I think she's incredibly believable actually.
Clara Oswald - Unrealistic
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I quite like Clara. I think Jenna's doing a smashing job with her.
Let's be honest here - that bit I've highlighted is b*llocks. Lis Sladen was a superb actress who was the reason Sarah became such a beloved character.
It isn't 1977 anymore but I can watch a TV programme made in 1977 and still recognise quality acting when I see it, irrespective of whether or not it would "work" within the context of 2013 television.
Originally Posted by saladfingers81:
“Exactly. Its the sacred truth that will never be spoken by many a Classic Who fan (of whom I am one) but the fact is TV has moved on. It was fine back in the day but the acting and characterization of most of Classic Who would be laughed off the screen into oblivion if it was repeated now. That is not to devalue the original- it stands up for many reasons. But lets be honest here- the companions were mostly one dimensional and very poorly acted- and yes that includes Sarah Jane, beloved as she might be.
It isn't 1977 anymore.”
“Exactly. Its the sacred truth that will never be spoken by many a Classic Who fan (of whom I am one) but the fact is TV has moved on. It was fine back in the day but the acting and characterization of most of Classic Who would be laughed off the screen into oblivion if it was repeated now. That is not to devalue the original- it stands up for many reasons. But lets be honest here- the companions were mostly one dimensional and very poorly acted- and yes that includes Sarah Jane, beloved as she might be.
It isn't 1977 anymore.”
Let's be honest here - that bit I've highlighted is b*llocks. Lis Sladen was a superb actress who was the reason Sarah became such a beloved character.
It isn't 1977 anymore but I can watch a TV programme made in 1977 and still recognise quality acting when I see it, irrespective of whether or not it would "work" within the context of 2013 television.
Originally Posted by Laura_Amanda:
“I've compiled funny and entertaining videos of Karen being extremely odd and awkward, if anything youll come out entertained.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQfvL...e_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hff8T...e_gdata_player”
“I've compiled funny and entertaining videos of Karen being extremely odd and awkward, if anything youll come out entertained.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQfvL...e_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hff8T...e_gdata_player”
Oh God. The bowling video (first link) is hilarious. xD I think I miss them.
Originally Posted by Joe_Zel:
“Exactly, we don't need to see a repeat of the same stuff everytime we get a new character/companion.
Which is why I loved it when Donna said "Yeah, I know that bit" when 10 tried to go off into his schtick about the Tardis.
”
“Exactly, we don't need to see a repeat of the same stuff everytime we get a new character/companion.
Which is why I loved it when Donna said "Yeah, I know that bit" when 10 tried to go off into his schtick about the Tardis.
”
they addressed this a bit the following week, didn't they? can't quite remember how now but I thought of this thread at the time
In Turn Left, Catherine got to do the whole "Bigger on the Inside" stuff again as in that version or reality, it was the first time Donna had seen the Ship.
She's nowhere near as realistic as all of the previous characters... oh, wait. They're all exactly the same.
Originally Posted by Hetal:
“Didn't find TARDIS that much of a big deal. Goes into space for the first time and doesn't even question if she can breathe or not. Goes around the 'space market' and is all casual with Star Wars like aliens. Meets a little girl who is considered a 'queen' and of course provides her earthly advice. Somehow can drive a space moped like she's done it all her life. Has an IQ of 1k + where she worked out to beat the God with a leaf. Something The Doctor couldn't even work out. She practically has godlike traits already where she seems better than The Doctor. What the hell?!
Also, she comes across as really smug and is already self righteous towards The Doctor which isn't cool. The worst one was threatening to leave because she doesn't want to be mistaken by someone else. The Doctor just showed you a whole new side of the universe and you're already bitching?
Amy Pond was sort of bad as well at the beginning (was toned down though) but I think Clara Oswald is already worse. I don't know what it is with Steven Moffat. The companions he creates are so over the top that it's hard for viewers to relate to them. People critcise RTD but at least he gave his companions human traits. Donna being the best by miles.
I thought Jenna played her two previous characters brilliantly. The current one? Not so much. I'm not so sure if it's the writing but she comes across really annoying with this character. I hope she isn't even going to be like this the whole series. :/”
“Didn't find TARDIS that much of a big deal. Goes into space for the first time and doesn't even question if she can breathe or not. Goes around the 'space market' and is all casual with Star Wars like aliens. Meets a little girl who is considered a 'queen' and of course provides her earthly advice. Somehow can drive a space moped like she's done it all her life. Has an IQ of 1k + where she worked out to beat the God with a leaf. Something The Doctor couldn't even work out. She practically has godlike traits already where she seems better than The Doctor. What the hell?!
Also, she comes across as really smug and is already self righteous towards The Doctor which isn't cool. The worst one was threatening to leave because she doesn't want to be mistaken by someone else. The Doctor just showed you a whole new side of the universe and you're already bitching?
