Benjamin "Ben" Jackson and Polly, sometimes called Polly Wright in spin-off material, are
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...
al
characters played by
Michael Craze and
Anneke Wills
Anneke Wills (; born Anna Katarina Willys, 20 October 1941) is an English actress, best known for her role as the companion Polly in the long-running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''.
Biography
Wills's father, Alaric Willy ...
, in the long-running
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
science fiction television
Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
''.
Ben and Polly, both from the year 1966, were
companions of the
First and
Second Doctor
The Second Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the British Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Patrick Troughton. Out of his 1 ...
s. The duo was a regular in the television program from 1966 to 1967, appearing in 9 stories (36 episodes). Only one serial featuring the pair, their first ''appearance in
The War Machines
''The War Machines'' is the tenth and final serial of the third season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in 4 weekly parts from 25 June to 16 July 1966.
The serial is set in London in th ...
'', is currently complete in the
BBC archive. However, all but two of their
missing stories (''
The Smugglers'' and ''
The Highlanders'') have seen DVD release, with both official animation and photo reconstructions utilizing the original surviving audio filling in the gaps. The characters returned in the 2017
Christmas special
Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared Christmas in literature, in literature and Christmas music, in music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth o ...
"
Twice Upon a Time", portrayed by
Jared Garfield and
Lily Travers.
Fictional character biography
Television
Ben and Polly first appeared in the First Doctor serial, ''
The War Machines
''The War Machines'' is the tenth and final serial of the third season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in 4 weekly parts from 25 June to 16 July 1966.
The serial is set in London in th ...
'', where Polly plays the role of Professor Brett's secretary.
Brett develops the
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
known as WOTAN, and Polly meets
the Doctor
The Doctor, sometimes known as Doctor Who, is the protagonist of the long-running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. An extraterrestrial Time Lord, the Doctor travels the universe in a time travelling spaceship called th ...
(
William Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell (; 8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor, who is best known for portraying the first incarnation of the Doctor, in the long-running British science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1963 t ...
) and
Dodo
The dodo (''Raphus cucullatus'') is an extinction, extinct flightless bird that was endemism, endemic to the island of Mauritius, which is east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The dodo's closest relative was the also-extinct and flightles ...
(
Jackie Lane) when they come to investigate it. Polly and Dodo became friends and she takes her to a
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
nightclub called the Inferno, where they meet
Ben Jackson (
Michael Craze), a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
Able Seaman
An able seaman (AB) is a seaman and member of the deck department of a merchant ship with more than two years' experience at sea and considered "well acquainted with his duty". An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination ...
serving aboard . Polly and Dodo try to cheer Ben up. When Polly is accosted by another patron in the Inferno, Ben comes to her rescue. Eventually, Ben and Polly aid the Doctor in his fight against WOTAN when the computer tries to
take over the world. Ben and Polly inform the Doctor of Dodo's decision to stay in 1966 and accidentally get carried away in the
TARDIS
The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space") is a fictional hybrid of a time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. While a TARDI ...
when they try to return Dodo's key to the
time machine.
Polly, in contrast to Dodo, is a more sophisticated and hip young woman of the 1960s — vivacious, attractive, and alternately shy and aggressive. She and Ben make an odd couple but she is receptive to Ben's protective urges, and he in turn finds her elegant and
posh
Posh is today an informal adjective for "upper class". It may also refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Posh'' (album), a 1980 album by Patrice Rushen
*" Posh!", a 1968 song from the musical ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang''
* ''Posh'' (2006 TV series), a 2006 ...
, giving her the nickname "Duchess". Polly is present with Ben when the Doctor
regenerates for the first time into
a new form (
Patrick Troughton
Patrick George Troughton (; 25 March 1920 – 28 March 1987) was an English actor. He became best known for his roles in television, most notably starring as the Second Doctor, second incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the lo ...
