706 lines
30 KiB
Plaintext
706 lines
30 KiB
Plaintext
Path: uuwest!spies!apple!usc!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!lll-winken!terminus!nyssa
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From: nyssa@terminus.UUCP (The Prime Minister)
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Newsgroups: rec.arts.drwho
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Subject: Companion Analysis (Updated: 26 Jul, 1990)
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Keywords: Monthly Posting
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Message-ID: <22995@terminus.UUCP>
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Date: 5 Sep 90 12:28:46 GMT
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Expires: 8 Dec 90 09:50:45 GMT
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Sender: news@terminus.UUCP
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Organization: Terminus
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Lines: 693
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To understand my background when considering companions, I first present
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my "credentials":
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I have seen every Doctor Who episode which is available on television in
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episode form, this means all of Sylvester McCoy, all of Colin Baker,
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all of Peter Davison, all of Tom Baker, all of Jon Pertwee, "The Mind
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Robber", "The Dominators", "The Krotons", "The Seeds of Death", and "The
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War Games" from Patrick Troughton; and "An Unearthly Child", "The Dead
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Planet", "The Edge of Destruction", "The Keys of Marinus", "The Aztecs",
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"The Sensorites", "Land of Giants", "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", "The
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Rescue", "The Romans", "The Web Planet", "The Space Museum", "The
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Chase", "The Time Meddler", "The Ark", "The Gunfighters", and "The War
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Machines" from William Hartnell.
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I have also seen episodes from "The Reign of Terror", "The Dalek
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Masterplan", "The Celestial Toymaker", "The Tenth Planet",
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"The Moonbase", "The Abominable Snowmen", "The Enemy of the World",
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"The Web of Fear", "The Wheel in Space", "The Invasion", and
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"The Space Pirates".
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I have read almost every paperback.
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I have heard audio tapes of "The Power of the Daleks," "The Highlanders"
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and "Evil of the Daleks".
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I have read "The Dalek Masterplan" by Rosemary Howe (Australia).
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I have seen clips from other missing episodes, most notable for this
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discussion is the clip of Katarina's death.
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I have even sat through the two movies.
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I have met at various times Nicholas Courtney, Fraser Hines, Deborah
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Watling, John Levene, Katy Manning, Richard Franklin, Elisabeth Sladen,
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Ian Marter, Louise Jameson, John Leeson, Lalla Ward, Matthew Waterhouse,
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Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding, Mark Strickson, Nicola Bryant, Bonnie
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Langford, and Sophie Aldred (although I have sincere doubts that some
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of them would remember me!)
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Based on the above, I feel that I can present myself as an "expert"
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on the question of companions.
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I shall address each companion in the order of their first appearance
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on the show as a companion.
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Barbara Wright played by Jacqueline Hill.
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First appearance: Episode 1, An Unearthly Child 23 Nov. 1963
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Last appearance (regular): Episode 6, The Chase 26 June, 1965
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(The Planet of Decision)
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No reprises of the role outside of flashbacks.
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Also appeared as Lexa in Meglos, 27 Sept. - 18 Oct. 1980
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Barbara Wright was a school teacher from the Coal Hill
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School in London, who's entry into the TARDIS was at the
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junkyard at 76 Totters Lane. She was the rational person
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in the TARDIS during her role, and she was quicker to
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accept new situations than Ian Chesterton (qv).
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I liked Barbara because of the strength of her character.
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She played the part with vigor, and seemed to be able to keep
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it "on track", not allowing the characterization to alter
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radically from script to script.
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I didn't like her occasional bossiness, and felt that she
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was sometimes a bit heartless.
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Ian Chesterton played by William Russell. (now Russell Enoch)
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First appearance: Episode 1, An Unearthly Child 23 Nov. 1963
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Last appearance (regular): Episode 6, The Chase 26 June, 1965
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(The Planet of Decision)
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No reprises of the role outside of flashbacks.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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He joined the crew of the TARDIS with Barbara (above).
