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Doctor Who - The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years
The full and official story of Doctor Who, from the show's first pre-production memos in 1963 to behind-the-scenes material from the latest season, including interviews with key cast and crew members as well as scores of prop photos, design sketches, and other collectible memorabilia. The Vault is a collector's dream--the ultimate celebration of all that is Doctor Who.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 24, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
November 29, 2025
This book is basically a collection of all the things fans might like to know about the first 50 years of Doctor Who. From its humble beginnings to the global phenomenon it has become today, with lots of interesting trivia. Considering Doctor Who is the longest running science fiction television series in the world, there’s bound to be a lot of content. And there is. So much of it. This is a whale of a book. It’s literally the biggest and heaviest book I’ve ever bought.
The book starts at the beginning, in 1963. The concept was: “a frail old man lost in time and space” whose name we don’t know and who has a machine with which he can travel through time and space. He was to be seen through the eyes of his three companions, so he could always remain somewhat of a mystery.
An Adventure in Space and Time is a fantastic movie that teaches fans some interesting things about the behind the scenes stuff in the beginning of Doctor Who. While that is a recommended watch for fans of the show, this book also gives it a good shot. As the book points out, the show was made by outsiders. Sydney Newman appointed Verity Lambert, at that time the BBC’s only female and youngest producer in the BBC’s Drama Department, to Doctor Who. She faced a lot of resistance and was put under a lot of pressure, but she fought for what she believed in and found a willing collaborator in the Indian-born Waris Hussein. They made the show what it was and turned Doctor Who into a huge success story.
The core of Doctor Who’s longevity is also brought up here. Doctor Who doesn't survive change, it survives because of change. The key to unlocking that magical secret lay in my opinion with none other than the second doctor, Patrick Throughton. He had all the pressure on his shoulders to prove that the show could survive without the people who made it a success in the first place. Considering he’s my personal favorite doctor, I’d say he did a good job.
I have to admit that there were sections where I was picking my brain on extra information the book could have included to take it to the next level. But this is more a case of me just having consumed a lot of Doctor Who interviews, documentaries, … over the years, rather than the book having any flaws. It’s definitely a big enough book as it is. I also want to point out that I did learn a few interesting things.
I appreciate the inclusion of the Big Finish audio dramas. And all the songs the show inspired that are mentioned here are a really nice bonus too. Doctorin' The Tardis by The Timelords is probably the best of the bunch in my opinion. Though Who's Dr. Who? by Frazer Hines is worth a listen too as I find it absolutely hilarious. And one song that came out after this book was published that I do want to mention is Ace (or 'I Wanna Be Like Sophie Aldred') by The Kids in Spacesuits.
I could go on and on about the interesting trivia this books has to offer, but I’ll end my review by saying that it’s an easy recommendation and an excellent source of information for any Doctor Who fan.
The book starts at the beginning, in 1963. The concept was: “a frail old man lost in time and space” whose name we don’t know and who has a machine with which he can travel through time and space. He was to be seen through the eyes of his three companions, so he could always remain somewhat of a mystery.
An Adventure in Space and Time is a fantastic movie that teaches fans some interesting things about the behind the scenes stuff in the beginning of Doctor Who. While that is a recommended watch for fans of the show, this book also gives it a good shot. As the book points out, the show was made by outsiders. Sydney Newman appointed Verity Lambert, at that time the BBC’s only female and youngest producer in the BBC’s Drama Department, to Doctor Who. She faced a lot of resistance and was put under a lot of pressure, but she fought for what she believed in and found a willing collaborator in the Indian-born Waris Hussein. They made the show what it was and turned Doctor Who into a huge success story.
The core of Doctor Who’s longevity is also brought up here. Doctor Who doesn't survive change, it survives because of change. The key to unlocking that magical secret lay in my opinion with none other than the second doctor, Patrick Throughton. He had all the pressure on his shoulders to prove that the show could survive without the people who made it a success in the first place. Considering he’s my personal favorite doctor, I’d say he did a good job.
