How Caroline John Helped Save Doctor Who

Check out the outstanding piece by io9 editor Charlie Jane Anders about Caroline John, who passed away recently at the age of 71.  Caroline John was known to DOCTOR WHO fans as Third Doctor companion Dr. Liz Shaw.  Here's the link to the article:

http://io9.com/5920283/how-caroline-john-helped-save-doctor-who

Dr. Shaw was arguably the first companion who was deliberately written to be the Doctor's equal. She was an intelligent and independent woman at a time when such characters were rare on television. And Caroline John played her to perfection. It's a pity she wasn't in more episodes.

Nicholas Courtney, Jon Pertwee, and Caroline John

A Parting Salute

With great sadness we observe the passing of Nicholas Courtney, beloved to DOCTOR WHO fans as Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart.  He was 81 years old.


Apart from the Doctor himself, no other character has had a longer run on the show, and since the Doctor has been played by multiple actors, no other actor in the series has played the same role for so long.  The Brigadier first appeared on the series in 1968, was essentially a co-star from 1970 to 1975, then appeared on and off until his "last hurrah" in a 2008 episode of THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES.   In all, forty years of the Brig.   


I especially enjoyed the wry sense of humor that Courtney brought to the role -- even when he was barking orders there was, just behind his exterior, the suggestion that he was on the verge of giving one of his weary, puzzled half-smiles.  He was always able to let us in the audience know that while he found the Doctor exasperating, he also admired the man's abilities and trusted him completely.


So we stand straight and tall and snap out a crisp UNIT salute to you, Mr. Courtney.  You will be missed.