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Was Elizabeth Sladen axed from Dr Who in 1976


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Old 19-04-2015, 09:52
Gusto Brunt
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Or did she decide to leave? Thanks.
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Old 19-04-2015, 10:12
stud u like
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She certainly wasn't axed. She was very popular with Barry Letts. She was asked back in 1981.
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Old 19-04-2015, 10:13
Jethryk
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She left.
And then there were repeated attempts from the likes of Graham Williams and JNT to get her back.
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Old 19-04-2015, 10:16
Gusto Brunt
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She left.
And then there were repeated attempts from the likes of Graham Williams and JNT to get her back.
Did she ever do anything after Dr Who in 1976.


She certainly wasn't axed. She was very popular with Barry Letts. She was asked back in 1981.
I loved her to bits. She was very endearing.
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Old 19-04-2015, 10:33
jxbrenna
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i remeber watching the 50th in the cinemas for the first time thinking "if only Liz was still with us now she would be so honoured to be celebrating its anniversary! Sarah would certianly have been there by the Doctors side during the episode"
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Old 19-04-2015, 10:37
Hestia
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Or did she decide to leave? Thanks.
Did she ever do anything after Dr Who in 1976.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Sladen gives an idea of how much she did outside of Doctor Who.

Her autobiography covers her departure in some depth as well. It was Caroline John's contract that wasn't renewed, as her character was thought to be far too clever to be a companion in Doctor Who. I think that Barry Letts was credited with that decision but I heard Jon Pertwee on more than one occasion confirm that he thought that Jo was a better companion for being more vulnerable.
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Old 19-04-2015, 11:14
Gusto Brunt
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I noted the character started off as a feisty journalist but more or less was childlike in her last few stories.

Her stripy pink 'Andy Pandy' dungerees - seen in The Hand of Fear - sort of underlined that, I thought.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...1cd167e516.jpg
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Old 19-04-2015, 11:23
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Well, put it this way: do you really think they'd axe the Doctor Who equivalent of Princess Diana (in terms of popularity)?
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Old 19-04-2015, 11:25
Gusto Brunt
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Well, put it this way: do you really think they'd axe the Doctor Who equivalent of Princess Diana (in terms of popularity)?
I'm not sure, because didn't 'they' decide not to renew Jon Pertwee's contract,
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Old 19-04-2015, 11:34
Dalekbuster523
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I'm not sure, because didn't 'they' decide not to renew Jon Pertwee's contract,
Well, he's probably more comparable to Prince Harry popularity (popular but not as popular as others higher up).
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Old 19-04-2015, 12:14
Mulett
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It was entirely her decision to leave and the team at the time tried to convince her to stay.

Tom Baker was so enamored with Sarah Jane that he didn't want another companion after she left and asked the writers to allow his Doctor to travel alone afterwards, a request which was declined (although he did get one solo outing in The Deadly Assassin).

When Tom Baker announced he was leaving and Lalla Ward was going too, John Nathan-Turner decided he needed a familiar face to bridge the gap between the 4th and 5th Doctors and so invited Lis Sladen back so Sarah Jane would rejoin the TARDIS with Logopolis and stay on board for Peter Davison's entire first season.

Lis declined, however, and after Louise Jameson also declined the same offer the character of Tegan was written instead.
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Old 19-04-2015, 12:22
Dalekbuster523
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It was entirely her decision to leave and the team at the time tried to convince her to stay.

Tom Baker was so enamored with Sarah Jane that he didn't want another companion after she left and asked the writers to allow his Doctor to travel alone afterwards, a request which was declined (although he did get one solo outing in The Deadly Assassin).

When Tom Baker announced he was leaving and Lalla Ward was going too, John Nathan-Turner decided he needed a familiar face to bridge the gap between the 4th and 5th Doctors and so invited Lis Sladen back so Sarah Jane would rejoin the TARDIS with Logopolis and stay on board for Peter Davison's entire first season.

Lis declined, however, and after Louise Jameson also declined the same offer the character of Tegan was written instead.
She probably made the right decision. The show should be about moving on when a new Doctor is introduced, therefore in my opinion they should always either keep the current companion or introduce a new one.

(Although I would like to see a companion return as a full-time companion again mid-way through a new Doctor's era).
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Old 19-04-2015, 13:46
Gusto Brunt
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She probably made the right decision. The show should be about moving on when a new Doctor is introduced, therefore in my opinion they should always either keep the current companion or introduce a new one.

(Although I would like to see a companion return as a full-time companion again mid-way through a new Doctor's era).
There certainly seemed a shift in the way the stories were presented after Liz left.

It was entirely her decision to leave and the team at the time tried to convince her to stay.

Tom Baker was so enamored with Sarah Jane that he didn't want another companion after she left and asked the writers to allow his Doctor to travel alone afterwards, a request which was declined (although he did get one solo outing in The Deadly Assassin).

