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The Black Archive #76
Logopolis
Structure is the essence of matter, and the essence of structure is mathematics.’
Logopolis (1981) is a mournful epic of cosmic destruction, obsolescence and collapse. This Black Archive investigates the changes before and behind the camera, explores the story’s themes of entropy and rebirth, and places it in the context of a specific moment in the history of computing.
Jonathan Hay is the author of Science Fiction and Posthumanism in the Anthropocene. They lecture at the University of Chester.
Logopolis (1981) is a mournful epic of cosmic destruction, obsolescence and collapse. This Black Archive investigates the changes before and behind the camera, explores the story’s themes of entropy and rebirth, and places it in the context of a specific moment in the history of computing.
Jonathan Hay is the author of Science Fiction and Posthumanism in the Anthropocene. They lecture at the University of Chester.
- GenresDoctor Who
119 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 6, 2025
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/logopolis-by-jonathan-hay-and-christopher-h-bidmead/
Jonathan Hay’s Black Archive on Logopolis pays appropriate tribute to a story that marked a turning point in the show. At 119 pages it’s fairly brief. A brief introduction gives the context for the story in terms of the production history.
The first chapter, “Resetting the Scene”, looks at the changes to the show brought in by John Nathan-Turner, the scientific basis for the story, the reintroduction of the Master and the backgrounds of the two new companions.
The second and longest chapter, “Regeneration”, looks at the way regeneration is handled for both the Doctor and the Master, especially in Season 18 but also in later Doctor Who history.
The third chapter, “Entropy” looks at the concept of entropy and the character of the Watcher.
The fourth chapter, “Computers”, looks at the history of computers in reality, including the fact that the word used to mean a woman who does calculations, and the significance of Logopolis; it points out the importance of the computer-generated music. It’s not the longest chapter but I felt was intellectually the most substantial.
The fifth chapter, “The Singularity”, looks at the extent to which Logopolis anticipated Vernor Vinge.
The sixth chapter, “The TARDIS”, looks at the importance of the TARDIS as a plot element in Logopolis (though as I commented a few weeks ago, it’s actually interesting how often it had been a plot element in the show’s early history).
The conclusion, “‘It’s the end, but the moment has been prepared for'”, looks at the many ways in which the new Blu-ray edition of Logopolis improves on the original. It’s on my list…
Not the most ground-breaking of Black Archives, but as I said up top, a respectful and detailed analysis of an important story.
Jonathan Hay’s Black Archive on Logopolis pays appropriate tribute to a story that marked a turning point in the show. At 119 pages it’s fairly brief. A brief introduction gives the context for the story in terms of the production history.
The first chapter, “Resetting the Scene”, looks at the changes to the show brought in by John Nathan-Turner, the scientific basis for the story, the reintroduction of the Master and the backgrounds of the two new companions.
The second and longest chapter, “Regeneration”, looks at the way regeneration is handled for both the Doctor and the Master, especially in Season 18 but also in later Doctor Who history.
The third chapter, “Entropy” looks at the concept of entropy and the character of the Watcher.
The fourth chapter, “Computers”, looks at the history of computers in reality, including the fact that the word used to mean a woman who does calculations, and the significance of Logopolis; it points out the importance of the computer-generated music. It’s not the longest chapter but I felt was intellectually the most substantial.
The fifth chapter, “The Singularity”, looks at the extent to which Logopolis anticipated Vernor Vinge.
The sixth chapter, “The TARDIS”, looks at the importance of the TARDIS as a plot element in Logopolis (though as I commented a few weeks ago, it’s actually interesting how often it had been a plot element in the show’s early history).
The conclusion, “‘It’s the end, but the moment has been prepared for'”, looks at the many ways in which the new Blu-ray edition of Logopolis improves on the original. It’s on my list…
Not the most ground-breaking of Black Archives, but as I said up top, a respectful and detailed analysis of an important story.
Displaying 1 of 1 review