KOOL TV REVIEW: 'DOCTOR WHO: THE DOCTOR - HIS LIVES AND TIMES' BOOK

"Splendid fellows- all of them!" are celebrated in THE DOCTOR: HIS LIVES AND TIMES. Image: BBC BOOKS.

DOCTOR WHO: THE DOCTOR - HIS LIVES AND TIMES

By James Goss and Steve Tribe

Published by BBC BOOKS

Available from 26^th September (Hardback £20)

Reviewed by Scott Weller

“Doctor who?”

Thirty-years ago this November, The Master, the sworn enemy of the world’s number one sci-fi TV hero DOCTOR WHO, commented that a universe without his nemesis for good scarcely bore thinking about. As the series enters its incredible Fiftieth Anniversary, I’d say he was more than right-the show and its constantly regenerating galactic saviour of the most unusual kind, have entered the universal language of storytelling in the same way as other mythic heroes like Sherlock Holmes, James Bond and Robin Hood.

Weaving themselves around his past, present and future all over again, and following up their work last year with the deservedly acclaimed WHO nostalgia piece: A History of the Universe in 100 Objects, James Goss and Steve Tribe return to bring their unique perspectives to the Doctor and his travels through time and space in another superior package for BBC BOOKS: THE DOCTOR - HIS LIVES AND TIMES, showing us all just how much better the universe is with his far-reaching, occasionally extravagant, yet also Cosmic Hobo presence.

Meticulously fusing modern and classic series WHO in such a pleasing way, this is a treasure trove scrapbook seen through the eyes of the countless lives, across millennia and light years that his eleven (so far) personas have affected, amidst marvellous linking themes of events and characters from half a century of adventure, within all manner of written form, especially first hand fictional accounts outlined by many of the shows equally iconic companions (seen via their journals or other personal types of recollection) alongside ingenious artistic media: everything from company memos and business cards from friend and foe organizations and technologists, to Wish you Were Here-esque holiday postcards and memoirs, schematics, Twitter entries, specially created paintings, book covers, and even fake listings for 1970’s UK TV channels that never existed! Maps of locations and planetary systems, newspaper recreations of key events past, present and future, even comic strips and advertisements, are amongst the many new and wonderful compositions stylishly brought together, alongside well-known, influential historical figures dotted throughout every incarnation of the series- from Earth and beyond…

Likely having been a long time in the compiling, and beautifully designed (alongside the BBC Picture Archive, digging ever further to find deliciously rare photo material!), Goss and Tribe’s imaginations have the time of their lives showing us things/events that we either never got to see, happening off-air between seasons, or mentioned barely fleetingly, but nonetheless lingering potently enough to capture our imaginations, like the UK court trial of the Master with the then Earth-exiled Third Doctor, or plucky investigative reporter Sarah Jane Smith’s look into the many alien phenomenon that have either influenced Earth’s destiny or attacked it beyond her work for the Metropolitanmagazine. There’s also Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart’s take on his infamous “Scientific Advisor” and the tumultuous times and threats the UNIT organization faced with sometimes baffled but always resilient determination under his command.

Beyond the time his white-haired, gentleman of the universe incarnation and his affectionate grand-daughter “appropriated” a rackety old TARDIS from an ignorant repair shop on the legendary planet of Gallifrey, to a coming soon distant future encountering past incarnations of himself in a universe in flames, and at war, via his long-time nemeses, the true stuff of nightmares- the Daleks, there’s also an exploration of the skill in bringing the fantasy to reality over the years, featuring rare interview quotes from the cast and crew that bring additional depth and warmth to the celebrations, plus key contributors talking about their favourite stories and episodes, including Patrick Troughton’s grandson Henry Melling, Third, Fourth and Sixth Doctor companions Katy Manning, Lalla Ward and Nicola Bryant, Fifth Doctor Peter Davison (the one with the fair hair and “the open face!”) and the series all-round finest talent: writer and script editor, Terrance Dicks. Plus a nice little preview of the aforementioned upcoming The Day of the Doctor Anniversary Special, too!

Still incredible to me that there is so much more to be creatively mined and enjoyed from the series, THE DOCTOR - HIS LIVES AND TIMES is a gorgeous and satisfying book that I truly recommend to fans of all ages. If any WHOvian out there has this as a birthday present on 23^rdNovember, I suggest it comes with additional icing and a lit candle attached in order to further enhance its continuing importance in pop culture!

KOOL TV RATING: An impossible life for a man who, regardless, is showing his age well, in this lively and winning tribute-so evocative, I could image Jon Pertwee’s action dandy incarnation enthusiastically sitting down to read it with an accompanying tray of Gorgonzola Cheese and a bottle of red wine!

256 pages of spirited joy well-worth putting down some of that Queen Elizabeth-faced poundage on… 4 out of 5

Get hold of the book here: Doctor Who: The Doctor - His Lives and Times Dr Who: Amazon.co.uk: James Goss, Steve Tribe: Books