Recently, I created a list of ten actors I’d love to see play the next Doctor, so naturally, the next step is to cast their co-star.
The Doctor may have the privilege of having their name in the show’s title, as well as generating most of the casting discussion around it, but the casting of the companion is just as important – all the more so in the revival, where they’re practically co-leads.
I’m casting my net wide here, including those who closely match your typical companion archetypes, alongside those that would break the mould and send the show in a new direction. One rule, and one rule only: they have to be viable picks that I can see actually agreeing to the role. No Hollywood actors or global superstars here (though that’s not to say that some of these wouldn’t be a huge deal for the show to sign).
Unlike casting the Doctor, casting the companion is a lot more open. In theory, the spectrum of actors who could take on the role is far, far broader here – we’re not casting for a specific personality, rather a narrative function. So, in order to really dial in on why each person on this list would be a great fit (and also because it’s fun), I’ll be pitching a rough character outline that would suit the actor, along with the Doctor that I believe would compliment them best!
Samara Weaving has built a career out of playing badasses, becoming a staple of the horror/thriller scene with the likes of Ready or Not, The Babysitter and Guns Akimbo. She excels at playing snarky, chaotic characters, often with glint of mischief and a penchant for violence.
For some time I’ve been hoping for a companion that was less of a traditional hero, with a rougher edge that the Doctor could help to smooth out. Weaving’s characters tend to verge onto the reckless, self-serving side, which is precisely the shift in energy we need for the show right now. Not easily impressed, and a woman of action, not words. Irritable, but pragmatic and competent.
This would be the chance for a character more akin to River Song or Jack Harkness to step into the full time spotlight, something fans have been asking after for some time. I also reckon Weaving would nail portraying a companion from the far future, or a different planet altogether, an archetype that’s really dropped off in the revival (and has been reserved for secondary companions only).
The vision: A hacker type from the far future with criminal ties, few moral scruples and a a quick temper, paired with a measured, mentor figure Doctor that might indulge her tendencies more, whilst providing some interesting moral discussion – a McCoy type. If we’d ever gotten a War Doctor series, I can also see this type of companion being a good fit.
