A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television

A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television
Author :
Publisher : McFarland
Total Pages : 504
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780786437160
ISBN-13 : 0786437162
Rating : 4/5 (60 Downloads)

Book Synopsis A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television by : John Kenneth Muir

Download or read book A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television written by John Kenneth Muir and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2007-10-19 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since its inception in November 1963, the British science fiction television series Doctor Who has exerted an enormous impact on the world of science fiction (over 1,500 books have been written about the show). The series follows the adventures of a mysterious "Time Lord" from the distant planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space to fight evil and injustice. Along the way, he has visited Rome under the rule of Nero, played backgammon with Kublai Khan, and participated in the mythic gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Predating the Star Trek phenomenon by three years, Doctor Who seriously dealt with continuing characters, adult genre principles and futuristic philosophies. Critical and historical examinations of the ideas, philosophies, conceits and morals put forth in the Doctor Who series, which ran for 26 seasons and 159 episodes, are provided here. Also analyzed are thematic concepts, genre antecedents, the overall cinematography and the special effects of the long-running cult favorite. The various incarnations of Doctor Who, including television, stage, film, radio, and spin-offs are discussed. In addition, the book provides an extensive listing of print, Internet, and fan club resources for Doctor Who.

A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television

A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television
Author :
Publisher : McFarland
Total Pages : 504
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781476604541
ISBN-13 : 1476604541
Rating : 4/5 (41 Downloads)

Book Synopsis A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television by : John Kenneth Muir

Download or read book A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television written by John Kenneth Muir and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-09-15 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since its inception in November 1963, the British science fiction television series Doctor Who has exerted an enormous impact on the world of science fiction (over 1,500 books have been written about the show). The series follows the adventures of a mysterious "Time Lord" from the distant planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space to fight evil and injustice. Along the way, he has visited Rome under the rule of Nero, played backgammon with Kublai Khan, and participated in the mythic gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Predating the Star Trek phenomenon by three years, Doctor Who seriously dealt with continuing characters, adult genre principles and futuristic philosophies. Critical and historical examinations of the ideas, philosophies, conceits and morals put forth in the Doctor Who series, which ran for 26 seasons and 159 episodes, are provided here. Also analyzed are thematic concepts, genre antecedents, the overall cinematography and the special effects of the long-running cult favorite. The various incarnations of Doctor Who, including television, stage, film, radio, and spin-offs are discussed. In addition, the book provides an extensive listing of print, Internet, and fan club resources for Doctor Who.

Timeless Adventures

Timeless Adventures
Author :
Publisher : Oldacastle Books
Total Pages : 250
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781843441571
ISBN-13 : 1843441578
Rating : 4/5 (71 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Timeless Adventures by : Brian Robb

Download or read book Timeless Adventures written by Brian Robb and published by Oldacastle Books. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An expanded edition of the critical history of Doctor Who covering the series' 45 years, from creation to triumphant rebootOpening with an in-depth account of the creation of the series in the early 1960s, each decade of the show is tackled through a unique political and pop cultural historical viewpoint, exploring the links between contemporary Britain and the stories Doctor Who told, and how such links kept the show popular with a mass television audience. This book reveals how Doctor Who is at its strongest when it reflects the political and cultural concerns of a mass audience (the 1960s, 1970s, and 21st Century), and at its weakest when catering to a narrow fan-based audience (as in the 1980s). Chapters range from discussions on the cultural and political relevance of Doctor Who monsters like the Daleks (based on lingering wartime fears) and the Cybermen (1960s spare part replacement surgery), through to themes like energy and the environment in the 1970s (Doctor Who stories tackled big real-life themes in a fantasy format and so connected with a mass audience). The book also addresses the cancellation of the show in the late 1980s (following the series becoming increasing self-obsessed) and the ways in which a narrowly-focused dedicated fandom contributed to the show's demise and yet was also instrumental in its regeneration for the 21st century under Russell T. Davies, and analyzes the new series to reveal what has made it so popular, reflecting real world issues like consumerism and dieting.

