It could have been interesting if they didn't have a girl character every series. But to replace Misty for Johto, which I would've done, taking into consideration Kris/Crystal/whatever her name is wasn't around at this time I probably would have gone with one of the trainer classes and made a unique character (which was suggested earlier on this thread) like a... bird keeper or something. Or an idea I just had, a former Team Rocket member and it could've been a good way to give the TRio a new reason for following the group, to try and re-recruit them or something similar. I wouldn't have gone with an exisiting character like a gym leader. I don't think I'd have been able to watch the series if Casey was used, she annoyed me a lot but Whitney might've been good.