# New companion for Doctor Who announced **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2012, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390 "2012-03-21T10:46:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/41 "2012-03-22T23:33:26Z")
I remember seeing Matt Smith on _Jonathan Ross_ two days before the release of his first episode as the Doctor, and I thought he was weird and fidgety and awkward, which didn’t sem appropriate at all. I thought he’d be quite horrible. Then I watched the episode, and in less than five minutes I was sold; he was magnetic. We all express these doubts about casting _Doctor Who_, and very rarely have they been justified. Some people still dislike Donna (not me, I loved her). However I never warmed to Martha. Freema Agyeman is great on _Law and Order UK_, though, so I guess it was how the character was written. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/42 "2012-03-22T23:54:25Z")
I’m sure the new girl would be fine; I’m just saying I would have preferred someone a bit different. And FWIW, Martha never really grew on me, and Matt Smith sort of really hasn’t either. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/43 "2012-03-23T00:36:53Z")
I was hoping for Steve Buscemi. Failing that, a Steve Buscemi type but ginger. Failing that, Roseanne Barr as a 17th century half-Incan nun. And I still think any of them would work better than another cute teengirl, though Amy is my least favorite companion to date (starting with the Eccleston reboot) so I won’t miss her so much. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/44 "2012-03-23T02:09:29Z")
I’m definitely not going to put up a huge fight if they want to cast a looker like her as the next companion. The one thing that could have really screwed it up for me is if she had a really annoying voice or something, like a Fran Drescher thing going on. But I zipped over to YouTube to check out an interview with her about getting the gig, and she sounded more or less acceptable. I hereby grant the show my endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/45 "2012-03-23T02:19:51Z")
I probably won’t watch the next season. I don’t want to get dragged into another of Moffats season long, gut wrenching storylines. Its just too exhausting trying to keep up with it. We already know Amy’s leaving mid-way and knowing Moffat it won’t be a happy departure. Matt Smith may leave soon too. [http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/72092/Matt-Smith-May-Leave-Doctor-Who-Says-Steven-Moffat](http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/72092/Matt-Smith-May-Leave-Doctor-Who-Says-Steven-Moffat) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/46 "2012-03-23T02:54:11Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Matt Smith may leave soon too. > [http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/72092/Matt-Smith-May-Leave-Doctor-Who-Says-Steven-Moffat](http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/72092/Matt-Smith-May-Leave-Doctor-Who-Says-Steven-Moffat) Blah, blah, blah… a variation on that article pops up every 6 months or so. It says nothing, it’s just useless speculation. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/47 "2012-03-23T02:56:42Z")
The article quotes Show Runner Steven Moffat. He’s saying Matt might not return. This isn’t some rumor or unknown insider gossip. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/48 "2012-03-23T03:43:46Z")
No, he’s saying Matt isn’t on a long-term contract. “Matt might leave at the end of this year’s series” has been the case from the very start of Matt’s tenure on the show. In other words, _it’s not news_. What \*will \*be news is when Matt Smith officially says “I am leaving at X point” but that hasn’t happened yet. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/49 "2012-03-23T03:58:05Z")
I know it will probably never happen, but there’s really only one person I want to see become a companion: [http://warisjagat.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/5.jpg](http://warisjagat.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/5.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/50 "2012-03-23T03:59:53Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I know it will probably never happen, but there’s really only one person I want to see become a companion: > [http://warisjagat.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/5.jpg](http://warisjagat.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/5.jpg) Oh Lord, yes. What a tragedy that she was only ever in the one episode. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/51 "2012-03-23T12:14:41Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The article quotes Show Runner Steven Moffat. He’s saying Matt might not return. > > This isn’t some rumor or unknown insider gossip. Oh, no! An actor plays the part of the Doctor for a year or a few years & then moves on. It’s absolutely unprecedented! Or not… ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/52 "2012-03-23T12:37:57Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > You are absolutely right. You’d think people would actually give the writers a bit of credit by now. Come back in a year, and everyone will love her. Unfortunately I gave the writers a bit of a chance and then that utterly hideous last series happened. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/53 "2012-03-23T12:38:59Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Unfortunately I gave the writers a bit of a chance and then that utterly hideous last series happened. Must’ve missed that one. The last series i saw was pretty decent ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/54 "2012-03-23T12:42:34Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I probably won’t watch the next season. I don’t want to get dragged into another of Moffats season long, gut wrenching storylines. Its just too exhausting trying to keep up with it. The next 14 episodes are all standalones. No two-parters, no long story arc. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/55 "2012-03-23T12:43:57Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > The next 14 episodes are all standalones. No two-parters, no long story arc. Well, thank Og for that. I don’t mind long story arcs as a general thing, but the one from the last series involving River Song and …a bunch of other stuff, just became totally impenetrable to me. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/56 "2012-03-23T12:45:56Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > Must’ve missed that one. The last series i saw was pretty decent It is considered to be rather Marmite. We may well be on differing sides. ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/57 "2012-03-23T16:15:31Z")
With all the absolute crap on TV, I can’t believe all the whining in this thread about Doctor Who. It’s better than just about everything else on TV! If you don’t like the Doctor, turn off the damn set and read a book! ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/58 "2012-03-23T23:41:27Z")
There’s an official pic of her here, wearing some fetching knitwear… [http://bbcamerica.tumblr.com/post/19790182877/the-first-official-doctor-who-photo-of](http://bbcamerica.tumblr.com/post/19790182877/the-first-official-doctor-who-photo-of) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/59 "2012-03-24T01:19:12Z")
Even though it’s an officially released pic, she likely won’t be in costume as her character. They just quickly stuck her in front of the TARDIS and snapped a few shots off. They have done this with most other companions and Doctors too. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390/60 "2012-03-24T01:33:41Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Even though it’s an officially released pic, she likely won’t be in costume as her character. They just quickly stuck her in front of the TARDIS and snapped a few shots off. They have done this with most other companions and Doctors too. Yeah, the first Matt Smith pictures had nothing to do with his costume. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-companion-for-doctor-who-announced/616390.md?page=4)