A Critical History of Television's The Twilight Zone, 1959-1964

A Critical History of Television's The Twilight Zone, 1959-1964
Author :
Publisher : McFarland
Total Pages : 289
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781476610382
ISBN-13 : 147661038X
Rating : 4/5 (82 Downloads)

Book Synopsis A Critical History of Television's The Twilight Zone, 1959-1964 by : Don Presnell

Download or read book A Critical History of Television's The Twilight Zone, 1959-1964 written by Don Presnell and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-07-11 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rod Serling's anthology series The Twilight Zone is recognized as one of the greatest television shows of all time. Always intelligent and thought-provoking, the show used the conventions of several genres to explore such universal qualities as violence, fear, prejudice, love, death, and individual identity. This comprehensive reference work gives a complete history of the show, from its beginning in 1959 to its final 1964 season, with critical commentaries, incisive analyses, and the most complete listing of casts and credits ever published. Biographical profiles of writers and contributors are included, followed by detailed appendices, bibliography and index.

Doctor Who in Time and Space

Doctor Who in Time and Space
Author :
Publisher : McFarland
Total Pages : 299
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780786465491
ISBN-13 : 0786465492
Rating : 4/5 (91 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Doctor Who in Time and Space by : Gillian I. Leitch

Download or read book Doctor Who in Time and Space written by Gillian I. Leitch and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2013-03-20 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of fresh essays addresses a broad range of topics in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, both old (1963-1989) and new (2005-present). The book begins with the fan: There are essays on how the show is viewed and identified with, fan interactions with each other, reactions to changes, the wilderness years when it wasn't in production. Essays then look at the ways in which the stories are told (e.g., their timeliness, their use of time travel as a device, etc.). After discussing the stories and devices and themes, the essays turn to looking at the Doctor's female companions and how they evolve, are used, and changed by their journey with the Doctor.

Doctor Who and History

Doctor Who and History
Author :
Publisher : McFarland
Total Pages : 223
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781476629810
ISBN-13 : 1476629811
Rating : 4/5 (10 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Doctor Who and History by : Carey Fleiner

Download or read book Doctor Who and History written by Carey Fleiner and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2017-07-19 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Sydney Newman conceived the idea for Doctor Who in 1963, he envisioned a show in which the Doctor and his companions would visit and observe, but not interfere with, events in history. That plan was dropped early on and the Doctor has happily meddled with historical events for decades. This collection of new essays examines how the Doctor's engagement with history relates to Britain's colonial past, nostalgia for village life, Norse myths, alternate history, and the impact of historical decisions on the present.

Ruminations, Peregrinations, and Regenerations

Ruminations, Peregrinations, and Regenerations
Author :
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages : 399
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781443821032
ISBN-13 : 1443821039
Rating : 4/5 (32 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Ruminations, Peregrinations, and Regenerations by : Christopher J. Hansen

Download or read book Ruminations, Peregrinations, and Regenerations written by Christopher J. Hansen and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2010-03-08 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Peregrinations, Ruminations, and Regenerations: A Critical Approach to Doctor Who examines the famous BBC science fiction show as a cultural artifact in dialogue with other science fiction, with politics and religion, and with the culture at large, both in terms of how it reflects and comments upon that culture and in terms of the audience and the peculiarities of its response. This book enables researchers in film and media to make historical, industrial, aesthetic, and ideological connections between and among Doctor Who and other shows and historical events since its inception in 1963. This volume is a new entry in a relatively new area. As the young fans of Doctor Who have matured, and as many have become scholars, they are returning to the show to consider it from a scholarly perspective. It is also of use in the media studies classroom to address directly the issues presented by the longest running science fiction show in the history of the medium. Peregrinations, Ruminations, and Regenerations considers not only cultural ramifications and connections, but audience studies as well.