Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 13 "The First Doctor In Review"

Notes: By 1966, William Hartnell was finding it increasingly difficult to continue the role of Dr.Who. He was forgetting lines and the work strain was becoming too much. At one point he was slated to leave the series during the 'Celestial Toymaker', but he continued. When he did leave, the show was doing well enough to continue instead of cancelling. So the producers devised a way to 'renew' his character. At this point in the series, it was not called a regeneration and his home planet of Gallifrey or him being a 'Time Lord' were yet unmentioned. William Hartnell later reprised his role as the Doctor in the 1973 episode, 'The Three Doctors'. In 1983, Richard Hurndall stood in for the character of the first Doctor in the story 'The Five Doctors'.
Name: The Doctor 1963-1966
Actor: William Hartnell
January 08th 1908 - April 23 1975
Occupation: Time Traveller
First Seen: Earth, 1963
First Episode: An Unearthly Child (Season 1)
Last Seen: Earth, 1986
Last Episode: Tenth Planet (Season 4)
Special Appearance: The Three Doctors (1972-1973)


Notes: The Doctor is actually the one who spearheads Susan's departure. Sensing she has fallen in love with David Campbell but unwilling to leave the Doctor's side, he locks her out of the Tardis. Susan and the Doctor meet once more when they are both drawn to the 'Death Zone' on Gallifrey as seen in the episode 'The Five Doctors'. The Doctor has recently stated all the Time-lords died as a result of the time war. Susan was not excluded so she's likely deceased. The actress herself moved on from the series when her character was not as she imagined. Initially she thought Susan would be a more sophisticated and intelligent individual, but the producers wanted her to relate to the children watching the show.
Name: Susan 1963-1964
Actress: Carol Ann Ford
June 08th 1940 -
Occupation: Doctor's Grand-Daughter
First Seen: Earth, 1963
First Episode: An Unearthly Child (Season 1)
Last Seen: Earth, 2164
Last Episode: Daleks Invasion of Earth (Season 2)
Special Appearance: The Five Doctors (1983) & Dimensions In Time (1993)


Notes: As a science teacher, Ian had a hard time believing the Tardis could actually travel in time. However, he became an invaluable asset to the crew. Often he'd take the lead in whatever physical needed to be done. He was also very protective of Barbara, Susan and Vicki. When he finally had the opportunity to return home he took it as he missed sitting in a pub having a pint or watching a cricket match. His friendship with Barbara was very evident though there is never any indication they became a couple within the series. William Russell has reprised his role as Ian several times for a few videos of missing episodes where he fills in the missing parts of the story.
Name: Ian Chesterton 1963-1965
Actor: William Russell
November 19th 1924 -
Occupation: Science Teacher
First Seen: Earth, 1963
First Episode: An Unearthly Child (Season 1)
Last Seen: Earth, 1965
Last Episode: The Chase (Season 2)


Notes: When Barbara became overly curious about one of her students, Susan, she enlisted the aid of fellow teacher and friend Ian to figure out what was so 'unearthly' about her. They followed her to her home - the Tardis. This was how Barbara became involved with the Doctor. Though Ian was initially skeptical, Barbara was quick to accept the Tardis as a time machine. As a history teacher she was quite possibly excited to travel with the Doctor even though her and Ian getting off on the wrong foot with the Doctor. As awkward as their relationship started, she was slightly reluctant to leave the Doctor as she came to grow fond of him as a friend. Still, she was happy to return to Earth with Ian where they continue to remain friends. According to rumours, they are currently professors at Cambridge.
Name: Barbara Wright 1963-1965
Actress: Jacqueline Hill
December 17th 1929 - February 18th 1993
Occupation: History Teacher
First Seen: Earth, 1963
First Episode: An Unearthly Child (Season 1)
Last Seen: Earth, 1965
Last Episode: The Chase (Season 2)


