Turlough - Like Leela, Turlough is an odd case. After a striking & memorable debut in the Black Guardian trilogy, he became less interesting as the character progressed. After 'Enlightenment', it felt as if writers were not really sure where to take him. The character had a great exit in 'Planet Of Fire', but it felt like Turlough was treading water & making up the numbers as a generic companion from 'King's Demons' through to 'ROTD'. Although Strickson is energetic & does have a pleasing, 'itchy in his own skin' quality (even after he escapes the Black Guardian's control) Turlough feels like a promising but ultimately fumbled opportunity to do something really different...7.5/10
Perpugilliam Brown - Initially quite likeable in her brief time with Peter (& also briefly forming the foxiest of all Dr/ companion couplings - Pat/Frazer aside of course), the lame 'mouthy American' stereotype was wound up several notches by the writers during Colin's reign & the constant bickering was painful & embarrassing. Just as the character was finally showing potential & Nicola was able to show some subtlety & depth in 'Mysterious Planet', along came the ghastly 'Mindwarp' & that was that. I really like Nicola & I was starting to like Peri again for the first time since 'COA'. Unlike her bosoms, Nicola herself was constricted by bad scripts & poor characterisation & never had the chance to really impress, but then again, look at the shizen season 24 had in store for her had she stayed!...7/10
Melanie Bush - Rather than retread all the usual criticisms of the most maligned companion in the history of the show, I will try to find something to praise. I thought she was quite sweet in the scenes with Tabby & Tilda in 'Paradise Towers'. I did feel sorry for her. She had a couple of ok bits in the awful 'Delta & The Bannermen' too. The character was so poorly written & uninspired that Bonnie had buckleys!. I think she's probably a somewhat better actress than the part ever allowed, I mean, come on!...Carrot juice quoffing, fattie-troubling, computer-programming bundle of sickly sweet in frilly polka dots. You try & work with that! Not really any worse than Jo or Susan for mine & with a far more wretched character brief...5/10
Ace - The thing that annoys me about Ace is that after years of companions being very definitely 'also rans' with little back story or character exploration, these things were laid on really thick with Ace & I didn't find her that interesting. The 'Ace Who' bent of season 26 was not a good move, even though the story quality was generally pretty good. Aldred played her well though & made her sympathetic & highly watchable. A vast improvement on Mel, & though her popularity may have been aided by such severe relativity, Aldred & McCoy were probabaly the best team since Tom & Lalla by the end of season 26...8/10
Next up....the McGann moment, the Eccleston months & the Tennant (hallelujah) ERA....
Love minus zero, The Lucozer...
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