I feel like this Doctor Who Christmas Special is an abusive spouse and keeps luring me in with sweet promises to get me to come back and then beating me down with the horribleness and reminders of how bad it’s treated me in the past.
Case in point: Today, Jared Garfield of Hollyoaks fame has been cast to play Ben Jackson in Steven Moffat’s final episode as show runner and Peter Capaldi’s last episode as Doctor Who. He will be playing along side Lily Travers who is playing Polly.
Which…for reasons most of you know I am not…..excited for. But my feelings aside, let’s talk about the darling sailor boy himself.
Ben Jackson first appeared on our screens in 1966 in the War Machines, played by the adorable Michael Craze. He was there to see Hartnell turn to Troughton in the Tenth Planet and stayed with Doctor Who Number Two Electric Boogaloo until the Faceless Ones in 1967.
Ben is a member of the Royal Navy, on shore leave when we see him looking a bit sad and depressed in discotheque-like bar that Polly is helping her friend run. After some well mannered teasing, and Ben punching a dude-bro who was trying to forced Polly to dance with him. Throw some War Machine nonsense, Doctor Who being required, hypnotism and nearly forgetting a TARDIS key and Ben and Polly’s adventure begins.
Ben is an utter sweetheart. He’s on the shorter side, his face’s default state seems to pure and utter worry.
But he’s a brave young man, accent loud and proud, often joking with Polly. Smile always at the ready. Calls her Duchess all the time due to the fact that she’s posh and he’s well…very much not. Honestly in any other social setting it’s possible Polly and Ben would never had exchanged words. But they are together and they gel so well. Ben may dish it out but Polly can take it and dish it back even more. They’re yin and yang in that regard.
He’s often the one in need of rescuing, but god forbid Polly isn’t within distance of a sailor-cling. 90% of his dialog becomes POLLY?! POLLY!! POLLY POLLY POLLY POLLY!!! –as those of you who watched the Power of Daleks animated reconstruction can contest.
He cares about Polly, more than words or shouting can say.
Ben is a wonderful companion, and a joy to see return to us on screen.
Though my only worry now is Michael Craze was a solid inch, inch and a half shorter than Anneke. And Jared is apparently 6 foot 1 inches.
…Ben’s meant to be small.
But I’l tell you what, Garfield certainly gets the “Young British Boy Confused and Wants to Go Home Now” look down.
This is not the first time Ben has been recast. Elliot Chapman is currently playing the role in the Big Finish Audios and sounding so much like Michael Craze that is’s a little scary. In a good way of course.
Anneke Wills has yet to put her stamp of approval on Garfield as she did Travers. But time will tell, and when she does I’ll be a bit more comfortable watching come Christmas.
Also if he doesn’t say POLLY POLLY POLLY POLLY I will be beyond disappointed.
Editor’s Note: Tina found the announcement of the role here.
Tina Marie DeLucia