The Fantasy Review’s brief history of Shirley Anne Bingham.
Shirley Anne Bingham arrives in Doctor Who already stuck into UNIT’s scientific operations as the 56th Scientific Adviser. She is a wheelchair user with spina bifida, and her wheelchair has some impressive weaponry.
Who Is Shirley Anne Bingham?
Shirley is introduced to us as UNIT’s 56th Scientific Adviser, working closely with Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. She’s made for the job, with a good sense of humour, fierce loyalty, strong moral judgements, and bravery.
She works directly under Kate Lethbridge-Stewart at UNIT Tower, and this is how we meet her on screen. In other media, Shirley’s background is expanded upon a little, showing that she grew up in Manchester and went on to study medicine (focusing on neuroscience) before working at UNIT.
Initially, she worked for Malcolm Taylor in the scientific division, but she rose through the ranks until she’s scientific officer herself.
The Star Beast & The Giggle
Shirley’s debut in The Star Beast sees her leading a ground team as they investigate a supposedly crashed alien ship in London. She bumps into the Fourteenth Doctor and we immediately see she’s not only capable and smart, but witty and fun too.
When the soldiers around her become puppets for the Meep, Shirley manages to escape and then deal with the soldiers later. She’s a badass member of the team.
During The Giggle, we see Shirley Anne Bingham at UNIT Tower with Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and the other core members of the organisation. The most memorable moment must be when Kate (under the influence of The Toymaker’s ‘Giggle’) makes some rather inappropriate and offensive remarks about Shirley’s disability.
At the end of The Giggle, the newly bi-generated Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors reveal the newest design addition for the TARDIS – a ramp – which is such a small but brilliant moment for Doctor Who.
The War Between the Land and the Sea
During The War Between the Land and the Sea, a story in which the Doctor is not around to help humanity in a conflict with the Sea Devils, Shirley Anne Bingham is a member of the main UNIT team – with Kate – organising UNIT’s response.