), and they continue to travel with him. In ''
The Highlanders'' (1966–67), Polly and Ben are joined on the TARDIS by
Jamie McCrimmon
James Robert McCrimmon, usually simply called Jamie, is a fictional character played by Frazer Hines in the long-running British Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. A Bagpipes, piper of the Clan Mac ...
(
Frazer Hines
Frazer Simpson Frederick Hines (born 22 September 1944) is an English actor. He began his career as a child actor and appeared in ''A King in New York'' (1957) with Charlie Chaplin. He later played Jamie McCrimmon in ''Doctor Who'', appearing i ...
). Eventually, the TARDIS finds its way back to 1966 London (in ''
The Faceless Ones
''The Faceless Ones'' is the Doctor Who missing episodes, mostly missing eighth serial of the Doctor Who (season 4), fourth season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts fro ...
'') on the very day Ben and Polly had left (although about a year had passed for them). They decide to remain behind to resume their lives without disruption as the Doctor and Jamie travel on.
What happens to the duo after their return to
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
is not certain. The Doctor seems to think that Ben will become an
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
and that Polly will look after Ben, but it is unclear if this is a prediction or simply wishing them well. In ''
The Sarah Jane Adventures'' story ''
Death of the Doctor'' (2010), Sarah Jane mentions that Polly is now working at an orphanage in India with Ben.
Ben and Polly appear in the 2017 ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special "
Twice Upon a Time", portrayed by
Jared Garfield and
Lily Travers respectively. The episode's plot involves the events of ''
The Tenth Planet''.
Other media
In the
spin-off
Spin-off, Spin Off, Spin-Off, or Spinoff may refer to: Entertainment and media
*Spinoff (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*''The Spinoff'', a New Zealand current affairs magazine
* ''Spin Off'' (Canadian game show), a 2013 Canad ...
short story "Mondas Passing" by Paul Grice (in the anthology ''
Short Trips'') which takes place in 1986, it is revealed that Ben and Polly have gone their separate ways and married other people. In the short story "That Time I Nearly Destroyed The World Whilst Looking For a Dress" by Joseph Lidster (in the
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and radio drama, audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on science fiction properties. These include ''Doctor Who'' ...
anthology ''
Short Trips: Past Tense''), it is shown that by 1999 Polly is divorced and has an estranged son named Mikey. However, She and Ben meet again at the end of that story and admit their love for each other.
List of appearances
Television
;Season 3
*''
The War Machines
''The War Machines'' is the tenth and final serial of the third season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in 4 weekly parts from 25 June to 16 July 1966.
The serial is set in London in th ...
''
;Season 4
*''
The Smugglers''
*''
The Tenth Planet''
*''
The Power of the Daleks
''The Power of the Daleks'' is the Doctor Who missing episodes, completely missing third serial of the Doctor Who (season 4), fourth season of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly part ...
''
*''
The Highlanders''
*''
The Underwater Menace''
*''
The Moonbase
''The Moonbase'' is the half-missing sixth serial of the fourth season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast on BBC1 in four weekly parts from 11 February to 4 March 1967.
In this serial, ...
''
*''
The Macra Terror''
*''
The Faceless Ones
''The Faceless Ones'' is the Doctor Who missing episodes, mostly missing eighth serial of the Doctor Who (season 4), fourth season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts fro ...
''
;Series 10
*"
Twice Upon a Time"
Novels
;
Virgin Missing Adventures
*''
Invasion of the Cat-People'' by
Gary Russell
;
Past Doctor Adventures
*''
The Murder Game'' by
Steve Lyons
*''
The Roundheads'' by
Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss (; born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist. Best known for his acting work on stage and screen as well as for co-creating television shows with Steven Moffat, he has received ...
*''
Dying in the Sun'' by Jon de Burgh Miller
*''
Ten Little Aliens
''Ten Little Aliens'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Stephen Cole (writer), Stephen Cole and based on the long-running British science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the First Doctor ...
