Options
Any chance of a Jo Grant return?
Glenn A
Posts: 23,877 Forum Member
✭✭✭
Now that DW is largely filmed in Wales, and Jo Grant settled down in Wales in 1973, any chance of the character returning? Katy Manning is still very proud of her role, attends conventions and plays a Time Lady in audio versions of the show, so why not.
0
Comments
Hardly. She spent the next 40 odd years travelling around the world.
You don't mention her return in Death of the Doctor? Have you not seen it?
Not seen that one , but I know she was in the Sarah Jane Adventures. She did undertake an Amazonian adventure after marrying Professor Jones and I imagine UNIT might have wanted a few more years out of her. I think she could make some kind of cameo as an environmentalist.
If they have to bring back a Classic Who companion (and I see no real reason why they should - those companions had their day last century) I would rather it was someone like Ian, Jamie, Zoe, Romana II, Turlough or Peri.
An Ian return would be quite feasible this series, seeing as Clara works at Coal Hill school, and we must be going to revisit that at some point as it has been widely reported about that guy being cast as a fellow teacher from there, and being in some episodes
If I remember rightly, wasn't his name on the board at the front of the school in DOTD?
Sarah Jane said that Ian and Barbara hadn't aged since the 1960's in an episode of SJA. I expect they could gloss over that if they wanted to but I quite like the idea of Ian and Barbara being forever young
I like that idea too - but I seem to remember Sarah-Jane actually said 'rumour has it....' rather than confirming it as fact.
I half expected an appearance from Ian when we saw his name on the board in DOTD
That she had died?
Oh I don't know, she was never as vulnerable as she looked and karated her way out of a difficult situation in The Sea Devils and she was more intelligent than she let on. Maybe as well she was popular becausre of her mini skirts.:p
I'm not a fan of Jo Grant mainly because I'm not a fan of the Pertwee era (not keen on the Earth exile scenario, not really a fan of UNIT, and as brilliant as Roger Delgado was in the role the Master appeared far too frequently). If they have to bring back Classic Who companions then I personally would rather have ones who remind me of my preferred eras (i.e. the William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Tom Baker and Peter Davison eras).
Pertwee divides fans, some people don't like this modern day Britain theme to his stories and the BBC trying to make it like The Avengers on a BBC budget, but for all I like Troughton, the series was sagging in the ratings by the end of the sixties and was on the verge of cancellation. Pertwee tried to make it more modern and he doubled the ratings in two years.
Quite. For me, the Pertwee era is the high water mark of the show. I loved the Bondian-Avenger vibe. Of course, the fact I was 8 when he took over helped. But even now, I don't think his first season has ever been bettered. Everyone forgets they had to try something different to keep the show alive. And whether some fans like it or not, the strategy worked.
You may not like every era but the whole doesn't exist without all the different parts.
Umm back to the original question - Jo might be nice to see but she wouldn't be that high on my list. I'd rather have Romana, Ian, Nyssa, Ace ( who's story is unfinished), Turlough, Tegan or Susan.
She's not a member of the board of governors?
It the case of Pertwee's first season in particular, I'd draw a parallel with Quatermass too. Compare, for example, Quatermass II with Spearhead from Space.