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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!mcnc!ncsu!mauney
From: mauney@ncsu.UUCP (Jon Mauney)
Newsgroups: net.tv.drwho
Subject: (ineffectual) Companions
Message-ID: <2702@ncsu.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Oct-84 20:58:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: ncsu.2702
Posted: Wed Oct 17 20:58:49 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 19-Oct-84 06:22:57 EDT
References: <397@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: N.C. State University, Raleigh
Lines: 34

> Why are the majority of women with the Doctor completely wimpy
> useless humanoids? The only exceptions that come to mind
> are Leela (she was great), Romana (although she seemed to do
> her fair share of screeching), and (barely) Tegan.

> Any thoughts about this?

Yes.  I thoroughly disagree.  You have maligned my heartthrob,
Sarah Jane Smith.  Although Sarah Jane is one of the all-time
champion screamers, still is still a strong character.  Sarah
is a normal human: above average intelligence, average
athletic ability, average courage in the face of danger, incredibly
cute when wearing striped overalls.  She is also a very plucky character
and refuses to admit her human limitations. Zum Beispiel: In her first
adventure, she poses as a scientist to get a story, stows away on the TARDIS,
and organizes a commando raid to snatch the Doctor out of a castle.
In "Genesis of the Daleks" she organizes an escape attempt.  In
"The Hand of Fear" it is her wits that get her into the reactor room.
Whenever the Doctor is about to do something dangerous,  she insists
on coming along to keep an eye on him.

Naturally, Sarah Jane does not have the super-human abilities to extricate
her from her predicaments, so the Doctor has to rescue her.  That's what
he's there for.  But most of Sarah's big screams are due to acute surprise
and danger -- falling off a cliff, being attacked by a cybermat -- not
general wimpitude.

Leela and Romana are ok, but Sarah is the best,
and those who think like I do are invited
to see Liz Sladen in person at Contrast, Nov 17-18 in Raleigh (slight ad).
-- 

_Doctor_                           Jon Mauney,    mcnc!ncsu!mauney
\__Mu__/                           North Carolina State University