'' by
Stephen Cole
;
Telos Doctor Who novellas
*''
Wonderland'' by
Mark Chadbourn
Mark Chadbourn is an English fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, and horror author with more than a dozen novels (and one non-fiction book) published around the world.
He also writes historical novels under the pseudonym "James Wilde". ...
Short stories
*"Mondas Passing" by Paul Grice (''
Short Trips'')
*"That Time I Nearly Destroyed the World Whilst Looking For a Dress" by
Joseph Lidster
Joseph Lidster is an English playwright and screenwriter, best known for his work on the ''Doctor Who'' spin-off series ''Torchwood'' and '' The Sarah Jane Adventures''.
Biography
He started his career writing ''Doctor Who'' audio plays for Big ...
(''
Short Trips: Past Tense'')
*"Pluto" by
Dale Smith (''
Short Trips: The Solar System'')
*"Do You Dream in Colour" by
Gary Russell (''
Short Trips: The Ghosts of Christmas'')
*"The Slave War" by
Una McCormack (''
Short Trips: The Quality of Leadership'')
Comics
*"The Tests of Trefus" by
David Brian
Brian James Davis (August 5, 1914 – July 15, 1993), better known as David Brian, was an American actor. He is best known for his role in '' Intruder in the Dust'' (1949), for which he received critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination. ...
(''Doctor Who Annual 1968'')
*"World Without Night" by
David Brian
Brian James Davis (August 5, 1914 – July 15, 1993), better known as David Brian, was an American actor. He is best known for his role in '' Intruder in the Dust'' (1949), for which he received critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination. ...
(''Doctor Who Annual 1968'')
*"Food for Thought" by
Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs (born 29 September 1961) is an English actor, writer, director, sound designer and composer. He is associated with the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs, particularly as the voice of the Da ...
and
Colin Andrew (''
Doctor Who Magazine
''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''.
Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the following year. In ...
'' 218–220)
Audios
*''
Resistance''
*''
The Three Companions''
*''
The Forbidden Time''
*''
The Five Companions
''The Five Companions'' is a Big Finish Productions List of Doctor Who audio plays by Big Finish, audiobook based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is free to subscribers and released with ''Army of ...
'' (with the
Fifth Doctor
The Fifth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Peter Davison.
Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord ...
)
*''
The Selachian Gambit''
*''
The House of Cards''
*''The Light at the End'' (cameo)
*''The Yes Men''
*''The Forsaken''
*''Lost and Found''
*''The Mouthless Dead''
*''Falling''
*''The Bonfires of the Vanities''
*''The Plague of Dreams''
*''The Night Witches''
*''The Outliers''
*''The Morton Legacy''
Development
Polly
Polly was never given a last name in the series. According to production notes, she was meant to be Polly Wright, but this was not used to avoid confusion with the Doctor's earlier companion
Barbara Wright. In ''The Faceless Ones'', a double of Polly is named Michelle Leuppi; an apparent mishearing of this and misinterpretation of the context led to some reference works giving Polly the last name of "Lopez".
In the
Virgin Missing Adventures novel ''
Invasion of the Cat-People'' by
Gary Russell, Wright is expressly given as Polly's last name, as it was supposedly given in
Gerry Davis's character breakdown and audition script sample when, as story editor, he and producer
Innes Lloyd
George Innes Llewelyn Lloyd (24 December 1925 – 23 August 1991) was a Welsh television producer and former actor. He had a long career as a producer in BBC drama, which included series such as ''Doctor Who'' and ''Talking Heads''.
Early li ...
created Ben and Polly in 1966.
Notes
References
External links
Ben Jackson on the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' websitePolly on the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' website
{{Doctor Who characters, selected=Companions
Television characters introduced in 1966
Doctor Who companions
Female characters in television
Male characters in television
Fictional people from London
Fictional Royal Navy personnel
Fictional sailors
Fictional secretaries