Day 39: A Change of Identity

Given that the first series of Doctor Who lasts for around 40 weeks, and that that means that the cast have to work pretty much non-stop for 40 weeks, it is not unreasonable to suggest that the cast members might get a holiday once in a while. William Hartnell, the Doctor, got one in The Keys of Marinus, Jacqueline Hill, Barbara, got one in The Sensorites and Carole Ann Ford, Susan, got one in The Aztecs. This time, it's the turn of William Russell who plays Ian to get a holiday. And what's interesting about this is that Ian still plays a part in the episode, despite not being entirely present, as he filmed his scenes in advance, without most of the other cast members. And this shows that even a year into the the series, Ian is still the main protagonist, despite his name not being in the title of the show, he is still the traditional action hero, and he is the one that the kids can look up to. The Doctor, whilst he has evolved into more or less the Doctor that we will see for the rest of Hartnell's tenure, is not quite the hero yet. And as we stand on the last day of 2013, looking ahead to the next year, so we look ahead too, to how the Doctor becomes a hero for all ages.