Reading Classic Who: The Wheel in Space - Terrance Dicks
There's no full visual version of the Second Doctor & Jamie serial The Wheel in Space available any longer as it's one of the many earlier serials that were not kept, and even the novelisation is rare as many copies were apparently destroyed in a warehouse fire so I count myself lucky to have got hold of a copy.
This story sees the introduction of young companion Zoe Heriot, probably best known for her shiny catsuit and blowing up a computer with her brain (see The Invasion)! But there's more to Zoe than that: she's the librarian on the Wheel space station and she's an astrophysicist and holds a degree in pure mathematics. She has a photographic memory and perfect recall - quite a contrast to uneducated (but not unintelligent) young Scot, Jamie McCrimmon, who nevertheless gets on well with Zoe in this story, even if he does find himself somewhat overwhelmed by her learning.
Jamie and the Doctor meet Zoe when they're taken aboard the Wheel after the TARDIS materialises on board a rocket which is, unknown to anyone, harbouring Cybermen who intend to take over the Wheel with the intention of taking over the Earth.
Fortunately the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe are able to prevent the Cybermen from carrying out their plan, although not without the loss of several lives in the process. Afterwards Zoe stows away on the TARDIS, although the Doctor spots her almost immediately. She wants to travel and gain more experience of life as she's only ever known life aboard the Wheel space station. The Doctor agrees she can go with them, then starts showing her an account of his and Jamie's recent encounter with the Daleks, by way of warning her of what she is letting herself in for by joining them.
I like the dynamics between Two and Jamie, and Jamie and Zoe, and the two companions make for an interesting pair, with Jamie almost all instinct and Zoe almost all brain. One of the characters in the story says of Zoe:
"Yes, just like a robot. Facts, calculations. Little brain child, all brain and no heart!"
and this seems to be the main reason behind Zoe's decision to join Jamie and the Doctor in their travels.
I enjoyed this story - the Cybermen seemed properly menacing (unlike in The Tomb of the Cybermen or The Invasion) and I can quite see why so many people are fond of this particular TARDIS trio.