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404 Inklings #17
We're Falling Through Space: Doctor Who and Celebrating the Mundane
It’s one of modern history’s most beloved sci-fi creations and while the Doctor is revered world-round, what about their companions, friends and acquaintances along the way? For all the time travel and extravagant alien worlds, Doctor Who is often at its best when it looks to you, the average viewer, and how the lives and values of us human beings are actually spectacular.
The cup of tea or coffee we make in the morning, the relationships we carry and lose in life, the routines we love and hate, the vinegar-soaked chippies we have at night – they might look mundane against the spectacle of the Doctor but what if it’s us, the humans, who are the fantastical ones?
In We’re Falling Through Space, J. David Reed investigates how Doctor Who uses its larger-than-life lens to consider how the mundane is a lot more special than we might realise. As one of the Doctors put it, ‘Do you know, in nine hundred years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important before.’
The cup of tea or coffee we make in the morning, the relationships we carry and lose in life, the routines we love and hate, the vinegar-soaked chippies we have at night – they might look mundane against the spectacle of the Doctor but what if it’s us, the humans, who are the fantastical ones?
In We’re Falling Through Space, J. David Reed investigates how Doctor Who uses its larger-than-life lens to consider how the mundane is a lot more special than we might realise. As one of the Doctors put it, ‘Do you know, in nine hundred years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important before.’
- GenresNonfiction
112 pages, Paperback
Published May 18, 2023
12 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 10, 2023
Not only did this book make me want to go back and rewatch all of Doctor Who again, it’s made me see the doctor and their companions in a different light. A beautiful book about how arguably Britain’s best TV show takes the normal of our everyday and turns it into the fantastical. A great read!
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June 11, 2025doctor who is so important to me
February 12, 2025
This cute lovingly written little book gave me all the warm fuzzy reminders of how much I love dr who - but I wish it had given me some more exciting new thoughts, feelings and ideas on it. Genuinely maybe I am already too big of a whovian for this book??
Thank you for the bday prezzie tigs xxx
Thank you for the bday prezzie tigs xxx
December 25, 2023
I am very sad to say that I am very underwhelmed by this short book. Especially because most of the other reviewers seemed to love it.
Firstly, this book could have done with a lot more editing. There were so many typos and systematic inconsistencies that it started to annoy me a bit.
Secondly, I watched every Nu Who episode, most of them several times. And there are so many more scenes about ordinary life than those that are featured in this book. And this comes probably down to my own pettiness, but the scenes in which the 13th Doctor is cold, emotionless and impudent towards children are simply not endearing. Basically, Moffat gets way too much credit for his writing overall.
And thirdly, I've simply watched far better video essays about Doctor Who on YouTube.
Firstly, this book could have done with a lot more editing. There were so many typos and systematic inconsistencies that it started to annoy me a bit.
Secondly, I watched every Nu Who episode, most of them several times. And there are so many more scenes about ordinary life than those that are featured in this book. And this comes probably down to my own pettiness, but the scenes in which the 13th Doctor is cold, emotionless and impudent towards children are simply not endearing. Basically, Moffat gets way too much credit for his writing overall.
And thirdly, I've simply watched far better video essays about Doctor Who on YouTube.
July 8, 2024
What a fascinating little read that kept me entertained through my 5 hour (should have been 2 and a half) train journey. Such an interesting perspective on the show, reignited my love and appreciation for it.
February 13, 2024
a gift from the girls at work 🥹
July 3, 2025
3 ⭐️ - a fun short read but it felt quite surface level and didn’t really bring up any new ideas, and the amount of episode summaries/explanations can feel quite repetitive if you’re already familiar with the show. also felt like it needed another proofread with some of the typos and errors in there. still keen to read some of the other books in this series though!
