Today marks 13 years since Nicholas Courtney, the actor who played legendary character Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart, sadly passed away at the age of 81. The Brigadier is a character who has meant a lot to fans and is one of my favourite Doctor Who allies. The longstanding contribution of Nicholas Courtney to Doctor Who playing the Brigadier and the developed friendship between the Brigadier and the Doctor is something that hasn’t been matched, taking place across multiple incarnations and a legacy which continues in some form to this day. I thought it would be fitting to delve into the Brigadier as a character and what makes him so special.
Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart was created by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, first appearing as a colonel in the Web of Fear in 1968. Whilst Nicholas Courtney was initially cast as Captain Knight, he was later recast to play the Colonel when David Langton dropped out of the role. It would be Nicholas Courtney’s performance and portrayal of the Brigadier that would go on to define the character. It’s largely the characterful presence of Nicholas Courtney that makes the Colonel stand out and makes your eyes drawn to him.
Nicholas Courtney could certainly have become a film star in my eyes if he had been given the right part, but I am glad the role of the Brigadier went on to define his career because he was just perfect for it. The military group led by Captain Knight in the Web of Fear is rather directionless until the Colonel comes along. Therefore, you admire the great skill and coordination of Lethbridge Stewart in being able to direct everyone and use their skills in the most logical way and be an admirable figure of respect and authority. There is a dominating presence about Nicholas Courtney as the Colonel, which drives things in a fantastic manner.
However, what’s interesting is the scepticism the audience is made to feel towards Lethbridge Stewart. You know there is a spy for the Great Intelligence in the ranks and are wary of who you can trust. The Colonel comes in and commands authority halfway through and there is an uncertainty about his character and identity. It allows the character to gain the trust of the characters and audience slowly as someone reliable. A quality of the writing of the Colonel that would go on to define him onwards from this is his sense of trust and values. His ability to roll with things, take things as they come and give people the benefit of the doubt is at the centre of the realism of Lethbridge Stewart. It puts in place a refreshing counter to the authority figures you expect in Doctor Who.
You are used to having very single-minded and unlikeable authority figures who refuse to take Patrick Troughton’s Doctor seriously. However, whilst the Colonel is sceptical of the Doctor at first, once he knows he is a friend of Professor Travers, then he is very willing to trust him. I like how trusting he is of the Doctor when he tells him he has a machine disguised as a police box that can travel through time and space. He gives him the benefit of the doubt, knowing the Doctor has served him well so far and is the best chance they have. This foundation creates a great sense of trust and a reliable relationship between the two, which would form the backbone of the growing friendship that would evolve.
The weight of the death of so many men to the Yeti and the Great Intelligence and their unstoppable nature also clearly impacts the Colonel as he feels out of his depth, and this tells us a lot about Lethbridge Stewart and the sense of care and regard which he has for his men. He may have been intended as a one-time character, but I’m not surprised they decided to bring him back given how refreshing and humanly rooted he feels.
Lethbridge Stewart returned in the Invasion, having become a Brigadier and as a leading figure of UNIT, an organised military force defending earth against alien threats. It excellently shows the impact which the Doctor has had on the Brigadier with his driven action and motivation. The Brigadier sees the threat alien forces pose to humanity and the importance of being prepared to face them. After his past experience, the Brigadier clearly puts great trust in the Doctor and Jamie in their battle against the Cybermen and puts UNIT’s resources behind them. Nicholas Courtney also brings a terrific sense of realism to the Brigadier as a character. He is very open-minded, but has to go up against closed-minded authority figures and convince them of the bizarre nature of the threats they face. It adds a degree of bureaucracy to the conflicts which bakes it into an earth reality.
The Invasion was a bit of a test run to see if that kind of story could work as a formula for Doctor Who. With the Doctor being exiled on earth during the Third Doctor run with Jon Pertwee, it only made sense to use the Brigadier and UNIT as a regular staple. I think the Brigadier works very well as a character in Spearhead in Space given the fresh start Season 7 provides. With a bold new introduction and formula and a new style and feel the use of the Brigadier helps as a familiar element to ease and comfort any fans of the Troughton era as a piece of continuity.
The relationship between the Third Doctor and the Brigadier would be very different from the one between him and the Second Doctor. The Doctor is by nature a figure of individuality and a rebel figure of anti-authority, which is what has made him so appealing. Now being a core part of the series, it made sense to deal with the relationship between the Doctor and the Brigadier in quite a different way to address the difference in the two characters' values. The Brigadier as an authority figure represents the establishment, and it creates a lot of interesting turmoil. As a character of military authority whose values are based on the responsibility of duty and following orders, it’s simply good drama to have the Brigadier deal with someone with a contrary set of values. Therefore, it’s also fascinating to see the Doctor deal with someone who tries to make him more compliant, and the Doctor just does not want to play along. Whilst the dynamic between the Third Doctor and the Brigadier would develop into a friendship at the start, there is a lot of antagonism and conflict, and they very much contrast each other in a brilliant way. Jon Pertwee and Nicholas Courtney both have excellent chemistry together and the characters maintain a terrific working relationship despite their conflict with each other. They are still united in stopping whatever force is at work. There is a Sherlock Holmes and Watson kind of duo which is wonderful to see on screen.