Amy Pond was sort of bad as well at the beginning (was toned down though) but I think Clara Oswald is already worse. I don't know what it is with Steven Moffat. The companions he creates are so over the top that it's hard for viewers to relate to them. People critcise RTD but at least he gave his companions human traits. Donna being the best by miles.
I thought Jenna played her two previous characters brilliantly. The current one? Not so much. I'm not so sure if it's the writing but she comes across really annoying with this character. I hope she isn't even going to be like this the whole series. :/”
A character is deemed "Unrealistic" because she's blase and not because she IS walking around in a space market or time traveling?
I can think of any number of reasonable explanations for Clara's attitude. Being stunned or not quite believing in the reality of what's going on would cause a good deal of the behavior you've described, minus your subjective evaluation of how smart she'd have to be to figure certain things out. Or if she WAS that smart? Being, apparently, computer enhanced and having a wonky space-time thing going on as well.
The latest episode, "Hide", has done a lot to help me warm up to Clara at least a little. My biggest problem with Moffat's characters is they just don't feel like fully rounded people to me. RTD was far from perfect as God knows I had many grievances with his writing, but his characters at least always felt like people I might meet in real life. Until "Hide", Clara just didn't seem like a person to me but now she's finally starting to.
The only thing unrealistic about Clare is that she hasn't got some dopey meathead boyfriend like every other gorgeous lady.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
Originally Posted by brouhaha:
“Let's be honest here - that bit I've highlighted is b*llocks. Lis Sladen was a superb actress who was the reason Sarah became such a beloved character.”
“Let's be honest here - that bit I've highlighted is b*llocks. Lis Sladen was a superb actress who was the reason Sarah became such a beloved character.”
She was a good actress. I would hesitate to use the word superb.
She's not Helen Mirren.
Originally Posted by Lathamite:
“The only thing unrealistic about Clare is that she hasn't got some dopey meathead boyfriend like every other gorgeous lady.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.”
“The only thing unrealistic about Clare is that she hasn't got some dopey meathead boyfriend like every other gorgeous lady.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.”
Martha didn't either during Series 3.
And who knows maybe Clara has a secret girlfriend stashed away that we don't know about
Personally, I'm loving Clara. I don't have any problem believing her reactions and I don't find her remotely smug or unphased by things.
She is, to all appearance, a perfectly normal human being with the exception of having a high IQ (and, presumably, an artificially uploaded set of computer skills).
There have been several companions with extremely high IQs (Zoe and Romana spring to mind) and they've been some of my favourites so I have no problem whatsoever with intelligent companions.
For me, the whole mystery thing is something I can just switch off. Whatever it is, Clara isn't any more aware of it than we are so it's not affecting her actions. All of the Doctor's tests show she's a normal human in every way so, to me, that's what she is. I don't expect any kind of a reveal on the mystery until the finale so, until then, I'm not letting it influence my feelings on Clara at all.
She is, to all appearance, a perfectly normal human being with the exception of having a high IQ (and, presumably, an artificially uploaded set of computer skills).
There have been several companions with extremely high IQs (Zoe and Romana spring to mind) and they've been some of my favourites so I have no problem whatsoever with intelligent companions.
For me, the whole mystery thing is something I can just switch off. Whatever it is, Clara isn't any more aware of it than we are so it's not affecting her actions. All of the Doctor's tests show she's a normal human in every way so, to me, that's what she is. I don't expect any kind of a reveal on the mystery until the finale so, until then, I'm not letting it influence my feelings on Clara at all.
I think Clara's fantastic. Best companion so far already. And Jenna Louise Coleman is by far the best actress who they have ever got in Doctor Who.
Originally Posted by Dalekbuster523:
“I think Clara's fantastic. Best companion so far already. And Jenna Louise Coleman is by far the best actress who they have ever got in Doctor Who.”
“I think Clara's fantastic. Best companion so far already. And Jenna Louise Coleman is by far the best actress who they have ever got in Doctor Who.”
She's an extremely talented girl. She'll go far in her post Who career too I imagine.
Originally Posted by GDK:
“I'm having a bit of a problem with contemporary Clara.
It appears to be JLC's performance.
At times she does this "strike a pose" thing and freezes which looks really false to my eyes. Sometimes it's coupled with looking away (from the character she's talking to) and almost breaks the fourth wall. Clara "cocks her head" as if thinking to herself or about to break into a soliloquy. The first example I can cite for this is early in TBoSJ when she's first talking to the Doctor outside the house and he's sat down in front of the TARDIS. There's a moment when he says something worrying to Clara and she takes a step back and.... well, "poses", in a way to me that's totally unrealistic.
I loved her as Oswin and as Victorian Clara.
The only way I can think of to make it good, believable, acting to me is that maybe Clara still thinks that what's happening around her isn't real. That any minute now she'll wake up and find it's all been a dream or a nightmare.
