Doctor Who: The Episode Guide (Pocket Essentials) [Hardcover]

Mark Campbell (Author), Kim Newman (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2011 | Series: Pocket Essentials

A new, updated edition puts all the Doctors under the microscope—including Matt Smith—with facts, figures and opinions on every Doctor Who story televised

 

Doctor Who has seen many ups and downs in its long and colorful history, and this guide tracks all of them. From humble beginnings in November 1963 to its cancellation in 1989 and eventual resurrection in 2005, Doctor Who has always been a quintessential element of sci-fi, and British popular culture. The spine-chilling theme music, the multidimensional Tardis, the evil metallic Daleks, and the ever-changing face of the Doctor himself have become trademarks of the program's witty, eclectic 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: the show has it all. This guide includes sections on TV, radio, cinema, stage, and internet spin-offs; novels and audio adventures; missing episodes; and an extensive website listing and bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Campbell is a theater critic who has written for Crime Time and the Independent and is one of the main contributors to the two-volume British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia. He has written the Pocket Essentials Agatha Christie, Carry On Films, and Sherlock Holmes. Kim Newman is a fiction writer and film critic who has won the Bram Stoker Award, the International Horror Guild Award, and the BSFA award. His titles include BFI TV Classics: Doctor Who and The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Essentials; Fifth edition edition (April 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842433555
• ISBN-13: 978-1842433553
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,108,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for everyone..., December 1, 2009

By 

Ian S. Tucker MD (Somers, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Doctor Who (Pocket Essential series) (Hardcover)

It might have been my fault...perhaps the description of the book was not full, or I didn't read it carefully enough. In any case, the sum total of this book is a listing of every episode's stars, music, author, etc. That's about it. Minimal or no story description or highlights. If you really need to know who directed an epidose in the twelfth season, then this is for you. If you don't care that much, then find a more interesting book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too much style, not enough substance, October 3, 2007

By 

John Liosatos (Crook County, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Doctor Who (Pocket Essential series) (Hardcover)

Mark Campbell brings us his fourth edition of his Doctor Who, Pocket Essentials guide. While looking better than his previous editions, due mainly to the hardcover with a bright, photo-adorned jacket, the substance is kind of disappointing. Don't judge a book by its cover. His first edition had more depth. In that first edition, he had a short paragraph on literary works or films that influenced each story. This paragraph has been removed, a pity because that was one of the aspects that separated his guide from others. Also removed was the paragraph on alternate titles for each story, not as big a loss, but a loss still. I'm assuming these sections were removed so Campbell could increase the type in this edition. Trust me; this was unnecessarily done.

Mr. Campbell falls into the trap of rating certain stories based on today's standards rather than the standards of the era in which it was made. For instance, under Web Planet he writes, "In 1965 this may have been a laudable attempt to create an alien world, but nowadays a huge suspension of disbelief is required". Well, duh! It was written in 1965. The technology for special effects in 1965 was not as advanced as it is today. You should realize that, Mr. Campbell.

Another baffler that plagues this book is that for Ghost Light, in his first edition, he rated it accurately when he gave it a 0/5 rating, a rating I totally agree with. Yet, in this current edition, in which his total ranking points have been upped from five to ten, Mr. Campbell gives Ghost Light 4/10. That left me scratching my head. Either Mark Campbell's opinion of the story improved over the seven years between editions, or he simply flunked the fractions section of math in school.

Lastly, Campbell shares the hypocrisy possessed by detractors of the Colin Baker era. Under Vengeance On Varos verdict section, he says, "The notorious acid bath scene, in which the Doctor makes a flippant comment after watching two men die hideous deaths, is deeply problematic". Perhaps. However, he mentions nothing about how in McCoy era's Remembrance Of The Daleks the Doctor manipulates Davros into destroying Skaro, with blatant disregard for any peaceful Thals still living on the planet. Isn't this "problematic", Mr. Campbell? Hypocritical? Very much so! At least the Colin Baker's Doctor never destroyed an entire world. The McCoy era gets away with acts for which the Colin Baker era is crucified by authors such as Mark Campbell.

However, all is not negative with this fourth edition. The look of this book is superb, at least on the outside. Also the inside cover is graced with a wonderful black & white photo of the Daleks marching on London, with Big Ben in the background. Campbell manages this extra size without rendering the book too bulky, thus keeping its status as a pocket reference guide. Also, there is a section on the episodes of the new series, up to and including The Runaway Bride, a two-page section on various Doctor Who reference books, and a two-page section on web sites geared toward Doctor Who. The section on the different Doctor Who spin-offs is expanded to include Attack of The Graske, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures from the new series.

All in all, despite the negatives, the fourth edition is a laudable effort, to use Mark Campbell's word. A bit of advice for your next edition, please lose your "verdict" section in favor of more factual info, such as the aforementioned sections that were removed. It's quite irksome seeing one of your favorite stories trashed with a 2/10 or 3/10 rating. The reason we purchase these guides is to relive the magic of Doctor Who, not to see our favorite stories ripped to shreds.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doctor Who, the Essentials... What a Great find!!!, November 21, 2007

By 

Timothy Keenan (Lng Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctor Who (Pocket Essential series) (Hardcover)

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.