First off, I can not tell you how much a fan of this character I am, especially the lovely Ms. Ward's incarnation of her. I could not cease to gush about her. She was absolutely the perfect foil for the good ole doc: intelligent, highly capable, and could check him both morally and intellectually. Making his companion a time lady was a master stroke, with Romana in her first incarnation it really allowed for us the audience to see the disparities between him and his own kind and to help us appreciate that the brand of the doctor's brilliance was something unique to him. I like how she develops. She goes from stuffy by the book ice maid to a woman with her own madcap brilliance equal to the Doctor. I have analyzed her chatacter to death and could go on ad naseum. It just irks me that there hasnt been much mention of her or rumors of her return. Now would the best time to reintroduce her. I was hoping with Hell Bent we couldve had at least a mention of her name but alas that was turned into all about Clara. AS USUAL!!! I even noticed during the anniversary year when there was a retrospective done for the Fourth Doctor, she was not listed as a companion. I dont believe it would be difficult reintroducing her. I came into Doctor Who through nuWho and wasnt lost when they reintroduced the Master and Rassilon. I guess I'm just really itching to know what happened to her and wont be happy till I do.
Why does nuWho not bring back Romana?
- Thread starter david kelly
- Start date
RTD did mention she was Lady President of Gallifrey when the Time War started in his write-up on the Time War he did for the Annual back when the show returned. I guess we're meant to infer that by the end of the War she was either killed or deposed, and thus Rassilon came to power.
Another fact to consider, RTD and Moffat hate the Time Lords which is why they were left extinct through most of the modern era. RTD was more or less arm-twisted by Julie Gardner into featuring them in TEOT, and even then very reluctantly. Moffat restored Gallifrey in TDOTD because he couldn't think of anything else grand enough for the fiftieth anniversary, and Hell Bent because he thought he was leaving and wanted to resolve that storyline.
Another fact to consider, RTD and Moffat hate the Time Lords which is why they were left extinct through most of the modern era. RTD was more or less arm-twisted by Julie Gardner into featuring them in TEOT, and even then very reluctantly. Moffat restored Gallifrey in TDOTD because he couldn't think of anything else grand enough for the fiftieth anniversary, and Hell Bent because he thought he was leaving and wanted to resolve that storyline.
There's been all kinds of rumours. Hell, pretty much every new female character is believed to be either the Rani, Romana, or Susan. And it's been that way for years.
Hell Bent has its flaws, I'll be the first to admit that (and that's putting it mildly), but since it was the last episode with Clara as incumbent companion, of course she'd be the spotlight of the episode.
I don't know. Why didn't nuWho bring back the Brigadier while Nicholas Courtney was still alive? Why didn't nuWho bring back Ian for the 50th, or at Coal Hill School? Both are logical times/places and William Russell is still alive. The idea of a very young looking Doctor meeting a very old Ian would've been priceless.
NuWho is sometimes stupid about passing up these irreplaceable opportunities.
I too would like Romana to appear again. Although, the top character I'd like to return from the Classic series is Susan. The new series could explore the character and their relationship more than the Classic series ever could. Susan did reappear in The Five Doctors, but the important things I wanted to know were never even touched upon. Mostly a wasted appearance.
Being Time Ladies, both Romana and Susan could potentially be portrayed by other actors as well. This lessens the urgency to bring them back while the originals are still alive. Although, it would be nice to see Ward and Ford back in the roles.
Mr Awe
NuWho is sometimes stupid about passing up these irreplaceable opportunities.
I too would like Romana to appear again. Although, the top character I'd like to return from the Classic series is Susan. The new series could explore the character and their relationship more than the Classic series ever could. Susan did reappear in The Five Doctors, but the important things I wanted to know were never even touched upon. Mostly a wasted appearance.
Being Time Ladies, both Romana and Susan could potentially be portrayed by other actors as well. This lessens the urgency to bring them back while the originals are still alive. Although, it would be nice to see Ward and Ford back in the roles.
Mr Awe
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Bringing back Romana for a couple of episodes would be interesting. I don't care about her role in the time war, I'm more interested in what she did during her time in E-Space.
