Are Madame Vastra , Jenny and Strax popular ?

Virgil TracyVirgil Tracy Posts: 26,805
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they've been around a while now , and Moffat seems very fond of them , they keep appearing in big stories and are semi-regulars .

there have been various guest characters that could've been brought back but haven't , so why does he keep bringing these 3 back ?

I thought Strax had some funny lines the first few times , but its getting boring now .

Vastra and Jenny - I'm not keen on .

but are they popular generally ? do you like them ?
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Comments

  • 2shy20072shy2007 Posts: 52,577
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    They all annoy me, Strax especially. I cant see the need for them.
  • JohnnyForgetJohnnyForget Posts: 24,061
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    I quite like them, as long as they're used sparingly.

    How is their inclusion every now and again any different from featuring Unit every now and again? The latter assisting the Doctor in the present day and the former assisting him in the late Victorian era.
  • KapellmeisterKapellmeister Posts: 41,322
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    I actually didn't mind them in 'Deep Breath', for the time ever. Some of Strax's stuff actually made me laugh: like throwing the paper at Clara or "Out of the way human scum!..Jurassic emergency!" or his comment about the Doctor being killed off by the "violent poor".

    On the whole though I'd be happy never to see them again. I don't personally know anyone who likes them much. As has been often said, I can see them being more successful with their own series.
  • CAMERA OBSCURACAMERA OBSCURA Posts: 8,002
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    I think they served their purpose in the Matt Smith era and they jarred somewhat in Deep Breath.

    Time for the show to move on.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,818
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    I really like them. It's nice having recurring characters and I would love them to have their series.
    I think that when Jenna leaves, Clara will join them.
  • Joe_ZelJoe_Zel Posts: 20,832
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    I didn't really see the need for them in past stories but I really enjoyed their inclusion in Deep Breath even if some of their dialogue jarred.

    Their inclusion felt like it made sense for the first time to me. I loved Vastra in the "veil" scene.
  • Joe_ZelJoe_Zel Posts: 20,832
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    I really like them. It's nice having recurring characters and I would love them to have their series.
    I think that when Jenna leaves, Clara will join them.

    I hope she dies.

    Clara, not Jenna. ;-)
  • doctor blue boxdoctor blue box Posts: 7,243
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    I've enjoyed every appearance by them, they are a good bit of fun, but I think if they were in it too much I would get sick of them.

    If I'm remembering right, this was only their fourth episode in three series which took 4 years to air, so it's not like they are being rammed down our throats constantly.

    Jack appeared in 7 episodes in 4 years, and river appeared in 4 episodes in just series 5 alone, and lots more since. Not saying that's a bad thing as I think they are both great, but it put's in perspective that the paternoster gang haven't really appeared that much in comparison.
  • *Eileen**Eileen* Posts: 9,881
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    Most people I know like them, the only people I have come across who don't are on here.
  • PiippPiipp Posts: 2,440
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    You know that when they're in an episode something big is gonna happen. Bar The Crimson Horror. I think it's okay to have them around in the larger stories; it helps to show that sometimes the Doctor can't do everything on his own and he does need help. Plus, if it's an episode which features an enemy which will likely need to be physically attacked they're perfect; you can't really have the Doctor waving a sword around but you can get away with it using these three. That said, I'm not really a fan of stories set in the Victorian era so I can't say I've been thrilled with most of their appearances, purely because of the era in which the story is set.
  • Shawn_LunnShawn_Lunn Posts: 9,353
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    I think they're fantastic characters.

    They haven't been overused at all. Just the right amount.
  • BlackTarantulaBlackTarantula Posts: 359
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    Sometimes they're OK. I liked them in "Deep Breath" because they were given more depth and we got to see a bit of their day to day life. Strax was actually funny for a change (normally he's written as though he ought to be hilarious, only to come across as annoying): "By now he's almost certainly had his throat cut by the violent poor" was a very funny line.
  • Joy DeanJoy Dean Posts: 21,346
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    I used to like Strax - a good man goes to war etc - but he doesn't have any purpose with the lizard and her wife.
    IMO
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 208
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    I like them. At one point I wondered if they were being poised for a new spin-off (which I think would be great fun, could even give Gatiss a 'job' so he stays away from the main show!) But I don't think it'll happen somehow.

