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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By J. Betts
Format:Paperback
An extremely well-written book that covers each episode in real detail. The authors clearly have a love for the subject matter, but are not afriad to admit to it's failings - consequently over-the-top acting and dodgy special effects come in for some very funny (and often deserved) criticsm.
The book divides each episode into sections including a summary of the companions and villains, how the episode fits into Doctor Who's 'Lore' continuity, analysis and a critique. I found myself skipping the sections on planets and monsters as the detail was a little over-whelming, but the layout allows you to pick and choose the parts that interest the reader. Consequently I can see myself returning and would consider that re-read value is high.
Overall, I would consider that the book is an invaluable purchase for fans!
The book divides each episode into sections including a summary of the companions and villains, how the episode fits into Doctor Who's 'Lore' continuity, analysis and a critique. I found myself skipping the sections on planets and monsters as the detail was a little over-whelming, but the layout allows you to pick and choose the parts that interest the reader. Consequently I can see myself returning and would consider that re-read value is high.
Overall, I would consider that the book is an invaluable purchase for fans!
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Sarcosuchus
Format:Paperback
This is the perfect companion to re-watching (and re-enjoying) old eps of Doctor Who. Miles and Wood - though undoubtedly fanboys - are careful to make sure that their guide to the Doctor Who universe doesn't scare off outsiders, and is accessible and interesting throughout. The masterstroke here is placing each story in the wider cultural context it emerged from, so we see 70s trends - robots, Kung-Fu, Star Wars - as well as 70s politics - filter through the series as it enters the period widely acknowledged as its golden era.
A few criticisms - this is, at heart, a fanzine, albeit a beautifully produced one, and as such has retained some of the less-likable traits of sc-fi fandom. The most annoying of these, to me, was a strand of pseudery most evident in an essay on the philosophical ethics of the show, which seeks to find Utilitarian themes in "Robot", Tom Baker's debut story (really). The authors seem less sure of their philosophy than their TV history, yet seem determined to brazen it out. Fortunately, this is right at the start, and this lapse into the didactic is never repeated. So what we're left with, for the most part, is a fun, enjoyable, interesting, engaging and thorough (Lord, is it thorough!) discussion of the themes and preoccupations of everyone's favourite TV show. It's also very funny - I laughed out loud more than once.
Oh, and Star Trek is regularly dissed, too, which can only be for the good.
A few criticisms - this is, at heart, a fanzine, albeit a beautifully produced one, and as such has retained some of the less-likable traits of sc-fi fandom. The most annoying of these, to me, was a strand of pseudery most evident in an essay on the philosophical ethics of the show, which seeks to find Utilitarian themes in "Robot", Tom Baker's debut story (really). The authors seem less sure of their philosophy than their TV history, yet seem determined to brazen it out. Fortunately, this is right at the start, and this lapse into the didactic is never repeated. So what we're left with, for the most part, is a fun, enjoyable, interesting, engaging and thorough (Lord, is it thorough!) discussion of the themes and preoccupations of everyone's favourite TV show. It's also very funny - I laughed out loud more than once.
Oh, and Star Trek is regularly dissed, too, which can only be for the good.
5.0 out of 5 stars
That's the empty rhetoric of a defeated dictator and, anyway, I don't like your face
1 May 2013
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The About Time series is a tremendous work of scholarship concerning Doctor Who. Funny, opinionated and keen to place the series in the context of the real world in which it was made these book are a constant source of enjoyment that I return to again and again. This volume concerns the first six seasons of Tom Baker's era. The author's are not content to regurgitate the conventions of fan favorites and readers may be surprised at which stories get a bit of a kicking and those which are praised. A truly comprehensive guide to the era and pretty much an essential read for any keen Who fan
Format:Paperback
If you are looking for a well educated opinion on the early Tom Baker Era, this is the book for you. These books are laid out well and give a pretty definitive view of seasons 12 to 17.
The conclusions reached about most episodes are well balanced, I do not agree with all points as set out but us who fans all have our own theories.
Overall this is a great read, and I found it hard to put down.
Highly recommended!
The conclusions reached about most episodes are well balanced, I do not agree with all points as set out but us who fans all have our own theories.
Overall this is a great read, and I found it hard to put down.
Highly recommended!
3 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Bob Marlowe
Format:Paperback
This is a fairly weighty tome from the guys who used to do popular Dr Who magazine The Frame.
The information to the stories from all of Tom Baker's stories barring his last season is pretty detailed and much seems definitive. If You're a fan there will inevitably be stuff that you already know but for each few bits of stuff I knew, there were nuggets like Micheal Wisher being a late choice for Davros & a discussion about which type of the children's play muck "slime" was to be used to make a cheap mutant (this happened during Destiny of the Daleks). There is a short review titled a "critique" at the end of each story's entry and the writers wisely stick to their own opinions and defend their viewpoints, some of which are against so-called established classics. Even when they were dissing my favourite story (The Deadly Assassin), I found what they had to say interesting. Some stories like "Deadly", see the writers fight it out with both a prosecution and a defence.
There are sidebars exploring chronology between stories and continuity issues that are done with humour and no where near as anoraky as the "Star Trek Nitpicker" tomes of Phil Farrand.
Their observation that Davros and Nyder have a touch of Smithers and Burns from the Simpsons gives you an idea of how funny they can be.
A strongly recommended book.
The information to the stories from all of Tom Baker's stories barring his last season is pretty detailed and much seems definitive. If You're a fan there will inevitably be stuff that you already know but for each few bits of stuff I knew, there were nuggets like Micheal Wisher being a late choice for Davros & a discussion about which type of the children's play muck "slime" was to be used to make a cheap mutant (this happened during Destiny of the Daleks). There is a short review titled a "critique" at the end of each story's entry and the writers wisely stick to their own opinions and defend their viewpoints, some of which are against so-called established classics. Even when they were dissing my favourite story (The Deadly Assassin), I found what they had to say interesting. Some stories like "Deadly", see the writers fight it out with both a prosecution and a defence.
There are sidebars exploring chronology between stories and continuity issues that are done with humour and no where near as anoraky as the "Star Trek Nitpicker" tomes of Phil Farrand.
Their observation that Davros and Nyder have a touch of Smithers and Burns from the Simpsons gives you an idea of how funny they can be.
A strongly recommended book.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
About Time 1975-1979 Seasons 12 to 17 (About Time; The Unauthorized Guide to Dr. Who (Mad Norwegian Press))
29 Dec 2010
By Peter Mayhew
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased these for my Daughters Christmas present and she loves them. I did have to change a couple of the set that I purchased as the corners were badly damaged during delivery but they were exchanged by Amazon with out any bother. Delivery was as usual for Amazon, well on time.
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