New companion: some last minute speculations

In less than 12 hours from the time I’m writing this, we will know the identity of Doctor Who’s next companion. Unfortunately I’ll be asleep when it’s all happening because the announcement is being made at 3 or 4 am my time, so I and my fellow Antipodeans will be getting the news hours after everyone else. Oh well, such is life when you live on the other side of the world from the UK.

There have been many names thrown around in speculation about who will play the next companion, but no favourite has really emerged. The only things we know are that it’s (probably) a female—since Peter Capaldi expressed his preference for a female companion, and, honestly, is Doctor Who really going to go with two male leads? Also, based on the picture apparently of the next companion’s shoes tweeted by Doctor Who’s Twitter account, it’s probably a young woman, perhaps even a teenager… I mean, I’m not 100% familiar with female fashion trends, but do any girls over the age of 21 wear shoes like that? Oh, and we also know that it’s not going to be a returning character, as Moffat has confirmed.

With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to do a bit of last minute speculation about the identity of the next companion: some of which are names often tipped for the role, others are my own picks.

Rakhee Thakrar

Rakhee Thakhar

There have been rumours that Rakhee Thakrar, former EastEnders star, was “in talks” with the Doctor Who producers about becoming the next companion. If they’re true, it would mean Rakhee will become Doctor Who’s first companion of Asian background. Somehow I don’t think they’re true, though, since, if the shoes really are those of the new companion, Rakhee seems a bit old to be wearing them.

Sophie Hopkins

Sophie Hopkins

Could we see the new companion in the Doctor Who spinoff Class before we see them in Doctor Who? It’s a definite possibility, and the candidate could be the actress I think is likely going to be the protagonist of Class, Sophie Hopkins. The main character of Class is an alien refugee taken by some mysterious figure (let’s face it, it’s the Doctor) to Earth who tries to adapt to life as an Earth teenager. Class could easily be a sequel or a prequel to the companion’s adventures with the Doctor. Many exciting possibilities here.

Eleanor Tomlinson

Eleanor Tomlinson

High on my personal wish-list is Eleanor Tomlinson, co-star of the romantic period drama Poldark. She also played Jas in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and also a red-skinned alien in an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures. I think she’s a fine actress whom I’d love to see in the role, although somehow I think her hair colour might work against her after two ginger female companions in recent times.

Holly Earl

Holly Earl

Remember that face? Holly Earl played young Lily Arwell in The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, Doctor Who’s 2011 Christmas special. Holly has returned as Lily Arwell in the Big Finish series The Churchill Years alongside Ian McNeice.  She’s also played roles in Benidorm and Casualty. If Holly is chosen as the next companion, she would probably be playing a new character, not Lily Arwell, since we know the next companion is not a returning character.

Pearl Mackie

Pearl Mackie

Radio Times are putting their money on Pearl Mackie as the next companion. I don’t know much about her, and she seems relatively unknown (she doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page), but she’s been in the BBC medical drama Doctors, and is currently involved in a National Theatre production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Pearl has apparently become the odds-on favourite among betters for some reason, which is very intriguing indeed.

Georgina Campbell

Georgina Campbell

Another favourite among betters, Georgina Campbell was the star of the acclaimed BBC drama Murdered by My Boyfriend.

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin

Game of Thrones actress Oona Chaplin has buckets of talent and would be a fantastic choice for the next companion, in my opinion. But she’s probably one of the less likely candidates.

Charlotte Ritchie

Charlotte Ritchie

I’ve seen Charlotte Ritchie’s name mentioned in more than one place, and I can see why. She plays Barbara in Call the Midwife and also played major roles in Fresh Meat and Siblings. The only thing I could see potentially working against Charlotte is her age (as with many of the actresses I’ve mentioned), as I really think the producers are going for someone quite young this time.

Emma Watson

Emma Watson

The idea that Emma Watson might be playing the next companion has gained a surprising amount of currency. Don’t get me wrong, it would be so freaking awesome, but it’s not going to happen. A fan can dream, though.

Sophie Turner

Sophie Turner

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaha. Maybe when/if Sansa dies.

