A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television

by John Kenneth Muir

Since its inception in November 1963, the British science fiction television series Doctor Who has exerted an enormous impact on the world of science fiction (over 1,500 books have been written about the show). The series follows the adventures of a mysterious "Time Lord" from the distant planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space to fight evil and injustice. Along the way, he has visited Rome under the rule of Nero, played backgammon with Kublai Khan, and participated in the mythic gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Predating the Star Trek phenomenon by three years, Doctor Who seriously dealt with continuing characters, adult genre principles and futuristic philosophies. Critical and historical examinations of the ideas, philosophies, conceits and morals put forth in the Doctor Who series, which ran for 26 seasons and 159 episodes, are provided here. Also analyzed are thematic concepts, genre antecedents, the overall cinematography and the special effects of the long-running cult favorite. The various incarnations of Doctor Who , including television, stage, film, radio, and spin-offs are discussed. In addition, the book provides an extensive listing of print, Internet, and fan club resources for Doctor Who .

Genres: Doctor Who

504 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

John Kenneth Muir (born 1969) is an American literary critic. He has written as of 2023 thirty two books, many in the fields of film and television, with a particular accent on the horror and science fiction genres. He has been described as one of the horror genre's "most widely read critics", and as an "accomplished film journalist". He is the creator of the 2023 audio drama Enter the House Between, as well as the new novellas based on the series.

Reviews

[Derrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for what it is: A solid reference guide to the show and its spin-offs. Note that the book was published before the 2005 NuWho revival, so there's no mention of the new series.

It's not the sort of book one reads front to back, as it's primarily an episode guide. It's full of great information, though. I got this one out of the library, but it's certainly one that would be useful to own in any Doctor Who fan's personal collection.

Also, it makes for excellent bathroom reading. :D

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

For any true fan, and even those that might not be so devoted, of the Doctor this book is a wonderful compendium of the Doctors exploits over time(pun intended). Quite a bit of new knowledge for those that might not have delved into the details of the behind-the-scenes info regarding the doctor.

[Lance Lumley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers all of the first doctors on the tv show before the cancellation of the show. The author gives a great history of the start of the show, and then adds plot summaries and his commentary on the episodes, including the lost ones (where he uses magazines and other sources for the plot).
for an in depth review go to https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/201...