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 10 "The Savages"

Steven, the Elder Savage
It is the far distant future and the Tardis lands on a far distant planet. The Doctor claims he knows where they are and asks Steven and Dodo to stay behind while he makes sure they are where he believe they are. It's not long till he runs into the Elders, led by Jano. The Elders are an advanced civilization who has been tracking the Doctor and predicted his arrival.

While the Doctor is meeting the Elders, Steven and Dodo have a run in with the planets other life-form, the Savages. However they are found by the Elders and brought back to the city to join the Doctor. As they are given a tour, Dodo's curiosity gets the better of her and she stumbles upon a dark secret in the 'perfect' life of the Elders. They prey on the Savages and via sophisticated equipment, steal their life force.

The Elders explain to the Doctor they need the life force of the Savages to sustain themselves, but are shocked when he vows to defend the Savages, claiming the Elders are no better than the Daleks. Upset the Doctor does not see things his way, Jano orders the life force of the Doctor to be drained and given to himself. Meanwhile, the Savages plot to attack the Elders.

Jano's plan to steal the Doctor's life force and intelligence backfires when he also saps the Doctors morality as well. Now siding with the Tardis crew and the Savages, the uprising is over swiftly and the life-draining machines are destroyed. With both civilizations in chaos, a new leader is required to help build a new society. With the Doctors insistence, Steven realizes he is up for the challenge and decides to stay behind.

WHO: Steven
DEPARTURE LOCATION: A distant planet in the distant future.
REASON FOR LEAVING: To become the leader of the Elders and Savages to help build a new civilization.







NEXT: Ben, Polly and the War Machines

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 9 "The Massacre"

The Dodo Bird Massacre
The Doctor and Steven have arrived in France, 1572. While enjoying a drink at the local pub, the Doctor rushes off to meet a local chemist Charles Preslin. Steven is asked to stay out of trouble but when the Doctor leaves, he thinks he has been followed. Steven is about to check on the Doctor when he befriends a few (Protestant) Huguenots.


Nicholas gives his new friend Steven directions to find the Doctor. As he is about to set off a young girl rushes into the bar, scared. They help a young servant girl Anne Chaplet, who is running away from the local guards. She has run away from her household after hearing plans of a coming protestant massacre. She is given a safe place to run to.

Because of a curfew, Steven stays the night at Nicholas' house. The following day Steven mistakes the Abbot of Amboise for the Doctor. The Abbot looks like the Doctor so Steven is confused when the Abbot is killed. Meanwhile, Catherine de Medici sets her plan in motion to kill all Protestants on St. Bartholomew's Day. "France will breath the pure air after tomorrow," she declares.

While searching for the Tardis key, the Doctor returns. Knowing what is to come, he sends Anne away, despite Steven's protests. Safely in the Tardis, the massacre begins. Steven is horrified the Doctor refused to help Anne, despite knowing she was likely killed. The Doctor reiterates he must not tamper with time, but upset with the Doctors callousness Steven declares he's leaving the Tardis next change he gets.

True to his word, Steven leaves the Tardis at the next stop. Instead of immediately taking off, the Doctor sits about, seemingly upset everyone has left him; Ian, Vicki, Barbara, Susan and now Steven. He ponders returning to his home planet, but decides that would be a mistake. With the doors of the Tardis still open, a young girl enters looking to make a phone call to report an accident.

However the police are already on the way, Steven comes back to warn the Doctor of this. The Doctor immediately takes off and they discover the girl is named Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet, likely a descendant of Anne. The Doctor welcomes her aboard, musing she reminds him of his grand-daughter Susan.



WHO: Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 1966
REASON FOR JOINING: Wanders into the Tardis thinking it's a real police box. Having no family, she stays on-board.







NEXT: Steven, the Elder Savage

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 8 "The Daleks Master Plan"

My Kingdom for a Master Plan
The episode - "The Dalek Master Plan" is unique in many regards. For one, it's the longest story in Doctor Who history. Set in the year 4000, the Daleks have called together various rulers of different galaxies to form one giant alliance. Of course this is another first, as the Daleks have always worked alone in the past.




Another interesting tidbit, several weeks before this story aired, there was a single cutaway episode of Doctor Who featuring only the Daleks, broadcast as a teaser for this story. As the story unfolds, Mavic Chen - guardian of the Solar System has betrayed Earth and provides the Daleks the ultra-rare element taranium needed to power their Time Destructor.



Arriving on the planet Kembel, the Doctor, Steven & Katarina befriend Bret Vyon and the group learn what the Daleks are up to. Attempting to make it back to Earth, tragedy strikes when Katarina is ejected into space. This is another unique aspect of this story, never before had a companion of the Doctor died while travelling with him.



Bret Vyon was also unique in that he was played by Nicholas Courtney, who later went on to play Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. A character in Doctor Who history who has worked with almost every Doctor. Bret didn't last long in the story however, as he was killed by Sara Kingdom. Sara is a security agent who was tricked by Mavic Chen into believing Bret (her brother) was a traitor.

