This short monograph by Michael Herbert was published in 2015. Herbert teaches history in Manchester and has written about other communist personages. He examines the career Malcolm Hulke and how his communist leanings influenced his Doctor Who writing.
Herbert provides a short overview of Hulke’s career and examines each of his Doctor Who contributions with a short synopsis. This was an interesting pamphlet and it made me wish there was a more expansive biography of this seminal Doctor Who writer.
Doctor Who The Complete History was a series of hardback volumes which came out every two weeks and covered 3-4 stories each. These were in-depth volumes covering the production of each episode from the first in 1963 to the end of the Peter Capaldi era of the show. In addition to the extensive production notes there were also merchandise and publicity updates and actor profiles. The quality of each volume was exceptional overseen by several different editors. The volumes were only available in the UK and Ireland so were difficult to obtain in other locations. I am more of a Watsonian fan but if you are a Doyalist you will greatly appreciate these books. Even so I give the entire series a solid 8 out of 10. I will rate each episode covered below.
The Crimson Horror was written by acclaimed Doctor Who stalwart Mark Gatiss. The story does not have the best of reputation but I quite enjoyed it. As always when the Paternoster Gang is featured the piece has a light hearted tone, The Doctor not making an appearance until well into the story. It was nice to see Dame Diana Rigg as the main villain along with a creepy worm like alien 7.5 out of 10.
Nightmare in Silver is another star turn of writer with Neil Gaiman making his second contribution to the series. This is another episode with a poor take by fandom as a whole. I have always liked companions that are not the typical cookie cutter variety and so liked the addition of Clara‘s two young charges Angie and Artie. Matt Smith makes the duel role of the cyberized Doctor and The Eleventh Doctor well played 7 out of 10.
The Name of the Doctor is not only a nice lead-in to the 50th anniversary special but also adds just about everything but the kitchen sink to the plot. We not only get The Doctor and Clara but also The Paternoster Gang and River Song as well. The final reveal of John Hurt as The War Doctor was a genuine surprise. The conclusion of the “Impossible Girl” plot thread was quite satisfying. The splinter Claras are a possible storyline that has been seen in one comic story but has the potential for many other outings. The vignettes with other Doctors and Clara splinters and The Eleventh Doctor’s final scene with River were definite highlights. 9 out of 10.