I also wouldn't mind seeing Susan come back as a companion. Bring back Ford for a spell, have her regenerate and there you go. The relationship between Susan and her grandfather, who is now thousands of years older than when they last saw each other, would be much more interesting than whatever incarnation of the modern UK girl they come up with next.
I also wouldn't mind seeing Susan come back as a companion. Bring back Ford for a spell, have her regenerate and there you go. The relationship between Susan and her grandfather, who is now thousands of years older than when they last saw each other, would be much more interesting than whatever incarnation of the modern UK girl they come up with next.
Yes, totally agree about Susan. There's a ton of things they can do with her character that they can't do with other characters. It seems like a goldmine for interesting material. They could have Susan on the show for whatever length of time they needed to tell her story and then she could go back to whatever she was doing.
Mr Awe
I'm not all that sold as Romana as a companion personally. Fine performances, but as an audience surrogate (which is generally the role of the companions) she's not that useful. She's as smart and generally as competent as the Doctor. So... As an occasional foil, sure. But as a companion, meh.
A mention would be enough for me. But I would rather Doctor Who create new things rather than recycling.
A final thought: I'd rather have Romana than the fucking Rani.
A mention would be enough for me. But I would rather Doctor Who create new things rather than recycling.
A final thought: I'd rather have Romana than the fucking Rani.
Yeah, she would have never worked as a companion . . . oh wait.
Agreed. Susan is my top choice for any character who needs to return to the new series! She simply has the most interesting story to tell and the new series would be willing to tell it.
Mr Awe
I've never understood the worship of Ward, Ford and Sladen. If you look at all three with the rose colored glasses taken off, you see their limitations as actresses.
I'll admit I'm kind of apathetic to the idea of Susan's return. Her character was a bit of a disappointment. She did enough screaming to be the lead in a screamo band. Capaldi couldve used her as a vocalist when his band was still named the Bastards from Hell. Romana I fell into the same trap(chief reason for Tamm's departure from the role), but they still never undersold that incarnation's intelligence like Susan. Unearthly Child set up so much potential for her that was so wasted. I guess the show was so intent on the mystery and intelligence behind the Doctor, they just couldnt think of how to use their other enigma. I'm not opposed to her return just not as enthusiastic. I'll admit her reintroduction in Big Finish was done very well, though.
The only reasonable assumption at this point is that Romana is dead, either at the hands of the Daleks or by Rassilon's Iron Fist of Death when he took over. (In fact, maybe SHE was the one at the wrong end of that in the start of 'The End of Time pt. 2'!!) And if RTD/Moffat haven't come up with a good return story for Susan by now, with Carole at age 76, the powers that be clearly have no intention of ever doing so. So Susan's dead too. Both of which make sense, as a Doctor with no living family (or even living friends among his own people anymore) would find the decision to steal and use the Moment that much easier to make.
If you accept RTD's intent, than the Doctor's mother is still alive, as that's who he intended the mysterious Woman in TEOT to be. Of course, it was intentionally left vague so that she could be whoever we wanted her to be. In fact, many have assumed she's meant to be Romana.
At the time I thought she was Susan.
I did as well. Also, when I first learned of RTD's intent, I was really puzzled about how the viewer would've ever guessed it was supposed to be his mother, a character who has never appeared on the show and I don't think was ever even described/discussed!
Seconded.
Ridiculously so. Ian being headmaster in Class was a no-brainer.
There's an easy way to stop all that...
Aside from the fact William Russell is now a man in his 90s whose only onscreen acting role in the last 12 years was a 10 second cameo?
Yeah, she would have never worked as a companion . . . oh wait.
I don't think she did. She's not a companion I particularly liked. Or felt worked.
And find Jenny staying with her...
I'm sure it would be a cameo, but it would be a priceless cameo like Tom Baker's in DOTD. It would be a real shame to waste that opportunity. Russell apparently travels around quite a bit. He's not stuck at home in his old age.
When the opportunity is gone, it's gone forever. It would be tragic it to throw it way forever.
Mr Awe
I thought they tried, but they had to cancel the planned cameo because he fell ill?
