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 and Dodo; in London – in 1966.
Ben; (played by Michael Craze), was a Royal Navy Seaman and on shore leave. Polly, (played by Anneke Wills) worked as a secretary for Professor Brett who was developing the super-computer WOTAN.
Polly took Dodo to a nightclub called ‘Inferno’, where Polly was hassled by a pushy bar-patron and Ben stepped in to defend her honour.
Afterwards, Dodo left London and Ben and Polly helped the Doctor defeat the WOTAN computer and its created War Machines.
Before leaving, Dodo sent her Tardis key back 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. Pollu used her womanly charms and sense of humour, to get the best of a situation; especially with men. Infuriatingly, for Polly, she could normally be found making cups of tea in the Tardis; her main errand.
The trio travelled to 17th Century Cornwall, in The Smugglers – 1966 and to 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 – alternatively, took to the younger, more dynamic Doctor. 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 of companions, when Highlander Jamie; joined the Second Doctor.
Ben and Polly, both got a follow-up run-in – with the Cybermen, in The Moonbase.
The pair even broke the stalemate of an invasion attempt, by concocting an acidic mixture – to melt the Cybermen’s chest breathing panels and killing them.
The pair 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 in The War Machines). The pair decided to take their leave of the Doctor – and stay behind.
