Polly Wright: [during the First Doctor’s regeneration] “Ben, what are we going to do? We can’t just leave the Doctor there.
Ben Jackson: What, ‘him’? [sarcastically] ‘The Doctor’?
Salt-of-the-Earth types
Ben Jackson & Polly Wright first appeared in the First Doctor adventure; The War Machines – 1966 meeting the Doctor & Dodo in London in 1966.
Ben; (played by Michael Craze), was an Able Seaman, serving in the Royal Navy and on shore leave. Polly, (played by Anneke Wills) worked as a secretary for Professor Brett who was developing an super-computer; called WOTAN.
Polly took (current companion) Dodo to a nightclub called ‘Inferno’ – where Polly was hassled by a pushy bar patron and Ben stepped into defend her honour.
Afterwards, Dodo left London and Ben and Polly helped the Doctor defeat the WOTAN computer and it’s War Machines.
Before leaving, Dodo sent her Tardis key to Ben and Polly; who attempted to return it to the Doctor. The Tardis then dematerialised, with both of them accidentally stuck inside.
Ben was a no-nonsense plain-talking ‘salt-of-the-earth’ type, who didn’t really understand his time-travel predicament but was quick thinking and could use his fists. Alot of the Doctor’s sci-fi concepts went straight-over his head. Therefore, Ben looked to Polly to translate what the Doctor had just said.
Ben had a thing for Polly, impressed seemingly by her “upper class” accent and manners, even going so far as to nickname her; “Duchess”.
Polly meanwhile was a happy go-lucky swinging 60’s socialite. Who used her womanly charms and sense of humour to get the best of a situation; especially with other men. Infuriatingly, for Polly, she could normally be found making cups of tea in the Tardis; her main errand.
They travelled to 17th Century Cornwall, in The Smugglers – 1966 and onto meet the Cybermen in The Tenth Planet – 1966 where they both witnessed the First Doctor regenerate – into the Second.
Ben – especially, did not accept the new Doctor; believing him to be an imposter. Polly took to the younger, more dynamic Doctor; quicker. They didn’t have long to enjoy each other’s company though, as they were both thrust into a conflict – against the Doctor’s biggest foes; The Daleks in The Power of the Daleks – 1966.
In The Highlanders – 1966 Ben and Polly became a trio, when Highlander Jamie – joined the Second Doctor.
Ben and Polly, both got a follow-up run-in – with the Cybermen, in The Moonbase. They even broke the stalemate of an invasion attempt, by concocting an acidic mixture – to melt the Cybermen’s chest breathing panels and killing them.
They stayed on with the Second Doctor until the Doctor was able to return them to 1960’s London; on the day they had left; in The Faceless Ones – 1967.
Being back on Earth in 1966, at London’s Gatwick Airport; on the day they had both originally departed (with the First Doctor in The War Machines). Ben & Polly decided to take their leave of the Doctor and stay behind.