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His function was to be the muscle of the crew, with a bit
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of scientific knowledge. The Doctor would correct his
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misconceptions, which was the most common vehicle of
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explanation during his role.
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Ian was interesting, because again he had a firmer, well
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rounded character, but he was severely limited by his role
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as the fighter of the group.
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Susan (Foreman?) played by Carole Ann Ford.
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First appearance: Episode 1, An Unearthly Child 23 Nov. 1963
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Last appearance (regular): Episode 6, The Dalek Invasion of
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Earth (Flashpoint) 26 Dec. 1964
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Reprised in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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May have been the Doctor's granddaughter, she was
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resident in the TARDIS with the Doctor at the start of the
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series in 1963. She was a student at the Coal Hill School
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who's unusual behavior piqued the interest of the two teachers
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and led them to 76 Totters Lane. She left in a very touching
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scene, from which the quote at the start of The Five Doctors
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was found. (Someday, I will come back...)
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Susan gets a low rating because of her role as the first
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"screaming ninny." In my opinion, she had very little
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positive side to her character, as her apparent intelligence
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was lost by the time The Tribe of Gum was shown.
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Vicki played by Maureen O'Brien.
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First appearance: Episode 1, The Rescue 2 Jan. 1965
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Last appearance: Episode 4, The Myth Makers 6 Nov. 1965
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(Horse of Destruction)
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No reprises of the role outside of flashbacks.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Vicki was the second screaming ninny, replacing the
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first. She was even less endearing than Susan, in fact, it
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is hard to remember her doing much of anything.
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She joined the crew of the TARDIS after she was the last
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survivor of a crashed space ship. She left to marry Troilus.
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Steven Taylor played by Peter Purves.
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First appearance: Episode 6, The Chase 26 Jun. 1965
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(The Planet of Decision)
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Last appearance: Episode 4, The Savages 18 Jun. 1966
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No reprises of the role outside of flashbacks.
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Appeared as Morton Dill, Episode 2 of The Chase, 29 May, 1965
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(The Death of Time)
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Steven Taylor was the muscle replacement for Ian
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when he left. Steven was captured by the Mechanoids and
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held captive on their planet, when he escaped with the Doctor,
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Ian, Barbara, and Vicki, he joined the crew and Ian and
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Barbara left. He left to become the leader of the Savages
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and Elders.
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Steven was not as deep a character as Ian, he seemed to me to
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be the typical thick headed jock type. He did carry a teddy
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bear when he joined the crew and talked to it.
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Katarina played by Adrienne Hill.
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First appearance: Episode 4, The Myth Makers 6 Nov. 1965
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(Horse of Destruction)
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Last appearance: Episode 3, The Dalek Masterplan 27 Nov. 1965
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(Devil's Planet)
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No reprises of the role, no flashbacks.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Katarina joined the crew of the TARDIS while fleeing
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from the destruction of Troy. She had been one of Cassandra's
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serving girls. She sacrificed herself to save the Doctor; when
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a convict was threatening to kill everyone on a ship, she
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opened the airlock door out into space.
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Although quite shallow (and she hardly had any time for
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character development!), she was an amusing character, in
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that she worshipped the Doctor-- literally!
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There are questions on whether or not she should be a companion
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based on being in the TARDIS for only four episodes.
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Sara Kingdom played by Jean Marsh.
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First appearance: Episode 4, The Dalek Masterplan 4 Dec. 1965
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(The Traitors)
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Last appearance: Episode 12, The Dalek Masterplan 29 Jan. 1966
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(Destruction of Time)
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No reprises of the role apart from flashbacks.
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Appeared in The Crusades as Joanna, sister to King Richard,
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27 Mar. - 17 Apr. 1965.
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Appeared in Battlefield as Morgana, 6-27 Sept 1989
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Sara Kingdom was assigned by Mavic Chen the task of
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killing the Doctor. She kills her brother, Bret Vyon (played
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by Nicholas Courtney qv.), and only then realises that The
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Doctor is on the side of good and Mavic Chen has betrayed
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Earth to the Daleks. She is killed by the Time Destructor in
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the death of Kembel.
