Doctor Who: The Next Companion...

[fajrdrako]

So they've announced the companion in the next Doctor Who movie: Lindsay Duncan.

So, as usual with these things, I never heard of her. But... she looks promising. And she's worked with Matt Smith. I wonder if there's anyone left who hasn't worked with Matt Smith?

But - "the Doctor's cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet." I should think that Rose, Martha and Donna are hard acts to follow.

Comments

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Hmm I shall reserve judgement but she does look...interesting. Shame they couldnt go for a male companion though.

Looking at her she reminds a bit of Sandra Dickinson (who was married to Peter Davison).

[gillo]

She'll be a one-show-only Companion, I'm sure. Over here she's way too famous and highly-regarded as a "serious" actor to sign on for a series - like Derek Jacobi was as the proto-Master.

She's an extremely fine actress - she created the role of Madame de Merteuil that Glenn Close played when they filmed

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

.

ETA: she's also way older than any of the other women in the "renewed" show - a bit older than me at a guess. (Yes - just checked. She's about 58 with a very significant list of credits to her name.)

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

Yes, she is a serious, major-big thesp (most often partnered with Alan Rickman, and that takes some serious presence!). She's great at take-charge, smart roles. She'll do well not to steamroll everyone else!

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Another grown-up companion! Although since she's in the special, she probably won't be in the series proper.

EVERYONE has worked with Matt Smith, apparently. In the dress. :-)

[luthien.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. That is some very, very interesting casting. Her performances with Rickman in Les Liaisons Dangereuses were legendary - about the hottest (in the sexual sense as well as in others) thing ever seen on stage. More recently, she was in 'Rome', so my current mental image of her is wearing Roman clothes and hairstyle. *g*

Can't wait to see what they'll do with her in Doctor Who!

[majkia.livejournal.com]

She was a wonderful wonderful villainess on Rome, too. Wow.

[sizequeen.livejournal.com]

YES!!!! LD is freaking amazing. She played Servillia on HBO's Rome and she was FEROCIOUS and smart and beautiful. She's in her 50s and she has the complexion of a 20 yo and she can ACT! YES!

[angelfireeast.livejournal.com]

I'm so excited about this casting news!! She was amazing in Rome and I just know she'll so again in Doctor Who. LOL about everyone working with Matt Smith.

Yeah the bar has been set pretty high with strong minded and clever companions. It'll be interesting to see the character.

Plus it's nice to see a companion who is older then Ten's physical age. I was afraid with the casting for Plant of the Dead that that we'd just seen young pretty girls as companions again. I liked seeing a male companion and companions of different ages.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I would like to see a male companion. At the same time... if there's going to be a male companion, I'd want it to be Jack.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

she created the role of Madame de Merteuil that Glenn Close played when they filmed Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Woo. I loved that movie! I do so wish I could have seen it on stage.

Nice to see an actress cast who's a little older than I am. I like it that they've had a variety/progression of companion's ages - Rose was 19, Martha a little older, Donna in her 30s - and her grandfather was significant, too! Yes, bring on the mature woman, I'm happy about that!

[gaycrow.livejournal.com]

I have Lindsay's autograph! Signed on a Play Bill from "Private Lives" performed in NYC with Alan Rickman a few years ago.

She's a very good actress, and I was surprised to see her named as a companion. Interesting combination - a young doctor with an older companion. Is that a first? (I'm not a Who fan, but keep an eye on it from a distance.)

[cyberducks.livejournal.com]

Wow, she's a great actress - what a catch for them...

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Oh absolutely agree with you. Jack would make a brilliant companion.

Here's a treat.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Check it out:
http://scifiwire.com/2009/02/idw-will-release-a-special.php

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It might happen again sometime, who knows?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

most often partnered with Alan Rickman, and that takes some serious presence!

Egad. She must be something. I look forward to this!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Another grown-up companion!

I'm happy about this.

EVERYONE has worked with Matt Smith, apparently. In the dress. :-)

So true. So strange!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

That is some very, very interesting casting.

It has me wondering what they want to do with her. Why they want a heavy-hitter. It can only be a good thing.

Her performances with Rickman in Les Liaisons Dangereuses were legendary - about the hottest (in the sexual sense as well as in others) thing ever seen on stage.

How I wish I had seen that! I love Rickman. I love that movie. I do so wish I could have seen it on the stage.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Who did she play on Rome?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yeah the bar has been set pretty high with strong minded and clever companions.

