The Brig

[ThetaSigma]

Brigdadier Lethbridge Stewart was such a huge icon of the Pertwee era, and his appearances alongside Tom in the two stories they shared shows he had not lost his touch. I was just thinking, does anyone else wish he had done more UNIT or solo stories with Tom? I keep hearing rumors he was meant to be in The Android Invasion or The Seeds of Doom, could that be true? Why didn't he do either one, then?

[tch]

There was talk of a UNIT spin-off at about the same time as 'K-9 and Company', but when that underwelmed in the ratings plans for others went into limbo.

There have been some really good Brig stories in the Big Finish range ( he finally got to meet Doctors 6 and 8!)

Shame the new series never got him on for an episode, but I do love that his last screen performance was as the Brig on Sarah Jane Adventures. That seemed fitting.

[ThetaSigma]

Our loss, I never knew UNIT was planning its own series on the telly. That could have worked rather well. Shame it never happened.

[Wonkakid]

Wow, I have to say that I'm surprised to learn that The Brig only appeared in two TB DW stories. Somehow it seems like a lot more than that to me. But I guess it was just Robot and Terror of the Zygons (Really? Not Seeds of Doom or Pyramids of Mars?)

Rob

[MCH]

UNIT is still around in new Who. And the members still salute the Doctor, and he still tells them not to, lol.

[Krono's]

Brigdadier Lethbridge Stewart was such a huge icon of the Pertwee era, and his appearances alongside Tom in the two stories they shared shows he had not lost his touch. I was just thinking, does anyone else wish he had done more UNIT or solo stories with Tom? I keep hearing rumors he was meant to be in The Android Invasion or The Seeds of Doom, could that be true? Why didn't he do either one, then?

He was supposed to appear in The Android Invasion, but had theatre commitments. Can't say I blame him, seeing as the UNIT stories were becoming less, & an actor does need to earn a living. He was going to get killed off in The Hand Of Fear, fortunately that did not come into fruitition, probably for similar reasons.

[Wonkakid]

He [the Brig] was going to get killed off in The Hand Of Fear, fortunately that did not come into fruitition, probably for similar reasons.

Really? I've never heard this (and glad it didn't come to pass). Where did you hear about this? What's your source, please? .

[Wonkakid]

I just looked it up on Wikipedia, which says:

"The original script for the story featured an ageing Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart, who had been moved from UNIT to the Extraterrestrial Xenological Intelligence Taskforce to study UFO activities. He was to be killed when he steered his spaceship into an Omegan kamikaze ship to prevent that ship from crashing into Earth. This plan did not go through due to Nicholas Courtney being unavailable for filming. The original script also featured Harry Sullivan."

However, there is no citation.

[tch]

Glad that version never happened.
His appearance in 'Battlefield' was a much nicer send off from 'Who'.

[ThetaSigma]

I understand UNIT as it had been known the previous seasons was basically being dismounted by the time of the early Tom years but I still find UNIT interesting and wish Courtney had done a few more stories. Just not one where he dies, as I am so fond of the character that I am glad he was not killed off until well after the actor who played him had also passed.
I also would have enjoyed another story with Harry Sullivan. A proper send off perhaps for the character. And what about Benton? What are we meant to think about his disappearing act after The Android Invasion? I know what later stories say about him but there is quite a gap left blank there.