I think Michelle Ryan's character was written REALLY well, and played REALLY badly.

she was brilliant..and should come back..if the new doctor is an ugly student type at least have the companion as a hottie

I hope we don't see her again - she was just so terribly ANNOYING and full of herself.

I wasn't sure if it was the other way round. Either way, let that be it. No more thanks, I'd have to stop watching.

I was just wondering - are the people who thought Michelle Ryan was GREAT men? Or women? Or a mixture?

I'd definatley want to see her as a full time companion - absoloutley thought she was amazing. The character was so different to what we have come to expect of companions. She could hold her own against the doctor, she was able to take charge, she wasn't overwhelmed easily and caught on to things extremely well and fast. She would make a perfect companion.

I kinda liked the character, but Ryan's performance wasn't that great. Very hit and miss. Her delivery was really off at times. I'm thinking of the bit where she goes down into the well to retrieve that crystal thing. The banter between herself and the Doctor was really forced, and her delivery stiff and dry.

What is it with young actresses these days? I can't think of many who are very strong at what they do at all. Thinking about a new female companion for the Doctor is difficult at the moment. I thought they'd already lined up someone from Skins to do it? Was that all wrong? I certainly hope so.

I thought she was pretty good, actually, although I'm not sure about her coming back as a companion - I think she might be too confrontational; and she's supposed to be a crook. I think she could come back occasionally as a goody/baddy, in much the same way as she was in this episode. Someone already mentioned Bergerac's Ice Maiden, Liza Goddard - Michelle could easily do something similar here.

i think she was meant to sound relatively stiff in her banter because she is an aristocrat, it ddn't sound forced at all to me. I do think casting her full time could be problamatic though as they may be tempted to put a love spin on the story esecially if matt smith is the doctor.

The fascination with Sally Sparrow is getting annoying she was not that good I really don't get why people seem to be so obsessed by her. And Martha was a good companion she wasn't as bad as people make her out to be.

Women probably didn't rate her because she is the most gorgeous, sexiest, in-your-face female ever to get on a London Bus.
Any guy that didn't sit drooling must be, as Arnie would say, a Girlie-Man.

The only problem was that she put everyone else in the shade, including David Tennant and as for Lee Evans, simply terrible, how he got the part I'll never know.

Catherine Tate? She's great but sadly, at times, she looks old enough to be the Doctor's mother.

Are you serious?????

(Must take Papaboogie to task for being a Girlie-Man)

Michelle is a beautiful woman, with a cracking figure - and that gets the goat of many of the female uglies that post here. She also doesn't appeal to the nerds as they just want Sarah Jane or Sally Sparrow back (I can't believe that people are still harking back to "Blink" - GET OVER IT).

I've only read one post on this topic that actually attempts to describe why MR's acting was supposedly bad - rather than just giving a blanket "her acting is terrible".

To many people confuse confidence as arrogance and take an instant dislike to a character and in MR's case turn it back on the actress. They have to understand that an actor is directed too - if they don't like her potrayal, then the blame lies with more than just the actress.

I thought her confident character brought an interesting dynamic to her the Doctor. He saw her as an equal I think, and she him.

I think that MR did really well, I enjoyed her feisty-ness (sorry about spelling) and the difference in her character to Tennants companions before now. MR is alway going to cop it (as did Freema). Many of the same posters on this thread were crying out for Billie's return - and look how bad that was when it eventually happened - she couldn't even talk!!!!!

I'd welcome her (MR) back as a companion - as I think her character has plenty to give.
Last edited by Chubby : 12-04-2009 at 12:57

I liked the character and I thought Michelle did a great job with her. Yes, it was all a bit of a copy of Lara Croft, but I don't think that mattered. They needed someone different to the other companions, and with a character you could understand straight away - ie in your face. It wasn't the time for a quiet, coming out of her shell as the series progressed type.

However, I'm not sure about a permanent companion. That might be too much, especially as the Doctor would have to keep searching her things to make sure she hadn't aquired any goodies. I'd certainly like to see her again, but unless they change her character, she'd be best as an recurring character.

