Doctor Who : A Cultural History

A look at the entire history of Doctor Who for avid fans who want to better understand the history and societal impact of their favorite show. This is an exploration of the characters and their development, political and social themes, and the power of a cult-favorite show to move society into the future for more than 60 years.

A nostalgic journey through sixty years of the cult-favorite television series Doctor Who and its cultural impact.

From its first airing in the immediate wake of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Doctor Who has been a fascinating portal through which viewers observe changing times and standards. For over sixty years it has told the story of not just the central protagonist, the Doctor, but also of humanity. To understand the Doctor is to understand ourselves through the eyes of a stranger.

In Doctor Who: A Cultural History, Graham Gibson highlights the incredible impact of the long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who on television by guiding readers through the show’s history and evolution to remain a fixture of popular culture for over six decades. Investigating a range of topics from religion and politics to gender and technology and even the very nature of good and evil, Gibson demonstrates how the show reflects our society, sometimes showing a powerful prescience, sometimes not. Beginning with the first Doctor through to the fifteenth, this book covers everything from fan-favorite Doctors played by David Tennant and Matt Smith to the introduction of the first female and Black Doctors, respectively, as well as iconic lore such as the Tardis’s origins, the Doctor’s essential companions, and key foes from the Daleks to the Master.

A fun and informative look at one of science fiction’s most enduring shows, Doctor Who: A Cultural History is perfectly balanced for avid fans who want to better understand the history and societal impact of their favorite show while reliving the Doctor’s best moments throughout time and space.