Doctor(s): 3rd Doctor (Jon Pertwee)
Traveled: 1970 (one season, earthbound as a UNIT scientific advisor)
Actor: Caroline John (19 September 1940 – 5 June 2012)
Episodes & Stories
Spearhead from Space (introduced), Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Inferno.
Personality
A highly qualified Cambridge scientist recruited by UNIT, Liz is confident, sharp-witted and every bit the Doctor’s intellectual equal.
Interesting Facts
- Liz Shaw is widely regarded as one of the most intelligent companions in the show’s history, explicitly written as “too clever” for the traditional companion role.
- She was introduced alongside Jon Pertwee’s first story as the Third Doctor, starting the “UNIT era.”
- Caroline John later reprised Liz Shaw in numerous Big Finish audio dramas.
What Happened to the Character
Liz simply returns to her scientific research at Cambridge at the end of Inferno (1970), feeling UNIT life didn’t suit her.
The Actor Today
Caroline John continued a busy stage and television career, including Agatha Christie’s Poirot. She died on 5 June 2012, aged 71.