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

Check out the comments on the BBC's Have Your Say pages.

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6751&&edition=1&ttl=20070705105754

I haven't see one comment in favour of Catherine Tate. To sum them all up:

No! to Catherine Tate
Yes! to Sally Sparrow

Wonder if anyone's listening though?

I love to see comments like 'Celebrity casting is no substitute for good stories' as if the two are mutually exclusive. Do people really think RTD fancied a break, so he thought 'I know, I'll cast some big stars, then I don't have to bother writing decent stories'?

Actually, just to be an awkward so-and-so...

I'm not that worried about CT becoming the new assistant...

Prior to the last Christmas special I was saying roughly what everyone else was, i.e.: "WTF - have they lost their senses???", but to be honest I didn't think she did that bad a job, and she certainly isn't going to turn into a clone of previous assistants.

"1. RTD is too attached to Dr Who to bring in a new companion without first making sure there is a chemistry. That chemistry was clear in The runaway bride. If you look at the scene at the end there was real feeling there."

Can't say I spotted it beyond RTD's usual "human angle" stuff.

"2. Catherine Tate would not be going back to that same character. Over 13 episodes the character will develop and become more rounded. In a one off she had to be a lot broader. Watch any pilot and the characters are amplified versions of those they become in the series."

Well, yes, we learn more about them but the Donna character was written as a fairly-shallow single-episode one-off. The whole joke was that she was mouthy, impatient and a foil for the Doctor in the short-term. It doesn't make sense to use her for the long-term at all.

"3. Donna was a great favourite with the kids. Like it or not it is their programme now and old whovians are possibly not RTDs greatest concern! When you see cybermen and daleks in a school playground it does your heart good!!"

This is rapidly becoming Favourite Wrong Idea On The Internet. "Doctor Who" *used* to be for kids, now it's for a much wider audience and would *have* to be even if it didn't want to (for whatever stupid reason) by dint of how the audience breaks down (TV must adapt to its audience - hence why "Bargain Hunt" went all studenty when the BBC looked at how the BARB ratings broke down). RTD has said time and time again that he wants this to appeal to - and be watched by - much more than kids. If it did decide to revert to being children's drama again its adult audience would drift away and the BBC can't afford to do that. I seem to have to say it every month these days but if you, as an adult viewer, are disappointed by this show then don't make excuses for it! It doesn't have any! You are part of its considered audience and it *wants* to keep you happy!

"Trust in RTD!!"

Everytime I think we can he goes and does or says something stupid. I sometimes wonder whether these really are his decisions or whether he's being pressured by cretinous BBC programming thinktanks.

Let's get something straight - less than a year after bring Freema in and telling us all how "wonderful" she was going to be and what a terrific companion she was going to make they've dropped her for someone who was originally intended to be a single-story joke character. Something has gone very, very wrong here.

The poll is now up to 72% against CT. They should have done the poll before signing her up!

I suppose on a bit of sober reflection we ought to at least give her a chance. I cannot say I am relishing the prospect mind....

I think they should get Emma Pierson as the new companion, mainly due to the fact that she is phwoar.

I think the men are going to need some seriously good looking women in the next season. Catherine and Freema just won't cut it, IMO. At least we'll have David, still.

What? Freema is a hottie

Hotter than Billie, FB?

I think not...

"The poll is now up to 72% against CT. They should have done the poll before signing her up!"

That's what I was thinking. They can't go back on it now...

They could do a Mariah Carey, but it would have to be on the QT.

Is Dawn French doing anything these days?

I quite like the idea of Dawn French, GB. Hmmmm maybe we should try a petition.

if you, as an adult viewer, are disappointed by this show then don't make excuses for it! It doesn't have any! You are part of its considered audience and it *wants* to keep you happy!

Actually I'm more than happy with it and looking forward to CT as the new companion. RTD has always talked about giving kids their own doctor like he had and we had. It is a programme for the whole family that works on many levels. I have watched every episode of the new run with my kids and we've loved every minute. I know I'm a whovian whatever happens, but the new generation of kids are the ones that are going to keep it relevant and attract Kylie et al. Why not come back to this site in March next year after 2 or 3 eps to allow me to say I told you so re Catherine Tate!!
SBE

You mean similar to this one...

http://www.petitiononline.com/bovvered/

CT doesn't do "yeah but no but" - that's Little Britain. CT is "Am I bovvered?" .

I was actually quite disappointed that she didn't hop on board the Tardis at the end of Runaway Bride. So ... I can certainly live with this. I mean, the season finale we've just had couldn't have been any *worse* with her in, could it?

Mol

Actually, I reckon CT's character telling the story of the Doctor would have been hilarious. And she certainly wouldn't have given the Professor woman a bunch of flowers...

I think CT can give more humour to some of the more scary bits ... possibly

Might have something to do with my hormonal balance at the time but you arent going to get a hotter assistant than Sophie Aldred as Ace, you just aren't.

Im really enjoying all the fuss about Catherine Tate. I cant get enough of reading die hard Doctor Who fans feverishly fretting about how she will ruin everything. As far as I can remember her character wasnt an assistant in the crimbo episode, just as much as her wants ran close enough to the aliens who used her as an unwilling patsy she helped the doctor because they had a common cause. She didnt hitch along for the ride out of choice more out of dire need. So it will be interesting to see why she throws her lot in with him this time around.

I can remember much the same people saying much the same things about RTD and Billie Piper. Its not like Catherine Tate cant act, it wasnt as if RTD couldnt write he could and even the "gay" themes that people were worried about which he has added have enhanced the the shows characte development. One of the lines from the episode with Tate in described her as an unpleasant character, it was writ large. She wasnt meant to be likeable. Rose didn't start off as the kind of character she became.

If I were you lot I wouldnt worry, but if you do worry please keep posting because its really making me

Crikey BB, I couldn't agree more!

Apart from the Sophie Aldred bit, but as one of my first crushes was Adric that's probably not surprising.