Notes: With Susan leaving the show, the producers wanted someone to fill the role of identifying with children. Initially, thoughts were to add the character Jenny (from Dalek Invasion of Earth), though Vicki was ultimately settled on. Vicki is one of the few companions who was actually rescued by the Doctor, she's certainly the first the Doctor actually invites to travel with him. During her tenure with the Doctor she travels to Earth's past frequently. 64A.D., 1066A.D., 1190A.D. and 1200B.C. where she eventually parted ways after falling in love with Troilus, a Trojan Man. Still, she did have a few adventures in future and contemporary times including spending time on a Dalek ship.
Name: Vicki - 1965
Actress: Maureen O'Brien
June 29th 1943 -
Occupation: Civilian
First Seen: Dido, 2493 (Native of Earth)
First Episode: The Rescue (Season 2)
Last Seen: Earth, circa 1200 B.C.
Last Episode: The Myth Makers (Season 3)


Notes: There seemed to be a basic formula the early Doctor Who episodes tried to maintain. A younger person to identify with children and a young male character to do all the action scenes. Steven filled in for Ian once he left. Vicki was the first to be invited aboard the Tardis but Steven was the first stowaway (and there were several). Interestingly, Steven worked with six of the Doctors companions; Ian, Barbara, Vicki, Katarina, Dodo and Sara (If you are counting her as a companion). He had two run ins with the Daleks and witnessed the death of two companions (Katarina and Sara). After leaving Doctor Who, Peter Purves went on to be a presenter for Blue Peter. Through Blue Peter, several lost clips of Doctor Who have been found including some of the first regeneration scene.
Name: Steven Taylor 1965-1966
Actor: Peter Purves
February 10th, 1939 -
Occupation: Military Astronaut
First Seen: Mechanus, year uncertain - 23rd century. (Native of Earth)
First Episode: The Chase (Season 2)
Last Seen: A distant planet in the distant future.
Last Episode: The Savages (Season 3)


Notes: The shortest 'lived' companion of the Doctor depending on how you look at it, being in only two adventures. She had slightly more than 100 minutes of actual screen time. She was introduced late in the 'Myth Makers' episode and died early on in the 'Daleks Master Plan'. She was not only the quickest to leave the series, she was also the first to leave via a death. Though the concept of her character is interesting, it was difficult to write for a character who understood little of what was going on. In fact, till her death she still believed the Doctor to be a god and the Tardis her journey to the after-life. In the end, she sacrificed herself to save the Doctor and Steven.
Name: Katarina 1965-1966
Actress: Adrienne Hill
July 22, 1937 - October 6th 1997
Occupation: Servant
First Seen: Earth, circa 1200 B.C.
First Episode: Myth Makers (Season 3)
Last Seen: Floating in space over Desperus 4000 A.D.
Last Episode: Daleks Master Plan (Season 3)


Notes: As a security agent for Earth, Sara took her job serious. So serious in fact, when she believe Bret Vyon was a traitor she killed him, though being her brother. Sara learns she has been tricked by the real traitor of the Universe - Mavic Chen and sides with the Doctor to defeat him and the Daleks. There is much debate whether Sara can actually be considered a companion of the Doctor. But what really is a companion of the Doctor other than someone who travels with him? True, Jean Marsh only appeared in the Dalek Master Plan, but within the story she travels with the Doctor in the Tardis from Kembal to England in the 1960's, a silent movie set in the 1920's, the planet Tigus, ancient Egypt and then finally back to Kembal. Quite a bit of travel with the Doctor for someone not a companion. Obviously, I consider her a companion.
Name: Sara Kingdom 1965-1966
Actress: Jean Marsh
July 1st, 1934 -
Occupation: Space Security Agent
First Seen: Earth, 4000 A.D.
First Episode: Daleks Master Plan (Season 3)
Last Seen: Kembel, 4000 A.D.
Last Episode: Daleks Master Plan (Season 3)


