We look at Jamie McCrimmon – highland rebel, loyal friend, and one of the greatest Doctor Who companions ever.
Last weekend, on Sept. 22, Frazer Hines celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday. The man will be known to much of the British public for his role of Joe Sugden on soap opera Emmerdale, but to Doctor Who fans, he will always be best known as Jamie McCrimmon.
The Scottish companion first appeared in The Highlanders, which was Patrick Troughton’s second serial as the Doctor. The son of a piper, Donald McCrimmon, Jamie met the Doctor, Ben and Polly in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. At the end of the story, he joined the trio – and remained a companion until the very end of the Second Doctor’s era.
There are a number of reasons why Jamie lasted so long and worked so well as a companion, and why he’s still greatly loved by fans to this day. On top of that, he even inspired writer Diana Gabaldon with her series Outlander, and even named her historical protagonist after Jamie. But what makes him so special? Let’s find out.
A hero and a loyal friend
When Jamie was originally introduced, he was a rebel fighting the English redcoats. So from the very beginning, he was clearly a warrior, and someone who could handle himself in a fight.
That didn’t mean that he simply rushed into violence, however. On the contrary, his first priority was usually protecting his friends from harm. Jamie felt a strong sense of loyalty to his friends, which was a key reason why he lasted so long as a companion. He may have come close to leaving in The Evil of the Daleks, but the rest of the time, he was happy to travel with the Doctor.
And it was the Doctor that he was the most loyal to. Even when their friend Victoria left – a fellow companion that Jamie clearly shared a close bond with – Jamie believed the Doctor needed him. The fact that he was so loyal to him makes his exit in The War Games – of being forcibly sent home by the Time Lords and having the memories of his travels with the Doctor erased – all the more heartbreaking.
Another reason why Jamie is so greatly loved is how consistently and brilliantly he was written. Along with having a sense of loyalty, the character had plenty of personality, usually thanks to his Eighteenth century background. For example, he wouldn’t always understand concepts and ideas from the future, which to him would include machines like airplanes and radios. So unsurprisingly, this gave us a great amount of humor with the character.
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Frazer Hines
However, what really helped to make the character so brilliant was Frazer Hines himself. He brought a lot of charm and youthful energy to the role, elements that he still brings to the character in Big Finish’s audio dramas.
He also clearly had an excellent working relationship with Patrick Troughton, and the two bounced off each other consistently and brilliantly. The Second Doctor and Jamie shared perhaps one of the best Doctor/companion relationships in the entire series, filled with some brilliant banter and great moments between the two. And that came down to the actors themselves at least as much as the writing.
Jamie McCrimmon will always be greatly loved by the fandom, and quite rightly, too. Over five decades after he left, and he’s still one of the greatest companions in Doctor Who history.
Are you a fan of Jamie McCrimmon? What’s your favorite story featuring the character? Do you think the New Series should have another historical companion? Let us know in the comments below.