Ian Chesterton

[The Doc]

Ian Chesterton was one of Susan Foreman's teachers at Coal Hill School, London. He was intrigued by her advanced scientific knowledge, and in talking with another of her teachers, Barbara Wright, found that he was not the only person who had noticed the strange knowledge of this pupil. One evening, as school was finishing, Ian and Barbara decided to follow Susan home. They were concerned about her, and curious. When they saw Susan enter I.M. Foreman's junkyard in Totter's Lane, the two school teachers became more concerned for her safety. Following her inside the yard, the two discovered a police box sitting incongruously among the junk. When they discovered that Susan was inside, they barged their way in and Ian discovered something he could not believe.

Ian provides the series with an action-oriented figure, able to perform the physical tasks that the elderly Doctor can not. His concern, above all, is for the safety of the TARDIS crew, and in the early stories he often takes issue with the Doctor's habit of placing the group in harm's way just to satisfy his own curiosity. The chemistry between Barbara and himself is also evident, although the nature of their relationship is never made explicit in the television series.

Ian shows a surprising breadth of skills throughout his tenure with the Doctor. He manages to create fire, rides a horse, knows how to fight with swords and is knowledgeable about pressure points that can paralyze an opponent. He is also fiercely protective of Barbara, going on a lone mission to rescue her from Saracens in The Crusade. In that story, he is also knighted by King Richard I of England as "Sir Ian of Jaffa". After many travels, Ian and Barbara eventually use a Dalek time machine to get home, albeit two years after their disappearance.

[Nyki]

Ian could occasionally come over as a bit of a clichéd "clean-cut hero" type, but I think his character worked here better than almost any other story he was in.  The comic fencing between him and Barbara at the beginning and end made his determination to save her even more touching.

[Aneurin]

This is the story for me that confirmed that there were deeper feelings for the two. I know fandom is often divided about the subplot of their romance, but his determination to find her coupled with how playful he is with her, flirtatious even, makes my mind up about it. I know men and women can have platonic friendships, but I am sure that this would have been more if the era allowed.

[Nyki]

Oh yes, I agree.  I don't think they were a "serious couple" at the start (Ian didn't seem put out over Barbara flirting with Ganatus in The Daleks) but they definitely were by this time.

[Roranicus]

I love that though. I know nothing was said explicitely (with the exception of SJA) but I love to think that they developed feelings for each other throughout their travels.

[TheDoctorDonna]

Without a doubt Ian and Barbara, especially in their later adventures, were sharing a room in that TARDIS. I know a lot of people are against thinking of them as a couple but I am all for it and as said above, if time allowed I think it would have been delved into deeper.

[Saber]

I've never been too sure about the Barbara and Ian thing. I don't mind the thought of them having more than a friendship, but part of me has always thought its the shippers reading more into the stories than is actually there. They are at times quite flirtatious, but then at times they were quite flirtatious with others too. I'd have been happy to see them get together, for sure, but I am not so sure that we were actually meant to think they did, as though the writers were giving us little hints.

[Oh-Wise-One]

Another good performance from William Russell in this story. They really should bring him back to the show while they still can.

And Ian and Barbara were definately getting it on, I have no doubt about it

[Tardis-Console]

If they weren't getting it on I shall eat my imaginary hat. The chemistry between them is brilliant, and very evident. She was a lucky lady too. He was a very handsome fella in his day I think