New Doctors New Companion announced

aidan_walsh

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/a157532/new-doctor-who-companion-announced.html

21-year-old Karen Gillan has been named as the new companion for series five of Doctor Who.

The Scottish actress will star alongside Matt Smith, who takes over from David Tennant as The Doctor in series five of the long-running cult show.

"I am absolutely over the moon at being chosen to play the Doctor's new companion," said Gillan. "The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can't quite believe I am going to be a part of it. Matt Smith is an incredible actor and it is going to be so much fun to act alongside him – I just can't wait to get started!"

Gillan previously appeared in Who as a soothsayer in the series four episode 'The Fires of Pompeii'. Her other credits include The Kevin Bishop Show, Rebus and Stacked.

Of Gillan's casting, new executive producer Steven Moffat said: "We saw some amazing actresses for this part, but when Karen came through the door the game was up. Funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy. Or Scottish, which is the quick way of saying it. A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too."

Rumoured contenders for the role of Matt Smith's assistant had included Lily Allen, Kelly Brook, Georgia Moffett and Skins star Hannah Murray.

Filming on the new series will begin in July for transmission around Easter 2010. Tennant's final episodes will air this Christmas.

Honestly, I just don't know enough about her (and can't recall much of her previous role in Who) to know if this could be good or not.

Doctor DooM

Nothing on the beebs yet... looks kinda official though.

I vaguely recall her being hot. Must look at the episode again.

nothing

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/090529_news_01

Posted this morning...

pixelburp

Well she's an even bigger unknown than Smith so it's impossible to know how good she is really. Unquestionably hot though. A red headed Scots girl. Yummy

My only ask is that the producers don't force her to be another bloody Londoner. Or shoehorn in another fecking "Im in love with the Doctor" theme. Surely with Smith being so young & the concept having been done to death so much now it would just smack of foolishness for Moffat to have another romantic subplot.

Oh and it would also be cool if she were not from the present day; it would make the teacher / pupil dynamic more obvious & her interactions in the present day more entertaining were she from somewhere in the past / future.

Doctor DooM

I'm liking moffats style. She is HAWT.

I too hope this doesn't revert to Rosenten.

pixelburp

Well the rumour on the grapevine is that there will be a 2nd companion along for the ride & a male one to boot. Said rumours say that Dean Kelly (shakespeare from season 3) is one of the favorites for the role.

ixoy

pixelburp wrote: »

Well the rumour on the grapevine is that there will be a 2nd companion along for the ride & a male one to boot. Said rumours say that Dean Kelly (shakespeare from season 3) is one of the favorites for the role.

I like that idea. We've had some good male/female dynamics before (Harry and Sarah) and the new show never really visited it properly.

Doctor DooM

ixoy wrote: »

I like that idea. We've had some good male/female dynamics before (Harry and Sarah) and the new show never really visited it properly.

The DooM is in complete agreement. It'd be nice to have a different status quo.


I won't be happy if anyone is taking my new wife to be's screen time though

pixelburp

SDooM wrote: »

The DooM is in complete agreement. It'd be nice to have a different status quo.


I won't be happy if anyone is taking my new wife to be's screen time though

Oi, you can't marry her, she's my TV girlfriend! Though keep it under you hat, Summer Glau & Astrid from Fringe might get wind of it

Agree about the male/female companion combo working well in the past; even in the new series we saw flashes of how well it can work with Rose & Mickey (notably the Moffat-penned Girl in the Fireplace, and where Mickey had moved on a little)

Doctor DooM

pixelburp wrote: »

Oi, you can't marry her, she's my TV girlfriend! Though keep it under you hat, Summer Glau & Astrid from Fringe might get wind of it

Agree about the male/female companion combo working well in the past; even in the new series we saw flashes of how well it can work with Rose & Mickey (notably the Moffat-penned Girl in the Fireplace, and where Mickey had moved on a little)

I can't believe she's cheating on me with you

It's looking good for the moffinator introducing a new dynamic all right.

dara95

ah we wont know if shes good or not till the show is aired same with the new doctor!!!

but for me the doctor will always be david tennant!!!!!:(:(:(

bigdaddyliamo

She's no bonnie langford.....and would you look at the size of her, how will she fit in the door of the tardis???

