Random thoughts on Osgoodn and Shona

[Starkers]

In preparation for Saturday I recently re-watched Dark Water/Death in Heaven and Last Christmas. I enjoyed all three (and actually the finale was better than I remembered) but a couple of things did make me wonder.

The first relates to Osgood. When the Doctor goes about Boat 1 he asks if they’re going to the cloud base, at which point Osgood says “That’s Thunderbirds” before Colonel Ahmed corrects her that it’s Captain Scarlet, at which point Osgood says “Of course it is.”

Inconsequential banter, or Moffat seeding the idea that it’s not the real Osgood?

The second relates to Shona in Last Christmas, I really did feel like she was being set up for a return visit, especially given the mysterious reference to forgiving Dave and the fact that it’s obvious the entire dream world was based on her subconscious (Miracle of 34th Street, Alien, The Thing). Of course it could just be that Moffat was retrofitting her DVD list to explain why the story was set in an arctic base and featured Santa, I just wondered if anyone had read any comments re whether we would see Shona again?

 

[The Wormhole]

I viewed the Thunderbirds/Captain Scarlet screw-up as just an in-joke about how people often mix the two shows up. Kind of how laymen seem to never be able to tell Star Trek or Star Wars apart.

As for Shona, I haven't heard anything about her making any returns, although I do remember prior to Last Christmas airing there were rumours she was going to be returning in the new season, possibly even as the new companion. Which seemed to be further proven in the episode where she's constantly referring to the Doctor as a "magician" and had the longest glimpse into her real world life. In fact, given that Moffat had a "plan B" in case Jenna Coleman opted not to return and this would be Clara's last appearance, maybe Shona was being considered to be a new companion?

 

[Christopher]

In fact, given that Moffat had a "plan B" in case Jenna Coleman opted not to return and this would be Clara's last appearance, maybe Shona was being considered to be a new companion?

I thought I read a quote a while back where Moffat or Coleman revealed that Coleman's decision to stay was made before "Last Christmas" was written, and that the speculation that the dream sequence with old Clara was the original ending was wrong.

There have been tons of guest characters over the years that fans have speculated about as possible new companions. At least once it's been a deliberate fakeout, with Lynda with a Y in "Bad Wolf."

 

[Starkers]

I viewed the Thunderbirds/Captain Scarlet screw-up as just an in-joke about how people often mix the two shows up. Kind of how laymen seem to never be able to tell Star Trek or Star Wars apart.

As for Shona, I haven't heard anything about her making any returns, although I do remember prior to Last Christmas airing there were rumours she was going to be returning in the new season, possibly even as the new companion. Which seemed to be further proven in the episode where she's constantly referring to the Doctor as a "magician" and had the longest glimpse into her real world life. In fact, given that Moffat had a "plan B" in case Jenna Coleman opted not to return and this would be Clara's last appearance, maybe Shona was being considered to be a new companion?

But is Osgood a lay(wo)man?

I think you may be right about Shona being plan b, which is a trifle unfair on the actress really!

In fact, given that Moffat had a "plan B" in case Jenna Coleman opted not to return and this would be Clara's last appearance, maybe Shona was being considered to be a new companion?

I thought I read a quote a while back where Moffat or Coleman revealed that Coleman's decision to stay was made before "Last Christmas" was written, and that the speculation that the dream sequence with old Clara was the original ending was wrong.

There have been tons of guest characters over the years that fans have speculated about as possible new companions. At least once it's been a deliberate fakeout, with Lynda with a Y in "Bad Wolf."

It's odd but watching it again the bit with Clara as an old woman feels like the right ending. Aside from the fact that Moffat had obviously watched Titanic recently, I did like the mirroring of Clara being unable to pull a cracker much like the 11th Doctor the year before.

 

[The Wormhole]

In fact, given that Moffat had a "plan B" in case Jenna Coleman opted not to return and this would be Clara's last appearance, maybe Shona was being considered to be a new companion?

I thought I read a quote a while back where Moffat or Coleman revealed that Coleman's decision to stay was made before "Last Christmas" was written, and that the speculation that the dream sequence with old Clara was the original ending was wrong.

There have been tons of guest characters over the years that fans have speculated about as possible new companions. At least once it's been a deliberate fakeout, with Lynda with a Y in "Bad Wolf."

As I understand, there was a possibility Coleman wouldn't do season 9, and Moffat was prepared should that be the case. Now maybe he did know for certain when he wrote Last Christmas, but that still doesn't rule out the possibility that Shona was part of whatever backup plan he had.