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Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-StewartNicolas Courtney |
Sound Chap that Lethbridge-Stewart by John Riordan 7/7/97
One of my favorite companions is the Brigadier, even taking as read John Nathan-Turner's concession of his ambiguous claim to the "companion" label. My favorite Doctor is Jon Pertwee, a preference a friend of mine once noted was germane to those Whovians who were also Anglophiles. (I'd have thought Davison, with his cricket theme.) Anyway, perhaps this accounts for my fondness for the Brigadier, embodying as he did all the classic stiff-upper-lip qualities of the British Officer. Additionally, however, he had a unique relationship with the Doctor that was by turns subtle and volatile. Who else gave the Doctor such a run for his money in cool repartee? Underlying the starchy surface of their relationship, there was always real affection and admiration between the two men. But I am glad that the Brigadier never met the sixth Doctor, as it might have forced him to revise the good opinion the other six had built so painstakingly.
A Review by Oliver Thornton 1/5/98
The Brigadier has met more Doctors than any other companion, whether or not he is accepted as being a member of the "companions" group, and whether or not you count the multiple Doctor episodes. The Doctor and the Brigadier seem to be from opposite and incompatible backgrounds -- the Doctor is a rebel, a runaway and a criminal to his own people, and fiercely against the use of violence, while the Brigadier is a soldier high up in the chain of command, a good old British chap and deep in the systems of Establishment. It is this antagonism which makes the Brigadier's relationship with the Doctor such an interesting one, for they both have to earn the respect of the other, but once the respect was there, friendship could blossom -- despite their totally different points of view.
The Doctor and the Brigadier worked together in UNIT with a common aim, but with frequently different ideas as to how to do it (the Doctor rarely if ever being wrong). As their relationship progressed, and the Doctor progressed to a new body, the emphasis shifted but they were still very much the same good old friends as before.
The Brigadier post-UNIT is seen in both The Five Doctors and Battlefield -- he may have retired, but the familiar strangeness whenever the Doctor is about brings back all the reasons for doing it in the first place. His involvement is much more centred around the Doctor being there than any other concern, although saving the world does come pretty high up! It also says something that the only thing that could bring the Brigadier out of retirement was a call saying the Doctor was back in the country.
Overall, one of the most complex characters created for Doctor Who, despite the apparent simplicity of "the military mind" as the Doctor puts it, and another of those classic pairings.
A Review by Stuart Gutteridge 26/8/02
Perhaps the best way to describe the Brigadier is "Old Faithful". He`s always prepared to put himself first before The Doctor as he`s proved countless times but notably in Battlefield and The Spectre Of Lanyon Moor to name but two. He is also a man of principles, if he believed in something whether it was right or not, he would still take the action he thought appropriate, as best displayed in Doctor Who And The Silurians. He was also fiercely loyal towards the Doctor, whether it was upon his regeneration in Spearhead From Space or merely rescuing him in The Mind Of Evil. It is therefore unfortunate that his character degenerated during Season ten; but with less appearances, he appears to have got stronger, gaining the respect that the character deserves.
GREATEST MOMENT: He`s had several, but Battlefield sticks out for me, where he not only survives a helicopter crash, rescues The Doctor, but also shoots The Destroyer as well.