It's one of the reasons I love the show so.

I was afraid with the casting for Plant of the Dead that that we'd just see young pretty girls as companions again.

I like it when they use different types. I was watching Voyage of the Damned over the weekend and it occurred to me that in his way, for the duration of the show, Mr. Copper is as much of a 'companion' as Astrid is. (Though it's clear that the Doctor particularly likes Astrid.) And I like that.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Something to look forward to. Really. As if it wasn't already - !

(Great icon!)

Re: Here's a treat.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Ooh - that looks wonderful!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I have Lindsay's autograph!

How wonderful!

Signed on a Play Bill from "Private Lives" performed in NYC with Alan Rickman a few years ago.

What a wonderful play.

Interesting combination - a young doctor with an older companion. Is that a first? (I'm not a Who fan, but keep an eye on it from a distance.)

I don't know. Most of the Companions seem to have been pretty young, as far as I know, but it also depends what you call a 'companion'. One could say that Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith was a companion in "School Reunion" with David Tennant as the Doctor, and the age differential would be pretty much exactly the same as it will be with Duncan and Tennant. Still, Mickey and Rose were around too, as the roughly-twenty set.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

She sounds absolutely wonderful. What great news!

[majkia.livejournal.com]

Servilla of the Junii

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

That's a very interesting choice - she's much older than any other companion and now, I'm curious about how that will play out. It sure shows how times have changed that a "serious" actress is willing to take a role in Dr. Who. Time was that actors didn't talk about getting a part in Dr. Who as it was considered rather disgraceful.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

she's much older than any other companion and now, I'm curious about how that will play out.

She's about the same age as Sarah Jane Smith now is. Not that Sarah Jane is currently a companion, but it makes for an interesting dynamic. I like this.

It sure shows how times have changed that a "serious" actress is willing to take a role in Dr. Who.

Serious actors have done it. So it's time for a serious actress!

Yes, it really does show how Doctor Who's image has improved.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Shame they couldnt go for a male companion though

They don't seem to count the male companions. Jack and Mickey technically are, but does anyone remember that when they list Rose, Martha, Donna?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, Jack and Mickey certainly count on my personal lists of companions! I've heard old-time fans argue about whether the Brigadier was a companion. There have been others - Jamie? I'm not very familiar with the old history, but I've seen pictures.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Cool. Good name.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

In Classic Who, men could as easily be listed as companions, but it seems that in New Who, particularly in the news coverage, the men just don't seem to "count." For instance, Martha being referred to as the first companion of color, although she came on after Mickey.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Strange, isn't it? I guess it depends whose perspective we're getting.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Hey, what about Alex Kingston? Wasn't her character at least a former companion (if not spouse)?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, there's a time paradox going on there. She's maybe a companion from the future - but we have no idea how young she was when she was the Doctor's companion/spouse/whatever, or how long she was (has been?) with him. She might have been even younger than Rose was when she was with him. Or not.

Makes my head hurt to think about it...

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I don't know much about the movie scene in Britain but I know it is rather different than in North America.

Off-topic: you may be interested in an article from CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/18/facebook.reversal/index.html).

[angelfireeast.livejournal.com]

Me too.:D

I always felt Copper wasn't looked upon by the Doctor as a companion. I don't really see him as one because the Doctor turned him down. It's silly I know. Mr. Copper in every other way is as much as companion as the Doctor. Stood up for him, saved people and was his friend.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Obviously the Doctor didn't want to travel with Mr Copper, but he liked him and Copper got a good part of the story. It's one of many reasons to like "Voyage of the Damned", I think - good ancillary characters.

What is or isn't a companion is quite subjective, even from the Doctor's point of view. Adam travelled with him in the TARDIS but still wasn't a companion because the Doctor didn't like him.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Hah! I don't much like Facebook but I like the way they have scrabble.

[basingstoke.livejournal.com]

Mother of Brutus and the love of Caesar's life, an AMAZING role.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I knew the name from history - I've always thought she sounded interesting. So she was a villain in Rome?

[basingstoke.livejournal.com]

Kind of?

If you're of the opinion that Caesar was a tyrant who needed killing, she's a hero.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

If you're of the opinion that Caesar was a tyrant who needed killing, she's a hero.

Me? Julius Caesar is one of my most beloved heroic historical heroes. I'm with Dante there: his killer belongs in the deepest ice-circle of hell. [g]

Not sure about Ciaran Hinds version, though. I haven't seen enough of Rome to know.