    The only thing is though, The Sontarans were always one of my favourite baddies, but can't see how they can ever be brought back again now after Strax...
  • DuncanEmeryDuncanEmery Posts: 415
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    Just back from the States and the Who fans I met there think they are great - as for me useful to have some returning characters and these are okay but need to be careful not overused
  • *Sparkle**Sparkle* Posts: 10,955
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    I'm fairly indifferent to them.

    They serve a purpose in certain plots, and having them for the transitional phase helped, because the Doctor needed somewhere to stay, and it gave Clara people to bounce off while working out her issues. Trax gets some good lines, and is my favourite, but even he needs to be used sparingly.
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    I really like them. It's nice having recurring characters and I would love them to have their series.
    I think that when Jenna leaves, Clara will join them.
    So what happens if they appear again. Will Clara be back or will it be excuses as to why she isn't with them?
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    *Sparkle* wrote: »
    I'm fairly indifferent to them.

    They serve a purpose in certain plots, and having them for the transitional phase helped, because the Doctor needed somewhere to stay, and it gave Clara people to bounce off while working out her issues. Trax gets some good lines, and is my favourite, but even he needs to be used sparingly.
    I was about to say the same. They really didn't add much to the episode. It was a chance for Clara and the Doctor to stay with them and they turned up to fight at the end but other senarios could have happened.

    I guess the only pertinent reason was the discussion with Clara.


    The only other reason is for Jenny's catchphrase "we're married" dontcha kno ^_^
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 17,060
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    I really like them, but I thought all the attention on them as a group was to prepare them for their own show, like a Victorian era replacement for Sarah Jane Adventures. I'm surprised there's no been no announcement.
  • comedyfishcomedyfish Posts: 21,637
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    *Sparkle* wrote: »
    I'm fairly indifferent to them.

    They serve a purpose in certain plots, and having them for the transitional phase helped, because the Doctor needed somewhere to stay, and it gave Clara people to bounce off while working out her issues. Trax gets some good lines, and is my favourite, but even he needs to be used sparingly.

    this is exactly my viewpoint too
  • ea91ea91 Posts: 2,363
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    Vastra and Jenny are brilliant and need to get away from Victorian London. Strax varies from hilarious to forced slapstick.
  • doctor blue boxdoctor blue box Posts: 7,243
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    I really like them. It's nice having recurring characters and I would love them to have their series.
    I think that when Jenna leaves, Clara will join them.
    Not sure this would happen, but in a way they do sort of have a connection with 'Clara's era' as companion. The first time we saw them in their usual victorian setting and every time since Clara has been there. The very first time we met them was obviously a good man goes to war, but I don't think Amy even got chance to meet them. (though I think rory did) so really they have a connection more to Clara in the episodes we've seen than any other character or individual doctor.
  • BadcatBadcat Posts: 3,684
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    I love them and I'm still hoping they get their own show like Torchwood and SJA did :D
  • Mystical123Mystical123 Posts: 15,811
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    I actually didn't mind them in 'Deep Breath', for the time ever.

    It's the complete opposite for me - I never used to mind them, but in Deep Breath they irritated me immensely!

    They're becoming overused to the point of being annoying, and for me it's got to the point where the writers have run out of uses for them so just keep rehashing the same old lines and jokes, even though they're not funny anymore.
  • TalmaTalma Posts: 10,520
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    I think they served their purpose in the Matt Smith era and they jarred somewhat in Deep Breath.

    Time for the show to move on.

    I liked them in a Good Man Goes to War and the Crimson Horror but generally I'm not keen on them at all, especially the amount of time they had to fill in gaps in Deep Breath, I would rather have seen more of the Doctor.
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