Doctor Who: The Handbook - The Fifth Doctor

Doctor Who: The Handbook #5

by David J. Howe, Stephen James Walker

When Peter Davison took over the part of the Doctor in 1982, he was already a familiar face on British television as the much-loved star of All Creatures Great and Small. Within a few months Davison had won acceptance for his sensitive portrayal and starred in some of the most adult and arguably best-written stories in the programme's history.

This book is an in-depth study of Peter Davison's tenure as the Doctor, including a profile of the actor, a critical summary of each story in which he starred, an extensive feature on the 20th anniversary special THE FIVE DOCTORS and much more. The authors have established their reputation with best-selling books such as THE SIXTIES and THE SEVENTIES, and their acclaimed work on the three previous books in the handbook range.

Genres: Doctor Who, Nonfiction, Reference, Tv

256 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 1994

Reviews

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing represents the love/hate relationship I have with the Howe/Stammers/Walker books more than this volume. It lurches from the sublime (the work on the history of "The Five Doctors" and various others aspects of series production from that era) to the tiresome (the cliched we-hate-the-80s reviews of the Davison episodes). It drives me crazy.

[Arthur B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first of two volumes which tackle the Eric Saward era of the show, with sufficient circumspectness to get quotes from him but a fairly clear idea of where script troubles crept in. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...

[Leonardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 1980s are generally acknowledged/perceived as the years of decline of the classic era of Doctor Who, and this book allows the reader to become immersed in the first period of those troubled years that, nevertheless, still achieved milestones in the show's history. Tom Baker's long tenure as the Fourth Doctor is still considered by many as the quintessential Doctor, and so Peter Davidson's Fifth Doctor had much to live up to. The book itself follows the same structure as previous handbooks in this series: quotes, general overview, summary of each episode, in-depth look at the 20th anniversary episode (The Five Doctors), the media, and the fandom. The authors do not hide the fact that the show was (or was perceived to be) in decline, both in terms of budget and creativity, and issues of style over content are common throughout the book. Nevertheless, they also remind us that it also was the era where Doctor Who conventions really kicked off (including the massively-attended, if chaotic, convention at Longleat), and that the show was still quite popular, both in UK and other countries. Although the Doctor himself may seem less astounding than other doctors and his companions are unlikely to ever be included in most top ten lists, the show itself included some memorable stories, including Eartshock and The Caves of Androzani.

[Paul Doody · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Howe and Co have written an excellent book about the Peter Davison era of Doctor Who, 1982-4, looking at how the programme was made at this time. Howe's research is always excellent and this is an engrossing read.