The Doctor convinces Sara she was duped and she makes it her personal goal to make sure Mavic Chen and the Daleks are stopped. Along the way, they run into the Meddling Monk. He has fixed his Tardis and is now pursuing the Doctor. Despite all the odds the Doctor is able to thwart the Monk, defeat the Daleks and destroy the Time Destructor. However, Sara Kingdom dies, devastated by the effects of the Time Destructor.

WHO: Katarina
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Above the planet Desperus, 4000 A.D.
REASON FOR LEAVING: Sacrificed herself to save the Doctor, Steven & Bret Vyon.







WHO: Sarah Kingdom
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, 4000 A.D.
REASON FOR JOINING: Sides with the Doctor when she realizes Mavic Chen is the traitor she's looking for.

DEPARTURE LOCATION: Kembel, 4000 A.D.
REASON FOR LEAVING: Sara's body is destroyed by the effects of the time destructor.


NEXT: The Dodo Bird Massacre

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 7 "The Myth Makers"

Katarina, A Mythical Companion?
It's a sad fact that many of the earliest stories of Doctor Who have missing episodes. In some cases, the entire story has been lost. This is the case with the Myth Makers. Set during the Trojan war, the Tardis lands during a fight between Hector and Achilles. The Doctor decides to step outside thinking it to be safe, as 'they are doing more talking than fighting'.


The Doctor is immediately hailed as Zeus and taken back to the Greek camp where he must prove he is Zeus. He is given two days to come up with a plan to overtake Troy. Meanwhile the Trojans capture the Tardis, along with Vicki and Steven. When coming out of the Tardis, Vicki is thought of as a prophetess named Cressida and meets the Trojan Troilus.

The Doctor convinces the Greeks the best way to defeat the Trojans is to build a large wooden horse, hide inside, wait for the Trojans to take it inside their city, then come out at night and attack. So the Doctor rewrites history slightly, I won't say anything if you won't. The plan works and Steven and Vicki are able to make it out of the city along with a young girl named Katarina. Vicki has decided to stay behind with Troilus, whom she has fallen in love with.

Considering this is Katarina's first episode, it would have been nice to have more than a few pictures available. However, the Beeb in it's infinite wisdom, at one time decided to clear space by tossing older TV shows into 'the fire'. Dr. Who lost many stories this way and as a result no complete story featuring Katarina is in existence. In fact only one 24 minute episode is known to have survived. But Katarina WAS a companion, it's no myth.

WHO: Vicki
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Earth, circa 1200 B.C.
REASON FOR LEAVING: Vicki falls in love with the Trojan man - Troilus









WHO: Katarina
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 1200 B.C.
REASON FOR JOINING: With no family and her home Troy in ruins, she is rescued by Steve and the Doctor. However, she believes she is dead and travelling through the beyond.





NEXT: My Kingdom for a Masterplan

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 6 "The Time Meddler"

Meddling With Time
With Barbara and Ian gone, the Doctor and Vicki reflect on how they will be missed. However, a noise is heard from the living quarters and they discover Steven Taylor had stumbled onto the Tardis before it last took off. He's told he stumbled into a time machine but refuses to believe so. Once landing, they split up to decipher where and when they have landed. The Doctor is first to run into one of the locals.

Instructed to wait for the Doctor, Steven and Vicki get impatient and begin to explore. Vicki accepts they are in 1066, but Steven still doesn't believe it. The concept is even more difficult to accept when he finds a wrist watch. Vicki wonders if the Doctor dropped it, but doesn't remember him wearing one. It's not long before they are also captured by the locals.

The locals (Saxons) turn out to be friendlier than thought. They release Steven and Vicki and are told the Doctor was also released and heading for the local monastery. The Doctor discovered the Monk is more than he appears; owning a gramophone and toaster. However the Monk isn't truly evil, he simply loves meddling with time. When an injured local (Eldred) is brought to him, the Monk helps with the aid of modern medicine. It seems the Monk felt Eldred must live.

Though quickly captured by the Monk, the Doctor escapes via a secret passage he finds. Vicki and Steven break into the monastery and discover the cell the Doctor was captive in and also the secret passage. The Doctor however returns to the monasteries front entrance and tricks the Monk into letting him inside and revealing his plans.

It's revealed the Monk is from the same planet as the Doctor (they have yet to be called Time Lords). Knowing who the mysterious Monk is, The Doctor devises a way to stop him from tampering with time. He steals the 'dimensional control' from his Tardis, making it impossible for the Monk to re-enter his Tardis. Plans thwarted, escape impossible, the Monk swears vengeance on the Doctor.

WHO: Meddling Monk
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Gallifrey (Though not called by name in this episode).
GOALS: To Meddle with time, possibly to enhance humans fast enough Shakespeare will be able to broadcast Hamlet on the television.
WEAKNESSES: Having his 'Dimensional Control' stolen.



NEXT: Katarina - A Mythical Companion?

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