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Sara was a security guard who was useful in fighting the
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Daleks. Her character seemed to me to be a bit stereo-
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typical and a bit too cardboard.
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Dodo Chaplet played by Jackie Lane.
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First appearance: Episode 4, The Massacre 26 Feb. 1966
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(Bell of Doom)
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Last appearance: Episode 2, The War Machines 2 July, 1966
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No reprises of the role apart from flashbacks.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Dodo joined the crew of the TARDIS when she wandered
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into the ship thinking it an actual police call box. Her
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entry was scripted into the last epsiode of the Myth Makers by
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Donald Tosh. She left to stay in London. She was the first
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companion who didn't do a Dalek story.
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Dodo had the worst entrance; it had little to do with the story,
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the worst exit (she just disappeared and wasn't seen again),
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was in the worst story (The Gunfighters). She just didn't
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seem to build the attachment to the show that others did.
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Polly played by Anneke Wills.
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First appearance: Episode 1, The War Machines 25 June 1966
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Last appearance: Episode 6, The Faceless Ones 13 May, 1967
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No reprises of the part apart from flashbacks.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Polly joined with the Doctor with Ben after the fight
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in London with the War Machines. They were the first contemp-
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orary companions since Ian and Barbara. They left to stay in
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London after the fight with the Faceless Ones. They were also
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the first companions to witness a regeneration, from William
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Hartnell to Patrick Troughton.
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Polly, ever since I first saw her in The Tenth Planet, is one
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of my favorites. She has beautiful eyes, and a good bit of
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spunk. She, Ben, and Pat Troughton's Doctor got along
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famously.
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Ben Jackson played by Michael Craze.
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First appearance: Episode 1, The War Machines 25 June 1966
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Last appearance: Episode 6, The Faceless Ones 13 May, 1967
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No reprises of the part apart from flashbacks.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Ben joined the Doctor with Polly and left with Polly,
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the two were nearly inseparable. They did not know each other
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before Doctor Who; Polly met Ben at a night club where Able
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Seaman Ben Jackson was moping over his drink. Polly was
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finally able to cheer him up, and they set out on their
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adventure with The War Machines. Also witnessed William
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Hartnell's regeneration to Patrick Troughton.
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Ben was another muscle companion, and being a seaman he
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certainly ably filled that role. His witty reparte with
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the Doctor and Polly (whom he referred to as "Duchess") was
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quite amusing and added a nice touch of humor to the show.
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Jamie McCrimmon played by Fraser Hines.
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Also played by Hamish Wilson, Episode 2 The Mind Robber,
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21 Sept. 1968.
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First appearance: Episode 1, The Highlanders 8 Oct. 1966
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Last appearance: Episode 10, The War Games 21 June 1969
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Reprised the role in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983
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Reprised the role in The Two Doctors, 16 Feb-2 Mar, 1985
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Jamie joined the TARDIS shortly after he led the Doctor,
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Ben and Polly back to the TARDIS on Culloden Moor. He left
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the crew when sent back to Scotland by the Time Lords after
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the Doctor's trial in The War Games. Jamie's status on the
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TARDIS was contingent on him teaching the Doctor how to play
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the bagpipes.
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Jamie was a muscle companion, but one who provided a good bit
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of comic relief. He worked very well with Patrick Troughton,
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and together they make my favorite Doctor/companion team.
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He has a lot of naivete, being a Scotsman from the 18th
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century. He was dumb, even for them. Often, the Doctor
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would try to explain something, only to become comically
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frustrated at the attempt.
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Jamie was one of the most loyal companions, he'd follow
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the Doctor anywhere. He has also been able to continue to
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play the part well when he reprised the part in The Two
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Doctors.
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Victoria Waterfield played by Deborah Watling.
