You may recall a new Doctor Who was announced awhile back. The actor in case is 28, which is usually a good age for finally breaking out into big 'celebritiness' for non-teenager-focused shows and movies. Unfortunately, I'm cranky his big debut is going to be Doctor Who, who has always had mass appeal to the elderly as well as the young. Hiring younger and younger actors mean the older audience members lose their interest in the character because he's just a young whippersnapper who is doing his Doctor Who impersonation all wrong. The old series seemed to alterate between thinkers and doers. Seems to be it's about time for a thinker.

Unfortunately, the companion they've finally picked out is even more of an unknown, with a hell of a lot less experience than Junior over there. Like Freema, she was in a previous season (I haven't seen 'The Fires of Pompeii' but I bet she was just so gosh-darned cute playing the soothsayer). I understand they didn't want to hire a big name to outshine their newbie, but couldn't they have gotten someone who at least looks like an adult? She's 21, but all the pictures for her make her look like she's straight out of Dawson's Creek. (I kinda wish they'd hired the little miss who played Sally Sparrow in the doctor-lite episode in season 3. She was spunky.)

Anyone seen 'Fires of Pompeii' to give an opinion on Miss Gillan's acting skills? Am I being fair in thinking she was basically hired because she'd been in a previous Who episode and that she wouldn't outshine Mr. Smith? (Because you know Ms. Tate would've.)