I have to admit that there were sections where I was picking my brain on extra information the book could have included to take it to the next level. But this is more a case of me just having consumed a lot of Doctor Who interviews, documentaries, … over the years, rather than the book having any flaws. It’s definitely a big enough book as it is. I also want to point out that I did learn a few interesting things.
I appreciate the inclusion of the Big Finish audio dramas. And all the songs the show inspired that are mentioned here are a really nice bonus too. Doctorin' The Tardis by The Timelords is probably the best of the bunch in my opinion. Though Who's Dr. Who? by Frazer Hines is worth a listen too as I find it absolutely hilarious. And one song that came out after this book was published that I do want to mention is Ace (or 'I Wanna Be Like Sophie Aldred') by The Kids in Spacesuits.
I could go on and on about the interesting trivia this books has to offer, but I’ll end my review by saying that it’s an easy recommendation and an excellent source of information for any Doctor Who fan.
March 11, 2017
This is one brilliant, enticing book. They may have well subtitled it EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT DOCTOR WHO THAT YOU DIDN'T ALREADY. Unlike a lot of fly by night stuff, this one really delivers. The information here is amazing and it also reminded me that I'm still pissed at the BBC because I'll never see The Daleks Masterplan or Evil of the Daleks. But, as a long time fan, I can take solace by the increase of my knowledge of Who. (And it'll help me on jeopardy!) GET THIS BOOK if you are a Who fan.
January 3, 2020
A comprehensive and well-written guide to fifty years of Doctor Who, covering episodes as they appeared on screen, behind-the-scenes info and the merchandise and trivia associated with the show. There's enjoyable nostalgia as well as up-to-the-minute coverage of the programme, with the fiftieth anniversary special, 'The Day of the Doctor', included.
October 12, 2018
They say that this book is a must have for any fan or that..etc, but this is One Beautifully illustrated book!!!!!!! The material is just so vast and wow! It's has like a billion photos and its soaked in a very fine hard cover print which is worth every penny! A very highly recommended for any Doctor Who fan
Ps: doctor Who died, no we don't believe in the female doctor, call me when they put a dude back in the set
Ps: doctor Who died, no we don't believe in the female doctor, call me when they put a dude back in the set
February 7, 2014
I was lucky enough to score this gorgeous Doctor Who, 50th anniversary book for Christmas last year and over the past couple of weeks have paced myself by reading a few 'year' chapters each night. Seems like I'm getting into the habit of reading one Doctor Who reference book a year these days. But what can I say? I've always enjoyed a trip down memory lane.
This book is elegantly presented and as mentioned above each chapter covers a year of the show, essentially from 1963 through to 2013. Each chapter is accompanied by plenty of photographs, scenes taken from both on and off the set and the various memorabilia available at the time as well as an associated essay corresponding with that particular year. While the "Whovians' living amongst us no doubt have seen these pictures before in other such reference books or the pages of Doctor Who Magazine, it doesn't really matter as it's wonderful to have them all collected in one tome such as this.
The thing I love most about these types of reference books is the sections relating to the 1960's and in particular the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton years. As a child I was always intrigued by this era due to the fact that a lot of the stories no longer exist, some idiots in the BBC thinking at the time that wiping the original tapes to be a good idea. Honestly, those people should be round up and shot on the spot... if old age hasn't done them in first already. Not having the foresight to think that someday, somewhere, someone might want to watch these again? Naive morons!
There was some good news at the end of last year when copies of two Troughton stories were discovered in Nigeria of all places - The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear. I read both of the Target novelisations when I was a wee kid so know how the stories go but I am extremely excited to be able to see these for the first time when I can get my hands on the DVD's. Hopefully there are other missing episodes out there still to be found!
So with a rich and varied history behind it, what does the year 2014 hold in store for Doctor Who? Well, a new Doctor in Peter Capaldi for one thing and talk of a 'darker' version of our hero as well which is definitely a direction I would like to see taken. Some other things on my Who wish list for 2014 are the following:
Although Doctor Who: The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years is accessible to the casual fan, I really can't picture that person seeing this on the shelf and wanting to part with $40 to $50 of their hard earned cash. Definitely one for the Who fans.