Daemos

bigdaddyliamo wrote: »

and would you look at the size of her, how will she fit in the door of the tardis???

I'l say the same thing someone said in the Soccer forum recently:

No wonder there's so much pressure on people to be thin nowadays if you think that's overweight

pixelburp

bigdaddyliamo wrote: »

She's no bonnie langford.....and would you look at the size of her, how will she fit in the door of the tardis???

The size of her? I hope that's heavy sarcasm if you think she qualifies as "fat" mate.

ixoy

dara95 wrote: »

but for me the doctor will always be david tennant!!!!!:(:(:(

No it's always Tom Baker n00b. Or Hartnell if you're really old!

bigdaddyliamo

Easy on the miracle whip lads:D
nothing to do with fat guys, look at the picture at the top of the post again, she looks 15 feet tall!

now, can you please call pc.pc and cancel the late night call to my house:rolleyes:

iguana

pixelburp wrote: »

Oh and it would also be cool if she were not from the present day; it would make the teacher / pupil dynamic more obvious & her interactions in the present day more entertaining were she from somewhere in the past / future.

Perhaps she is a young Queen Elizabeth and will ultimately have a sh!t time as his companion explaining the older Elizabeth's reaction in The Shakespeare Code. Or as she is Scottish, perhaps she will be a young Mary Queen of Scots, also explaining Elizabeth's animosity? Both were red-heads.

pixelburp wrote: »

The size of her? I hope that's heavy sarcasm if you think she qualifies as "fat" mate.

Perhaps he meant that in the picture in the OP the perspective makes her appear a lot larger than the TARDIS?

Daemos

bigdaddyliamo wrote: »

Easy on the miracle whip lads:D
nothing to do with fat guys, look at the picture at the top of the post again, she looks 15 feet tall!

now, can you please call pc.pc and cancel the late night call to my house:rolleyes:

Too late, they should be breaking down your door any minute now

ixoy

iguana wrote: »

Perhaps he meant that in the picture in the OP the perspective makes her appear a lot larger than the TARDIS?

These cows are small, those cows are far away..

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I've grown attached to Tennant, so Matt Smith has a lot of work to do to impress me - however I said that about the Eccleston/Tennant transition aswell and previous incarnations, except for the '96 movie Doctor - he was rubbish, couldn't wait to see the back of him. However, I am looking forward to this new companion, as Catherine Tate never really grew on me, and if Dean Lennox Kelly were to be a third companion, that'd be legendary - love that guy.
Methinks a series 1-4 + specials marathon is due before the upcoming specials and subsequent series.

johnciall

CaptainNegative wrote: »

Methinks a series 1-4 + specials marathon is due before the upcoming specials and subsequent series.

Hmmm might have to do that myself

pixelburp

iguana wrote: »

Perhaps she is a young Queen Elizabeth and will ultimately have a sh!t time as his companion explaining the older Elizabeth's reaction in The Shakespeare Code. Or as she is Scottish, perhaps she will be a young Mary Queen of Scots, also explaining Elizabeth's animosity? Both were red-heads.

Wasn't Mary Queen of Scots actually French or Italian? Anyway, yeah the royalty angle would be an interesting idea, though perhaps hard to tally against the actual history of the woman. But the idea of a high-born type, used to living within a cocoon would still work...

iguana wrote: »

Perhaps he meant that in the picture in the OP the perspective makes her appear a lot larger than the TARDIS?

Fair enough, but in my defence I know of plenty of people who have been known to denounce anyone over size 0 as "fat". Didn't think it would be a misunderstanding of the concept of perspective

ixoy

Am I alone then in having grown a bit weary of Tennant? Too much exclaiming and OTT running around - a bit more restraint would be preferable rather always mugging for the camera. Not saying he's a bad Doctor but I'm more than ready for a change (and it's about time too!)

Doctor DooM

It's nice seeing people who Tennant is "their" Doctor though.

Mine will always be Sylvester McCoy, sadly.

ixoy

SDooM wrote: »

Mine will always be Sylvester McCoy, sadly.

Guess mine is too for that matter although I want to say Tom Baker because I caught a huge amount of his repeats at around the same time.