Notes: Though not involved in the adventure 'Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve', the Doctor and Steven meet a character with the same last name. Steven is initially upset the Doctor leaves the character Anne Chaplet die when they leave. The Doctor insists history must take it's course, but Steven has had enough and claims he's leaving at the next stop. However after Dodo stumbles into the Tardis and reveals her last name the pair wonder if she's a descendant of Anne. Of course that means Anne has a child out of wedlock in the year 1572 or keeps her maiden name. Dodo wanders into the Tardis thinking it's a real police box to report an accident but soon forgets the injured child as she's in wonder of the Tardis. Noticing two policeman approaching the Tardis, Steven urges the Doctor to take off. Dodo decides to travel with the crew, stating no one will miss her. Dodo has several adventures with the Doctor but the character doesn't do well and Jackie Lane's contract was not renewed. As a result, she never finished her final story and sent word to the Doctor (off-screen) she was staying in London to rest.
Name: Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet - 1966
Actress: Jackie Lane
July 10th 1941
Occupation: Civilian
First Seen: Earth, 1966
First Episode: Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve (Season 3)
Last Seen: Earth, 1966
Last Episode: the War Machines (Season 3)


Notes: Another example of someone stumbling into the Tardis without realizing what it actually is. Along with Polly, Ben is returning the Tardis key Dodo gave them to return to the Doctor. With the producers not very happy with Dodo's character, Michael Craze is brought in as one replacement for her. Ben Jackson fits into the Ian/Steven roll perfectly and even fills in for the Doctor when he's incapacitated during the Cybermen adventure, 'The Tenth Planet'. This adventure is so stressful on the Doctor, he is forced to regenerate for the first time. Of the early adventures, Ben is one of only eight others to actually witness the Doctor regenerate.
Name: Ben Jackson 1966-1967
Actor: Michael Craze
November 29th 1942 - December 7th 1998
Occupation: Navy
First Seen: Earth, 1966
First Episode: War Machines (Season 3)
Last Seen: Continues to travel with the second Doctor


Notes: Polly met the Doctor while he's investigating Wotan, she was the personal assistant on duty. For the most part, she meets Ben while taking Dodo out to the local club 'the Inferno'. With Dodo hypnotized by Wotan, the Doctor enlists her and Ben's aid in fighting the super computer. Polly is also hypnotized by Wotan but travels with the Doctor instead of resting up. Like Ian and Barbara, Ben and Polly enter the Tardis crew together and leave the Tardis crew together. Besides the 'War Machines', Polly has two more adventures with the Doctor before he regenerates. As Barbara was quicker to accept the concept of time travel, Polly is quicker to accept the regenerated Doctor as who he claims to be. Polly and Ben continue to travel with the Doctor.
Name: Polly 1966-1967
Actress: Anneke Wills
October 20th 1941 -
Occupation: Personal Assistant
First Seen: Earth, 1966
First Episode: War Machines (Season 3)
Last Seen: Continues to travel with the second Doctor.

Next: The Power of Regeneration

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 5 "The Chase"

The Daleks Give Chase
It seems in the early episodes, any time something major happened, the Daleks were involved. The Tardis crew had several adventures together before another shake-up in the cast. It started when Barbara discovers the Daleks now have time travel technology and are hunting the Tardis crew for their past 'crimes'. The Doctor is quick to respond but Ian and Vicki have already gone off to explore the sand dunes of the planet Aridius they just landed on.

Ian and Vicki are promptly captured by the locals but quickly rescued by the Doctor. They quickly head off-planet to find a better place to fight the Daleks. The Tardis lands in various places such as an old amusement park, the Mary Celeste (the Daleks frighten all passengers overboard), and the Empire State Building. In one of the oddest moments, the hick Morton Dill is spared by a Dalek who is more bent on extermination the Tardis crew and essentially ignores the ignorant yokel.

While the Tardis crew are scrambling to get away from the Daleks at the amusement park, they are separated and the Doctor takes off mistakenly thinking Vicki is on board. Vicki's only option is to run inside the Dalek ship in hopes of catching up with her friends the next time the Daleks land. While in the Dalek ship, Vicki discovers the Daleks are capable of creating realistic robotic copies of people.

Finally, the Tardis lands on the planet Mechanus and the trio decide it's a good place to make a stand against the Daleks. However it isn't long before they are captured by the planets dominate life form, the Mechanoids. The Mechanoids are robots sent to the planet years before to make it habitable for humans. The group are reunited with Vicki and meet Steven Taylor. When producing the show, it was hoped the Mechanoids would become as popular as the Daleks; it never happened.