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First appearance: Episode 4, The Evil of the Daleks 10 Jun 1967
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Last appearance: Episode 1, The Wheel in Space 27 Apr 1968
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No reprises of the part apart from flashbacks.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Victoria joined the crew after she and her father were
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used by the Daleks to attempt to find the human factor. Her
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father was killed on Skaro, and she was taken there. When the
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Dalek Civil War broke out, she escaped with the Doctor in
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the TARDIS. She left to stay with a family in Aberdeen after
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the oil rigs there were attacked by seaweed.
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Victoria is my favorite female companion. She displayed a
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complete naivete about most matters, as she was brought up
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as the prim and proper Victorian woman. She got on beautifully
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with Jamie, and as a team they were my favorite.
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I will admit some glandular prejudice, as I find Deborah Watling
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quite attractive.
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I will also admit some story based prejudice; Victoria, and
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Jamie were the companions during Innes Lloyd's "monster
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season", which saw the Yeti and the Ice Warriors make their
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Doctor Who debuts. This season was also the first to feature
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Nicholas Courtney as Lt. Col. Lethbridge-Stewart.
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The biggest knock against Victoria is that she was a screamer;
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that is true, but she became the best at the type.
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Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (Lt. Col, then Brig.) played
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by Nicholas Courtney.
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First appearance: Episode 2, The Web of Fear 10 Feb. 1968
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Last appearance: Episode 4, Terror of the Zygons 20 Sept 1975
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Irregular as a regular, he appeared as part of UNIT for
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Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, and Tom Baker.
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Reprised the part in Mawdryn Undead, 2-11 Feb, 1983
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Reprised the part in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983
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Reprised the part in Battlefield, 6-27 Sept 1989
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Also played Bret Vyon in The Dalek Masterplan, Episodes 1-4,
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13 Nov-5 Dec. 1965
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The Brigadier was never really a travelling companion
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of the Doctor's, in fact his first journey using the TARDIS
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took place during Mawdryn Undead. He was assigned to help
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fight the Yeti in the London underground, and for his effort
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was promoted to Brigadier and assigned command of UNIT, the
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United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. His appearances
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were primarily Earth based, although from Earth he did get
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to fight most menaces, including Daleks, Cybermen, and Yeti.
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He witnessed Jon Pertwee's regeneration into Tom Baker.
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UNIT was a very big part of Jon Pertwee's legacy as the Doctor.
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While he was exiled to Earth, it gave him a base to work
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out of, replacing the TARDIS. He was quite enjoyable in the
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role of the military man, but that was wearing thin by Tom
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Baker's era. His appearances since he retired have only been
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so-so.
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Zoe Herriot played by Wendy Padbury.
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First appearance: Episode 1, The Wheel in Space 27 Apr. 1968
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Last appearance: Episode 10, The War Games 21 June 1969
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Reprised the part in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Zoe is the only companion whom I did not see/hear/or
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read about joining the TARDIS. She departed with her memory
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wiped at the end of The War Games, returning to the wheel in
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space as a result of the Doctor's trial. She is only the
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second companion not to fight the Daleks, although she witnessed
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the Evil of the Daleks in Doctor Who's first repeat.
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Zoe was a twenty-first century computer scientist, which must
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strike close to home for many of us on the net. She displayed
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a lot of intelligence and a phenomenal memory. She did end
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up a screamer, though. Her intelligence and memory was used
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on several occasions to the benefit of the crew.
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With Jamie, she is on all of the Patrick Troughton stories
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currently released by Lionheart.
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Benton (Lance Corporal to Warrant Officer) played by John Levene.
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Also played by an unnamed child in The Time Monster,
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29 May-24 June, 1972.
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First appearance: Episode 2, The Invasion 9 Nov. 1968
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Last appearance: Episode 4, The Android Invasion 13 Dec. 1975
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Irregular as a regular, he appeared as part of UNIT for
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Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, and Tom Baker.
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No reprises of the part apart from flashbacks.
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Has played the roles of several monsters in the show, notably
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Yeti and Cybermen.