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September 3, 2023this book was written for me!!! i’ve always felt like a bit of a minority as a doctor who fan who doesn’t really care for its sci-fi element and much prefers its exploration of humanity. the conflict between the doctor and their companions’ beliefs and morals is one of the most interesting things about the show. got genuinely emotional reading this as it was such a heartfelt analysis and put my love for the show into words.
“Through the Doctor, we see ourselves and humanity in ways that are memorable and affecting. Doctor Who confronts human behaviour, especially when it's frightening or ugly. Both in how the Doctor perceives humans, and in how humans perceive the Doctor, opposing sides of otherness and group-think are evident. The Doctor's inhumanity becomes a way for us to explore what it means to be human, and to be part of your chosen in-crowd. But Doctor Who doesn't stop there. It offers us a hand, letting us forgive ourselves for falling short from time to time, so long as we try again and try better.”
“Through the Doctor, we see ourselves and humanity in ways that are memorable and affecting. Doctor Who confronts human behaviour, especially when it's frightening or ugly. Both in how the Doctor perceives humans, and in how humans perceive the Doctor, opposing sides of otherness and group-think are evident. The Doctor's inhumanity becomes a way for us to explore what it means to be human, and to be part of your chosen in-crowd. But Doctor Who doesn't stop there. It offers us a hand, letting us forgive ourselves for falling short from time to time, so long as we try again and try better.”
May 21, 2023
A lovely little book with so much heart, but perhaps I’m biased as I have such a soft spot for Doctor Who after a rampant obsession with it as a kid (I got the magazines and everything).
I’ve not watched much of (if any of!) the stuff post-Matt Smith but this made me remember the joy of the show and made me want to revisit it. I think that’s because of how well the author delves into the complexities of what this show handles, and the interesting dynamic between how those complexities are often, even mostly, rooted in things not-so-complex. It’s that familiar mundanity blended with the fantastical that makes this show so comforting and endlessly re-watchable. It’s something I’ve never considered before reading this and I think this book is such a triumph at getting to the nitty gritty of why this show transcends time/ generations and why it probably will do for a long time to come.
I’ve not watched much of (if any of!) the stuff post-Matt Smith but this made me remember the joy of the show and made me want to revisit it. I think that’s because of how well the author delves into the complexities of what this show handles, and the interesting dynamic between how those complexities are often, even mostly, rooted in things not-so-complex. It’s that familiar mundanity blended with the fantastical that makes this show so comforting and endlessly re-watchable. It’s something I’ve never considered before reading this and I think this book is such a triumph at getting to the nitty gritty of why this show transcends time/ generations and why it probably will do for a long time to come.
July 5, 2024
This is an intriguing read - basically it is the author (David Reed) talking about his views on life as seen through his thoughts and experiences of watching the re-vamped doctor Who series.
here we are have ordinary lives of ordinary people as seen through the lens of this larger than life character - and rather than being some sort of comparison - which as you would expect we would struggle to live up to - rather you have the extra ordinary being celebrated in the ordinary.
In short our lives are full of amazing and extra ordinary events - strange it takes the adventures through time and space to make us realise that even the simplest things are in fact quite incredible.
This book is part of a series which explore our world and how in fact it is anything but boring and mundane.
here we are have ordinary lives of ordinary people as seen through the lens of this larger than life character - and rather than being some sort of comparison - which as you would expect we would struggle to live up to - rather you have the extra ordinary being celebrated in the ordinary.
In short our lives are full of amazing and extra ordinary events - strange it takes the adventures through time and space to make us realise that even the simplest things are in fact quite incredible.
This book is part of a series which explore our world and how in fact it is anything but boring and mundane.
May 27, 2023
As someone who hasn’t watched Doctor Who in about 8 years, I was worried this wouldn’t be for me. Luckily this book has so much passion and love for the material it talks about that even the moments it was referencing that I hadn’t watched I fully understood. The moments it referenced that I had watched had me feeling so nostalgic that I wanted to go back and rewatch those earlier seasons both through the eyes of an adult and through the eyes of someone who’s read this book.
