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Clara/Jenna's Best Episode... So Far?
MediaMatters
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Just watching several Season 7 episodes again :rolleyes: & realized how much I was appreciating Ms. Coleman's performances. Maybe it was the fresh impetus she brought after more than two series of Pond Life?
Initally, I thought her unexpected surprise appearance as Oswin in Asylum of the Daleks was such shocking & delightful addition that it set Clara up perfectly as a future traveling companion. Though, she had to share the screen almost equally with her co-stars here. Whereas in 'The Snowmen' she has more breadth to develop as she is introduced (& the Doctor is introduced to her) properly for the first time where, I think, we see such variety from Clara/Jenna. There's stern, funny, playful, sympathetic, friendly Clara aka Miss. Montague that is clearly popular with the locals . For that reason, it's probably my pick of the series for Clara at her best (even if it wasn't technically modern-day Clara: well, she was & wasn't.... Should I leave it at that?). A close runner-up was her introduction proper in 'Bells of St. John' when the mystery of Clara deepened.
You can often see how Clara's presence on board Tardis nudges the Doctor - however subtlly - towards a happier conclusion to the episode in spite of the chance involved in their meeting & the Doctor's emotional distance from her borne out of the mystery surrounding Clara. Just as a true companion does!
Initally, I thought her unexpected surprise appearance as Oswin in Asylum of the Daleks was such shocking & delightful addition that it set Clara up perfectly as a future traveling companion. Though, she had to share the screen almost equally with her co-stars here. Whereas in 'The Snowmen' she has more breadth to develop as she is introduced (& the Doctor is introduced to her) properly for the first time where, I think, we see such variety from Clara/Jenna. There's stern, funny, playful, sympathetic, friendly Clara aka Miss. Montague that is clearly popular with the locals . For that reason, it's probably my pick of the series for Clara at her best (even if it wasn't technically modern-day Clara: well, she was & wasn't.... Should I leave it at that?). A close runner-up was her introduction proper in 'Bells of St. John' when the mystery of Clara deepened.
You can often see how Clara's presence on board Tardis nudges the Doctor - however subtlly - towards a happier conclusion to the episode in spite of the chance involved in their meeting & the Doctor's emotional distance from her borne out of the mystery surrounding Clara. Just as a true companion does!
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Her surprise appearance in opening episode Asylum of the Daleks was a surprise in more ways than one. In addition to not knowing she was going to appear in the episode, especially to the extent that she was, the extra surprise was just how good she was. She was witty, she was smart, and as an aside she was very pretty as well - while Amy had shown a lot of promise in her earlier episodes, there had still been a hint that the producers were playing it safe by having another contemporary companion. With Oswin, it might not have lasted forever but for the shortest time we were teased with a rather refreshing companion from the future. Though we never quite got Oswin, I think it's a testament to JLC's acting that it is so easy to differentiate between her character in Asylum of the Daleks and her characters later on.
A close runner-up for me would be The Name of the Doctor. With the mystery surrounding Clara wrapping itself up, Jenna was once again able to play a character with a bit of personality...someone not so blank and concealed. It is a promising sign for Series 8, as her performance here was emotional and witty throughout... I was very impressed, despite feeling a little doubtful throughout the rest of 7B.
Some other moments in the series include being handed the TARDIS key in The Snowmen and on the cliff edge in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS. I'm looking forward to more now that her mystery has been solved - especially when it comes to contact with other characters, which have been some of her best scenes IMO. Reassuring Merry, whiskey with Emma, shaky nerves with Grisenko, history lesson with Porridge. With any luck, coming scenes will establish her as more than just The Impossible Girl.
The Snowmen
Asylum Of The Daleks
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Cold War
She brought together all of the fears that Clara had from the earlier episodes, was able to put them aside and save the Doctor. She realized that she had a higher purpose in life and that there was more than just a simple day to day existence, it included an entire universe.