Doctor Who

TV Milestones

by Jim Leach

Doctor Who, the iconic British science-fiction series following a time-traveling alien scientist, was first broadcast November 23, 1963, on BBC Television. Though modestly conceived and produced, its depiction of the alien but strangely human "Doctor" proved to be such a commercial success that the program was shown in more than forty countries over twenty-six seasons—from 1963 to 1989—and returned successfully to television in 2005. In Doctor Who, Jim Leach explores the reasons behind the original series’ popularity and the ways it evolved during its long run.

Leach analyzes in detail seven representative episodes from the original run of the series to trace the development of the seven "regenerations" of the main character by different actors. In addition to detailing each actor’s contribution to the role, he also tackles such issues as the show’s self-reflexivity, its attitude toward science and technology, and its generic mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Leach considers Doctor Who as a "fantastic" text, with its concept of regeneration and the complex experience of time that evolved during its run. He also looks at the series’ manipulation of the medium of television and its broader cultural influences and implications. Leach concludes with a section that looks at the continuities and differences found in the new series.

Doctor Who is an accessible and intriguing guide to one of the most popular series in television history. Film and television studies scholars, fans of the show, and general readers interested in popular cultural studies will enjoy this enlightening volume.

Genres: Doctor Who

120 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2009

About the author

Jim Leach is professor emeritus in the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film at Brock University. He is the author of books on filmmakers Alain Tanner and Claude Jutra, as well as the author of British Film and Film in Canada. He has also published a monograph on Doctor Who (Wayne State University Press, 2009), co-edited a volume on Canadian documentary films, and developed a Canadian edition of an introductory film studies textbook.

Reviews

[Shane Birley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book. If you are a Doctor Who fan, this is worth a look.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I enjoy the books which are essentially celebrations of Doctor Who, my preference is for books which view the show with a critical eye, such as this one. Though small (it only clocks in at about 100 pages), the focus is tight and the critique is stellar. Author Jim Leach takes a look at the show from its very beginnings to the current day, analyzing it with regards to such themes as the use of "regeneration" as a concept which allowed the show to survive past the departure of the lead actor (and gave it the ability to change and evolve over time), as well as the show's textual use of, and commentary upon, television itself. Each theme is discussed in the context of a specific story from each of the classic series Doctors (and a final one centered on the new series), in a way that makes the point and keeps the subject matter refreshing.

A keen, insightful and laudatory look what Doctor Who means, and how that meaning has changed over the ages. Well worth reading!

[Jamieson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The TV Milestones series looks at and analyzes popular TV shows (24, Gilligan's Island, X-Files, etc). This one focuses on Doctor Who and looks at a serial from each of the first seven Doctors plus a little bit of the New Series in an attempt to explain the show's popularity and longevity. The Serials examined are: An Unearthly Child, The Evil of the Daleks, The Daemons, City of Death, The Five Doctors, Vengeance on Varos and The Curse of Fenric. It's a short, interesting read, but as the Gilligan's Island book, it's more academic in tone and not terribly engaging. Still, fans may enjoy the analysis and the casual viewer may be interested in seeing what the show is all about. That said, there are much better books out there if one wants to get a feel for the show and/or an account of its history.

[John Ortega · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book offers a fair amount of information concerning the Doctor from the beginning in 1963 to the Russell T. Davies pick-up in 2005.

I liked this because it gave me a fair amount of history surrounding the world outside of Doctor Who that have been a influences for some of the different choices made in the show over the years. Good for any fan to read through!

[Benjamin Fasching-Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me feel less stupid about loving this ridiculous show.