h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Never mind the bloke with the keys, which companion had the best pair of... lungs?

I'm predicting that the majority of the male vote is going to be in the direction of a certain well-endowed and unfeasibly-forenamed American...

So just to be different, I shall confess I always preferred the charms of Miss Jovanka. (I love that name ) Aussie accent, and a uniform - that does it for me!

Let the argument... commence!

H.

The companion with the best pair of lungs has to be Susan. She screamed at everything.

spook

It's got to be Ace, followed closely by Nyssa, Turlough (he rocks) Leela, Jo Grant and the McCrimmon laddie.

Honourable mentions go to The Brigadier and the redoubtable Warrant Officer Benton.

East and West Peri were fine companions let down by godawful direction and (during the 6th Doctor period) god-awful scripts. Nicola Bryant, however, is a damnfineactress.

I agree. I Ace is definetly the best assistant the Doctor ever had. She is closely followed by Jamie, who I think was the best male assistant the Doctor ever had. What is so good about these aswsistants is that they were not only brilliant assistants, but they suit their Doctor's.

spook

I'm gonna side with Hoovooloo here, I have a real soft spot for Tegan, and Turlough.
However, I am that no one has mentioned Sarah Jane Smith, of the famous "Gerroff!". A damn fine companion to two different doctors...

I'm going to agree with Mr H in supporting Sarah who was just about perfect in the role. Though Leela was another great character.

Can anyone honestly think of a third reason for liking Peri...?

Ace was a refreshing change while she was actually on TV but as time's gone by she just seems more and more like a grating, one-dimensional cartoon. The companion should be a point of identification for the audience - no-one's really like Ace, are they?

The best set of lungs most go to victoria as her screems did destroy the fury from the deep.
My favourite female companion i could list a few i liked Ace,Lela,and sarah-jane.
Best male would be Nick Courtney as Lethbridge-Stewart.
I also like Frazer Hines as Jamie he was always nice to chat with when they filmed emerdale farm just down the road.

P.S. anyone tryed the quiz?

My ego dictated I give the quiz a whirl, Shazz says she'll pass the answers on to you.

Male comapnions...? I've got a really soft spot for the original regular cast. Ian was really more the hero of the series than the Doctor in the early stories. But surely everyone loves the Brigadier too, and Jamie was in more stories than at least three of the Doctors...

I looked at the quiz but didn't have a clue what the answers were. I don't think there is anyone who knows the answers to all of those questions, except maybe you, who, as a TIMELORD may have access to the matrix.

The original cast were a good start for the Doctor, however I don't think that the system of having the adults (Barbara, Ian, and even the Doctor) telling the child (Susan) what to do. I think that in later episodes there is none of this parenting but with the Doctor commanding and everyone else seeming to disobey what he tells them to do. I think this works better and makes stories more exciting, and better for adults. The earlier Doctor Who episodes really were aimed directly at children.

spook

I'm appalled to admit I knew all the answers without even having to think too hard... must get out more... or at all...

(Well, trying to remember which was the B7 episode and which the Trek one with a very similar name took a second's thought.)

I wouldn't say the early shows were particularly aimed at children. Look at the Aztecs - murder, suicide, floggings, scourging of the tongue with thorns... and a *very* literate script.

You could equally well add the cartoony 25th season was aimed at children, which I suspect none of us would agree with.

I have a very soft spot for Leila and Ace but overall Jo Grant gets my vote.
For the chaps, Jamie was good and Turlough always seemed a little fishy to me. Harry, was just getting to be interesting when he disappeared.

I thought it was to easy but i only had a short time to write It and to tell the truth wished i hadn't said i would do it.I woke up feeling terrible just a cold but i couldn't think about the questions still i was amazed you got them all right so quick and even spoted a spelling mistake(i checked Delgado then spell roger wrong)if you send Shazz your address i will hunt down a prize this week.

Don't worry about a prize (no reason I should be rewarded for having a freaky geeky memory ) - though I wouldn't object if you gave a small amount to an appropriate good cause (you pick).

I thought that the Turlough character was another example of the 80s team not really understanding the nature of the programme. I amfond of Harry though, pity circumstances dictate he become comic relief...

I never really liked Turlough. I didn't think he was really the type of assistant the Doctor would normally have around. He seemed more a friend of the bad guys then the Doctor.

spook

Ok Awix i will give something to children in need but it does seem a shame i quite like picking the prize and sending it on with a few added extras(The odd badge a flyer from the play a few pages from the TIMELORD that kind of thing)

Oh - sorry, Timelord. Um... if you really want to you can still send me a few small bits and bobs, it's always nice to get post... nothing too expensive, of course...

The problem with Turlough was that he was interesting while his 'story' was going on (the Guardian trilogy) but as sson as it finished he never got to do anything remotely interesting. It's a tribute to Mark Strickson's abilities as an actor that the character stayed as memorable as it did.

Anyone else remember 'Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma'? Terrible, terrible book...

Yet again, I find myself in the position of odd one out.
I liked Turlough a lot-his natural cowardice and cynicism seemed a huge antidote to the frankly sickly Nyssa.I also enjoyed the fact that he and Tegan clearly didn't see eye to eye on just about everything-they were the most believable of his companions for ages because they *did* argue the toss about everything, just for the sake of it sometimes.
Very human...

I thought all the mid-80s TARDIS squabbling got very tired very fast. Just imagine, you can travel anywhere and to any time, do remarkable things, live a life of constant danger and excitement. Even if you didn't get on with your companions you'd very soon either reach some sort of understanding with them or just get sick of it and leave.

Why should I be interested in or care about people who do nothing but bicker and whinge at each other all the time? If I was, I'd watch a soap opera.

Well its always good to send a letter if you e-mail me your address i will put something together.
You will have to get the e-mail address from my page of course.

Tell you what, I'll get Shazz to forward it to you.