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Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) ShawCaroline John |
A cut above most companions intellectually - and a cut below in terms of skirt length; a fine combination indeed! by Tom May Updated 26/5/03 (originally 20/5/98)
Liz Shaw did not tend to appear in bad stories - unless you are certifiably batty and really want to include ol' Dimensions In Time! The four stories of the magnificent Season 7 were greatly enhanced by the performances of Caroline John as a companion who barely screamed. But indeed, our Liz is an exceptional companion in that she did not travel in the TARDIS, apart from the Ambassadors of Death japery in Episode 1 and that malarkey counteth not! She fits in perfectly to the more 'credible', down-to-earth aesthetic of Pertwee's first story.
As a hyperintelligent scientist who can talk on equal terms with the Doctor, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, Cambridge graduate (good university! I should know, going there presently), is a refreshing rarity in comparison with most companions. Previously only Zoe, could converse credibly on the 'scientific stuff' with the Doctor; the difference between these Season 6 and 7 ladies is that Zoe often seems a little akin to a precocious, intelligent child, whereas Liz seems like a determined woman in the still largely male sector of science research in 1970.
Of course, her character could have possibly done with some broadening -- the early PDA, The Devil Goblins From Neptune attempts this with fair results -- but there was not much place for character-building moments in the plot focused and undemonstrative Season 7. Liz is certainly one of the best things about the impressive but overrated Spearhead From Space - a story that pales slightly on subsequent viewings after the novelty has worn off of its use of film and its 'new Doctor story' compulsion. Liz's banter with the Brigadier early on is great fun, and later she displays a wit that matches the slightly pompous new Doctor's. It is possibly the case that Liz does not quite have the same centrality to the following three stories, each of which I prefer to the more lauded Season-opener. In Doctor Who and The Silurians, Liz's skills as a scientist are very adeptly and seriously conveyed, and in The Ambassadors of Death, she attains the time-honoured companion-privilege of being captured by some villains! After a very compellingly shot chase sequence towards the end of Episode 3 - it may be 'padding' but it fits with the intangible, grim mood of the story, and is better in all ways than the absurd multi-vehicle chase extravaganza of Planet of the Spiders!
In Inferno - along with Ambassadors the peak story of the year - she seems aloof from proceedings at times. Though she gets the nice medium close-up last shot of the season, laughing at the repartee of the Doctor and the Brigadier. And more importantly is able to play a wonderful alter-ego in the compelling parallel earth sequences; she extrapolates Liz's clinical nature into making her cold and well fitted to an efficient, authoritarian society. Quite the bitchy madam, Section Leader Shaw shows Ms. John playing the part very differently and effectively. And she gets a fetching, shorter dark-haired wig to wear! Hmmm, it's funny to think that Polly, Jo and Romana II are the only other really blonde-haired companions... though Liz's hair, to be fair, appears brunette-ginger in Spearhead, blonde in The Silurians and if I recall correctly, lightly ginger in Ambassadors and Inferno. It may be flippantly remarked that the Doctor seems to far prefer his blondes; c.f. the sparks perhaps implicit between Jo and Romana II for their respective Doctors!
Liz's departure is not shown or really deeply explained; though the implication is that she is a little sick of putting up with neo-militaristic orders from the Season 7-ruthless Brigadier. Of course, she got on well with the Doctor, as close to an equal on scientific matters; the relationship was fond but sadly it was never really dwelt upon. Perhaps this emotional shortfall is the only real jink in Season 7's nearly impeccable armour... compare the deep characterisation and genuine emotionality of the Doctor-Ace companionship as explored in Season 26.
It is unquestionably a pity that the production team didn't pursue Liz's style of companion any more. Letts and Dicks too readily went about defining the companion as a relatively scatterbrained, 'bimbo' type, though at least they were responsible for casting the fine Lis Sladen in 1973-74. It really had not been the norm for companions to be entirely helpless screaming types, prior to Jo: Liz, Barbara, Sara Kingdom and to a large degree Zoe, did not fit the generally-perceived usual Dr Who bill. While Katy Manning tried her best and attained a fair chemistry with Pertwee, there are only a handful of stories in which Jo is well written; The Green Death, her final bow, is ironically one of them. All of this is not to say that Liz didn't have sex appeal; she had more than most, perhaps because she also clearly had a lot more to her character than merely 'that'. Her best outfit is undeniably in The Ambassadors of Death - the bohemian 1960s look finally fully enters Dr Who (only really Sally Faulkner as Isobel in The Invasion is comparable) and about time! Some unfeasibly short skirts really are a hallmark of her Liz's hip dress sense: see also Inferno in the normal earth sequences.