She reminds me a little of early Captain Jack. He was something of a rogue, and was equally over-confident, except he had his own space-ship and ability to travel through time and then there's the eternal life thing which comes in handy. Christina made off with her flying bus, but that's only going to take her so far.

If there is a time in the future where Christina cropping up would work in the plot, I'd be more than happy to see her back again.

Who said anything about Sally Sparrow?

I got that she was an aristocrat, but that still doesn't make an excuse for stilted line delivery, sorry. I'm not saying she was crap, but just a bit hit and miss. I don't dislike the girl, but didn't feel she'd make a good long term companion. As for Martha, well sorry, even the kids didn't like her, and that's the death knell for a character in Doctor Who surely. I don't know what the producers ever saw that warranted hiring her for a companion.

Overall though, I preferred this episode to the poor Christmas one, which promised so much and delivered nothing. This at least had some mystery behind the wizz bangs, a good central conceit, and I loved the enigmatic ending.

Mama..... of course I'm serious

erm, about which bit?

What's this jealousy accusation crap? I didn't like her character and I didn't think much of Ryan's acting ability either - has absolutely nothing to do with the way she looks.

I think her character would be fun ignoring the Doc and doing her own thing all the time.

I've got nothing against her as a person or an actress - but the character see played last night was stupid and unrealistic.

Your more likely to meet one of those bug-eyed fly-people in real life, than anyone like that.

I'm a guy, and while I too think she was very pretty, I'm trying to look at it objectively rather than ogling her ass, thanks. She was definitely stronger than Martha/Freema, and I would be happier seeing MR in the part than someone even younger off Skins. She at least held some command in the part.

As for confidence VS arrogance, I think you do the members of the forum a disservice with this statement. Of course people know the difference, and in some ways it was refreshing to see a young lass be so commanding with a touch of arrogance in the role. My feelings were it felt a little forced, but she didn't do herself any harm in the part at all.

I think the reason people do wish for the return of Sally Sparrow, is because she just felt so ready for the role. Very human, a love of mystery, and inner strength that felt very natural. However, in reality I'm not one who constantly harps on about it, as the producers obviously have a different idea for the role. I go with that, because I love new Who.

If MR got the part, you wouldn't find me upset. But I would like her to up her game as an actress, and ease into the role rather than force it. Otherwise, no one will believe the character.

I'm a girl an I thought she was a great character. The acting at times was a bit bad but it was nice to have a female companion who wasn't acting like a damsel in distress. I know that doesn't really happen too often anyway but basically I liked the team effort and how it wasn't just the Doctor saving the day.

I don't think I'd like to see her come back though. I reckon that's a bit over done now. The majority of goodbyes the characters have had ended up not being final goodbyes and I liked her cheesy ending flying in the bus. Its best to not know what happens next.

It was obviously a try-out to gauge public reaction.
There aren't that many actresses around young enough and fresh enough to take on the companion role as you might think.
As the new Doctor, Matt Smith, is a mere 26 years old it's no good giving him a companion who is obviously older than he is.
As for miss-casting, I think I'd prefer the bug-eyed fly monster to play the role of the stroppy military Captain rather than the struggling actress presently in that part - deary me!

Could be because a lot casting directors are going for looks over substance, so the pretty ones get a leg up, even if they aren't that competent.

It's the same for men.

Well I thought Michelle Ryan was great and saved what I thought was a very poor story.

eeer will I'm a girl and I really like her so.....
Also I thought lee evans was suprisingly good.

Catherine Tate does NOT look old enough to be DT mother. Anyway wth has looks got to do with any of this???


Sorry the Sall Sparow thing was directed at a post the page before should have made that clearer.

I didn't think her lines were stilted though , watching it i didn't notice anything wrong with the delivery of her lines. It wasn't untill i came on the boards and heard others talking about that i even considered it. As for Martha the reason so many people didn't like her (imho) is; she was living in Rose's shadow through her whole reign. There was not an episode of hers that went by without the doctor saying 'yea but Rose would do this' or pointing out in some way or the other that she's not good enough. I blame the writers if the laid off the Rose fascination maybe she would have been given a chance and been more likeable for the mass audiences.

TA about the christmas episode though it was definatley not up to expectations and POTD by any means was 100 times better than that.

Agreed.

She'd be a superb full time companion.