The Brigadier and Doctor relationship is at its height in the Silurians. I think Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier really thrives under Malcolm Hulke’s writing and view of the military mindset. The Doctor’s sense of care for life, his values and compassion and his desire for the humans and Silurians to find a way to live together is something you can root for. It contrasts the single-minded nature of the Brigadier and his antagonistic military attitude. The story excellently exposes how humanity fears what they do not understand and the dangers of the shoot first and ask questions later mentality. You can understand the Brigadier’s mindset and view and it has nuances with his want to protect his men who have been harmed by the Silurians, but he clearly has a simplified and cruel bigoted view of things with a focus upon antagonism and military action and it reflects the limitations and dangers of the military mind. The very end when the Brigadier commits genocide and destroys the Silurians is an impactful and incredibly dark moment.
It shows a reprehensible, cruel, and horrid side of the Brigadier you resent as you question the morals of the character and understand the thoughtlessness and murder he is capable of as a military man of following orders. Yet through the layers of corruption he sees in the Ambassadors of Death, and the way General Carrington has him and his men arrested because of his own self-interests, I think the Brigadier is opened up more to the dangers of simply following orders. The Brigadier becomes more aware of government and military figures with an agenda. Going forward whilst he still has a devoted sense of duty, he is more willing to be flexible and go against orders when he thinks there is corruption at play, and I like that progression and development.
Inferno gives Nicholas Courtney real range to play with, though, in his role as the Brigade Leader and he properly relishes the chance and opportunity to do something different with a parallel version of the Brigadier. Nicholas Courtney basically plays the villain of the story and just nails the performance. The Brigade Leader is a military enforcer of a corrupt and dangerous fascist government with no human rights. You see, the consequences and darker side of the Brigadier’s sense of duty. Nicholas Courtney plays the role with a fitting mean-spirited and cruel brutality and a relish of cruelty, which makes him despicably evil. You get a vile and cunning character with self-centred and controlling motivations, as he is a person who feels secure by the control and terror he is able to inflict. Everyone is put in the same boat by the end through the consequences of the drilling which sees him crumble and exposes a pathetic powerlessness to him. He has an emotional instability where you pity him for being reliant on evil tactics which have no value in a world of survival. You see how the right circumstances have the power to warp someone, and it’s both astounding to see and a delight to watch.
In Season 7, the Doctor is infuriated by being stuck with the Brigadier on earth and desperately trying to get away as he becomes a rogue element. I enjoy the witty relationship and conflict between the Doctor and the Brigadier, as the Brigadier constantly must deal with insults being thrown in his direction and you feel for everything he has to deal with. There is something hilarious and fun about the antagonism and insults the Brigadier can tolerate. However, from Season 8 onwards, there is more respect between the two and they learn to work with each other a lot more, which is interesting to see continually develop. By Season 11 there is a genuine affection, trust and love between the Doctor, the Brigadier and UNIT and the Doctor sees UNIT as his home and family, which is just lovely and a nice contrast and development from the Third Doctor’s starting point.
The UNIT family dynamic was essential for the formula with the Brigadier as the dad figure with everything under his control. Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton function as the two competitive brothers and it creates a very homely feel to the overall UNIT dynamic which the Doctor and Jo Grant fit well into. The chemistry between Nicholas Courtney, Richard Franklin and John Levene creates a marvellous trio of military characters with believable relationships with each other. You needed a strong character to lead that dynamic, and the Brigadier was at the centre.
The height of Lethbridge Stewart as a character is in Season 7, but due to how Nicholas Courtney portrays him and his chemistry with Jon Pertwee, he is always a joy to have around. Nicholas Courtney has a swagger about him, bringing cunning leadership skills and a dangerous and dark ruthlessness which is very appealing. The Brigadier simply looks cool when armed in battle scenes and plays into a power fantasy which captivated me as a teenager. The deadpan humour and sarcastic one-liners of the Brigadier add a lot of appeal to his personality as well as his ability to take everything in his stride. There is a typical British humour to the Brigadier that I just love. His under-reaction to all the insanity around him makes him loveable. With the silliness of science fiction madness, it’s nice to have a character who can make fun of the situation. Nicholas Courtney plays bewilderment and confusion well, with a lightness to him. Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy has a similar appeal and works for the same reasons. The Brigadier feels like the British version of that and has an amusing comedy to him that is perfect.