When Tom Baker announced he was leaving and Lalla Ward was going too, John Nathan-Turner decided he needed a familiar face to bridge the gap between the 4th and 5th Doctors and so invited Lis Sladen back so Sarah Jane would rejoin the TARDIS with Logopolis and stay on board for Peter Davison's entire first season.

Lis declined, however, and after Louise Jameson also declined the same offer the character of Tegan was written instead.
Very interesting. Thanks. I did detect a great bond between Tom and Liz, and it showed in their parting. I wish Sarah had stayed. I wasn't a fan of any of the female assistants after that during Tom's reign as the Doctor.
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Old 19-04-2015, 14:04
soulboy77
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She probably made the right decision. The show should be about moving on when a new Doctor is introduced, therefore in my opinion they should always either keep the current companion or introduce a new one....
In general I never think an old companion works with a new Doctor though there have been exceptions.
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Old 19-04-2015, 14:12
thebestnamesgon
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Tom was close to Sladen, but his motivation to travel alone after her departure was principally he didn't feel an assistant was needed, as he could carry the show alone.

He carried on this same request throughout most of his tenure.
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Old 19-04-2015, 14:29
Dalekbuster523
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In general I never think an old companion works with a new Doctor though there have been exceptions.
I think Sarah Jane could be put with any Doctor and she'd be brilliant. Probably largely down to Elisabeth Sladen's excellent portrayal but she's definitely the one companion I could imagine working with any Doctor. She was brilliant with both 10 and 11 in the new series and Sarah Jane Adventures.

Katy Manning also seemed to fit in really well as Jo Grant alongside the 11th Doctor in SJA.

So far, I think Clara has worked extremely well with multiple Doctors too. She was great with 11, fantastic alongside 12 in series 8 and brilliant with all the Doctors (although the Claras weren't *our* Clara but splinters) in Name of the Doctor (especially the way she told the 1st Doctor to steal the type-40 TARDIS). The only Doctor she hasn't worked quite so well with so far is 10 in Day of the Doctor but David Tennant and Jenna Coleman didn't really seem to get a lot to do with each other.
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Old 19-04-2015, 14:57
Gusto Brunt
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Strange that at the end of Hand of Fear, when Sarah said goodbye to the Doctor, it felt so final.

I thought she might have said, 'I'll see you back at UNIT some time', but nope.
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Old 19-04-2015, 15:01
mr muggles
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Well, put it this way: do you really think they'd axe the Doctor Who equivalent of Princess Diana (in terms of popularity)?
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Old 19-04-2015, 15:07
mr muggles
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Romana the 1st - Mary Tamm was always my favourite. That combination of Eurotrash 70's bond girl looks, gr8 costumes and ever-so-slightly haughty demeanour was a good foil to Toms ego!

Never warmed to Lalla Ward, she 'stole' Mary from me!

I still dip into The Key To Time box set for a guilty pleasure!

Ps: I don't watch modern 'Who', Baker was 'my' GP.
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Old 19-04-2015, 15:22
jxbrenna
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Romana the 1st - Mary Tamm was always my favourite. That combination of Eurotrash 70's bond girl looks, gr8 costumes and ever-so-slightly haughty demeanour was a good foil to Toms ego!

Never warmed to Lalla Ward, she 'stole' Mary from me!

I still dip into The Key To Time box set for a guilty pleasure!

Ps: I don't watch modern 'Who', Baker was 'my' GP.
i bought this a few months back and still havent sat down to watch it i hope its good
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Old 19-04-2015, 15:44
Gusto Brunt
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Romana the 1st - Mary Tamm was always my favourite. That combination of Eurotrash 70's bond girl looks, gr8 costumes and ever-so-slightly haughty demeanour was a good foil to Toms ego!

Never warmed to Lalla Ward, she 'stole' Mary from me!

I still dip into The Key To Time box set for a guilty pleasure!

Ps: I don't watch modern 'Who', Baker was 'my' GP.

Far too stuck up.
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Old 19-04-2015, 16:05
DiscoP
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I'm not sure, because didn't 'they' decide not to renew Jon Pertwee's contract,
That's the first I've heard of that. I thought it was Jon's decision to leave?
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Old 19-04-2015, 16:17
donovan5
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Romana the 1st - Mary Tamm was always my favourite. That combination of Eurotrash 70's bond girl looks, gr8 costumes and ever-so-slightly haughty demeanour was a good foil to Toms ego!

Never warmed to Lalla Ward, she 'stole' Mary from me!

I still dip into The Key To Time box set for a guilty pleasure!

Ps: I don't watch modern 'Who', Baker was 'my' GP.
I really like Lalla's Romana but to be fair I don't think I've seen any of Mary,not that I remember anyway.
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Old 19-04-2015, 16:20
bennythedip
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It was jon pertwees decision to leave. Colin baker is the only doctor to leave not by his own volition.
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Old 19-04-2015, 16:23
DiscoP
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It was jon pertwees decision to leave. Colin baker is the only doctor to leave not by his own volition.
And William Hartnell (and I guess to a certain extent Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann).
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