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[[File:About_time_vol_1.jpg|thumb|202px|The cover of the first volume in the series.]]
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'''About Time''' is a series of reference books written by [[Tat Wood]] and [[Lawrence Miles]], which has been billed as the largest single work of reference on ''[[Doctor Who]]''. The series currently features six volumes, although the publisher - [[Mad Norwegian Press]] - have confirmed that a seventh volume has been commissioned.
{{real world}}
{{Infobox Merchandise
|image        = About Time 1.jpg
|aka          =
|designer    =
|publisher    = Mad Norwegian Press
|type        = Reference books
|price        =
|release date = [[2004 (releases)|2004]]-present
}}
'''About Time''' is a series of reference books written by [[Tat Wood]] and [[Lawrence Miles]] (with additional material by [[Lars Pearson]] and contributions by [[Dorothy Ail]] and [[Robert Shearman]]), billed as the largest single work of reference on ''[[Doctor Who]]''. According to the publishers, the series stands at 1.7 million words. The series currently features nine volumes, the first six covering the run from 1963 to 1989, plus the 1996 Movie, and the latter three covering the run of stories from ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'' to ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]''.


==Publisher's summary==
== Publisher's summary ==
In <i>About Time</i>, the whole of classic Doctor Who is examined through the lens of the real-world social and political changes — as well as ongoing developments in television production — that influenced the series in ways big and small over the course of a generation. Armed with these guidebooks, readers will be able to cast their minds back to 1975, 1982 and other years to best appreciate the series’ content and character.
In ''About Time'', the whole of classic ''Doctor Who'' is examined through the lens of the real-world social and political changes — as well as ongoing developments in television production — that influenced the series in ways big and small over the course of a generation. Armed with these guidebooks, readers will be able to cast their minds back to 1975, 1982 and other years to best appreciate the series' content and character.


==Subject matter==
== Subject matter ==
A critical and cultural analysis of every televised Doctor Who story up to ''[[Survival]]'', as well as the [[TV Movie]]. (The seventh volume will feature the [[Ninth Doctor]] and an unconfirmed number of [[Tenth Doctor]] serials.) Areas of examination include production notes; logical flaws in the story; detailed catalogues of facts about planets, alien races, the Doctor, the TARDIS and the companions; and an attempt to examine where each story came from, and why each was made in the contemporary cultural climate of [[Great Britain]] and [[Earth]].
A critical and cultural analysis of every televised ''Doctor Who'' story up to [[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]], as well as the [[Peter Cushing]] films, assorted one-off specials, and ''[[The TV Movie]]''. Areas of examination include production notes; logical flaws in the story; detailed catalogues of facts about planets, alien races, the Doctor, the TARDIS and the companions; and an attempt to examine where each story came from, and why each was made in the contemporary cultural climate of [[Great Britain]] and [[Earth]].


==Notable features==
== Notable features ==
* Each story is broken down into many segments, including: ''Which One Is This?'' (very brief introduction, as the writers eschewed dense plot summaries), ''Firsts and Lasts'', ''Continuity'' - encompassing ''The Doctor'', ''The TARDIS'', ''The Time Lords'', ''The Supporting Cast'', ''The Supporting Cast (Evil)'', ''Planet Notes'', ''Non-Humans'' and ''History'' -, ''Where Did This Come From?'', ''Things That Don't Make Sense'', ''Critique'' (often divided into ''Prosection'' and ''Defence''), ''Facts'' (writer, director, ratings, guest cast and list of cliffhangers) and ''The Lore'' (behind-the-scenes notes).


*Each story is broken down into many segments, including: '''Which One Is This?''' (very brief introduction, as the writers eschewed dense plot summaries), '''Firsts and Lasts''', '''The Doctor''', '''The TARDIS''', '''The Time Lords''', '''The Supporting Cast''', '''The Supporting Cast (Evil)''', '''Planet Notes''', '''Other Races''', '''Timeline''', '''Where Did This Come From?''', '''Things That Don't Make Sense''', '''Critique''' (often divided into '''Prosection''' and '''Defence'''), '''Facts''' (writer, director, ratings, guest cast and list of cliffhangers) and '''The Lore''' (behind-the-scenes notes).
* Complementing most serial entries are essays on a number of topics, such as timelines for [[Dalek]]s, [[Cybermen]], [[UNIT]] and the [[Earth Empire]]; the science of [[regeneration]], [[Gallifreyan history]] and [[time travel]], sexual relationships between members of [[the TARDIS]] crew, the absence of [[Torchwood Institute|Torchwood]] from the [[UNIT]] stories, and examinations of why the [[BBC]] and the production team made the decisions they did.


