Doctor Who in 2015: Where to Now?
Guest contributor Brayde Wikaira takes a look.
After the incredible ending to Last Christmas we are faced with a new year and an impending question: where to now? Here are just some of my ideas of what we can expect to see. Has the Doctor’s relationship with Clara changed? Where can we expect to see it go? Is there room for another companion? And more importantly, has Twelve finally warmed up after his little Christmassy jaunt? Let’s take a look.
“What ever happened to companions that stayed longer?” you may wonder. During the David Tennant years, fans were accustomed to seeing companions stay for a year, right before a new one appeared the following year. The Matt Smith era slightly changed things with companions staying on for longer terms. Seeing Clara leave at such a pivotal point for the Twelfth Doctor just would have felt a bit distasteful. Jenna Coleman is true in her words, Clara’s story just isn’t over yet. We have finally reached a point where the 12th Doctor and Clara are comfortable with each other. For Clara, she is now used to an edgier, unpredictable Doctor who would just leave someone in trouble without thinking twice. For the Doctor, it’s Clara’s adrenaline-junkie addiction and her sense of taking control of everything.
The Doctor and Clara – Reborn
During the sleigh ride we got to see a new side to the Twelfth Doctor – his joyful side (more on that later.) It was in the final minute of Last Christmas that we see the Doctor absolutely thrilled to find that aged Clara was just a dream (or nightmare, whatever you fancy.) We are then jumping up and down when he asks Clara to come with him as he offers “all of time and space”. Immediately the dynamic has changed. “The Doctor and Clara have finally reached a point in their lives where they really understand each other,” says Jenna Coleman. “I think just when Clara was feeling more comfortable in the relationship, it has suddenly thrown something new up.” With the Doctor showing new light and insight into his incarnation, and a now-widowed Clara Oswald, things are about to enter the next phase. We might come to expect that the Doctor and Clara’s relationship soar to new heights, perhaps she might now join him full-time rather than keep dropping her off. Maybe too, we might see a more protective personality to the Time Lord.
The Magician’s Apprentice?
If The Mirror was right on the uncertainty of Jenna Coleman’s exit (which I think so), then a new companion would have been planned. Faye Marsay, who plays the acclaimed Shona McCullough, is just begging for the role. Though the Doctor has a liking for Ashley Carter, it was Shona that managed to surface to more fans as the ideal future companion. Would Shona travelling with the Doctor change things for the current TARDIS duo? No, I think it would enhance it. Shona is inquisitive, heck, she had her notebook out and asking Santa questions. Not only that, her character has so much potential to grow and there are things that the Doctor can help her through. And not to mention, she has the moves. What strikes me is her difference to Clara, she’s not that overly-controlling person, but more of a underdog. We can only speculate for what is to come, but after Shona referring to the Doctor as “a magician” the thought of her joining doesn’t seem too far-fetched. Is there room for another companion? Yes definitely. In fact, it might freshen things up a bit for all involved.
Twelve Still Developing
One thing that stands out is that the Twelfth Doctor is still developing. Unlike his predecessor, Matt Smith, who quickly wowed fans in the first minute, Capaldi is taking the slower approach. And what an approach it is! It shows us that his character is a building foundation. He’s gathering ability, feelings and actions. Each episode builds to his character, and piece by piece we’re starting to understand his incarnation. Very quickly we understood that his character was dark, firm and an adventure-seeker. In Mummy on the Orient Express we found that the Doctor shares a distinctive heart for Clara, he values her as precious. We found more insight on that in Dark Water when he forgives Clara for betraying him after going against everything he stood for. Last Christmas, as discussed earlier in the article, showed us a side to the Doctor we haven’t seen before: warmth and excitement.
Could we have in the future with a very warm hearted Twelfth Doctor? I think not. I think Twelve will continue to be a hard-on-the-outside, but-soft-on-the-inside kind of fellow. The Magician’s Apprentice sounds very intriguing and perhaps we’ll see an even deeper look into a more magical kind of Doctor. Think James Franco’s Wizard of Oz.
“All of time and all of space, sitting out there”
Those words uttered by Peter Capaldi serve as to what’s next. Time and space. More adventures, more running about, more saving the world and the universe and everything in between. And we have a lot to wait for. The friendship dynamic between the Doctor and Clara has changed, the door is open for a new companion and Twelve is developing and changing and forever reaching new heights in his character.