Thoughts on: The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

I have a confession to make. I really, really love this episode. It’s one of my secret Doctor Who pleasures. I say secret because apparently this Christmas special has a pretty poor reputation among a not insignificant section of the fandom. I can sort of see what they’re getting at: it appears to be little more than a children’s tale with an excess of (God forbid) maudlin sentimentality dolloped on top. At any other time I might be inclined to agree with such critiques, but this is Christmas, and this episode is exactly what Doctor Who at Christmas is all about. I find it simply a hugely enjoyable story, with a magical setting, engaging characters, an intriguing plot, genuinely funny comedy, and more emotional stimulant than is probably healthy to consume in its sixty minutes’ duration. It all makes for probably one of the first Doctor Who episodes I’d reach for unfailingly when, maybe at the end of a long day, I just want something to put my feet up to. It’s that kind of episode.

Maybe one of the charms of this episode is its cast of wonderful characters. First, there’s Madge Arwell, of course, played superbly by Claire Skinner, whom I recognised from another brilliant maternal role of Sue Brockman in Outnumbered. From the quaintly English way he went about nonchalantly accompanying the spaceman with his helmet on backwards who fell from the heavens back to his police box, to her restrained private grieving over the news of her husband, to her strategic weeping to fool the (admittedly dim-witted) miners into disarming themselves, to her telling the Doctor off for not visiting his friends at Christmas, Madge was an excellent character. She would be another name in a fairly long list I’d raise to rejoin assertions that Steven Moffat is sexist and can’t write women. Then there was Lily Arwell, who was an engaging and inquisitive young girl, who seemed admirably sceptical of the Doctor’s absurdity. She was also very pretty, for what it’s worth (I can say that, Holly Earl is older than me). Between them Madge and Lily Arwell made this episode, but the three stooges (Bill Bailey, Paul Bazley and Arabella Weir) were also great, albeit underused, additions.

Another of this episode’s best aspects is its emotive quality. The enchanting Narnia-like story is punctured by a handful of very poignant, affecting scenes that raise this episode from the ordinary run of entertaining seasonal romps into something quite special. There was Madge grieving quietly over her husband, looking wistfully at that dread telegram. There was the Doctor trying to ease Madge’s apprehensions about her children, assuring her that it was good for them to be happy now, “because they’re going to be sad later.” There was that piercingly affecting scene where Madge forces herself to watch Reg’s death to secure a psychic, emotional link strong enough to pilot them all back home. Skinner gave a deeply stirring performance in those moments, making for a really affecting and memorable scene. Who says Moffat can’t write emotional? Was it maudlin? Sentimental? Hell yes — it was the best moment of this episode. That following scene, too, where they discover that Madge has guided her husband safely home, was wonderful. I’d question whether Madge would be making witty remarks at that moment rather than throwing herself upon her husband, totally overcome, but meh, I’m not bothered. Some say that bit was emotionally dishonest. Perhaps in a normal episode, I’d agree, but this is a Christmas story, and at Christmas I’d call it a happy ending, and a welcome one, too.

Some final thoughts. The Doctor’s visiting the Ponds at Christmas was also an enchanting scene. Watching the Doctor and Amy fail to resist the urge to embrace each other brought a glowing smile to my face. And the Doctor surprised to find he’d shed a happy tear upon realising how much his best friends love him? Just touching. The Doctor in general was great in this episode, from his bouncing around the old Dorset pile excited to show the Arwells his “repairs”, to his engaging chemistry with the Arwell children, especially Lily, to the more earnest moments with Madge, which Matt Smith does just as well as the comedy. Next I thought Madge’s confrontation with the miners was hilarious, which only makes me wonder why those three were so scandalously underused in this episode. Bill Bailey in particular was a high-profile guest star whose fleeting presence onscreen was puzzling. Finally, I’m reminded again by this episode of the superiority of the 60-minute format as perhaps a better length for single episode stories. Extending the time and slowing down the pace works wonders for the story, allowing the story to breathe, giving us character moments and quality plot progression we just don’t get in a 45-minute whirlwind adventure. I’m gratified to learn that Moffat seems to agree with me, given that there are to be a number of 60-minute episodes in Series 9 (along with an unusually high volume of two-parters — *squee*).

Rating: 8/10.