30 Days of Nu-Who: Day 6

[annissamazing]

Day 6: Least favorite character



Let’s see if I can do this without resorting to character bashing.

My least favorite character is Lady Christina de Souza. The Doctor experiences the universe through the eyes of his companion. Similarly, the audience experiences Doctor Who through the eyes of the companion. Because of this, the Doctors companions tend to be pretty sympathetic. Lady Christina was not.

My problem is that I can’t relate to her. She’s an aristocrat, a thief, and a bored thrill seeker. I am none of these things, nor do I aspire to be.

I do like her take charge attitude, but she led with arrogance (which I don’t like), and this one positive aspect of her personality wasn’t enough to make up for what I saw as her many shortcomings.



Day 1 - Favorite Incarnation of the Doctor: Nine
Day 2 - Favorite Companion: Donna Noble
Day 3 - Favorite Villain/Monster/Alien/Baddie of the Week: The Entity from "Midnight"
Day 4 - Favorite Character: Wilfred Mott
Day 5 - Favorite Guest Star: Anthony Stewart Head
Day 6 - Least Favorite Character: Lady Christina de Souza
Day 7 - Favorite Episode
Day 8 - Favorite Series
Day 9 - Least Favorite Episode
Day 10 - Favorite Scene/Moment
Day 11 - Scene/Moment that makes you cry
Day 12 - Scene/Moment that makes you giggle
Day 13 - Favorite Era visited by The Doctor & Co.
Day 14 - Fave Doctor Moment
Day 15 - Fave Rose Moment
Day 16 - Fave Martha Moment
Day 17 - Fave Donna Moment
Day 18 - Fave Amy Moment
Day 19 - Favorite Ship
Day 20 - Prettiest Scene
Day 21 - Favorite Location
Day 22 - Something Silly
Day 23 - Something Epic
Day 24 - Favorite Accessory of the Doctor's
Day 25 - Favorite TARDIS Team
Day 26 - Scene/Moment that made you go 'awww'
Day 27 - Scene/Moment that made you go 'argh'
Day 28 - Favorite Series Arc
Day 29 - Favorite Music/Song
Day 30 - Why Do YOU Love Doctor Who

Comments

[eskridge77.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm with you! Not a fan of Lady Christina. Not even a little bit...

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I didn't like her, for all the reasons you mention. I just can't see the Doctor even wanting to consider her a companion. I was glad he turned her down at the end, but furious that he let her get away from the police.

Some have compared her to Jack and argued that people are less forgiving of her - a woman - than they were of him, a man. It's not the same thing at all, though. Jack wasn't conning just to stave off boredom. He didn't leave someone he was in a relationship with to take the rap for his crimes. He risked his life at least twice to help save the situation - and he wasn't doing it for the thrill of it. He was ashamed and contrite once he realised the consequences of what he'd done - and he was willing to take the consequences for himself, rather than run away from them.

I think Christina was a big mistake, and she completely spoiled that Special for me.

[annissamazing]

He didn't leave someone he was in a relationship with to take the rap for his crimes

This. Totally. Christina stuck around on San Helios because she couldn't escape. I imagine that if the Doctor had taken her along on the TARDIS that she would've hightailed it right on out of there at the first sign of capture.

I wonder how long it took the British government to shoot down that bus.

[redknightalex.livejournal.com]

"Some have compared her to Jack and argued that people are less forgiving of her - a woman - than they were of him, a man."

For some reason I can hear Jack laughing in the background. It does make me realize how far away we are from equality in our own eyes, not to even begin with on governmental/societal equality, on gender issues. If we can't compare Jack and Christina on equal terms then all we are doing is judging.

It is hard for me to remember that Jack started off as a conman because all I see is Jack from Torchwood and, by that time, he had done a lot of character growth behind the scenes between PotW and the beginning of Torchwood. Still the Jack we love but a lot more responsible than he ever was in DW.

Agree with everything you and Annissa said about Jack and Christina though and I'm now suddenly glad we never opened that up for the rewatch. *shivers* Watched once and that was one too many.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

I didn't like her either - I found her to be very cold and not at all sympathetic. As you say, the companion's viewpoint is a crucial one in DW in general and it's a tough watch if you can't warm to them. I'm having the same problems with Amy.

I think she'd have driven Ten (even more) nuts if he'd taken her with him. She'd have been nicking things left, right and centre and causing more trouble and diplomatic incidents than he ever did!

[annissamazing]

causing more trouble and diplomatic incidents than he ever did!

Yes, absolutely. And she'd do it for the thrill of it, not because she was righting wrongs.

[flydye8.livejournal.com]

I must agree it was like DW writers wanted to Laura Croft spin off. I felt that she was reckless, and limited in her perceptions she wasn't good for the Doctor.

But I think she would be good for the Torchwood Team under the tutelage of Jack she could be brilliant but it would take her a long time to be as good as Tosh, Gwenn.

[gement.livejournal.com]

Man, I hadn't thought about her potential for Torchwood. She could fit there! That makes me happy! I kind of try to block her out, for reasons Annissa was much clearer about than I could have been. It was a pretty rough episode anyway, but her character's basic philosophical mismatch with the show felt like a big part of that.

I remember wondering just how lonely the Doctor had to be for her to even start to sound like a good idea as a traveling companion.

If you want the female version of Jack, it's River Song all the way, baby. She has her own problems, and people certainly argue over her, but she's much more evenly matched in terms of flaws vs. virtues and compatibility with the Doctor's worldview.

[flydye8.livejournal.com]

River Song is starting to grow on me at first I was so put off by her but as the series continued I thought she may not be that bad.

I have my own theory on River I think she is the Omega that was in the Old Who ( I not sure if I like calling it that) but anyway. When you look at her in the episodes she is in she is always has the greek symbol "omega" on her person or around her. (Just a rambling thought)

[gement.livejournal.com]

I had not noticed her relationship with Omega signs! I'll have to watch for that now.

[annissamazing]

I wasn't sure about River at first, but she's really growing on me. I hadn't noticed the omega signs either, but now I'm looking out for it!