I hold my opinion all the way back at The Rings of Akhaten and nothing has changed. First let me just say I think Jenna Coleman is a good actress who you can tell she's trying her best even though her characterization is all over the place and makes no sense. With that out of the way let's get started.

She undermines The Doctor a lot. I have no idea why the Doctor would want her as a companion. She slaps him, gives him a lecture nearly every single episode, doesn't appreciate the good stuff he does and generally gives the vibe she knows what's best. Even in the 50th anniversary she was awful by making out she's holier than thou. She's plain annoying.

Look at the difference between Clara in series 7 & series 8. I just rewatched Hide recently and she's a totally different character. See for yourself. I wouldn't say it's character development because that would entail she has evolved as a character. In series 7 she was a plot device to make Matt Smith question who she is. In series 8 it's obvious Moffat is trying to fix Clara by making her more human so we're seeing more of her personal life.

That's where Danny Pink comes in. Are we honestly expected to believe Clara would fall for someone who's so controlling and is the most generic guy around? Not only that but they argue a lot for someone who are at the beginning of the releationship. How is that expected to last? It doesn't help they have zero chemistry too.

Now going by next weeks trailer it seems she is gonna be yet again be a plot device for Capaldi's doctor. Christ what a mess she is. We need to move on and get a companion who's actually a companion not someone who's meant to be the answer of everything.

She's outdone Amy, Martha and Rose as far as I'm concerned.

I have to disagree she is by far my favourite New Who companion and in my top 5 of all time

I just wrote a post in the Danny Pink thread where I suggest that the reason why Clara and Danny's relationship seems somewhat 'unreal' is because they both have ulterior motives. So I agree, on the whole Clara has been working to either form a greater understanding of the doctor or maybe undermine him. Clara's character has been all over the place yes. I have struggled to like her character. But maybe that is the point.. And we are about to find out why. However, I also agree it's time for a companion who is just that. Bring the story arcs in elsewhere..

I tend to agree. Donna was at most times just a companion, but her backstory occasionally made the most impact, such as in Turn Left. Despite being "the most important woman in the universe" she still had her own life that added to the plot and made her relatable. This is lacking with Amy and Clara, but it's probably interference with the story arc rather than anything else. I'm hoping for a non-Earth companion next, or at least someone from the future like Oswin Oswald who can bring a sci-fi element, but which does not suffocate the series story arc.

She is in my dreams

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I'll get my coat

Her character has made the programme unwatchable.

I like her , but her characterization is all over the place , don't know if thats deliberate or bad writing .

Clara exemplifies the problem I have with Moffat's Who - he's great with story arcs and plotting and clever twists, but doesn't put enough effort or thought into characterisation.

Amy was the same - her storyline was initiated years before she even appeared (in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead). Everything else about her, even the fact she was Scottish, seemed to be bolted on around her story arcs.

Clara was the same - the 'impossible girl' story came first. Clara, as a character, was delivered to us in a 30 second montage involving her parents and a leaf. It just isn't enough.

RTD was the exact opposite - he built his companions from the ground up (families, jobs, boyfriends, friends). He gave them a reason to travel with the Doctor and then threw them into the Doctor's mad life. The stories followed on from that.

The truth is I emotionally invested in Rose, Martha and Donna in a way I have never been able to with Amy or Clara. Its important that we knew their parents. That gave us so much insight into their life and who they are as people.

By comparison, we met Amy's parents once (briefly) - and Clara's have been just as absent. I think the lack of clarity around Clara's character has come to the fore this season with efforts to 'bolt on' a life around her (a teaching job, a boyfriend etc). Its all too little too late.

There's a lovely scene I always remember from 'The Sontaran Stratagem' two-parter, when Donna goes back home for the first time since travelling with the Doctor, walking down the street, noticing her neighbours, seeing Wilf putting out the rubbish, etc. It's so beautifully handled and acted. We've had nothing like that with Clara.

I can see where you're coming from, Mulett, but Who for me never really *needed* that sort of family detail. Did Ian and Barbara have parents? Siblings? Did Sarah-Jane? We met Tegan's Aunt and Grandfather once, but only once did she refer to her Dad. I know Who has changed, but I'm fairly cool with the fact that there isn't so much family stuff now.

Of course having said that, Donna and Wilf were wonderful and I loved Brian too!

But maybe that's the point. Why we have never had 'Clara characterisation' or met her family much because...

I would add a spoiler here but don't know how to do it!

No, and I agree entirely. In classic Who, it never really mattered - although it always bugged me that Tegan never really got to grieve for her Aunt Vanessa and Nyssa was never shown to grieve for her entire planet. But, you're right, it wasn't a focus of the show back then and didn't need to be.

But I think, personally, that the 2005 re-launch did reflect changes in the way we watch TV and, in particular, the expectations viewers have on sci-fi and fantasy shows. And I think RTD got the balance just right which is why Rose Tyler is still topping 'favourite companion' polls with the public (as opposed to Digital Spy members).

The problem I have is that it feels as if Moffatt never appreciated the expectations of a modern audience and is writing his companions as 'Doctor Who companions' rather than as people.

I tend to agree with you a bit here. Good point.

Moffat's not a character writer though, and he cannot do realistic dialogue to save his life. His background is primarily in sitcom and it shows. RTD's background was in soap and drama and it showed.

That's an interesting point, really insightful. I think that really reflects their writing strengths and weaknesses.

I should point out that I am a massive Sherlock fan - I love Moffatt's Sherlock much more than I enjoy his Who.

But strange that the best characterisation he has managed (for me) is a show where the two main characters (Sherlock and Watson) are both relatively restricted in their emotional responses.

My views on Clara seem to change from week to week. Sometimes I like her and other times I find her really irritating. Undoubtedly Jenna Coleman is a good actress but the writing for her character has been very inconsistent (which is not her fault).

Going forward I would prefer the doctor to have a companion who is actually interested in travelling the universe with him and not concerned about rushing home for a date with her boyfriend.

Good post. Um, I see that, but think there might've been criticism if SM had gone down the same sort of path and used the same approach as RTD. A "more of the same" sort of thing. Now I like both eras and both approaches are valid. I slightly prefer Moffat's era, but it's not an "either/or" with me. Sometimes, not so much on this forum I stress (although it happens) but elsewhere it feels like one's supposed to be in a particular, ahem, camp. Which is a bit silly.

Wonder if the internet would be awash with Hinchcliffe v Williams debates if it was about in the 70's?

(Thinks)

Probably.

I agree; and I have found her confusing - a junior spaceship something that turned into a dalek flirting with Rory; a governess; a person that was in all the timelines of each regenerated Doctor; a teacher.

That's how I feel I do like her but the character is all over the shop.

If Missy is controlling her than it may be Missy makes her what she has to be for any given situation even if it is out of character for her.

It would certainly make more sense if Missy or someone/something is controlling her. As so many have pointed out - her character is all over the place.

In fact, I can't see any other explanation that would be satisfactory.

Clara's character is all over the place

After too series I still can't tell what she is like