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Benton was a member of UNIT, from when it fought
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against the Cyberman invasion to when they defeated the
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Kraals. He traveled in the TARDIS once, The Three Doctors.
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He was also a "love interest" for Jo Grant.
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Benton started as Lance Corporal, was promoted to Sergeant
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for Spearhead from Space, Regimental Sergeant Major for
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Robot, and a mention of a promotion to Warrant Officer
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was made in Mawdryn Undead.
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Benton was fun in many stories, although rather limited
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character. It would be fun to see a "Companions" book
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about him!
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Liz Shaw played by Caroline John.
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First appearance: Episode 1, Spearhead from Space 3 Jan. 1970
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Last appearance: Episode 7, Inferno 20 June 1970
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Reprised the part in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Liz Shaw was the first and only companion never to
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have traveled in the TARDIS. She was UNIT's scientific
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advisor when the Doctor was found after regenerating. She
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left UNIT to continue her academic career.
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Liz Shaw was a genius, often a match for the Doctor in
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intelligence. This didn't leave much room for banter
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between the two.
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Liz also suffered through having some long stories and
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never having her character fully developed.
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Jo Grant played by Katy Manning.
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First appearance: Episode 1, Terror of the Autons 2 Jan. 1971
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Last appearance: Episode 6, The Green Death 23 June 1973
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Reprised the part (voice only) episode 1 of The Planet of
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the Spiders, 4 May, 1974.
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No other parts in Doctor Who.
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Jo Grant was the niece of a UN bigwig who had her
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assigned to UNIT, and the Brigadier asked her to be the Doctor's
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assistant. She left to get married and go down the Amazon.
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Jo was a likable dingbat. She played the role like she is,
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a bit blind, but quite lovable. Both Captain Yates and
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Sergeant Benton were very fond of her, as was I.
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Jo's biggest problem was her stupidity. It got in the way of
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the Doctor and her own character growth.
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Michael Yates played by Richard Franklin.
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First appearance: Episode 1, Terror of the Autons 2 Jan. 1971
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Last appearance: Episode 6, Invasion of the Dinosaurs
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16 Feb. 1974
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Reprised the part in The Planet of the Spiders, 4 May-8 June,
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1974.
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Reprised the part in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983
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No other roles in Doctor Who.
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Captain Yates was assigned to UNIT to be the Brigadier's
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right hand man. He left after he betrayed UNIT in Invasion
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of the Dinosaurs.
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Yates was introduced to the show to be a love interest for
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Jo Grant. He was a bit of a stickler for military regulations,
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and did use them to his advantage to cut out Sgt. Benton.
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Although well played, he was a stiff military character, and
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probably the least sympathetic of the regular UNIT crew.
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Sarah Jane Smith played by Elisabeth Sladen.
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First appearance: Episode 1, The Time Warrior 15 Dec. 1973
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Last appearance: Episode 4, The Hand of Fear 23 Oct. 1976
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Reprised the part in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983.
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No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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Sarah Jane stowed away on board the TARDIS after
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sneaking in to a scientific establishment in the pursuit of
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a magazine story. She was deserted by the Doctor somewhere
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that probably wasn't South Croydon when he was summoned back
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to Gallifrey. She saw Jon Pertwee's Doctor regenerate into
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Tom Baker.
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Sarah Jane was fun to watch... most of the time. She was
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supposedly a feminist, but this often fell by the wayside.
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Her character was one of the more inconsistent, probably
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due to her longevity and how many writers pay little
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attention to the companion.
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Her best shows were those with Harry Sullivan, whose witty
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reparte with her was often quite funny.
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Harry Sullivan played by Ian Marter.
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First appearance: Episode 1, Robot 28 Dec. 1974
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Last appearance: Episode 4, Terror of the Zygons 20 Sept.1975
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Reprised the part in The Android Invasion, 22 Nov-13 Dec. 1975
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Appeared as Andrews in Carnival of Monsters, 27 Jan-17 Feb, 1973
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Ian Marter has written several novels for Target.
