Brief Guide to Doctor Who

by Mark Campbell

Book Overview

From humble beginnings in November 1963, Doctor Who has become a quintessential element of popular culture. With a comprehensive guide to every episode, Mark Campbell puts the show under the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1849015872
• ISBN13: 9781849015875
• Release Date: January 2011
• Publisher: Robinson Publishing
• Length: 257 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Doctor Who the Complete Guide is my guide to understanding the Doctor :)

The format is easy to follow. A quick play by play of each episode content with a "behind the scenes" look at production, direction, cast, costumes and set construction. A must have read especially in retrospect with the earlier seasons of Doctor Who.

Doctor Who, the Essentials... What a Great find!!!

Well, being from the USA, Doctor Who was never broadcast over here until the rereuns hit us. Being over 30, I can remember seeing some of the shows on various PBS stations. I have now become a lover of Doctor Who, and any merchandise I can acquire ... fantastic. This book, The pocket Essential, is the blow by blow of the whole series! (I own the original, autographed copy with a forward by the 4th Doctor, Tom Baker.) It has loads of info about each episode, the classic series,and the new series, too, plus the authors critique on each. If you get the chance to get this book, do it. It IS Essential for any true Doctor Who fan.

Fulfills Promise

This convenient slim volume fulfills its promise - a basic overview that covers the essential elements of each show. While the author's reviews (or "verdicts") can seem a bit didactic, they always entertain. More importantly, Campbell delivers a fitting addition to this series of paperbacks: succinct, thorough, and easy to carry along on shopping trips. Could anyone have written this? Probably not. It's too short for sloppy writing. This type of brevity takes hard work!

A Joy to Read

I would just like to say how much I am enjoying reading "Pocket Essentials TV: Doctor Who". I like the unofficial style, which gives the bad points as well as the good. I'm currently mid-way through the Jon Pertwee section, and am finding it thoroughly enjoyable. I've recommended the book to many people. Overall the book gets a groundbreaking 10 out of 10.

Essential Doctor Who Guide

Mark Campbell (editor of the definitive Doctor Who fanzine "Skonnos") is the perfect companion in this brief but pithy guide to the series. Always intelligent and never suffering from the fannishness that cripples so much Who-related material. We have an introductory essay, breakdowns of the storylines, an exhaustive reference section and an informed guide to further books, magazines and videos, along with spin-offs and websites. The series is called Pocket Essentials: this one really is.

Excellent Reference Guide to Popular BBC TV Show

After an introduction tracing the history of Doctor Who through all the character's incarnations this book offers a story by story analysis spanning the full 26 years of the TV series plus the 1996 Paul McGann TV movie. Also covered are the excellent new audio adventures from Big Finish and some less "canonical" items such as the Rowan Atkinson "Red Nose Day" skit. One worthwhile and suggestive feature for each story is a section on "influences". A useful cross-reference to related stories within the series itself is also included. Perhaps the book's greatest interest lies in the overall assessment of the various stories, which are awarded marks out of 5. There is certainly no slavish following of orthodox views here: a number of generally accepted "classic" stories receive something of a hammering while others gain perhaps unexpected boosts in their relative rankings. However much one may dissent from some of the author's verdicts he does state his reasons for them and it is refreshing to see a different perspective on the stories. A future edition could usefully include a list of Doctor Who's "missing episodes" and inevitably there are one or two minor slips which do not however detract from the value of the book. Although aimed primarily at relative newcomers to the programme, this little volume contains much that will be enjoyed (if not always agreed with!) by more seasoned fans and deserves to be read by all, whatever their level of knowledge, with an interest in Doctor Who.