Newbies Guide to Doctor Who

Doctor:

The First The first Doctor looks like a human in his sixties. He is physically quite frail, but has a keen intellect. He is paternalistic towards his companions, and has a degree of arrogance towards others. He sometimes forgets his companions' names.

Companions:

Ian Chesterton: Ian is a science teacher from Coal Hill School, 1963. In 100,000 BC (Classic Series Season 1), he and colleague Barbara Wright were intrigued by the strange behaviour of one of their pupils, Susan Foreman. They followed her home to what appeared to be a junkyard where Susan and the Doctor had parked the TARDIS. In a confrontation with the Doctor they forced their way into the TARDIS. The Doctor took exception to this and whisked them away. Later in the story, he realised he was wrong to do so and decided to try to get them home.

Barbara Wright: Barbara is a history teacher from Coal Hill School, 1963. In 100,000 BC (Classic Series Season 1), she and colleague Ian Chesterton were intrigued by the strange behaviour of one of their pupils, Susan Foreman. They followed her home to what appeared to be a junkyard where Susan and the Doctor had parked the TARDIS. In a confrontation with the Doctor they forced their way into the TARDIS. The Doctor took exception to this and whisked them away. Later in the story, he realised he was wrong to do so and decided to try to get them home.

Vicki Pallister Vicki was a teenager who was on board a spaceship which crashed on the planet Dido. The other survivors were killed off by one of the survivors called Bennett, who was posing as an alien called Koquillion. She was rescued by the Doctor in The Chase (Classic Series Season 2), who offered her a place onboard the TARDIS. He treated her like a replacement for his granddaughter Susan.

Recurring Characters:

The Mandragora Helix Although never explicitly named as such, the alien intelligence is clearly intended to be the Mandragora Helix from The Masque of Mandragora (Classic Series Season 14), a being whom the fourth Doctor defeated during the 15th Century.

Recommended Viewing:

The Fourth Doctor's defeat of the Mandragora Helix in The Masque of Mandragora (Classic Series Season 14) happened in the 15th Century. There are lots of little references to Vicki's time on Dido, as seen in The Rescue (Classic Series Season 2), and their time in Italy as seen in The Romans (Classic Series Season 2).

Recommended Reading:

The TARDIS crew recently spent substantial time in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) during Byzantium! (BBC Past Doctor Adventure), and Ian and Barbara had clearly fallen in love during More Short Trips: Romans Cutaway (BBC Short Story).

Recommended Listening:

None.