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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!mhuxv!abnji!nyssa
From: nyssa@abnji.UUCP (nyssa of traken)
Newsgroups: net.tv.drwho
Subject: Re: Nyssa was indeed a companion !!!
Message-ID: <544@abnji.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Apr-85 09:03:51 EST
Article-I.D.: abnji.544
Posted: Fri Apr 12 09:03:51 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Apr-85 04:44:51 EST
References: <931@druxi.UUCP>
Organization: Terminus Hospital, Incorporated
Lines: 38

It is nice to hear such flattery! :-)

It is sad, but during the early Davison years, when there were three
companions, often one or two was reduced to complete insignificance.

During the Hartnell & Troughton three companion stories, the stories
were longer, allowing more action for companions, the Doctor wasn't
as major a character, and actors/resses would on occasions take an
episode off. (A good example would be the fourth episode of the
Dalek Invasion of Earth, in which Wm Hartnell took the week off.)

In Castrovalva, the Doctor's role was minor.
In Four to Doomsday, Nyssa was minor.
In Kinda, Nyssa was absent.
In the Visitation, Adric was minor.
In Black Orchid, both Tegan and Adric were minor.
In Earthshock, Nyssa was minor.
In Mawdryn Undead, Nyssa was minor.
In Terminus, Tegan was minor.

The frequency of Nyssa's appearance on this list is difficult to
explain.  I suspect that it is because Teagn is comparatively
easy to write for, just a loud mouthed Earthling.  Nyssa was alien,
and should have had alien reactions.  That is harder to write.

The companion is really just a plot device, something for the Doctor
to explain to what he is doing.  One is really all that is necessary.
The companion's own personality is subject to the whims of the author,
and are much less fixed.  Nyssa'a personality swung wildly from extremes,
and she suffered from that.
-- 
Nyssa of Traken, now employed at Terminus Hospital, Inc.
				ihnp4!abnji!nyssa

The cameras are still on, let the show begin!
I want to hear them scream, until I'm deaf with pleasure!  I want to see their
limbs twist in excruciating pain!  Ultimately, their blood must gush and
flow through all the gutters of Varos!