Premiering the day after the JFK assassination, Doctor Who humbly
launched one of the entertainment world's first super-brands. We begin
with a look at TV programming of the day and the original pitch
documents before delving into the Daleks, which almost didn't make the
cut but inspired many monsters to follow. After three years, First
Doctor William Hartnell left, prompting the BBC to recast their hit
rather than end it, giving us the first "regeneration" and making TV
history. We follow the succession of Doctors--including Third Doctor Jon
Pertwee, exiled to Earth and targeted by the Master--and see how the
program reflected the feminism of the 1970s while gaining mainstream
popularity with Fourth Doctor Tom Baker . . . until declining support
from the BBC eventually led to cancelation. Fan outcry saved the series
only for it to suffer a repeat cancelation. Yet many continued to enjoy
the Whoniverse in syndication, novels, audio dramas, and Doctor Who
Magazine. Paul McGann impressed many as the Eighth Doctor in a 1996 TV
movie, but it failed to reignite the series. A new age dawned in 2005
with Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston and a serious special effects
budget before Tenth Doctor David Tennant helped rocket the series to
international popularity and a new era of spinoffs. With Eleventh Doctor
Matt Smith, the show became a bona fide success here in America.
Following the program's fiftieth anniversary, Whovians will meet the
Twelfth Doctor, ushering in yet another era for the unstoppable Time
Lord.Featuring discussions of concepts and characters, with insights
from producers, writers, and actors from across the years, here is a
rich, behind-the-camera investigation into the dazzling multiverse of
Doctor Who.