May 30, 2023
A beautiful examination of how the complex concepts of Doctor Who are always accessible and relatable thanks to their root in the personal world, and how it holds the 'ordinary' close to its heart. Adored this as someone with only a passing knowledge of the show, which means it is likely to be mandatory reading for fans.
January 29, 2024
This is a beautiful and witty book that examines and celebrates a truly beloved show. It's a very quick read and a must for Doctor Who fans. It will make you want to rewatch the show, and you will see the Doctor and companions in a new light.
May 18, 2023
Just brilliant! Just like the TARDIS so much bigger on the inside than it’s small stature suggests. So much to ponder on and definitely goes on my to re-read pile. Definitely a 5/5. 🤩
May 28, 2023
I love Doctor Who and it’s messages and think it is such a powerful show - so I obviously loved this!! Super interesting read, quick to read and enjoy. Loved it! Will be looking at more Inklings…
January 21, 2024
a small treasure of a book. wonderful !!!
October 3, 2024
This book has changed my whole perspective on Doctor Who
August 7, 2023
4.5/5 stars
This book is a beautiful love letter to Doctor Who and how it highlights how extraordinary the most mundane aspects of life can be. It was a very comforting read for me and will be to anyone who loves Doctor Who.
This book is a beautiful love letter to Doctor Who and how it highlights how extraordinary the most mundane aspects of life can be. It was a very comforting read for me and will be to anyone who loves Doctor Who.
August 7, 2023
You are special AND you are mundane. This book captures the nostalgic joy of Doctor Who. It is truly a show about people relating to other people.
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May 19, 2023You'd think shorter books would be easier to edit, but this is my second Inkling and it certainly doesn't seem to be the case here. Let's take a single sentence, which manages to encompass glaring errors both conceptually and in terms of word choice: "Like most good quality sci-fi, Doctor Who's appeal exists in its ability to go anywhere, tell stories about anything to an almost infinitesimal degree." Chris Chibnall is never spelled correctly, though you could argue that's the least of the indignities he deserves; the opening explanation of which pronouns are used for the Doctor when is sound, but the text's adherence to it is erratic, even within a given paragraph. On top of all of which, there's the basic thesis; this is a book by someone who began with the new series, as a kid, and who enthusiastically supports its greatest failing: the insistence on forever centring the most overrepresented demographic and topic on TV, modern humans and their bullshit. Despite all of which, when Reed talks about the emotional resonance of the way the show uses fixed points, or how companions bring out the best in the Doctor*, or Who's understanding of forgiveness, I was compelled to admit that he gets it, even if he deserved better when it came to assistance with putting those insights down on the page.
*Not that Reed puts it this way, and I suspect he'd hate the idea, but I was reminded by this of a Holmes story I read recently, which hit the nail on the head by making clear that Watson is an emotional support animal.
*Not that Reed puts it this way, and I suspect he'd hate the idea, but I was reminded by this of a Holmes story I read recently, which hit the nail on the head by making clear that Watson is an emotional support animal.
June 26, 2023
This book is part of the Inklings series, published by 404 ink, an independent Scottish publisher, these are pocket sized books, at a relatively cheap price, normally on culture or gender topics.
This is a sweet little book, showing the obvious love the author has for nu-who. Split into 4 chapters (Time, Relative, Dimensions Space), with two interludes, I'm sure you can guess the titles of. The book looks at how the companions humanise the Doctor, as has been said on more than one occasion, the Doctor needs someone to pull him back.
It shows what it would be like travelling in the Tardis, and how it may not always be the happiest place to be. Getting pulled into the Doctors orbit, may be an adventure, but sometimes it's the mundane parts of life that are more important. Rory and Amy leaving the Doctor may have been heartbreaking, but so was what happened to Melody/River. Perhaps being away, being in "normal" life is in the end the best thing.
There are some lovely little observations, the way the Tardis changes according to the personality of the Doctor, in fact the Tardis is a character in and of itself.
