When are we going to get another Brigadier-type character?

FiregazerFiregazer Posts: 5,888
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For quite some time I've been waiting for a recurring character, like the Brigadier, to sometimes help the Doctor, send him or assist him on adventures, etc.

Dare I say it, the Doctor has no friends!

I think someone like Ian McNeice (Winston Churchill, VOTD) would be great for this sort of role. I'd love him to return, just to be a sort of pal to the Doctor. The two seemed to have had a very good connection in Series 5.

I miss the Doctor having someone he can loathe and be witty with at the same time?

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  • LyceumLyceum Posts: 3,399
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    Did he ever actually appear in any NuWho episodes?

    I ask because I honestly can't remember seeing him but remember a lot of mentions and references to him.
  • AbominationAbomination Posts: 6,483
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    Lyceum wrote: »
    Did he ever actually appear in any NuWho episodes?

    I ask because I honestly can't remember seeing him but remember a lot of mentions and references to him.

    He appeared in the Series 2 finale to The Sarah Jane Adventures, Enemy of the Bane. He helped break into the Black Archive which somehow seemed to relocate from its location in SJA to the Tower of London by the time of The Day of the Doctor. :p

    They planned to have him also appear at Sarah Jane's wedding in Series 3's The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith but he fell ill when they would have been filming, and I believe he'd passed away by the time we reached Series 4's Death of the Doctor. I think there were plans to cross him back over into Doctor Who again, but the opportunity never arose unfortunately.

    I quite like Kate Stewart though...carries on the family name, was one of the only good things about last series' The Power of Three and The Day of the Doctor (in my opinion of course) and I look forward to her showing up again! :)

    The show sort of seems to cycle through a few recurring characters at a time.

    RTD Era had Captain Jack predominantly, whilst Moffat Era has River Song predominantly. Currently The Doctor also has The Paternoster Gang and Kate Stewart as recurring people in his life as well :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 611
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    While I don't care for the Doctor being "grounded" to any point in time, I do like the idea that there is someone out there, a good friend who knows him well, no matter what face he's wearing. Someone who is more on the ball than the typical companion. The Brigadier did this well during the Classic Era, and his appearances were always a treat.

    Like others have said, Jack, Kate and the Paternoster Gang all fill this spot well, and can easily appear at any given time, so long as it remains clear that they will not travel with the Doctor when the story ends. Kate can serve as the connection to the present and can always bridge to a good UNIT story, the Paternoster Gang, being the group of oddballs, can always add a more alien feel to the show that is always welcome, and with Jack'simmortality and ability to time travel, there is a wide range of setting where we can meet him.
  • doctor blue boxdoctor blue box Posts: 7,203
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    Firegazer wrote: »
    For quite some time I've been waiting for a recurring character, like the Brigadier, to sometimes help the Doctor, send him or assist him on adventures, etc.

    Dare I say it, the Doctor has no friends!

    I think someone like Ian McNeice (Winston Churchill, VOTD) would be great for this sort of role. I'd love him to return, just to be a sort of pal to the Doctor. The two seemed to have had a very good connection in Series 5.

    I miss the Doctor having someone he can loathe and be witty with at the same time?

    You mean like Captain jack, river song, kate stewart (brigadiers daughter no less), Vastra, jenny and strax??.

    If anything the doctor has more 'occasional friends' now than he ever did.
  • Shawn_LunnShawn_Lunn Posts: 9,353
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    I think Kate Stewart and Osgood have that role. I can see them recurring for years.

    Jack is done and I think the Paternoster Gang are just for Moffat's remaining time on the show.
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