Ben Jackson Michael Craze

• A Review by Stuart Gutteridge

A Review by Stuart Gutteridge 26/1/01

Probably one of the more loyal companions and a good antidote to the unruly Second Doctor, Ben was certainly an impulsive character.This explains why he joined the Navy, coupled with his rough background. Indeed this would stand him in good stead for his journeys aboard the TARDIS. This comes across in Michael Craze`s portrayal, as does Ben`s fondness both for Polly and The Doctor; it is also interesting to note that he talks with a cockney accent, whereas with his predecessor Dodo, her accent was banned. Despite this, Ben is still a great companion and the only one to express any guilt over killing an alien (a Cyberman in The Tenth Planet).

GREATEST MOMENT: A toughie this one,but I would say The Power Of The Daleks, as the show initially relied on the companions to convey the story.