Doctor Who 50th Anniversary: 5 Things That Are or Aren't Happening (Probably)

3. The Companions

Look, this is best to look at from this perspective: Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) has said she doesn't think she CAN come back. John Barrowman (Captain Jack) said he'd love to, but hasn't been asked. Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones) said she'd love to, but hasn't been asked. Billie Piper (Rose Tyler!) said she'd love to, but hasn't been asked. Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith) said he doesn't think he's going to be asked. In my previous article, I longed for William Russell (Ian Chesterton, the oldest surviving companion of the First Doctor) to make a cameo reappearance this year. At this point, if all these New Series Companions are telling the truth, I'm more likely to see Ian having tea with the Doctor than have a gathering of his (more recent) old friends. And I'll be frank: I was more worried about dealing with River Song showing up to that tea party and trying to get a strip poker game going. If these people are telling the truth, there's no old companion presence to be expected. (And until filming starts on the special, there's no reason to doubt them - If they're showing up before then, then it was accomplished with ninja cameramen or something). Even Alex Kingston seems to be busy filming other series now, and I was resigned to having Moffat's pet creation driving anniversary events - Even THAT seems unlikely now. WILL IT BE ANY GOOD? I like many things about Russell T Davies' time on the show, but his continual need to have recurring family members and recent companions is not one of them. (That said, I did enjoy Wilf more than any other and would welcome him back.) I feel his choice to bring Rose back in Series 4 cheapened her departure and reduced her to a pining, doe-eyed ex with a man driving her ambitions - Compare that to the strong, bolshy girl we got in Series One; It's almost entirely reverse progress. I hate to say it, but if they won't look back in the recent past it's unlikely we'll look back much further for anything more than 1-2 minute cameos. But on the whole, given how the New Series handles this sort of thing, that might be for the best. OVERALL LIKELIHOOD: Of a companion fest? 1 out of 10. Of a short cameo or two? I'll say 5 out of 10 (Say, like "The End of Time", for example). There's still an anniversary special to film, and you never know....