Pocket Essentials: Doctor Who (2003)

Subject matter
This is a revised edition of a dense book covering each television story from An Unearthly Child through the Doctor Who TV Movie and brief notes on the Big Finish Audios and other spin-off media.

Publisher's summary
Almost everything you need to know in one essential guide

Who is Who? A Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey with two hearts and thirteen lives? A modern folk hero who entertained and enthralled us in the warm glow of our TV sets on dark winter evenings? A rebellious iconoclast who toppled corrupt dictatorships and freed the oppressed? Or a bumbling British eccentric who fought rubber monsters in a cheap and cheerful BBC kids' show?

The story of Doctor Who is the story of the hopes and fears of generations of children — and grown-ups too — from the counter-culture 60s via the halcyon days of the '70s, to the high-tech world of the 21st century. During its 40 year odyssey there are shock revelations, melodramatic cliffhangers and liberal doses of humour (intentional or otherwise). The legend began at 5.16pm on 23 November 1963 and despite no new TV stories since 1996, the Doctor Who phenomenon shows no sign of waning.

What's in this book? As well as an introductory essay, each Doctor's era is put under the microscope with facts, figures and informed opinion on all the TV stories. There's updated information on the Big Finish audio adventures, a list of spin-off outings on TV, radio, cinema and stage, and an in-depth reference section with a fascinating and bizarre assortment of Doctor Who websites.

Mark Campbell is a freelance writer and lifelong Doctor Who fan. He writes for The Independent, Crime Time, Sherlock and DVD Times and has also produced Pocket Essentials on Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie and Carry On Films. He is married with two children and lives in Plumstead, South East London.