Telly Talk: ‘Buddy’ Doctor

Nothing seems to announce a festive day off more than a brand new episode of Doctor Who. Be it Christmas or Easter (or even Children In Need), that sonic screwdriver becomes a magic wand and sprinkles us all with cosmic fairy dust that says eating too much sweet stuff and getting on with family has never been more important. And so the new series starts…

Well, it started last weekend. Talk about event telly! And I think I like this Clara Oswald. I’ve no idea how her story arc will pan out, but as the first companion the Doctor seems to have actively sought out – rather than being stalked by or picked up en route – she’s earning her stripes so far. She seems very Doctor-y.

“They’re over-exciting each other like a pair of tweenagers with too much popping candy”

Maybe it’s coming into the TARDIS from a position of mystery and assertion, but Jenna-Louise Coleman’s Clara has that wide-eyed adventurer cockiness that seems very familiar. Charging headlong into an alien marketplace that seemed to cross the Star Wars’ Mos Eisley cantina with a Marrakech street bazaar, Clara has a thirst for knowledge and a need to exclaim “My stars!” at every wonder the Doctor presents in front of her. It could get wearing if she didn’t seem like the most equal companion in Doctor history. Together they are sharing his toys (even if his toys aren’t always amenable to being shared, you know who you are, TARDIS) and over-exciting each other like a pair of tweenagers with too much popping candy.

The origins of Clara Oswald does imply a meaty series story arc, and her own determination to help others even when the Doctor isn’t around and leading the way, paints her with a strong character – a sturdy canvas to be painted by Steven Moffat’s team of talented writers.

The thing about Doctor Who is that you get some exceptional episodes and creations, and some great themes – sometimes all at the same time. This is not one of those times. This has plenty of oompah going on the soundtrack, with the brass section compelling us to realise the urgency of the peril, but it’s still too concerned with introducing us to Clara and what makes her tick. It’s exposition of her character and the idea that she’s not “just a girl”, but then nobody is. The importance of our own personal history is a little heavy-handed with the alien currency being ‘Psychometry’ – currency of psychically imprinted objects, things that you care about. But it’s a neat idea at a galactic festival that will have beings from all over the universe.

I’m not going to give away any more details of the episode, as watching a Doctor Who unfold is a joy for any fan. Except to say that bow ties are still cool. And so are red satchels.

Doctor Who, BBC1, Saturday 6 April 2013