I may not agree with every conclusion made, but this is a book written with an obvious passion that shines through on every page. You don't need to be a Who nerd to read this, and it may just re-ignite your interest
This is a sweet little book, showing the obvious love the author has for nu-who. Split into 4 chapters (Time, Relative, Dimensions Space), with two interludes, I'm sure you can guess the titles of. The book looks at how the companions humanise the Doctor, as has been said on more than one occasion, the Doctor needs someone to pull him back.
It shows what it would be like travelling in the Tardis, and how it may not always be the happiest place to be. Getting pulled into the Doctors orbit, may be an adventure, but sometimes it's the mundane parts of life that are more important. Rory and Amy leaving the Doctor may have been heartbreaking, but so was what happened to Melody/River. Perhaps being away, being in "normal" life is in the end the best thing.
There are some lovely little observations, the way the Tardis changes according to the personality of the Doctor, in fact the Tardis is a character in and of itself.
I may not agree with every conclusion made, but this is a book written with an obvious passion that shines through on every page. You don't need to be a Who nerd to read this, and it may just re-ignite your interest
February 1, 2024
Beautifully poetic and masterfully crafted, a unique and much-needed book.
Whilst the description may appear somewhat bleak to some, this text grapples with the lack of belittlement that ‘Doctor Who’ portrays, and the fact of how it continues to highlight of how nobody is mundane, but they should be recognised for their mundane acts.
The writer embeds lyricality into the observations of how the series, ostensibly, focuses on metaphysicality, however the one theme that encompasses the whole show is the tenderness and fragility of being human. It majorly explores time and belonging, of how so many things change, but we all return to each other and our homes; whether that be a person or place.
Articulately, it emphasis upon the Doctor being an eternal being, yet they always feel affected by grief, and love, and loss, but their antidote is always people. People who may be seen as ‘normal’ and ‘boring’ are those who change the course of humanity, who save lives that might not otherwise be saved. This book unequivocally portrays the beauty of this show.
Whilst the description may appear somewhat bleak to some, this text grapples with the lack of belittlement that ‘Doctor Who’ portrays, and the fact of how it continues to highlight of how nobody is mundane, but they should be recognised for their mundane acts.
The writer embeds lyricality into the observations of how the series, ostensibly, focuses on metaphysicality, however the one theme that encompasses the whole show is the tenderness and fragility of being human. It majorly explores time and belonging, of how so many things change, but we all return to each other and our homes; whether that be a person or place.
Articulately, it emphasis upon the Doctor being an eternal being, yet they always feel affected by grief, and love, and loss, but their antidote is always people. People who may be seen as ‘normal’ and ‘boring’ are those who change the course of humanity, who save lives that might not otherwise be saved. This book unequivocally portrays the beauty of this show.
August 5, 2024
I remember hearing about this publisher (404ink) and this imprint of theirs (inklings - mini essay novellas on pop culture and social politics) on a Books and Bao/Willow Talks Books video about indie publishers to watch, so when I saw it at an independent book store on holiday in Whitley Bay (The Bound - it's lovely and the people who work their are so chatty, passionate and knowledgeable) in their recommended shelf with a big write up on it, I grabbed it instantly!
It's a quick read, which makes it so enjoyable to read but also does leave it feeling a little surface-level and like it was a draft for a bigger more expanded novel on humanity in Who! It's a lovely passionate book though, with a quirky structure made out of the TARDIS acronym, and very much the type of non fiction I like to read (fun, mad, diving into a weird pop culture niche), and I will be keeping an eye out for more inklings in future (the ones catching my eye are the ones on queerness in DnD/TTRPGs, grief in Ghibli Films and Women in Hip Hop)!
