Let’s shake things up a bit, shall we?
With all the recent turmoil and continued uncertainty regarding Jenna Coleman’s rumored departure from Doctor Who at the end of this upcoming season, the next question everyone should be talking about is who will be the next companion? We’ve already had months of speculating, as some thought she would have made her exit at the end of last season prior to the Christmas special, but alas, Coleman decided to give it another go for season 9, making her the longest tenured companion in the show’s long celebrated history. Quite an impressive feat for a nanny turned English teacher, I must say.
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However, all good things must come to an end, and come November, we’ll all be scrambling to find out who the next companion will be, if not already announced. There’s a plethora of opinions out there as to who should be cast as Capaldi’s partner in crime for season 10, but very few share the same thought as I am about to lay out.
Capaldi could use a male companion.
Before we all start with the tar and feather routine, hear me out. This has nothing to do with Doctor Who tradition, gender stereotypes, or typecasting the companion. I’ve enjoyed all companions from Donna to Mickey and Rose to Rory, and let’s not ignore that the 70’s had a few guys on the Tardis, but few permanent companions since then. What I’m looking for as a potential male companion to the Doctor is something completely different from what
Someone like Danny, but more so. (Credit: BBC)
Rory, Mickey, and Wilfred brought to the table. I would be interested to see the usual companion-Doctor dynamic to be turned on its head. Don’t give me a hopelessly romanticized version of a guy blindly following his girl into all of time and space. Give me a family man, and let’s have that be the role model/connection to the fans. The Doctor needs a new perspective so let’s give the Doctor a father, a husband, a man with responsibilities. The recent run of Amy and Clara was so Matt Smith-y anyways. Let’s change and challenge the dynamic of the Doctor/companion relationship.
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How about a 30-something professional, preferably well-educated in the field of science, with a wife, a daughter, and a mortgage? While we’re at it, let’s make this guy an ex-soldier too, just to stir things up a bit. Too many times I’ve felt that Capaldi’s Doctor saw too much of himself in the soldiers he met, and felt rightfully ashamed as he wasone of the greatest soldiers who ever lived. Naturally, that self shame evolved into the projection of anger onto others. Eventually, running from his past will have to end, and it might take someone who can relate to the Doctor in that way to get him over that obstacle. The hunt for Gallifrey, anyone?
Now, keep in mind that I don’t want this to be a bromance-two-buddies-on-a-roadtrip type of dynamic between the two. That’s absolutely the last thing I want. I don’t want True Detective Season 3, either. I want someone who will challenge the Doctor like no other has before, both mentally and morally, and if need be, physically. We’ve seen companions who have very little in common with the man in the blue box, and it works because it allows the Doctor to take the lead in the relationship. What happens when we give him someone exactly like him? What happens when we put two alpha males in the Tardis?
Chaos. Lots and lots of beautiful chaos.
And possibly, a great and unforgettable season.
Thoughts?