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Is Jenna Coleman Leaving Doctor Who This Christmas?

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)

Man, there’s nothing like news of change to really get the buzz going before the premiere of a new season … especially if the show is Doctor Who. Known for its creative revolving cast door, the 50-year-old British science fiction drama has been 12 different actors play the Doctor, and literally dozens of companions going for the ride. And having barely wrapped filming of his first series as the Twelfth Doctor, actor Peter Capaldi looks to be facing his companion, played by Jenna Coleman, planning to leave, perhaps this Christmas. The question is, if this is true, then HOW is she going to go?

 

It usually follows this pattern. The new companion comes into the TARDIS and then about two years later the Doctor regenerates, as the headlining actor playing the role moves on. Then, about a year or two later that companion moves on, leaving the Doctor as the senior member of the team again.

Look back since 9th Doctor Christopher Eccleston left after the first season, then Billie Piper about a year after David Tennant took over the role (although she came back from time to time, including her interesting take as a Rose Tyler lookalike in the form of “The Moment” in the 50th Anniversary Special). Then came Freema Agyeman, who was a companion for nearly as long as Billie Piper, although it seemed shorter, Catherine Tate, and then John Barrowman, who few in and out from the ninth and tenth doctors literally.

David Tennant then left and it was a complete reboot of the TARDIS with 11th Doctor Matt Smith and Companions Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvil coming on board for 33 episodes. Then they left, and Jenna Coleman came on for a season. Matt Smith left and now Coleman stands senior to break in Capaldi’s Doctor. And although Coleman has only done 11 episodes as the companion, with two different hiatuses’ she’s been one of the longest serving companions time wise in the history of the show. So for her to move on this Christmas would seem to be a good time. But the question is, if this is really true – and I hope it isn’t – then how will she make her exit?

Here’s my take. I think Steven Moffat should kill her off … dramatically, traumatically. in epic fashion.?See, Doctor Who has developed an adversity towards killing off characters … and I mean killed DEAD. Captain Jack Harkness can’t die because Rose Tyler’s TARDIS magic won’t let her. Darville’s Rory has died so often in his three years in the TARDIS it became somewhat of a joke because he always ended up coming back in some clever fashion. And Coleman’s Clara has been almost as bad, but it was well explained why in The Name of the Doctor, where she threw herself into the Doctor’s life stream and was fractured into dozens of lives. So she never really died, per se, but each of those off shoots did. See what I’m sayin’

And, of course, The Doctor regenerates. And a time lord who can never die having to deal with the death of someone he cares about, and the finality of that would be epic, especially for fans. That would mean no happy ending, no reunion episodes, and it would make for a time of mourning over the hiatus. And that would build the buzz towards the next to come into the TARDIS (although we already know about Danny Pink joining the show).

Not everything is a happy ending. And it’s not like it would be a radical change. The teenage companion Adric died the 5th Doctor episode called “Earthshock,” and his sacrifice was painted as the seeds of destroying the time of the dinosaurs and starting new life on earth, so literally he was in responsible for the future companions that followed him. And it’s known as one of the best, and most heart wrenching episodes of the classic series.

And do go out big like that would set Coleman’s companion apart, and would be in perfect keeping with the new darker tone of the series, and not just pave the way for another companion to maker her a foot note like Freema’s Martha Jones ended up being (although she’s one of my favorites). That’s my thought, anyway.

Meanwhile, Series 8 of Doctor Who finally arrives this Saturday on the BBC and BBC America. And I can’t wait.

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