose Tyler

Doctors: Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant
Time in role: March 2005–July 2006
Episodes as companion: 27
Other appearances: 6: as Rose Tyler in Partners in Crime (Apr 2008) Turn Left (Jun 2008) The Stolen Earth/Journey's End (Jul 2008), The End of Time Part 2 (Jan 2010); as the Moment in The Day of the Doctor (Nov 2013)

3 comments:

  1. It does say that Jenna had a change of heart, Terry, so presumably she was considering leaving the programme (even 'though it might have been a ploy for a raise), and Capaldi himself did suggest that she may not be around. So, under these circumstances, did you - could you - really 'know' - or did behind the scenes 'to-ing and fro-ing' simply result in her decision matching your speculation or hopes? Nobody could really know before she did, and she did appear to be dithering.

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  2. Well, I made a lot of friends in TV production and a lot of them now work on Dr Who. Moffatt also likes to think he is very clever andcan play mind-games with fans. Russell T. Davies said over and over "I may be telling the truth about Dr Who....I may not be: wait and see" Moffatt just utters things -everyone on Dr Who sites said "There's going to be a new female Dr Who -Moffatt just said so in an interview!" Now that was silly as I'd heard Capaldi had signed up for two more series so I pointed this out and was told I was wrong. Capaldi was later revealed to have signed up for two more series. "Clara IS GOING TO DIE" No. "Yes, she is -at the end of Capaldi's first series!"! Because "Moffatt said so" I pointed out she was filming the Christmas episode. "No!" AND when all the guff about her leaving was hitting the net coleman had ALREADY signed the contract. I slightly know an actor who has the same agent. I never write or say things unless I've references or have 100% confirmable sources (the Black Panther movie news came from someone who is to work on production). Had Clara died at the end of the last series I'd look a right tit.

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  3. Well, I never believe a thing Moffat says, but the rumours about Jenna leaving presumably originated before she'd signed the contract, although hadn't started circulating on a wider level until after. It does seem that she did consider leaving 'though. Right - let's have the names, addresses and 'phone numbers of all your contacts - I want some inside information. (Incidentally, hasn't Clara 'died' a few times? Moffat could probably claim that was what he was referring to at the time. I suppose they have to drum up interest somehow.)

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