5 stars.
This book is elegantly presented and as mentioned above each chapter covers a year of the show, essentially from 1963 through to 2013. Each chapter is accompanied by plenty of photographs, scenes taken from both on and off the set and the various memorabilia available at the time as well as an associated essay corresponding with that particular year. While the "Whovians' living amongst us no doubt have seen these pictures before in other such reference books or the pages of Doctor Who Magazine, it doesn't really matter as it's wonderful to have them all collected in one tome such as this.
The thing I love most about these types of reference books is the sections relating to the 1960's and in particular the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton years. As a child I was always intrigued by this era due to the fact that a lot of the stories no longer exist, some idiots in the BBC thinking at the time that wiping the original tapes to be a good idea. Honestly, those people should be round up and shot on the spot... if old age hasn't done them in first already. Not having the foresight to think that someday, somewhere, someone might want to watch these again? Naive morons!
There was some good news at the end of last year when copies of two Troughton stories were discovered in Nigeria of all places - The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear. I read both of the Target novelisations when I was a wee kid so know how the stories go but I am extremely excited to be able to see these for the first time when I can get my hands on the DVD's. Hopefully there are other missing episodes out there still to be found!
So with a rich and varied history behind it, what does the year 2014 hold in store for Doctor Who? Well, a new Doctor in Peter Capaldi for one thing and talk of a 'darker' version of our hero as well which is definitely a direction I would like to see taken. Some other things on my Who wish list for 2014 are the following:
1. Get rid of the sonic screwdriver. Enough of using this in every situation.
2. Let's have a companion that is simply just a companion and not a potential love interest. While I am a fan of Rose and Amy and didn't mind them falling for the Doctor I think we can now move on from this and go back to how companions were back in the 70's.
3. Less humour and darker themes. Some of the Eighth Doctor novels were very dark and as much as I'd love them to go down this path I can't see it happening because the show is more mainstream than ever and is much beloved by the kiddies, including my own daughter.
4. Limit the Daleks to once every couple of years.
5. Not every adventure has to have Life, the Universe and Everything at stake. Smaller can sometimes be better.
Although Doctor Who: The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years is accessible to the casual fan, I really can't picture that person seeing this on the shelf and wanting to part with $40 to $50 of their hard earned cash. Definitely one for the Who fans.
5 stars.
October 8, 2013
I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this as a present. It's the first 50th anniversary book that I've had and I did really enjoy it. It has pictures of events and merchandise from each year of the show. There is a synopsis of the show and events that happened that year and then a short essay on a related topic. The only reason that I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is that quite often the essays didn't match up with the pictures (or the themes of the year in question) given all the things that happen in a year I think it would have been nicer to have talked specifically about the year in more detail, rather than general discussion of theme music, spin offs, etc. There was also no real feedback from the actors involved, just quotes from interviews with the production theme. That said it was still lots of fun. It was an interesting insight into the way the show was produced. It was also full of nostalgia. Flipping through it with my friend we decided the book was designed to look through and go, "I had one of them" as often as possible. If the other books celebrating 50 years are of this quality Doctor Who fans are in for a real treat. Definitely one I'd recommend.
September 19, 2023
Видання котре ввело мене в омані своєю анотацією та структурою. Спочатку тобі видається, що поділ на роки означає, що кожен розділ розповідає історію цього року в франшизі (а я б не був проти і такого варіанту), але натомість ці 320 сторінок дають тобі 39 історій, про абсолютні різні речі. Від роботи редактора сценаріїв і до театральних постановок, від звинувачення шоу жорстокості до систему створення музики у класиці та ньюскулі та власне від історії створення серіалу до історії відновлення серіалу. Звісно, це видання не вичерпне, якась тема не піднята, якась тема вже не вичерпна станом на зараз, бо шоу пройшло 10 років розвитку з часу видання цієї книжки.
Але у будь-якому випадку я б радив прочитати це всім хто вважає себе хувіаном)
Але у будь-якому випадку я б радив прочитати це всім хто вважає себе хувіаном)
April 23, 2021
Not much here for the older fans, however, this is a great introduction for the curious.
