Impressions of a Doctor Who Lover and Clara Hater
By Leah Tedesco
Clara Oswald has gotten mostly positive feedback from our site, so we decided to get a different fan perspective.
We at Doctor Who Watch appreciate a range of opinions, so I thought that it would be a good idea to find someone with a markedly different viewpoint from what we have previously seen published on our site. So, I interviewed my friend who is a lifelong Doctor Who fan – of both the new and old runs of the show – and has very strong negative feelings toward the character of Clara Oswald. I have admittedly criticized Clara, but there were significant portions of the show during which I liked her. This is unlike my friend, for whom such moments were few and far between.
I spoke with my friend at length on the phone before sending her these questions. Her raw thoughts were much more expletive-filled, and she has a knack for being very humorous. It is unfortunate that a lot of that got lost to publishing standards and cross-media translation. Anyway, she wishes to remain anonymous… you know, potential death threats and such.
1. What is your overall impression of the character of Clara Oswald (in general, with the Doctor, and compared to other companions)?
"More from Doctor WhoNcuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who Christmas special is a “complete reinvention”Ncuti Gatwa is “so nervous” to take on Doctor Who roleThe Doctor and Donna are better than ever in “Wild Blue Yonder”Take the Black: House of the Dragon season 2 trailer hints, the Fallout show, and moreJodie Whittaker didn’t pick up on any of the hate for her version of the DoctorDumb and reckless. Look, out of all of the companions whom the Doctor has had… she’s the dumbest. She is the girl who has been around during various pivotal points in his timeline. And while, granted, she is fractured into different versions of herself, with the way that they continued her story, wouldn’t it have made more sense for her to be written as a more cohesive individual, with a greater memory of those times? What a waste of potential wisdom gained! It would have given her a smarter sense of what the Doctor would or would not do in many situations. Instead, she usually just pranced about on his coat tails being as inconspicuous as possible. She operated with the simultaneous mindsets of an irresponsible teenager and a little girl trying to impress her daddy. She was never really fit to be a companion. Also, she’s a liar and was awful to Danny."
2. When were her best moments? When were her worst?
"When she first showed up as a woman making souffles, trapped in a Dalek, she was fabulous. When she was the Impossible Girl throughout time… amazing. When she went into that Dalek under Missy’s command, my faith in her went kaput. Going behind the Doctor’s back in ‘Face the Raven’ was foolish."
3. What did you think of the finale of Series 9?
"It was feminist at least, but I very much wished that Clara had stayed dead. Dying was the best thing that she did for her entire run on the show. She did so gracefully. Maisie Williams is amazing, but Lady Me should be eradicated, too. The character did a disservice to the story."
4. What would make you like Clara?
"Nothing."
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Next: REVIEW: Doctor Who: ‘Hell Bent’
Well, there you have it. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.