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Ian Marter died from complications of diabetes in 1986.
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Harry Sullivan was tricked into the TARDIS by the
|
|
newly regenerated Doctor and left at his first opportunity.
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During his travels, he did meet up with Daleks, Cybermen, and
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Sontarans! He was UNIT's medical officer, and was the only
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|
UNIT officer to seriously travel in the TARDIS.
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Harry was a lot of fun; he was a bit thick, and very much a
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|
male chauvinist pig. The dialogue between Harry and the Old
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|
Thing (Sarah Jane Smith) was some of the best in the Tom
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|
Baker era, and probably the best that didn't involve Tom.
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Leela played by Louise Jameson.
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First appearance: Episode 1, The Face of Evil 1 Jan. 1977
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Last appearance: Episode 6, The Invasion of Time 11 Mar. 1978
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No reprises of the role outside of flashbacks.
|
|
No other appearances in Doctor Who.
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|
|
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Leela joined the crew of the TARDIS by sneaking in
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|
and causing the TARDIS to take off. She left to remain on
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|
Gallifrey with her new husband, Andred.
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Leela was the brown eyed savage, who often offered to cut the
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|
hearts out of the Doctor's enemies. She was quite fearless
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|
and very good with the knife. She was intelligent, but not very
|
|
well educated, so the Doctor frequently had to explain to
|
|
Leela his explanations.
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Being a savage woman was a rather limiting role, there is not
|
|
much opportunity for character development. Louise left the
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|
part at the right time, before it became too hackneyed.
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K-9 played by John Leeson.
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|
Also played by David Brierley, 17th season.
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|
First appearance: Episode 2, The Invisible Enemy 8 Oct. 1977
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|
Last appearance: Episode 4, Warrior's Gate 24 Jan. 1981
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|
Reprised the part in The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983.
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|
Also appeared as Dugeen in The Power of Kroll, 23 Dec. 1978-
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|
13 Jan. 1979.
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|
Also was a Dalek voice in Remembrance of the Daleks, 5-26 Oct. 1988.
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|
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K-9 joined the TARDIS when his original owner, Professor
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|
Marius, was unable to bring him back to Earth due to luggage
|
|
limits. K-9 Mk I stayed with Leela on Gallifrey, the Doctor
|
|
produced a K-9 Mk II, which remained in E-Space with Romana.
|
|
K-9 Mk III was a gift from the Doctor to Sarah Jane Smith.
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|
|
|
K-9 was a robotic dog which functioned as a mobile computer/
|
|
defense system. Originally a cute idea, the decision to
|
|
bring out a Mk II when Leela left was the start of the mutt's
|
|
downfall.
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|
|
|
A robotic companion is a rather dead end street; there can be
|
|
little character development, and as it was, K-9 was used
|
|
as a plot device to free Romana and the Doctor from ridiculous
|
|
situations with relative ease; K-9 became too much of a crutch
|
|
and as a result became a negative influence on the show.
|
|
|
|
Romanadvoratrelundar (I) played by Mary Tamm.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, The Ribos Operation 2 Sept. 1978
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 6, The Armageddon Factor 24 Feb. 1979
|
|
No reprises of the part apart from flashbacks.
|
|
Also appeared as Princess Strella, The Androids of Tara
|
|
25 Nov-16 Dec. 1978.
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|
|
|
Romana joined the TARDIS at the behest of the White
|
|
Guardian, masquerading as the President of the High Council
|
|
on Gallifrey. She regenerated into Romana II (qv). She
|
|
stayed through the Key to Time season, and was on occasions
|
|
a good foil for Tom Baker's Doctor's arrogance.