It's a quick read, which makes it so enjoyable to read but also does leave it feeling a little surface-level and like it was a draft for a bigger more expanded novel on humanity in Who! It's a lovely passionate book though, with a quirky structure made out of the TARDIS acronym, and very much the type of non fiction I like to read (fun, mad, diving into a weird pop culture niche), and I will be keeping an eye out for more inklings in future (the ones catching my eye are the ones on queerness in DnD/TTRPGs, grief in Ghibli Films and Women in Hip Hop)!
February 24, 2024
This was an ok read, focused on everything non-sci fi in the beloved sci-fi show (not at all a criticism).
Honestly, this was just a little bit underwhelming.
My problems are slightly petty, but worth mentioning, since there were several questionable editing choices I guess ?? each paragraph (and also within paragraphs at times) bounces around between different characters and seasons, sometimes decades apart, only to go back later on. I can’t follow the logic of the paragraph order and it just seemed a little bit unorganised.
Also, I can’t get over the way the book asserts that the Doctor, Amy and Rory meet Van Gogh when by that point in the show Rory was dead/removed from time. This is a basic fact that I don’t understand how it wasn’t caught in editing, but it’s also not important to the point that was being made, so I might just be being pedantic and annoying.
Honestly, this was just a little bit underwhelming.
My problems are slightly petty, but worth mentioning, since there were several questionable editing choices I guess ?? each paragraph (and also within paragraphs at times) bounces around between different characters and seasons, sometimes decades apart, only to go back later on. I can’t follow the logic of the paragraph order and it just seemed a little bit unorganised.
Also, I can’t get over the way the book asserts that the Doctor, Amy and Rory meet Van Gogh when by that point in the show Rory was dead/removed from time. This is a basic fact that I don’t understand how it wasn’t caught in editing, but it’s also not important to the point that was being made, so I might just be being pedantic and annoying.
November 24, 2024
Watching Doctor Who, specifically NuWho, was a formative part of my adolescence, and in the years since whenever I have been sad or ill, I have gone back to NuWho as my 'Comfort Watch'. This happened recently - I'm going through turbulent times - which led me to reflect on the show's influence on me and why I find it so comforting and life-affirming. Reed's beautiful little book helped me with these reflections, and enhanced my appreciation of the show. I read it quickly and enthusiastically, and would highly recommend it to any Who fans.
(The paperback edition I have is slightly let down by typos scattered throughout - it needed a bit more proofreading before printing.)
(The paperback edition I have is slightly let down by typos scattered throughout - it needed a bit more proofreading before printing.)
June 9, 2023
A really lovely and passionate take on the complexities and positively human aspects of life travelling with the doctor. This is exactly the kind of connection I feel to the show so it was great to read from another fans perspective. There’s so much more I would’ve loved to be mentioned and feel this could be a great deep dive topic but of course this is just a “pocket-sized book” for “big ideas” so with that in mind I’d say it was brilliant!
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August 30, 2023A real sweet little collection of essays that touch on some of the reasons that I adore Doctor Who with my whole heart. It's not the deepest dive but is lovely nonetheless. Unfortunately, the book has multiple spelling errors/miswritten words ("will" is used when "real" was intended at one point), which affected my reading of it.
September 17, 2023
I really loved this book which is a love letter to Doctor Who and the amazing characters. However I have two remarks. One, even if you can’t talk about everything, it’s too bad there wasn’t a focus on Clara, especially in the part about fixed point in time. Two, Rory wasn’t in Van Gogh’s episode.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2023
An interesting little book about my favourite show and how it uses fantastical situations to explore more mundane human things that maybe aren’t mundane at all. But there were a few little errors, typos, and editing mistakes that took me out of it at times. I mean, Rory was extremely not there for Vincent And The Doctor!
March 18, 2024
this was so mid it hurts first it was FULL of typos and grammatical errors (this somehow feels worse after seeing he’s a qualified teacher?) second it’s basically just someone recounting nuwho episodes. like i see what the idea was but the author could’ve done so much more with it in 85 pages than he did. just felt underwhelming, but it does have a really nice message
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews