Telesnap Tuesday # 3
BEN'S BETRAYAL.....
Perhaps the most interesting thing ever attempted with Michael Craze's character ever. Out of all the Doctor's friends, it is only Ben that proves susceptible to the hypnotic suggestions of the Macra and he turns on his fellow traveller's, even rejecting the evidence of his own eyes and denying that he and Polly had seen Macra.
I guess this is not too unexpected for, being a sailor, Ben is trained to follow orders already, but it is still quite a startling development for the character and raised the question of how much Ben could be comfortably trusted from here on in.....
And sure enough, the producers decided that they wanted shot of him in the next story, while wanting to keep the Polly character on with Jamie.
Michael Craze was hurt, according to Anekke Wills, at being asked to leave, since he felt he was doing a good job (and, to add insult to injury, here was that Fraser Hines muscling in on his turf and taking his lines - and not being susceptible to hypnosis).
It was not a good time to be a companion. The writers could mistreat your character and you could be dumped off the show at a moment's notice.
Not only that, all the effort you put into your characterisation could soon enough be wiped or your episodes destroyed (save for telesnaps and soundtracks).
Including Ben's most interesting moment.......