The Daleks and the Mechanoids don't exactly get along and a war is started between the two groups. With the Daleks and the Mehcanoids kept busy, the Tardis crew make their escape followed by Steven. Having captured the Daleks functioning time machine, Ian and Barbara bid farewell to the Doctor to head back home. Ironically, the Doctor seems more upset with them deciding to leave than when Susan left.

WHO: Steven Taylor

PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth's future, though found on the planet Mechanus. 23rd Century

REASON FOR JOINING: Rescued by the Doctor and stows away on the Tardis.





WHO: Ian & Barbara

DEPARTURE LOCATION: Earth, circa 1965 (What's two years among friends)?

REASON FOR DEPARTURE: Took advantage of the Daleks time machine which was able to return them home.




NEXT: Meddling with Time

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 4 "The Rescue"

The Doctor To the Rescue
There's never been any real, official clarification how long the Doctor may have travelled with Susan. Being his grand-daughter, its possible they travelled together for many years before settling on Earth. The Doctor locked Susan out of the Tardis in hopes of helping her 'grow up'. It may have seemed like a cold, tactless thing to do, but he truly missed her once she was gone. This was clearly seen after the Tardis lands and he absent-mindedly instructed Susan to open the doors. He paused in reflection for a moment when Barbara suggested he show her how to operate the doors.

With Carole Ann Ford having left, a replacement was needed. The series was to continue for another season so Maureen O'Brien (Vicki) was selected as the replacement. On the planet Dido, the year is 2493 and Vicki is one of two survivors of a crashed rocket from Earth. They are both terrorized by a mysterious being known as Koquillion who claims to be the reason they are still alive, and deserves their respect.

Relations between Vicki and the Tardis crew are strained when Barbara kills Vicki's pet 'Sandy', one of the native Sand Beasts. Despite starting the series as a cranky, self-absorbed personage the Doctor shows his softer side by reassuring Vicki they are there to help. It seems the departure of Susan has mellowed the Doctor, as well as his continued travels with Barbara and Susan.

Turns out the Doctor is rescuing Vicki from more than just a crashed rocket. Koquillion is actually Bennett (the other survivor) in disguise and murdered all crew members from the crash. Bennett however, underestimates the Doctor and is killed by his own stupidity. Vicki is brought aboard the Tardis and she marvels at how 'it's bigger on the inside'.


WHO: Vicki

PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 2493 - though found on Dido.

REASON FOR JOINING: Rescued from a crash landing and murderer.






Next: The Daleks Give Chase

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 3 "The Dalek Invasion of Earth"

Our Dearly Departed
A year later, the Tardis crew have their second encounter with the Daleks. This time it's in Earth's future - 2164. Just as historical episodes were to teach kids history, stories set in the future were to teach science. In this episode the Daleks have conquered the Earth and London is decimated. Those who survived are used as slave labour. Already the Daleks have overcome their dependency on static electricity.

It was at this point that actress Carole Ann Ford (Susan) decided she wanted to get out of the part. She initially understood her character would be much different; sharing a telepathic connection with the Doctor and being more heroic with less screaming. With the departure of Susan it was wondered if they should replace Susan, as they were unsure if Doctor Who would return. Jenny (pictured here) was scripted to replace Susan, but ultimately never cast.

During the course of the episode Susan works closely with one of the freedom fighters; David Campbell. She asks him to come with her when she leaves but he refuses saying he wouldn't leave his planet. Susan realizes she misses not having a place, a time or an identity. The opportunity to help rebuild Earths civilization entices Susan as well as she falls in love with David.

The Doctor might seem like a feeble old man, but he's no half-wit, (as he tells Ian earlier). He notices the affection she has for David, but also knows she would never leave the Doctor willingly. Giving her a hug he walks into the Tardis and takes the opportunity to give Susan a fresh start. When she is saying goodbye to David, the Doctor 'double' locks the Tardis. Tearfully, she watches the Tardis de-materialize then drops her Tardis key to the ground; walking off with David.