October 24, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5 / 5
I would say I can't believe I've been reading this for 2 years but to be honest I thought it was longer than that!
This was an intense, packed full of knowledge rollercoaster of a book.
Admittedly, by page 200 I started quick reading/skimming a lot of it because some of the detailed information was tedious... As you can imagine by how long it took me. It's actually a little embarrassing really because it's filled with pictures and the text doesn't even reach the sides! However, the context was just too dry at times.
Once we got to the era of Doctor Who that I started watching from (Eccelston) I felt like I flew through it. It gave me that chance to reconnect because I was being hurtled through my memory as I was remembering seasons I had grown up with. The scenes of the show were flashing in my mind, which was rather overwhelming, but in the most delightful way. It was a cool experience.
I was really enjoying seeing the logistics of how each episode was created, the history of Doctor Who music, and the politics of the production team internally and across the departments... There just seemed to be so many disputes, but at the end of the day they all came together to make something incredibly iconic in British television history.
It was really interesting to see how much hate Doctor Who had got over it's time (which I wasn't expecting), something that seemed very obvious during 1996 when they tried giving it a modern, Americanized reboot of sorts...The producers and rest of the team must have had a lot to deal with, especially with how involved the fans seemed to get.
I loved seeing familiar faces in the history of the show... For example Bonnie Langford.... Rowin Atkinson but then there were some of my favourite authors too, such as Douglas Adams, Philip Pullman and Neil Gaiman... I'll take greater care now to see if it has influenced any of their stories, now that I'm fully aware of their involvement... It really had me fangirling!
Overall, although dry and effortsome to get through, this is perfect for any fan of Doctor Who to reminisce or learn about the first 50 years of the shows history!
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
I would say I can't believe I've been reading this for 2 years but to be honest I thought it was longer than that!
This was an intense, packed full of knowledge rollercoaster of a book.
Admittedly, by page 200 I started quick reading/skimming a lot of it because some of the detailed information was tedious... As you can imagine by how long it took me. It's actually a little embarrassing really because it's filled with pictures and the text doesn't even reach the sides! However, the context was just too dry at times.
Once we got to the era of Doctor Who that I started watching from (Eccelston) I felt like I flew through it. It gave me that chance to reconnect because I was being hurtled through my memory as I was remembering seasons I had grown up with. The scenes of the show were flashing in my mind, which was rather overwhelming, but in the most delightful way. It was a cool experience.
I was really enjoying seeing the logistics of how each episode was created, the history of Doctor Who music, and the politics of the production team internally and across the departments... There just seemed to be so many disputes, but at the end of the day they all came together to make something incredibly iconic in British television history.
It was really interesting to see how much hate Doctor Who had got over it's time (which I wasn't expecting), something that seemed very obvious during 1996 when they tried giving it a modern, Americanized reboot of sorts...The producers and rest of the team must have had a lot to deal with, especially with how involved the fans seemed to get.
I loved seeing familiar faces in the history of the show... For example Bonnie Langford.... Rowin Atkinson but then there were some of my favourite authors too, such as Douglas Adams, Philip Pullman and Neil Gaiman... I'll take greater care now to see if it has influenced any of their stories, now that I'm fully aware of their involvement... It really had me fangirling!
Overall, although dry and effortsome to get through, this is perfect for any fan of Doctor Who to reminisce or learn about the first 50 years of the shows history!
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
July 30, 2024
As a middle-age geek who somehow managed to not watch "Doctor Who" for most of his life* until last year when I binged on the rebooted series, reading this comprehensive look at the show's history was a blast.
*I do remember watching the occasional Tom Baker-era episode on our local PBS station when I was in my pre-teen years. (Oddly enough, Now that I started watching the classic episodes available on Netflix, I just finished off the Jon Pertwee years and I'm about to start Baker's run.)
*I do remember watching the occasional Tom Baker-era episode on our local PBS station when I was in my pre-teen years. (Oddly enough, Now that I started watching the classic episodes available on Netflix, I just finished off the Jon Pertwee years and I'm about to start Baker's run.)
