Book description
Fully updated in November 2011 to include Season 32. Now officially the
most popular drama on television, Doctor Who has seen many ups and downs
in its long and colourful history. From humble beginnings on 23 November
1963 to its cancellation in 1989 and eventual resurrection in 2005, the
show has always been a quintessential element of British popular
culture. The spine-chilling theme music, the multi-dimensional Tardis,
the evil metallic Daleks and the ever-changing face of the Doctor
himself have become trademarks of the programme's witty, eclectic house
style. Over the years Doctor Who has embraced such diverse genres as
science fiction, horror, westerns, history, romance, adventure and
comedy - but has never strayed from its first and most important remit:
telling damn good stories. Eleven Doctors, a multitude of companions,
and a veritable cornucopia of monsters and villains: Doctor Who has it
all. 'The children's own programme which adults adore,' said Gerard
Garrett in The Daily Sketch newspaper back in the early 1970s - and it's
still the perfect summation of the programme's unique charm.
This new, updated edition of the best-selling Pocket Essential guide
includes Season 32 first aired in September and October 2011, puts all
the Doctors under the microscope with facts, figures and opinions on
every Doctor Who story televised. There are sections on TV, radio,
cinema, stage and internet spin-offs, novels and audio adventures,
missing episodes, and an extensive website listing and bibliography.
Mark Campbell is theatre critic for The Kentish Times has written for
The Independent, Midweek and Crime Time, and is one of the main
contributors to the two-volume British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia.
He has produced a Pocket Essential on Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie
and Carry On Films. He is married with two children and lives in
Plumstead, South East London.
