Peri-Practically Perfect in every way by @zeiton_7

"So what! I'm Perpugilliam Brown, and I can shout as loud as you can!"






The year is 1984, its Season 21 in the Doctor Who universe and The Doctor is losing companions left right and centre! The fourth story of the season, Resurrection of the Daleks, saw the departure of Tegan (no comment required) and The Doctor is about to lose both Turlough and Kamelion by the end of the next story (Planet of Fire). In addition to this distressing turn of events Peter Davison had announced his intention to leave as well, Caves of Androzani is scheduled as his regeneration story. So the program needs an entirely new set of main characters. We already know that Colin Baker will helm the Tardis as The Sixth Doctor but who will accompany him?

Enter Perpugilliam Brown (or Peri to her friends) a young, attractive girl in her early twenties played by the actress Nicola Bryant. When we first meet Peri she is studying botany but is clearly unhappy with the path her life is taking. She encounters Turlough in the most dramatic of occurrences as he saves her from drowning during the opening episode of Planet of Fire. After Kamelion is deleted, to use a modern cybernetic phrase, and Turlough returns to his people Peri decides to travel with The Doctor to "see the universe". Thus begins, arguably, one of the most abrasive relationships that the Tardis and The Doctor have ever experienced.

You see, Peri isn't just a pretty girl (and she is very very attractive) she is headstrong, intelligent and not the sort of companion who will merely decorate The Doctor's arm. Lets face it she needs to have her wits about her. The Doctor's regeneration from Fifth to Sixth is anything but smooth! Unlike the calm and peaceful Davison, Baker's Doctor is moody, prone to abrasiveness and at the start thoroughly unstable. He may go down as the first Doctor in history to actually try and kill his companion, something which he later on is thoroughly remorseful for!




Not a great start for a new Doctor/Companion relationship you will agree! Yet, once The Doctor has settled into his new regeneration, this relationship becomes touchingly close. I love the scene at the beginning of The Mysterious Planet, the first story in The Trial of a Timelord season, where Peri and The Doctor are walking arm in arm across Ravolox. Their conversation and body language convey two beings that are exceedingly close and, for the most part, enjoy each others company. It's true to say this touching scene is soon after ruined by The Doctor's inability to show empathy with Peri's distress that Ravolox is Earth. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that their relationship works so well. Dispite The Doctor's frustrations with Peri's "silliness" and Peri's annoyance with his pig headed, sometimes brusque, attitude they clearly have a lot of respect for each other.

Cynics among you may suggest that this closeness was being emphasised to further underline the hard hitting exit Peri has at the end of Mindwarp. It certainly does do that! Peri's execution at the hand of King Yrcanos was certainly shocking. I remember watching in disbelief as the companion, who if truth be told was my first television crush, was brutally murdered. This seemed to shock Colin Baker as well, its his fault that Peri's exit was re written to end with a rather, unbelievable, marrying of Yrcanos (Brian Blessed- really??).

Peri is also well known for wearing exceptionally skimpy and revealing outfits, to appeal to the father and teenage boy viewers no doubt, and lets be honest it worked. Historically, female companions have, for the most part, been pleasing on the eye but (like Sarah Jane Smith and Liz Shaw) before her, Peri has also the brains and intellect to match. Her verbal sparring with The Doctor is some of the best in the programs history to date and is what, in my view, elevates Peri to a top companion spot!

By the time we reach Timelash, Peri's outfits have been made considerably more conservative. John Nathan Turner is on record for stating that she was cast to add more sex appeal but this doesn't diminish because her clothing is increased! Indeed, it is my view that a feisty companion who is not afraid to speak her mind is far more attractive than mere eye candy. The Doctor needs someone who can keep him in check sometimes and this is something we see with the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond.

So to conclude, Peri is a fantastic companion who compliments Baker's Doctor perfectly, Nicola Bryant  is a tremendous actress who has gone on to reprise the role through Big Finish audio productions on more than one occasion and still to great effect. As Nicola tweeted @thedoctorwhobar herself when asked what her favourite story is:

"That is for you to decide"

Please watch the winning Peri story in our Peri Poll on Saturday. Bar opens at 7:30pm and we press play at 8:00pm. Bikini or beach wear optional

#DWBAR

A Defence of The Fifth Doctor

Let me take you back in time, hop in the TARDIS with me. Okay it's 1981, Tom Baker, the longest serving Doctor, and for some the most popular has announced his intention to resign. It was no secret that Tom didn't exactly see eye to eye with John Nathan-Turner and whilst still brilliant on screen, had become a challenge to work with. Nonetheless for seven years Baker's enigmatic and commanding performance as the Doctor had delighted fans everywhere. So what to do now? Well regeneration of course, but who would the programme's Producers get to fill the huge void (pun intended) left by Tom's departure.

Answer: No, not Daniel Radcliffe. Richard Griffiths.

Yes it's true, the Producers approached Richard Griffiths first but fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your opinion) he wasn't available.

John Nathan-Turner then suggested Peter Davison, a young actor he had worked with previously on the popular veterinary series, All Creatures Great and Small.

John wanted a radical departure from Tom's Doctor as he felt that providing the audience with someone too similar would provide unfavourable comparisons. He had a point, I mean think about it, no one does swishy long scarf and toothy grins better than Tom Baker.

Peter Davison was certainly different. Significantly younger, taller and thinner. He had a youthful enthusiasm about him that Nathan-Turner hoped would win the Whovian audiences over. He also felt the show needed a revamp as audience figures had been dropping off and a regeneration gave him a perfect opportunity to put his plan into action.

Okay so did it work? Well as you may have guessed from the article title I believe the answer is a resounding yes. You could accuse me of being biased as Davison is my childhood Doctor but I genuinely believe he was outstanding.

Our great Whovian leader Steven Moffat has recently stated he believes it takes a very special actor to play the Doctor. The Doctor is over 900 years old with, to date, ten persona's under his Timelordy belt. Whilst each new regeneration has to bring something new he (or she- shudder!) has to also reflect elements of the characters of the previous incarnations. That's a hard sell even for the most seasoned actor.

Davison does an excellent job on all counts. He is perhaps the most vulnerable Doctor, showing emotion regularly and also has a great rapport with his companions. He also portrayed the Doctor as someone that can make mistakes - sometimes fatal ones. In Earthshock it is the Doctors failure to realise and alert Adric in time that the spaceship about to crash into the Earth is actually the event that caused the Dinosaurs to die out. This event leads to Adric's untimely (again timely depending on your view) death.

So what seems to be peoples problem with our beloved Fifth Doctor? I suggest that for some, he just wasn't Tom. In the same way that Matt Smith just isn't David Tennant. For others it may have been the outfit. Now this I take exception to. Since when has the Doctor shied away from outlandish outfits. Pertwee with his Dandy image, Tom with his scarfs and broad hat, Colin Baker with his colourful outlandish outfits! You get my point!

The other issue seems to be that Davison's stories weren't up to much. Again I take issue with this. Yes okay there are some less favourable stories. Black Orchid (all Adric does is stuff his face with food!!) and Time-Flight (just no!) are two examples. But come on, every Doctor has some less favourable stories. Matt Smith - Lets Kill Hitler (erm) Tennant with Fear Her (I mean really who cares) Eccleston with Fathers Day (over emotional perhaps)

My point is you can go back through every regeneration and find some stories that aren't top notch!

Davison also had some fantastic stories, personally I like Resurrection of the Daleks and The Caves of Androzani but there are more.

To conclude I think that the problem with Davison was that he was the one who took over after Tom, plain and simple. Take some time to enmesh yourself by watching his stories - he's absolutely awesome, he really is.