April 3, 2016
Great book for a Doctor Who fan, covers a lot of history from the very beginning of the show in 1963 until 2013. I learned a number of behind the scenes secrets I never knew before. What seems the most amazing is how popular the Daleks were after their first two appearances, there are photos of early merchandise like Dalek cigarettes and so on.
August 31, 2014
An insightful series of light essays exploring ideas, motifs and the history of my favourite TV show. The book is an archive of images, stories and behind the scenes tidbits that keeps dawntime anoraks like me enthralled.
January 9, 2020
Celebrating everything Doctor Who, just in time for it's 50th anniversary- which occurred 6 years ago!
I got this amazing book right around when Doctor Who turned 50th. I was born on November 24th. Doctor Who's first appearance on TV was November 23rd, 1963. So this was a birthday present.
I remember that I read it through Christmas of 2013. But sometime in early 2014, I got off track and put this book away in my reading cabinet. I promptly forgot about it. that was until about a week ago.
BBC America was showing a massive marathon of Doctor Who episodes as a sort of countdown to the New Year's Day premiere of the newest season (12th) of the long-running time travel series. Around this same time, I was organizing my reading cabinet and I came across this book again. Seeing that I had made a pretty big dent, and I was excited for more Who after a year without any new episodes, I dug back in.
I've read several VAULT edition books. While the format of the Doctor Who vault is petty similar to them, there are some big differences. Most VAULT books have 'artifacts'; removable items that readers can examine. These are things like stickers or blueprints or even scripts. The Doctor Who book has tons of images of a lot of cool stuff. However, there is nothing removable here.
Another difference is the formatting itself. Most VAULT books are separated into chapters that resemble a museum exhibit. But here, each chapter is broken down by year or season. However, there are not 50 chapters. As there was little to no Doctor Who from 1990 until the early 2000s, those 'wilderness years' are lumped together. (Only 1996 in which the movie debuted on national TV is given a separate year entry.) Still, this is a pretty lengthy book about about 40 chapters. I think the shear volume was why I put this book aside for a while.
This is a must for fans of Doctor Who. It's very British. But then again, so is Doctor Who itself. One thing that's a bit aggravating is how much detail is devoted to the show's ratings. I understand that the show spent a long time on the brink of cancellation. But couldn't all of that have been combined into one or two chapters and not spread out throughout the book? I found the production and fun facts parts of this book very interesting. But the devotion to viewership was a bit mind numbing.
Maybe THAT"S why I put this book away for a while.
Lots of fun but sometimes bogged down in some boring details.
I got this amazing book right around when Doctor Who turned 50th. I was born on November 24th. Doctor Who's first appearance on TV was November 23rd, 1963. So this was a birthday present.
I remember that I read it through Christmas of 2013. But sometime in early 2014, I got off track and put this book away in my reading cabinet. I promptly forgot about it. that was until about a week ago.
BBC America was showing a massive marathon of Doctor Who episodes as a sort of countdown to the New Year's Day premiere of the newest season (12th) of the long-running time travel series. Around this same time, I was organizing my reading cabinet and I came across this book again. Seeing that I had made a pretty big dent, and I was excited for more Who after a year without any new episodes, I dug back in.
I've read several VAULT edition books. While the format of the Doctor Who vault is petty similar to them, there are some big differences. Most VAULT books have 'artifacts'; removable items that readers can examine. These are things like stickers or blueprints or even scripts. The Doctor Who book has tons of images of a lot of cool stuff. However, there is nothing removable here.
Another difference is the formatting itself. Most VAULT books are separated into chapters that resemble a museum exhibit. But here, each chapter is broken down by year or season. However, there are not 50 chapters. As there was little to no Doctor Who from 1990 until the early 2000s, those 'wilderness years' are lumped together. (Only 1996 in which the movie debuted on national TV is given a separate year entry.) Still, this is a pretty lengthy book about about 40 chapters. I think the shear volume was why I put this book aside for a while.