Maybe there'll be a moment where she realises it's all real. Maybe it'll be when the Doctor finally confronts her with the mystery around her. From the looks of the trailer, that moment could be in the next episode.
Maybe she's had flashbacks (or what she thought were dreams) of her other existences before. She will finally tell the Doctor about them when he confronts her and this will lead towards the resolution of the mystery around her.
I certainly hope it'll be resolved in some way.”
“I'm having a bit of a problem with contemporary Clara.
It appears to be JLC's performance.
At times she does this "strike a pose" thing and freezes which looks really false to my eyes. Sometimes it's coupled with looking away (from the character she's talking to) and almost breaks the fourth wall. Clara "cocks her head" as if thinking to herself or about to break into a soliloquy. The first example I can cite for this is early in TBoSJ when she's first talking to the Doctor outside the house and he's sat down in front of the TARDIS. There's a moment when he says something worrying to Clara and she takes a step back and.... well, "poses", in a way to me that's totally unrealistic.
I loved her as Oswin and as Victorian Clara.
The only way I can think of to make it good, believable, acting to me is that maybe Clara still thinks that what's happening around her isn't real. That any minute now she'll wake up and find it's all been a dream or a nightmare.
Maybe there'll be a moment where she realises it's all real. Maybe it'll be when the Doctor finally confronts her with the mystery around her. From the looks of the trailer, that moment could be in the next episode.
Maybe she's had flashbacks (or what she thought were dreams) of her other existences before. She will finally tell the Doctor about them when he confronts her and this will lead towards the resolution of the mystery around her.
I certainly hope it'll be resolved in some way.”
This. I couldn't put it better. I get the 'silent movie' vibe from her. I'm hoping that it's actually part of the mystery of Clara, as you say, some sort of recognition that this isn't reality for her, and not just poor acting and poor character development.
I love both Clara and JLC, I find the character to be the most believable out of all the modern companions IMHO. She gets a lot of depth to her character and I find all her reactions to things to be totally realistic. When she first gets into the TARDIS, she's clearly stunned and shocked, and by the time they get to the alien conversation, she's seen enough of the Doctor to not be surprised (in an identical way to the way Rose was tbh). In fact, the more I see of Clara and rewatch the first series, I can definitely see the two characters are very similar in the way they react to things. Take that either as a compliment or an insult (though personally I much prefer Clara to Rose).
She has an air of fun and mischief about her, a lot of the time. I think she's a great complement to the Doctor, personally.
Originally Posted by MamTor:
“This. I couldn't put it better. I get the 'silent movie' vibe from her. I'm hoping that it's actually part of the mystery of Clara, as you say, some sort of recognition that this isn't reality for her, and not just poor acting and poor character development.”
“This. I couldn't put it better. I get the 'silent movie' vibe from her. I'm hoping that it's actually part of the mystery of Clara, as you say, some sort of recognition that this isn't reality for her, and not just poor acting and poor character development.”
Thanks for this. For a while there I thought I was the only one noticing this or feeling this way!
Unfortunately for the theory, we've had the reveal to Clara now about her other lives and she didn't have a moment of recogniton. There was no "Actually Doctor, now you come to mention it..." moment where she reveals she's had some sense of the other lives.
On the other had, she didn't have a lot of time to think about it and then it was straight on to the Doctor's name bit, and now she's forgotten those events anyway. Mostly.
Anyway, the performance seemed much better in JttCotT. I didn't notice too much posing going on.
For me, the jury's still out.
im with u gdk something stilted about ehr performance although this week was slightly better
how anyone can say shes a great actress and best ever companion is beyond me
how anyone can say shes a great actress and best ever companion is beyond me
Originally Posted by koantemplation:
“JLC would be better as a Blue Peter presenter.”
“JLC would be better as a Blue Peter presenter.”
No, she wouldn't.
The girl has talent, Moffat just need to utilise more in the scripts.
Just a mo'
There's nowt wrong with being in Who and being a Blue Peter presenter at the same time / before / after. Most recently, Barney Harwood had a role in The Infinite Quest.
And Blue Peter exists in the Whoniverse ...
There's nowt wrong with being in Who and being a Blue Peter presenter at the same time / before / after. Most recently, Barney Harwood had a role in The Infinite Quest.
And Blue Peter exists in the Whoniverse ...
Originally Posted by Sue_Aitch:
“Just a mo'
There's nowt wrong with being in Who and being a Blue Peter presenter at the same time / before / after. Most recently, Barney Harwood had a role in The Infinite Quest.
And Blue Peter exists in the Whoniverse ...”
“Just a mo'
There's nowt wrong with being in Who and being a Blue Peter presenter at the same time / before / after. Most recently, Barney Harwood had a role in The Infinite Quest.
And Blue Peter exists in the Whoniverse ...”
Peter Purvis was a companion and a Blue Peter presenter
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