Anyway, such tomfoolery and frivolity aside, I do proclaim Liz Shaw to be one of the best companions - though sadly she was not given the chance to really become a 'great companion' and a fully-fledged character. She has the added attraction of appearing in the consistently good stories of Season 7, as well as in some alluring costumes!
Skirting the Issue: An Appraisal of Dr Elizabeth Shaw by Edward Kellett 26/6/01
It always intrigues me to note that, despite being lauded as an intelligent, straight-laced academic type Liz Shaw always outdid her counterparts in the racy outfit stakes, even when only appearing in four stories. But seriously, this approach had its advantages since unlike, say, the well-endowed Miss Perpugilliam Brown, Liz actually had a likeable personality to go with these looks and a means of discussing issues on a mature, adult level.
This was an innovation far too speedily removed by Barry Letts in his introduction of Jo Grant, claiming that the Doctor and Liz's exchanges lacked audience identification without actually citing any real examples. I feel that the sophisticated persona she displayed was a pleasing change, along with the character's readily apparent charm, wit and style.
Caroline John was always happier with intense roles that provided suitable scope for confrontation; examine any one of the four Season Seven tales and you will see this in abundance. In Spearhead from Space she decries the Brigadier's methods of press-ganging her assistance; in Dr Who and the Silurians she rebuffs Dr Lawrence with a few sharp retorts; in Ambassadors of Death, she delivers a blistering tirade to the callous Reegan; and in Inferno, the most powerful performance of them all as Section Leader Elizabeth Shaw shows how multifarious her acting talents were. Furthermore, that scene from Inferno Episode 6 in the hut: if the coy stance Liz adopts toward Greg Sutton isn't openly flirtatious, I don't know what is!
The kind of cool grace Liz displayed carries infinitely more sex appeal than any amount of leather leotards or clinging bikinis. This most under-rated of companions deserves far more recognition for the contribution she made to Doctor Who, and for always striking the perfect balance between glamour and brainpower.
A Review by Stuart Gutteridge 28/10/02
The character of Liz Shaw is easily defined as the first companion since Barbara to be on a par in terms of intelligence with the Doctor (although Zoe did show some evidence.) Liz was not only intelligent, she was more mature too, and at times almost sassy. One thing of note is that during her all too brief tenure, she never confronted any of the "monsters", due largely to the style and direction the series was taking (the nearest she got was to the Autons actually.) Her banter with the Doctor and the Brigadier is always enjoyable and she is at her best in Inferno, where Caroline John takes on a dual role. Although we never see her departure, it seems a natural progression that she would indeed work for PROBE in later years.
GREATEST MOMENT: Inferno. Plaudits to Caroline John here, but Liz manages to save Earth (or at least one reality) with a little help...
Looking back, I'm pissed and relieved that Liz Shaw was only around for Season 7. Pissed because she was the perfect companion for the Third Doctor (or any Doctor for that matter). Relieved because maybe the creative crew would have dumbed her down and ruined one of the best companions ever if she had stayed on.
After six seasons of fish out of water, damsels in distress and teens in need of education, the first adult companion was shanghaied from Cambridge and put to work for UNIT. She was an intelligent woman with opinions, ideas and the ability to stand up for herself. In Spearhead from Space, it's Liz who carries the first half of the story as we build up the plot and introduce the new Doctor.
In The Silurians, we see Liz being treated as an equal by the Doctor. The Doctor and Liz both work on curing the Silurian virus and it's Liz who's able to finish the formula the Doctor started writing out before he's snatched. Liz is also loyal to the Doctor and understands his motives with his attempts to negotiate with the Silurians.
The Ambassadors of Death shows Liz handling herself in a difficult situation: being held captive by Reegan and managing the alien ambassadors. She manages to pull off an escape as well.
Inferno gives us the dark side of Liz Shaw, the Section Leader on Parallel Earth. She's sold on the company line at first, but we see the real Liz come out of this Fascist version through the Doctor's influence.
Caroline John gave four excellent performances as Liz. She was handed a wonderfully created character and ran with it. (Note: It also doesn't hurt that she ruled the miniskirt like no other Who girl before or since.)
Mighty Liz Shaw. One of the all time greats.