This is a must for fans of Doctor Who. It's very British. But then again, so is Doctor Who itself. One thing that's a bit aggravating is how much detail is devoted to the show's ratings. I understand that the show spent a long time on the brink of cancellation. But couldn't all of that have been combined into one or two chapters and not spread out throughout the book? I found the production and fun facts parts of this book very interesting. But the devotion to viewership was a bit mind numbing.
Maybe THAT"S why I put this book away for a while.
Lots of fun but sometimes bogged down in some boring details.
April 8, 2019
It's December 2013. I really want Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey for christmas. I love Harry Potter. And on christmas eve I unwrap this book, Doctor Who - The Vault. Because my parents couldn't find the big blue book I wanted, so they got me another big blue book.
Bless them, they tried.
Anyway, I'm not a huge Doctor Who fan. I've seen a couple of seasons, maybe the first one with the ninth doctor and the first one with David Tennant. So it can't really be compared to my love for Harry Potter. But I still enjoyed reading this. It never got boring. I'm still giving it only three stars though, because it was at time hard to follow, and I would've liked the images to match up with the text more. And I didn't need that many photos of Doctor Who-toys.
Also, this book was very well produced, like it's a good quality book, but it gave me multiple papercuts, including one of those where you feel your finger slice open. So the paper was a little sharp.
(But in the name of complete honesty, this made me want to watch the Matt Smith seasons. I can't believe it's 2019 and I suddenly want to watch Doctor Who.)
Bless them, they tried.
Anyway, I'm not a huge Doctor Who fan. I've seen a couple of seasons, maybe the first one with the ninth doctor and the first one with David Tennant. So it can't really be compared to my love for Harry Potter. But I still enjoyed reading this. It never got boring. I'm still giving it only three stars though, because it was at time hard to follow, and I would've liked the images to match up with the text more. And I didn't need that many photos of Doctor Who-toys.
Also, this book was very well produced, like it's a good quality book, but it gave me multiple papercuts, including one of those where you feel your finger slice open. So the paper was a little sharp.
(But in the name of complete honesty, this made me want to watch the Matt Smith seasons. I can't believe it's 2019 and I suddenly want to watch Doctor Who.)
January 31, 2022
Doctor Who: The Vault is a retrospective across the 50 years of one of my favourite (if very inconsistent) TV shows. At the time of writing, the show had been running for 35 years plus a 15 year gap. I am not a Dr Who expert but I know quite a lot, so it was interesting to see what this book had to offer.
The book is highly visual, with many attractive and interesting photos of props, scripts, memorabilia, scenes, actors and more. The visual element of the book is probably the strongest with lots of interesting material. The rest of the book is divided into years and spreads.
The years are 35 two page spreads. These are pretty bland, falling too easily into enumerating episodes and events with minimal commentary.
The rest of the pages are given up to essays on a range of topics, from writers to monsters and many other topics. These mostly good, often great. They draw interesting threads of people and themes across the 50 years of the show. They also reveal connections of writers, directors and staff that span many years, and quite a few insider details that were new to me.
Overall, this was an enjoyable review of the show with interesting new details and visuals. I enjoyed the read and it would be worthwhile for a fan, but of little interest to a casual observer.
The book is highly visual, with many attractive and interesting photos of props, scripts, memorabilia, scenes, actors and more. The visual element of the book is probably the strongest with lots of interesting material. The rest of the book is divided into years and spreads.
The years are 35 two page spreads. These are pretty bland, falling too easily into enumerating episodes and events with minimal commentary.
The rest of the pages are given up to essays on a range of topics, from writers to monsters and many other topics. These mostly good, often great. They draw interesting threads of people and themes across the 50 years of the show. They also reveal connections of writers, directors and staff that span many years, and quite a few insider details that were new to me.
Overall, this was an enjoyable review of the show with interesting new details and visuals. I enjoyed the read and it would be worthwhile for a fan, but of little interest to a casual observer.
April 10, 2025
A very informative book with many amazing glimpses into the shows past over 50 years. I’ve browsed the book many times since getting it a few years back but this is my first read through cover to cover.
It provided a lot of amazing information about such a long-running show. I only wish it had continued and had more information. It was a pleasure to find tidbits about props or from interviews from some 40-odd years ago.