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|
|
|
Her failing was that she was too smart, and not light
|
|
enough. Her serious "I am better than you" attitude was
|
|
often a drag on the show.
|
|
|
|
Romana (II) played by Lalla Ward.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, Destiny of the Daleks 1 Sept. 1979
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 4, Warrior's Gate 24 Jan. 1981
|
|
Clips from Shada (an incomplete story) used in
|
|
The Five Doctors, 25 Nov. 1983.
|
|
Also appeared as Princess Astra, The Armageddon Factor,
|
|
20 Jan-24 Feb. 1979.
|
|
|
|
Romana II was the regenerated form of Romana I. She
|
|
left the TARDIS with K-9 Mk II to assist the Tharils in
|
|
E-Space. Her character had much of the first Romana's
|
|
intelligence, but was a lot more humorous.
|
|
|
|
Her failing was that she was too intelligent; with K-9, Romana,
|
|
and the sonic screwdriver, the Doctor was never in serious
|
|
danger, so plots were weakened by this lack of threat.
|
|
|
|
Lalla Ward and Tom Baker were married, and are now divorced.
|
|
|
|
Adric played by Matther Waterhouse.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, Full Circle 25 Oct. 1980
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 4, Earthshock 16 Mar. 1982
|
|
Reprised the part in Timeflight, 23 Mar, 1982
|
|
Reprised the part for The Doctor's regenration, The Caves of
|
|
Androzani, 16 Mar. 1984.
|
|
No other appearances in Doctor Who.
|
|
|
|
Adric stowed away aboard the TARDIS in Full Circle
|
|
to join the crew, and was spread all over Earth as a layer
|
|
of fertilizer as his departure. He did witness Tom Baker's
|
|
regeneration into Peter Davison.
|
|
|
|
Adric had no redeeming qualities. He betrayed the Doctor too
|
|
often, argued too much, and made too many ultimatums. He
|
|
was no fun to watch, and a detriment to the crew.
|
|
|
|
Nyssa played by Sarah Sutton.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, The Keeper of Traken 31 Jan. 1981
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 4, Terminus 23 Feb. 1983
|
|
Reprised the part in regeneration scene, The Caves of Androzani,
|
|
16 Mar. 1984.
|
|
Appeared as Ann Talbot in Black Orchid, 1-2 March, 1982.
|
|
|
|
Nyssa joined the TARDIS at Logopolis after her home
|
|
planet of Traken was destroyed by The Master. (The Master
|
|
also inhabits her father's body.) She left to help the victims
|
|
of Lazza's disease at the Terminus Hospital, at the origin
|
|
of the universe. She witnessed the regeneration of Tom Baker
|
|
into Peter Davison.
|
|
|
|
Nyssa was a smart, though naive character who suffered from
|
|
great inconsistency. She was supposed to be a biologist,
|
|
but ranged as far afield as a mystic.
|
|
|
|
She had some potential, it's a shame it was wasted.
|
|
|
|
Tegan Jovanka played by Janet Fielding.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, Logopolis 28 Feb. 1981
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 2, Resurrection of the Daleks
|
|
15 Feb. 1984
|
|
Reprised the part in regeneration scene, The Caves of Androzani
|
|
16 Mar. 1984.
|
|
Also appeared as Kamelion, The King's Demons, 16 Mar. 1983.
|
|
|
|
Tegan stumbled into the TARDIS looking for help with
|
|
her car. She left, when she was tired of all the killing
|
|
of the Daleks. She witnessed the regeneration of Tom Baker
|
|
into Peter Davison.
|
|
|
|
Tegan was a strong character, but much to argumentative. Her
|
|
first year was spent demanding a return to Heathrow Airport,
|
|
when she was finally returned, she discovered that she'd
|
|
been given the sack and she rejoined the crew in Amsterdam.
|
|
|
|
She was the first Australian companion. Her bossiness made
|
|
her seem inappropriate for a companion.
|
|
|
|
Turlough played by Mark Strickson.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, Mawdryn Undead 1 Feb. 1983
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 4, Planet of Fire 2 Mar. 1984
|
|
Reprised the part in regeneration scene, The Caves of Androzani
|
|
16 Mar. 1984.
|
|
No other appearances in Doctor Who.
