| Steven Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Doctor Who character | |
 Peter Purves as Steven inThe Time Meddler (1965) | |
| First appearance | The Chase (1965) |
| Last appearance | The Savages (1966) |
| Portrayed by | Peter Purves |
| Duration | 1965–1966, 2023 |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Space pilot |
| Affiliation | First Doctor |
| Home | Earth |
| Home era | 23rd century |
Steven Taylor is a fictional character played byPeter Purves in the long-running Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who. A space pilot fromEarth in the future, he was acompanion of theFirst Doctor and a regular in the programme from 1965 to 1966. Steven appeared in 10 stories (45 episodes).
Steven first appears in the serialThe Chase, whenthe Doctor and his companions,Ian,Barbara, andVicki, find him on the planet Mechanus[1] where he crash-landed two years before. He joins the Doctor and Vicki as a companion in the following serial,The Time Meddler, when they discover that he stowed-away in theTARDIS after having escaped the burningMechanoid City. Steven is a strong-willed individual, who is more capable when there is something physical to do than when there is thinking to be done. He has a finely developed sense of right and wrong,[2] and places a high value on human life.
Steven follows the Doctor throughThe Daleks' Master Plan, a dark and dangerous adventure that takes the lives ofSara Kingdom and Katarina. He argues with the Doctor when he refuses to prevent the events ofThe Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve. Steven is ready to part company with the Doctor over thedeaths that happened, in particular that of a woman named Anne Chaplet. He rejoins the Doctor, however, at the same time that they acquired a new travelling companion, a young woman by the name ofDorothea "Dodo" Chaplet, who is apparently a descendant of Anne's.
Steven's journey eventually ends duringThe Savages, when he decides to accept the responsibility of leading the combined society of Savages and Elders that is attempting a lasting peace.[3] His life beyond that is not explored in the series.
The exact time period that Steven originally came from is not specified in the television series. However, inThe Daleks' Master Plan, set in the year 4000, Steven states that he comes from "hundreds of years" before that period.
An older Steven, still played by Purves, returns in an episode of the 60th anniversary spin-offTales of the TARDIS, alongside Maureen O'Brien as Vicki. Drawn from their respective timelines, Steven and Vicki recall the events ofThe Time Meddler and their lives after leaving the First Doctor. Steven became a king and has children and grandchildren. Their episode ends with the off-screen voice of William Hartnell, suggesting the First Doctor has joined them.
Steven appears in three spin-off novels:The Empire of Glass (1995) of theVirgin Missing Adventures range, andSalvation (1999) andBunker Soldiers (2001) of thePast Doctor Adventures range. In addition, he appears in many stories of theBBC Short Trips and theVirgin Decalog. Steven, often voiced by Purves, also appears in manyBig Finish Productions audio dramas[4] includingThe Five Companions alongside theFifth Doctor (Peter Davison),[5]The War to End All Wars, which looks in depth at his life after he left the Doctor, andThe Secret History in which he and Vicki meet the Fifth Doctor after a complex plot by theMonk sees the Fifth Doctor replace the First during a crucial adventure.
Peter Purves originally auditioned for the part of a giant insect inThe Web Planet, but failed.[6] He then appeared in the third episode ofThe Chase as Morton Dill, a "hillbilly".[7] He then appears as Steven in the final episode.[8] Purves had grown "the beginnings of a beard" to disguise the connection between the two characters of the serial.[9] The production team had been looking for a character to replaceBarbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) andIan Chesterton (William Russell), who were leaving in the serial,[7] and Purves was suggested by bothWilliam Hartnell[7][8] andMaureen O'Brien.[8] Early drafts of the story used the names "Bruck" and "Michael" for the character of the captured astronaut, before settling on "Steven".[10]
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