One star removed due to the books text sometimes having mildly confusing formatting around pictures. There were times I didn’t realize that a single sentence had been squished between photos on a previous page, causing confusion on some page flips.
Overall this is a book I would recommend if one would like to get a glimpse into this long-running shows storied history. Even some 10+ years after its publication, it is still a wonderful font of information and stories.
It provided a lot of amazing information about such a long-running show. I only wish it had continued and had more information. It was a pleasure to find tidbits about props or from interviews from some 40-odd years ago.
One star removed due to the books text sometimes having mildly confusing formatting around pictures. There were times I didn’t realize that a single sentence had been squished between photos on a previous page, causing confusion on some page flips.
Overall this is a book I would recommend if one would like to get a glimpse into this long-running shows storied history. Even some 10+ years after its publication, it is still a wonderful font of information and stories.
December 25, 2022
Took my time with this one, because it's a fantastic book! Originally released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, it's full of behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the evolution of the series. Covering the development of Doctor Who from the 1960's to 2013, including the various forms of Doctor Who fiction that developed in the so-called "wilderness years"; the rise of Doctor Who novels, from both Virgin publishing and BBC books, as well as the range of audios begun by Big Finish.
Every aspect of Doctor Who is covered in this book, and I enjoyed the photos of merchandise like action figures and magazines.
This book is a must read for Doctor Who fans.
Every aspect of Doctor Who is covered in this book, and I enjoyed the photos of merchandise like action figures and magazines.
This book is a must read for Doctor Who fans.
August 30, 2018
If you're a Doctor Who fan and you don't own this book you're really missing out! There was a lot of the things I already knew but there were a lot of little details that I didn't and I really really enjoyed learning about the part of doctor who that I wasn't around yet to see. Since I was born in 1990 I missed a lot of the older stuff but I missed a lot of really good stuff and this book brought it all to life for me! A MUST READ!
March 12, 2025
You need to really be a big Dr Who fan to appreciate this oversized book, but if you are you’ll really enjoy this.
It’s a history of the origins and production of the programme, with tons of detail on writers, directors, producers, effects people, and of course the actors.
Broken down year by year, this covers the 50 years from 1963 to 2013. Plenty of glossy photos of every thing and anything, from props to promotional giveaways.
great book.
It’s a history of the origins and production of the programme, with tons of detail on writers, directors, producers, effects people, and of course the actors.
Broken down year by year, this covers the 50 years from 1963 to 2013. Plenty of glossy photos of every thing and anything, from props to promotional giveaways.
great book.
January 1, 2022
For fans only, as various references to series and actors are assumed to be known already as background. But a lot of history is covered, with photos of various obscure merchandise. I'd have liked for more of the chapter-opening photos to be identified, as I wasn't always sure why they were significant for the year mentioned. Gorgeous presentation.
February 13, 2024
Such a fun revisiting of one of my favorite shows of all time. I grew up watching Classic Doctor Who on Iowa Public Television with my dad. I still haven't seen the 2000s ones! Just started Classic Who from the beginning and once I finish I plan to finally catch up with the times and watch the newer ones. British Sci-Fi really is the best!
September 26, 2017
Every Whovian must own this. Spans both major series.
July 26, 2019
A deep and interesting look into the history of Doctor Who. Highly recomended but only for fans of the show.
February 22, 2021
It is a good book about the Doctor Who show (1963-2013) and behind the scenes, overall if you don't like Doctor Who you won't like this book, but if you do like Doctor Who you will like this book.
May 6, 2021
This book is well written and has some interesting information. My only objection is that the yearly summaries, the textual content, and the images are only loosely tied to one another.
February 4, 2022
Almost certainly written by a fan, a friend of Russell T Davies or Stephen Moffat, who won't hear a word said against any of new who no matter how dire it is!
December 5, 2022
Fascinating insights into the series!
August 28, 2023
A GREAT Book for any Doctor Who fan!!!
January 21, 2024
Interesting collection of essays on Who history. Ten years old when I was given it!
May 18, 2025
It was a fun retrospective
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