Tales from Chicago TARDIS: Carole Ann Ford and Katy Manning on the Changing Faces of the Doctor, Companions and Friendship

Carole Anne Ford -via ChicagoTARDIS.com

It’s hard to overstate the privilege we have when we talk about Chicago TARDIS. Born out of a different convention called Visions, Chicago TARDIS is not only one of the OG conventions for sci-fi fans with a storied history and great traditions that have stood the test of time, it’s also a convention that’s consistently drawn amazing guests from around the world. 

Doctor Who is an institution at this point, having been, at least in our opinion, the crown jewel of the BBC and British TV in general since November 23, 1963, and having created a timeline full of fantastic characters - Doctors, companions and pepper-shaker shaped villains alike. 

Whether you kicked off your time as a Whovian with Chris Eccleston and the New Who revival or you’ve been a fan since William Hartnell first explained that his police box was bigger on the inside, Chicago TARDIS has not only welcomed you, but had something special for you. 

Just like we talked about with Trek, it’s a rare and unique privilege to have a chance to talk with the people who were there when it all began, as well as those who carried the torch, and that’s why we were so excited to see Carole Ann Ford, one of the original Doctor’s companions, alongside Katy Manning, the third Doctor’s companion, Jo Grant. 

What’s even neater is seeing the two take the stage together and talk about all those weird what-ifs we can imagine as fans, but only so far.

There were the standard questions about what the actresses may have gotten to take from the costume room (apparently half of a copper costume for Katy, who ‘wouldn’t have chosen her companion’s clothes in the first place’), but what was more interesting were their responses when asked about the legacy of the show. 

Katy Manning via ChicagoTARDIS.com

The pair first touched on the core of the show - the changing faces and pathos of the Doctor himself, with Carole adding that the companions have got ‘more and more beautiful over the years.’ Both actresses agreed that it’s a beautiful thing to see the Doctor change the way that they have, experiencing things through the eyes of those young and old, black and white, and everything in between. 

Though both actresses are now also huge fans of the series, when originally asked where that fandom started, Manning quipped 

“I was 16 when the show started, and I was like wow, this is a really cool show, but I’m 16. Hello! You think I’m sitting at home at night on the radio?”

Manning did mention that she’s now a huge fan, having picked up the show much more recently, and explaining her journey with it as experiencing her childhood with Doctor Who now. 

Fans also asked how they thought Susan Foreman and Jo Grant would’ve gotten on, should there have been some sort of timey wimey mishap that found the two in the same decade, and both women agreed heartily that they’d likely get along just as well as they did in real life. Manning made a brief joke about having stalked Foreman originally to begin the friendship, but the two imagined that they’d get on great, and even potentially go shopping together.

We were so glad to get to eavesdrop on this lovely conversation between two people who could have been friends, that thanks to the BBC and a shared favorite show, are now actually living the life we imagine Jo Grant and Susan Foreman would’ve lived had they travelled together with the Doctor.

Stay tuned for even more from the Chicago TARDIS floor as we continue to travel with Doctors, dance with Daleks and shoot the shit with the Slitheen.