So here’s a spoiler from a future that is never going to happen. This is the scene we saw Matt and Jenna perform in a dull little room in the basement of the BBC, which changed the future of Doctor Who. Now remember, this is nonsense, none of this is going to happen, no clues or hints. Think of it as series of hurdles we placed in front of an actress to check her jumping skills.
Steven Moffat
On this tenth anniversary of Jenna Coleman winning the role (and our hearts) as Clara Oswald, I thought it would be fun to post Steven Moffat’s original test script. This is the one he used to audition women for the role of “the Impossible Girl” in Doctor Who. Jenna said she was told that she was auditioning for a role in MEN ON WAVES (an acronym for WOMAN SEVEN) which was the seventh season’s new companion. She said she had no idea what the role really was. I find it either VERY coincidental or amazingly prescient that Steven named the future companion Jasmine in the script. Jasmine was, of course, Jenna’s previous character in EMMERDALE Odd, huh? Anyway, here’s the script...
THE DOCTOR: So you saw it coming in here? What did it look like? JASMINE: Gray. Sort of dusty. Like it was made of spider webs. THE DOCTOR: And it came through the wall? JASMINE: Yeah, that wall there. THE DOCTOR: And made a moaning sound. JASMINE: Moaning, groaning, yeah. THE DOCTOR: But you don’t think it was a ghost. Why not? JASMINE: Because there’s no such thing as ghosts. THE DOCTOR: You know, a lot of people who saw what you saw wouldn’t still think that. JASMINE: Obviously. Otherwise there wouldn’t be idiots who believe in ghosts. THE DOCTOR: What were you doing here? JASMINE: I love this place. It’s… beautiful. THE DOCTOR: It’s falling apart. JASMINE: It’s old. I love old things, they make me feel sad. THE DOCTOR: What’s good about sad? JASMINE: It’s happy for deep people. You’d know. THE DOCTOR: I’m not sad. JASMINE: Oh, you are though. Under all that talking and leaping about. Takes one to know one. THE DOCTOR: So you come here for…recreational sadness? JASMINE: Yeah. In a way. Okay, why are you looking at me like that? THE DOCTOR: You remind me of an old friend of mine. Someone I lost a long time ago. JASMINE: Down boy. I’m not her. THE DOCTOR: Oh, I know you’re not – I don’t believe in ghosts either. JASMINE: Oh my God, what’s that?! THE DOCTOR: Okay, just stay calm. JASMINE: But that’s the thing I saw before. THE DOCTOR: Yep, and it’s coming towards us. I expect you noticed that. Say it with me – I don’t believe in ghosts! JASMINE: I don’t believe in ghosts!! THE DOCTOR: Louder! I don’t believe in ghosts! JASMINE: I don’t believe in ghosts! Will this work? THE DOCTOR: No idea, never met a ghost before.
Funny how the ghost ideas cropped up in a real script, too. I am glad Jasmine was re-born as Clara Oswin Oswald!
Happy 10th anniversary, Jenna Coleman! You’ve touched a lot of hearts and souls by giving life...er..LIVES...to the Impossible Girl.