Well as much of this blog seems to be devoted to the first Doctor and the first companions today is not going to be an exception. Ian Chesterton is (along with Barbara of course) my ultimate favourite Doctor Who companion and here's why:
Ian is honourable, brave, determined and devoted. his own safety comes miles behind everyone as he will do anything to save everyone else first. He made the others leave him behind stuck in the Dalek shell and also stayed and risked extermination to warn the Thals, he even led the group of Thals and Barbara through the caves and waited for each one to jump to safety and then followed last. He also had a huge stress out that the Daleks paralysed him meaning that he was unable to get the drugs and had to send Susan as she was the only option.
How many science teachers can temporarily paralyse with a thumb? Ian showed that he could use fighting to defend himself and others but also proved that knowing strengths and weaknesses and using intelligence would always triumph over pure punch ups. He only used violence when necessary.
Ian was knighted! but most modestly and with the intent purpose of rescuing Barbara. he was always willing to do anything to save Barbara (Even if she was very capable herself) Its not against feminism but I kind of like his protectiveness towards women, he even confronted King Richard in order to get his point across and never gave up, in most of the stories he and Barbara have the toughest deal, in theses early days you really felt they could die, they didn't have the Doctor to come and save them suddenly, they had to do it for themselves using their history/science knowledge and pure belief in each other.
And overall I love Ian's playful side, sure a lot of the time he was stubborn and irritable but lovable but when he was teasing Barbara and having fun, he was adorable. Dancing to the Beatles like an embarrassing Dad shows this wonderfully. He is a fun character and a noble character, he loved adventure but at the heart of him was the desire to go home and that's what I love about Ian, the shift from the non-believer at episode one to the hero to a regular guy who just wants to go home sit in a pub or watch a cricket match.
The sheer joy shown in the monatge photos on Ian and Barbara's return to London brings tears to my eyes. He is not a character who 'wants to stay with the Doctor forever' in fact he never wanted to go in the first place but the friendships were built and I imagine that their adventures with the Doctor were with them forever as we hope they began their new lives together.
Ian is a wonderful character, William Russell created a great character even when at times he was given clunky dialogue, he is definitely my fave and a very very attractive man too, I love the sixties look, cardigans, blazers, side partings they beat tracksuit bottoms and checked shirts to me anyday, he is so handsome but much of that attractiveness also comes from the personality. And on that note I'm going to watch An Uneartly Child again...
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