Vicki Pallister


 * For the Second Doctor's companion Victoria "Vicky" Waterfield see separate entry.

Vicki Pallister more usually simply known as Vicki and later Cressida, was found on the planet Dido, and in part because she reminded the Doctor of his recently departed granddaughter Susan, came to join the crew of the TARDIS.

Early life
Vicki was born on Earth. (DW: The Rescue) Though she did generally use it, Vicki had the the last name Pallister. (PDA: The Eleventh Tiger) As the product of a 25th century school system, she studied medicine one hour a week, and by the age of ten had obtained a certificate in medicine, physics, computers, chemistry and other disciplines. (DW: The Web Planet) Vicki was also skilled at cutting hair. Vicki's mother had died at an early age. Vicki's father took a job on the planet Astra. The ship taking them there, the UK-201 crashlanded on Dido. Most of the passengers lived, but one night Bennett, unknown to her, murdered all the survivors other than Vicki as well as all but two of the natives, called Didonians.

Joining the TARDIS
When the TARDIS landed on Dido, Barbara Wright, one of the travelers used a flare gun to kill Sandy, a Didonian sand beast, thinking it a threat to Vicki. It took some forgiveness on the part of Vicki to forgive Barbara for this act. Bennett pretended he could not move his legs, while Vicki took care of her. When the Doctor discovered the truth and the Didonians appeared to take revenge on Bennett, she left with the others in the TARDIS. The Doctor, who had not along said good-bye to his grand-daughter, Susan, willingly took Vicki onboard with the others. (DW: The Rescue)

Travels
Once Vicki left Dido with the others, she was keen for adventure. Vicki was often bored with the travelling to their destinations, and the less adventurous moments of their lives. When the travellers were staying at a villa near Rome she quickly became bored, and disappointed that there was no adventure. Vicki's innate sense of adventure was teamed with a sense of awe and wonder, and these never diminished during her travels. She was bursting with excitement when she first saw Nero, and the sight of Rome burning excited her. (DW: The Romans) It is no doubt these characteristics which reminded the Doctor of Susan. Whether teasing, or merely undiplomatic, Vicki had a knack of saying the wrong thing to Barbara, despite their having a close relationship. Firstly she said that Barbara Wright must be "about a hundred and fifty years old" as she came from 1963. (DW: The Rescue)


 * This seems a strange statement given that Vicki came from the 25th century, rather than the 22nd.

On Vortis, Vicki said that aspirin tablets were old fashioned – until she saw some in the Doctor's First Aid kit she had never heard of them. She also offended Barbara by responding to her statement that the main subjects taught at her school were the 3 R's by asking if Barbara's school had been a nursery. (DW: The Web Planet) Vicki also mentioned that she didn't know The Beatles played "classical music", and called 1960s New York City "ancient". (DW: The Chase)

Vicki's youth and spirit of adventure enabled her to save the travellers from danger by inciting the Xeron rebels to action whilst at the Space Museum. Using her considerable analytical and technical skills, Vicki reprogrammed the Morok armoury's computer to allow the rebels access to it, enabling them to fight. (DW: The Space Museum)

Despite her bravado, Vicki was terrified of heights. Escaping from the Mechanoid City, the Doctor had to blindfold her, and the travellers, with Steven Taylor's assistance, had to lower her the 1,500 feet by rope. (DW: The Chase)

Leaving the Doctor
It would appear that most of Vicki's skills and knowledge were based in science, but she also had some historical knowledge. When the travellers materialised on Earth during the Trojan War, she displayed her knowledge of Greek heroes and the Trojan Horse. Whilst in Troy, Vicki called herself Cressida and met a young Trojan called Troilus. They fell in love, and Vicki left the TARDIS to be with him. Their tale would later be written as a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer and as a play by William Shakespeare. (DW: The Myth Makers)

Key Life Events

 * Vicki's mother dies. (Mentioned DW: The Rescue)
 * When her passenger ship has crash lands on the planet Dido, Bennett kills Vicki's father and all the other survivors save Vicki. (DW: The Rescue)
 * Vicki leaves Dido to join the Doctor. (DW: The Rescue)
 * Vicki meets Troilus and, adopting the name Cressida, decides to remain with him in Troy. (DW: The Myth Makers)

Quotes

 * Vicki - Quotes

Behind the Scenes

 * The production team had originally considered the older and more independent Jenny, from The Dalek Invasion of Earth as Susan Foreman's replacement in the cast. Originally, Vicki had the more futuristic-sounding name Tanni. Earlier drafts of The Rescue bore the title Doctor Who and Tanni.
 * Vicki has the so-far unique distinction as a television companion of appearing in drag during the course of a story, namely The Crusade where she dresses up as a pageboy. (Though Ace also arguably appeared in drag during much of Ghost Light, though she didn't actually try to pass herself off as a boy.)
 * The Past Doctors Adventure novel The Eleventh Tiger revealed Vicki's previously unknown last name.

External link

 * Wikipedia article on Cressida