If McCoy is your Doctor does that mean *gulp* Ace is your companion? Ugh, and to think some people thought the newer companions were bad.

pixelburp

SDooM wrote: »

It's nice seeing people who Tennant is "their" Doctor though.

Mine will always be Sylvester McCoy, sadly.

Hmmm, well being born in 1980, I could *just* about claim that Tom Baker was my Doctor Though Colin Baker / Mc Coy might be more accurate given when I started to become aware of the show. And that just depresses

iguana

pixelburp wrote: »

Wasn't Mary Queen of Scots actually French or Italian? Anyway, yeah the royalty angle would be an interesting idea, though perhaps hard to tally against the actual history of the woman. But the idea of a high-born type, used to living within a cocoon would still work...

Her father was James V of Scotland and her mother was French nobility, she was born in Scotland. Her father died when she was an infant, so her mother sent her to be raised in France with her future husband the French Dauphin, later Francis II, so yeah, she did actually speak with a French accent.

Doctor DooM

ixoy wrote: »

Guess mine is too for that matter although I want to say Tom Baker because I caught a huge amount of his repeats at around the same time.

If McCoy is your Doctor does that mean *gulp* Ace is your companion? Ugh, and to think some people thought the newer companions were bad.

Effectively, yes on the Ace thing. Although as you mention, I caught an awful lot of repeats on the good ol Super channel (remember that? Also, Sky channel, reaching out to you!). But the fact remains the first new Doctor Who I delibrately made a concious decision to sit down and watch was Colin Baker/ McCoy...

pixelburp wrote: »

Hmmm, well being born in 1980, I could *just* about claim that Tom Baker was my Doctor Though Colin Baker / Mc Coy might be more accurate given when I started to become aware of the show. And that just depresses

'79 for me. You and me both bud

Also Starring LeVar Burton

ixoy wrote: »

Guess mine is too for that matter although I want to say Tom Baker because I caught a huge amount of his repeats at around the same time.

If McCoy is your Doctor does that mean *gulp* Ace is your companion? Ugh, and to think some people thought the newer companions were bad.

My Doctor will always be Christopher Eccelston, although I have gone back and watched the original, Eccelston was the first I ever saw.

ixoy

SDooM wrote: »

Effectively, yes on the Ace thing. Although as you mention, I caught an awful lot of repeats on the good ol Super channel (remember that? Also, Sky channel, reaching out to you!). But the fact remains the first new Doctor Who I delibrately made a concious decision to sit down and watch was Colin Baker/ McCoy...

Exactly the same as me - child of '78 and first real memories are of Colin Baker/McCoy. So that means I can still her Mel's shrill voice And then Ace came along to be hip with the kids, even saying "Professor" instead of "Doctor" along with her bomber jacket and bombs to illustrate just how much of a rebel she was...

Then Super channel did a great run of the Tom Baker years, which I always used to get up early for the Saturday morning omnibus. Maybe it's that that makes me almost DT's success with the n00bs because I honestly believe Tom wipes the floor with the lot of 'em.

anotherlostie

My doc would be Peter Davison. First ep I remember was his first too. If I had to pick a companion, it would probably be the snotty nose Adric. Been a long time since there were two boys in the Tardis, excluding the couple of Mickey & Adam adventures.

amen

baker/davidson would be mine. born in 73 so watched the last of baker and the first of davidson.

Still prefer baker but davidson follows
followed by tennant

ixoy

Just watching "The Macra Terror" and I believe this is around the only time, in the show's history, where the Doctor had predominantly male companions other than when he went solo with Turlough for a while (Adam doesn't count - he travelled too little). All other times it was either an equal balance (Harry and Sarah - excellent combo) or primarily female.

As much as I'm sure Moffat has made a good choice here, wouldn't it have been nice to break the mould of the female companion that's existed since Peri first showed up decades ago?

Also Starring LeVar Burton

ixoy wrote: »

Just watching "The Macra Terror" and I believe this is around the only time, in the show's history, where the Doctor had predominantly male companions other than when he went solo with Turlough for a while (Adam doesn't count - he travelled too little). All other times it was either an equal balance (Harry and Sarah - excellent combo) or primarily female.

As much as I'm sure Moffat has made a good choice here, wouldn't it have been nice to break the mould of the female companion that's existed since Peri first showed up decades ago?

Completely agree