I have noticed in some of the later Sylvester McCoy episodes how Ace calls The Doctor "Professor". Why does she call him this and not "Doctor"? No other companions ever called him anything else but "Doctor" and I was wondering where "Professor" came from.

Presumably JNT thought it was a good idea at the time.

Sweetie
??

I think it's just to emphasize the fact that she's slightly detached and won't take on board that he wants to be called the Doctor, she just addresses him her own way, that's how she's used to doing things...


...Also, being as her first full season was the 25th anniversary year, do you think it could be something of a nod to the "Chessington" meme ?

Well, 'Doctor' can be interpreted as an academic- doctor of mathmatics, doctor of biology, etc.- so maybe Ace viewed him as being that type of Doctor.

It was an irritating joke, which (like most of the jokes of the McCoy era) laboured under the significant disadvantage of not being funny.

I just thought they were trying to connect to the "youth" as Doctor Who had lost its cool and was "disconnected" with the teen audience, the BBC felt it had become a dinosaur from the past.

So, since all teenagers don't want to do what they are told, they invented a character they hope they could relate to - Ace. Ace was rebellious, she was a "teen" she didn't do what grown ups told her to do, you say your name is Doctor but I'm going to call you Professor, it was supposed to be affectionate but teenagers also like to tease. "My name is The Doctor", "yeah whatever Professor" ...

But McCoy's Doctor never said to her, "Don't call me Professor. Call me The Doctor."

Why did Trigger call Rodney Dave?, she probably is just stupid.

He did actually. At the end of Dragonfire when Ace agrees to travel with the Doctor:

Doctor: But there are three rules. Number one - I'm in charge.
Ace: Whatever you say Professor.
Doctor: Two, I'm not the Professor. I'm the Doctor.
Ace; Whatever you want
Doctor: And three, well I'll think up the third one by the time we get to Perivale...

Because she was thick and annoying!

Because it was a stupid affectation presented as "humour". And we moan about the RTD/Moff era...

Thanks - exactly the scene I was talking about

Because she was an implausible cypher of a character, consisting of nothing but 'yoof issues,' gimmicks and catchphrases?

Because friends give each other nicknames!

To infuriate me.

^this

I don't know why people have such a problem with it. I think it's endearing.

Also, Professor is usually considered a more distinguished title than Doctor. Most Professors have Doctorates but Professors are awarded the title on the grounds of seniority or academic excellence.

Really it's a compliment

To help make Ace stand out even more as Doctor Who's Poochie?

I agree, although professor actually just means you have gone through the academic promotion procedures & have a steady output of publications. It's pretty obvious that that The Doctor is more of a PhD doctor than a medical one so professor is perfectly acceptable.

Wow, that expression passed me by, I had to look it up

Personally I rather liked Ace. She was fun

Term of affection.

I thought it was rather lovely actually.

seconded

Didn't she call Mel "Doughnut" too? And she once knew a braindead plumber called "Darth Vader".*



*Assuming this wasn't an official crossover with the Sith Lord becoming a dim-witted tradesman in Perivale.

Yep, it was 'doughnut'. Pretty random! (She thought Mel was sweet? Or sugary? Or had a hole in the middle?? Gawd knows.)Maybe it was just a 'thing' she did...she hated her real name (mother issues) and giving other people nicknames was a habit she got into. I remember she called the little girl in 'Survival' 'Squeak' and I think she called the creepy schoolgirl something after she was 'unpossessed' in 'ROTD' but can't remember what it was. And was it Glitz who was infamously labelled 'Bilgebag' ??

Haven't seen these stories for a while.

Some interesting comments. I liked Ace as well and the Sylvester McCoy era is the first Doctor Who era I remember well. (I have a few memories of Colin Baker but of no specific episodes and very vague memories of Peter Davison.) I know some forum members aren't keen on the Sylvester McCoy years, although I personally liked him as The Doctor. I am not sure if I would enjoy his episodes as much now as I have since seen a number of Tom Baker stories.

I have seen in other Digital Spy posts that some fans aren't as keen on some of the McCoy-era villains - sorry to go off-topic.