The book is geared towards new fans coming on board with the new 60th anniversary specials. There is a good mixture of classic and NuWho entries providing a solid overview of the entire series. There are some omissions and inaccuracies included most likely because they are trying to streamline the entries to make sure new readers are not confused. Sara Kingdom is relegated to the status of a guest star and not a companion and the Delgado Master is referred to as the first incarnation of the Master and not the 13th. Some details were spot on with Liz being on the UNIT moon base as mentioned in an episode of the Sarah Jane Adventures as well as in the extended media. As with most of these reference books there is not mention of the extended media which is disappointing. The text is all written with an in-universe conceit. 8 out of 10 with the caveat that Who scholars will not find much they do not already know.
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.
We’ve reached the end of the Tom Baker era in televised Doctor Who with this volume covering his last four stories. State of Decay is another foray in E-space where the Doctor, Adric, K-9 and Romana face the last of the Great Vampires and his acolytes. We see some in-depth character exposition with Adric and his naivety concerning the vampires. A straightforward well paced story 8 out of 10.
Warriors’ Gate was confusing to much of the fandom but was a nice farewell story for Romana and K-9. Adric did not have much to do in the story understandably so with this being Romana’s departure narrative. There were some interesting concepts introduced that have been expanded on in the extended media. 7 out of 10.
The Keeper of Traken introduced one of the most underrated Doctor Who companions Nyssa ably portrayed by the wonderful and attractive actress Sarah Sutton. The combination of highly technological society mixed with a medieval feudal culture was captivating. It was nice seeing Anthony Ainley in a different role as Tremas and Geoffrey Beevers through his work in Big Finish has become my favorite incarnation of the Master. Sutton lights up the screen with her every appearance in the story, you can see why she was promoted from a one off guest character to a full time companion. 8 out of 10.
Logopolis was Tom Baker’s final episode and was a mediocre send off. The Watcher was a confusing addition to the story and I still to this day do not fully understand the need for the character both in universe and production wise. The highlight of the story for me was the interaction of The Doctor and Adric. It makes me wish we had more stories with just the two of them. The Fourth Doctor and Adric would have made a great TARDIS team. 8 out of 10.
Suzie Costello is a favorite Torchwood character for me despite the fact she only appeared in a couple of episodes of the series, a few audio adventures from Big Finish and a short story. Her character is very nuanced and well realized by actress Indira Varma. She was great in Game of Thrones and I am looking forward to her return in the new series with Ncuti Gatwa. The main characters DI Tom Cutler and Commander Elwood Jackson interact with Suzie in different ways but both realistically. Suzie’s character was very violent throughout most of the novel and it was unclear to me how much was due to the alien presence inside her or as was a part of her true nature. The love story between DI Cutler and Suzie was touching with the ending of the novel and Suzie’s partial redemption. 8 out of 10.
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 volume covers the end of the Sarah Jane Smith era with her last three stories in the classic series. The Seeds of Doom is a great six part story which starts on a remote base in Antarctica and then transitions to an estate back in England. The guest characters were memorable with special kudos going to John Challis as Scorby, Tony Beckley as Harrison Chase and Sylvia Coleridge as Amelia Ducat. The Doctor and Sarah Jane are at the height of their chemistry and their interactions are so smooth and nuanced to epitomize the best Doctor and companion relationship. There is some fan discord concerning The Doctor violently twisting Scorby’s neck but I felt it was within his character with what had transpired in the story. 9 out of 10.
The Hand of Fear is Sarah Jane’s swan song and her final story in the classic era. It was my least favorite story of the three covered in this volume. The story is fine just not very memorable until you get to the final moments of the final episode. The realization of Eldrad discovering the fate of his planet is well played and is a good commentary on revenge and retribution. The departure of Sarah Jane and her conversation with The Doctor is fantastic and was ad-libbed in part by Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen. 7 out of 10.
Dancing with the Doctor by Lorna Jowett delves into how gender influences stories, showrunners and characters, including the Doctors themselves, and their female and male companions.
The book is quite detailed in its analysis of gender in the Doctor Who universe both within the fiction and behind the scenes. It is broken down into sections with topics covering the Doctors themselves as well as companions and guest characters.. The showrunners are also discussed with behind the scenes decision making high-lighted. The analysis for the most part is spot on with its interpretations and opinions. The detail is quite impressive with even short-lived characters like Suzie Costello analyzed. 7 out of 10.
