New Companion: Pearl Mackie

The months of speculation as to the identity of the new Doctor Who companion are finally over. The mini episode, Friend from the Future was broadcast yesterday on Match of the Day Live during half-time and revealed that Pearl Mackie will be joining Peter Capaldi's Doctor as 'Bill', in Series 10.

Introducing the new companion in the middle of a football match is certainly one of more unusual stunts that the publicity team has pulled. It's good to see Doctor Who being promoted during a mainstream sporting event although I suspect that by the time the next series is actually broadcast, most casual viewers will have forgotten who the new companion is. Still, the same could be said of the long wait until Matt Smith's introduction, and this was worth it to see all the tweets from fans who were angry at having to watch a sport they hate. Better for a wider promotion than just on the internet or Comic Con. 

The advantage of this three minute sequence meant that we catch a glimpse Pearl Mackie's acting as well as hearing the accent she will bring to the character. One could say the character is quite glib, but this is only a small fragment of a larger series. The name is also curious. Is 'Bill' short for Billie or some other unusual name? It's also the only time until possibly Class when we will see Peter Capaldi's in action. I think I preferred this to a bland interview in which the actor evades answering any questions. 

In the end, fans have no reason to think Pearl Mackie will be better or worse than her successors. While I was hoping it would be Rakhee Thakrar, as the rumours suggested, I am not disappointed at this choice. Pearl Mackie may not be a household name, it is exciting to see a young actor suddenly step into a big franchise and become a bigger name. There a lot of questions. Is she a modern companion or not? Does she have a family? Is she only staying for Steven Moffat's last series or will she carry over to the Chris Chibnall era? I look forward to finding out answers to these questions in the coming months.