Where did they go?: The Paternoster Gang

BBC

This week in Forgotten Characters, we talk about The Paternoster Gang, who seemingly disappeared after the first episode of Twelve’s era. The trio was definitely one of Moffat’s universally accepted ideas.

The gang, featuring Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax quickly became a fan favorite after their first appearance right after ‘A Good Man Goes to War, and an extra put out by Moffat. The extra took place right after the battle at Demon’s Run, waking Strax up to tell him he didn’t die. In the extra, they took him home to England, despite his confusion about two women in a relationship.

The first time we saw them together was in ‘The Snowmen’. This marked Clara Oswald’s second episode in the series.

Everyone quickly fell in love with the trio, especially the couple Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint, and the few-steps-behind Strax. We learned in ‘The Snowmen’ that the trio was the Doctor’s only link to Earth after the Ponds left during his mourning period. Vastra and Jenny were also two detectives in Victorian time, as well as lovers.

Throughout Clara’s season with the Eleventh Doctor, they popped up twice more, once in The Crimson Horror to figure out what was happening Sweetville.  As a favor for a friend of Madame Vastra,  Jenny joined the gang on the adventure.  They popped up again in The Name of the Doctor, during a psychic phone call with River Song. Then the trio went with him to Trenzalore in the episode before the 50th Anniversary.

In Deep Breath, the first episode with the Twelfth Doctor, they were the ones that discovered the crashed TARDIS. After trying to calm the Doctor down, they helped Clara along with getting used to his regeneration. They eventually helped with the Half-Faced Man in the episode, before the Doctor and Clara left on more adventures.

Silence did fall

Since then, we’ve had eery silence from the gang. What happened to the trio that helped bring in the Twelfth Doctor? It looked like the trio would be a part of Twelve’s adventures, like they were with Eleven, but alas, they weren’t. They did go on to have a book spin-off, but I think it’s safe to say we all would like to have our trio of human, alien and lizard back on our screen.

The Paternoster Gang was a favorite among the fandom for the laughs that Strax brought, and the cleverness of the two ladies. It truly was one of Steven Moffat’s best ideas he had during his run. It makes us wonder if Chibnall will consider bringing them back, or if they are to stay in the Doctor Who book world.

Why should they come back?

I think I speak for everyone when I say that just one more episode with the Gang or even an audio spin off would be a great thing for the fans.

Catrin Stewart (Jenny) agrees. According to Digital Spy back in 2016, she was hoping for a return in series 10. Obviously, that didn’t happen. She does think that Moffat leaving “could be the end of the Paternoster gang”.

The Paternoster Gang was a reminder of the Classic Series, where aliens were more prevalent than just as villains. The group showed different life forms living together, which is what often happened in the older Doctors’ TARDISes.

With all the changes happening to the show, for all the fans that are afraid of things changing, something loved by all fans might nice to see.

Next: Most Underrated Episode of Season 10 - Knock Knock

For a nice revisit, here’s the Prequel to the The Snowmen, Vastra Investigates