As filming begins on the 2012 Christmas special, in which we will be introduced to the as-yet-publicly-unnamed new Companion being played by Jenna-Louise Coleman, the first official photos of Jenna and Matt on set are being released. And excited as I am for a change-up in the TARDIS team, I have to say I’m disappointed in what I’m seeing.

Sure she’s cute, and based on early reports, the chemistry will be great, but the new Companion (according to someone who was supposedly on set, her name is “Clara”; I’ll withhold judgment on the veracity of that designation until something official comes down the pike, but for ease of reference, I’ll use it as her name here) appears to be another run-of-the-mill, modern Earth human. Clad in a short-skirted dress, jacket and bright red shoulder bag, Clara strikes me as this decade’s answer to Jo Grant: fashionista pixie.

Since Doctor Who returned to our screens in 2005, we’ve been treated to an endless parade of Companions designed specifically to be the point of reference for the audience. Almost to a one, they’ve come from 21st Century England: Rose, Mickey, Jackie, Martha, Donna, Wilf, Amy, Rory – even Sarah Jane. Adam (if we can count the idiot who had a door put in his forehead as a Companion) was also modern, though he was American. Jack and River – multi-story Companions, though not strictly “regulars” – both hailed from the 51st Century, and off-world, but are still quite human (even if 51st C. sexuality is not of a variety that’s currently considered “mainstream”). You have to get into The Specials from 2009 before you get Companions from either the past or the future (Astrid Peth, Jackson Lake, Adelaide Brooke) – and they’re all still human – British ones, at that (OK, Astrid was meant to be an off-worlder, and I can’t remember whether or not she Britted up her Aussie accent – but my point stands).

So I ask you: where’s the diversity? We’ve barely managed to add non-Caucasians to the mix – I guess having people of color there at all is a (small) step in the right direction – but given the Whoniverse itself is so diverse, and the Doctor’s travels so broad, where are the non-human, non-contemporary, non-Terran (or even non-British) main Companions? We haven’t seen an off-world regular Companion since Turlough (preceded by Nyssa, Adric, Leela, Zoë, Steven, and Vicki), an out-of-time Companion since Mel (sort of – a few decades in the then-future; preceded by Victoria, Jamie, and (briefly) Katarina), or a non-human Companion since Kamelion (preceded by K9 and, most notably, by Romana and Susan, both Time Lords). The last to appear of all of these mentioned was Mel, and much as my instincts deny it, 1987 (when her final story was broadcast) was a looooooooong time ago.

After A Good Man Goes to War introduced us to the incomparable Mdme. Vastra, I had occasional, recurring moments during which I fantasized that she – or someone very much like her – would be the next to travel with the Doctor. Now that would have been diversity: a very non-human (though Terran), out-of-time (Victorian era) Companion (with cross-species, same-gender preferences, if we want to go there). I think it’s high time we trust Doctor Who fans to be able to relate to someone a bit different. After all, if Star Wars became a hit with Wookies and droids as major characters, why can’t Who have a Silurian in the TARDIS?

For now, though, it looks like we’re stuck with the same ol’ same ol’. Clara really appears not to break any molds. I know Moffat has said who she is and how they meet is “part of one of the biggest mysteries” ever for the Doctor, so I suppose it’s still possible she’s an off-worlder, or maybe even out-of-time (though the costume suggests otherwise). He’s clearly got something up his sleeve, though, so I won’t form a hard-and-fast opinion yet. But at first blush, Clara looks like a continuation of a long line of audience-surrogate-Companions; another contemporary, Terran human. Maybe there’s a whole lot more to it than meets the eye.

Hope springs eternal.