|
|
|
|
Turlough joined the TARDIS at the behest of the Black
|
|
Guardian with the task of killing the Doctor. Over three
|
|
stories, he grew to enjoy and respect the Doctor and was
|
|
unable to kill him. He left to return to his home planet,
|
|
Trion.
|
|
|
|
Turlough did the most character development of any companion
|
|
in recent years, he had to. His cowardice and deviousness
|
|
made a change from recent companions.
|
|
|
|
Kamelion played by Gerald Flood.
|
|
Also played by: Janet Fielding, Peter Davison, Anthony
|
|
Ainley, and Dallas Adams.)
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, The King's Demons 15 Mar. 1983
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 4, Planet of Fire 2 Mar. 1984
|
|
Reprised the part in regeneration scene, The Caves of Androzani
|
|
16 Mar. 1984.
|
|
No other appearances in Doctor Who.
|
|
|
|
Kamelion was pulled into the TARDIS to escape the
|
|
influence of the Master, and was killed at his own request
|
|
by the Doctor.
|
|
|
|
Robotic companions do not work too well.
|
|
|
|
Perpugilliam Brown played by Nicola Bryant.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, Planet of Fire 22 Feb. 1984
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 8, Trial of a Time Lord 25 Oct. 1986
|
|
No reprises of the part, a flashback in Episode 14,
|
|
Trial of a Time Lord, 6 Dec. 1986.
|
|
Appeared as Kiv, episode 8, The Trial of a Time Lord,
|
|
25 Oct. 1986.
|
|
|
|
Peri joined the crew of the TARDIS as something to do
|
|
and she left by marrying King Yrcanos. (An alternative is
|
|
that she was killed by King Yrcanos after being made a body
|
|
for Sil's brain.) She witnessed the regeneration from
|
|
Peter Davison to Colin Baker.
|
|
|
|
She was a screamer, she was dense, and she argued too much.
|
|
Her only assets were greatly offset by a need for good
|
|
direction and some more evident respect for the Doctor.
|
|
|
|
Melanie Bush played by Bonnie Langford.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 9, The Trial of a Time Lord 1 Nov. 1986
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 3, Dragonfire 7 Dec. 1987
|
|
No reprises of the role outside of flashbacks.
|
|
No other appearances in Doctor Who.
|
|
|
|
There is no good way to explain how Melanie joined
|
|
the TARDIS. She appeared out of the future for the Trial
|
|
of the Doctor, and left with him as his companion. She
|
|
left the Doctor to join Sabalom Glitz as part of the
|
|
crew of the Nosferatu II when he took over Iceworld.
|
|
|
|
Mel was the archetypical screamer, once screaming 14 times
|
|
in a single story. Although allegdly a computer programmer,
|
|
she never illustrated this ability, and her allegedly good
|
|
memory was hardly ever utilized, either.
|
|
|
|
Her character was probably severely hurt by the writing of
|
|
Pip and Jane Baker, who scripted 9 of her first 10 episodes,
|
|
almost half of her term in the role.
|
|
|
|
Ace (Dorothy) played by Sophie Aldred.
|
|
First appearance: Episode 1, Dragonfire 24 Nov. 1987
|
|
Last appearance: Episode 3, Survival 6 Dec. 1989
|
|
No other appearances in Doctor Who.
|
|
|
|
Ace joined the crew when she had no where else to go.
|
|
Whisked off Earth in an ion storm, Ace hails from Perivale,
|
|
a part of London. She was found on Iceworld, working as a
|
|
waitress in an ice cream bar.
|
|
|
|
Ace is a good companion. She has her own personality which
|
|
blends very well with Sylvester McCoy's Doctor. Her trade-
|
|
mark is her use of the explosive Nitro-9, a varient of
|
|
nitroglycerin, which she makes herself and uses old cans
|
|
of deodorant as her delivery system.
|
|
--
|
|
James C. Armstrong, Jr att!attdso!terminus!nyssa
|