It's rewarding to see the Doctor and the Brigadier develop more of an affection and friendship with one another as time goes on and they both soften, and their perspectives grow to align more. I especially like the development of the Brigadier in Invasion of the Dinosaurs, he’s willing to deceive and go against the orders and instructions of General Finch which is contrary to the Brigadier of Season 7. It shows how his experience of corruption and trust and friendship with the Doctor has evolved him as a character, and shows how far he has come. The Brigadier is a very cunning figure willing to take risks based on his own judgements and trust what he believes is right, it demonstrates the impact the morals of the Doctor have had on him in a meaningful manner. The Brigadier is very flexible and open-minded and that defines him, which is a fantastic evolution and growth.
The Brigadier and UNIT are very much products of the Jon Pertwee era, so it made sense that the show under Tom Baker and Phillip Hinchcliffe would phase the two out to progress the show. Yet the Brigadier made clear sense for Tom Baker’s first story as a nice bit of familiarity. Tom Baker’s frantic and alien personality contrasts vividly with Jon Pertwee’s take on the character and I like how Robot uses the Third Doctor formula through UNIT and the Brigadier to demonstrate the contrast in the change of the lead actor. The Brigadier’s confusion on the Fourth Doctor’s more isolated approach and childish methods only adds to this. Terror of the Zygons is firmly baked into the feel and style of the Phillip Hinchcliffe era and is clearly closing the door on UNIT. It made sense to use UNIT as a piece of continuity for a period but Terror of the Zygons is fittingly subtly tying a bow and bringing the UNIT era of Doctor Who to a conclusion and it makes sense as the friendship between the Doctor and the Brigadier had gone as far as it was able to.
Nicholas Courtney would return to the Brigadier as a retired man in Mawdyrn Undead in 1983. I’m not very fond of his use here, given the mean-spirited and cruel nature of his characterisation and the lack of a purpose for him. It was originally written to be Ian Chesterton, but the Brigadier was slotted in instead and I don’t buy him becoming a maths teacher in his retirement. He did play a role in the Five Doctors though, where he was very amusing alongside Patrick Troughton.
The Brigadier would last meet the Doctor in the final season of the classic series in Battlefield in 1989. It’s a rather underrated story and I really like the Brigadier’s dramatic and emotional role and return. Spending time with Lethbridge Stewart retired, having a happy life, and feeling settled with his wife Doris doing jobs in the garden is rather nice to see. It adds stakes and danger once he steps back into his uniform, given that he has something to lose. It also says something that once he hears the Doctor’s name, he does not hesitate to step up and do his part and help. It speaks to the friendship and loyalty between the Doctor and the Brigadier. I also really like the themes and the questions the story asks of the Brigadier's role and relevance in current society. With Brigadier Bambera and a more modernised UNIT, it shows the world has moved on from him and I like the questions that are raised on whether Lethbridge Stewart still has a place in this fight. Yet the Brigadier is still willing to do the heroic thing and step up to save the day to spare the Doctor the sacrifice, which is admirable. The bravery and heroism of Lethbridge Stewart in that act is very meaningful and powerful.
Sadly, the Brigadier would never get to meet any of the modern Doctors, but he did return in 2008 in the Sarah Jane Adventures story, the Enemy of the Bane. It was nice to see Nicholas Courtney and Elisabeth Sladen reunite and see the longstanding friendship between the two characters and their loyalty to one another. The Brigadier’s sense of duty, willingness to help, sense of trust and humour runs right to the end of his character quite naturally.
After the death of Nicholas Courtney, it was nice to see the Wedding of River Song close the book on the character of the Brigadier as the Doctor learns of the character's death and it reawakens him to the nature of mortality. It’s a very respectful and emotional tribute to Nicholas Courtney as an actor. Furthermore, the introduction of his daughter Kate Stewart the following year felt like a lovely way to continue the character's legacy.
Since then, though, there has been a tendency to keep digging the Brigadier’s legacy out to try to get some emotion and nostalgia out of the audience, which I really disagree with. Dark Water/Death in Heaven turned the Brigadier into a Cyberman, which felt like it was in really bad taste and disrespectful to the death and legacy of Nicholas Courtney, especially since the character becomes one of the creatures he was fighting against. Then, Survivors of the Flux felt like it diminished and ruined the Brigadier’s legacy and role as a part of UNIT. It might be best to put the character to bed from now on.
So, what makes Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart so special? The Brigadier is one of my favourite Doctor Who characters for a number of reasons. I think the performance from Nicholas Courtney can’t be underestimated. The humour and personality he brings very much creates the character. Yet the friendship with the Doctor and the conflict between the two and the evolution of that is the backbone of what makes the character so interesting, especially with such opposite ideals. Lethbridge Stewart’s loyalty and trust in the Doctor really feels like the key to the friendship and the reason the character lasts across incarnations. Lethbridge Stewart is certainly a very influential character in Doctor Who and will always be remembered.
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