WHO: Susan
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Earth, 2164
REASON FOR DEPARTURE: Rebuild Earth with David Campbell









NEXT: The Doctor to the Rescue

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 2 "The Daleks"

Enter the Daleks
Sure, Doctor Who was a kids program with an ambition of teaching kids history. But the Doctor's Tardis was also a space machine, and to keep things interesting the next episode introduced the Daleks. Barbara is the first to encounter the Dalek though only the 'plunger' is seen initially, perhaps to add to the mystery of what could be so terrifying.

However, it is soon discovered the Daleks are not robots, but the mutated form of a once great civilization scared by the ravages of war. The only glimpse given of the mutated Dalek is a clawed hand coming from beneath a sheet Ian used to remove the mutant from it's casing. Perhaps not frightening by today's standards, in 1963 the Dalek became an overnight success.

The plot for the rest of the episode is used many times over in various episodes. The Doctor and Tardis crew are captured, they manage an escape but soon one or all are promptly captured yet again. Wash, rinse and repeat for several episodes. A rescue attempt is always mounted, usually with the aid of someone. In this case the Thals, the other sentient race on the planet.

Don't worry if you haven't heard of the Thals. They aren't seen again but once more, except maybe mentioned in passing. The Thals turned out much different than the Daleks. Instead of angry, hateful, war-mongering blobs, they have turned to peace and refuse to help the Tardis crew till Ian reminds them there are things worth fighting for. In this case a woman, what else?

Perhaps another cliché started is thinking they have destroyed the Daleks, for good. Of course this is used many, many times on all the various aliens the Doctor comes to encounter. As you might have guessed, it really comes down to how popular the particular BEM turns out to be. As mentioned above, the Daleks were a success and would return to torment the Doctor again and again.

WHO: The Daleks
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Skaro
GOALS: To exterminate all life in the galaxy that isn't a Dalek.
WEAKNESSES: Initially, stairs and a dependency on static electricity.







Next: Our dearly departed

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 1 "An Unearthly Child"

In the Beginning
Today's Doctor Who is certainly unlike the series when it originally began. Generally, the episodes were more focused on history. This 'kids' program had hopes of teaching children more about history through a fun and unique format.

Through this series of articles I hope to explore the changes in Doctor Who over the years. From the original cast, up to Matt Smith and beyond. Who are the characters you might need to know, where do they come from, and what are their intentions?

The series began on November 23 1963, just one day after the assassination of President Kennedy. See? You're learning about history already. The first story, "An Unearthly Child" introduces the main cast. Susan Foreman, a student at Cole Hill School and her two teachers Ian & Barbara. Both teachers find Susan to be a particularly odd student and follow her home.

Susan's home at 76 Totters Lane turns out to be a junk yard. They follow Susan into a building, but she has disappeared. This is when the two run into the Doctor. The Doctor is a cranky older gentleman who claims to have no knowledge of Susan. Suddenly Susan can be heard coming from inside a London Police Call Box. Ian forces his way in and discovers the Police Box is much bigger inside than outside. Angered by their intrusion into his 'ship', the Doctor sets the machine in motion explaining to Susan he can't release Ian & Barbara when they now have knowledge of his TARDIS. Susan explains the name TARDIS means Time & Relative Dimension In Space. The Tardis land on prehistoric Earth and the group get involved in two warring factions of cavemen looking for the secret of fire. The Doctor and his companions manage to escape by all working together. Ian and Barbara beg the Doctor to take them back home but he admits he can't fully control where the Tardis goes.


WHO: the Doctor
*"The Doctor" is more a title than a name. His true name has never been revealed. Sometimes uses John Smith.
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Gallifrey
*It isn't revealed till years later he is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey.
REASON FOR JOINING: Stole the Tardis to run away from the Time-Lords,


WHO: Susan (Foreman)
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Presumably Gallifrey
REASON FOR JOINING: Doctors grand-daughter.
*Going off the television show itself, its not very apparent why she left Gallifrey with her Grand-Father. Theories range from the death of her parents, to civil strife at home.




WHO: Ian Chesterton
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 1963
OCCUPATION: Science Teacher
REASON FOR JOINING: Kidnapped by the Doctor.








WHO: Barbara Wright
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 1963
OCCUPATION: History Teacher
REASON FOR JOINING: Kidnapped by the Doctor.









Next: Enter the Daleks