* Complementing most serial entries are essays on a number of topics, such as timelines for [[Dalek]]s, [[Cybermen]], [[UNIT]] and the [[Earth Empire]]; the science of [[regeneration]], [[Gallifreyan history]] and [[time travel]], sexual relationships between members of the [[TARDIS]] crew, the absence of [[Torchwood]] from the [[UNIT]] stories, and examinations of why the [[BBC]] and the production team made the decisions they did.
== History ==
Authors [[Tat Wood]] and [[Lawrence Miles]] initially published volumes 3, 4 and 5 (as they were aware that these volumes covered the most well-remembered eras) in [[2004 (releases)|2004]]. In [[2006 (releases)|2006]], volumes 1 and 2 were published. Miles subsequently left the team, and Wood wrote Volume 6, with additional material supplied by [[Lars Pearson]], which was released in [[2007 (releases)|2007]].


==Notes==
In [[2009 (releases)|2009]], Wood authored a significantly expanded edition of volume 3, which — as it was published first — had not been as in-depth as the following works. This second edition, at almost three times the size of the original, included much of Miles' original material. Since [[2013 (releases)|2013]], three new volumes have been released, covering the Ninth and Tenth Doctor's eras. An original note in Volume 7 suggested that volume 8 would cover the remainder of the [[Tenth Doctor]]'s era, with volume 9 covering an unspecified amount of the [[Eleventh Doctor]], but this plan later changed.


*Authors [[Tat Wood]] and [[Lawrence Miles]] originally published volumes 3 and 4 (as they were aware that these volumes covered the most well-remembered eras), followed by volumes 1, 2 and 5. Miles subsequently left the team, and Wood individually wrote Volume 6. In [[2009]], Wood authored a significantly expanded edition of volume 3, which included much of Miles' original material.
== Published titles ==
Rather than dividing each volume by [[The Doctor|Doctor]], the authors instead focus on the "production era". The books are broken down as follows:


*As of [[2011]], Wood is working on Volume 7, which will cover several seasons of the revived series.
{| {{prettytable}}
! Title || width=15%|Writer || width=50%|Subject matter || Release date
|-
|[[About Time 1]]
|rowspan=7|[[Lawrence Miles]], [[Tat Wood]]
|[[1963 (releases)|1963]] - [[1966 (releases)|1966]] (Seasons [[season 1 (Doctor Who 1963)|1]] - [[season 3 (Doctor Who 1963)|3]])
|[[30 June (releases)|30 June]] [[2006 (releases)|2006]]
|-
|[[About Time 2]]
|1966 - [[1969 (releases)|1969]] (Seasons [[Season 4 (Doctor Who 1963)|4]] - [[Season 6 (Doctor Who 1963)|6]])
|[[30 November (releases)|30 November]] 2006
|-
|[[About Time 3]]
|[[1970 (releases)|1970]] - [[1974 (releases)|1974]] (Seasons [[season 7 (Doctor Who 1963)|7]] - [[season 11 (Doctor Who 1963)|11]])
|[[December (releases)|December]] [[2004 (releases)|2004]]
|-
|[[About Time 4]]
|[[1975 (releases)|1975]] - [[1979 (releases)|1979]] (Season [[season 12 (Doctor Who 1963)|12]] - [[season 17 (Doctor Who 1963)|17]])
|[[30 December (releases)|30 December]] 2004
|-
|[[About Time 5]]
|[[1980 (releases)|1980]] - [[1984 (releases)|1984]] (Seasons [[season 18 (Doctor Who 1963)|18]] - [[season 21 (Doctor Who 1963)|21]], plus ''[[K9 and Company]]'')
|[[30 June (releases)|30 June]] [[2005 (releases)|2005]]
|-
|[[About Time 6]]
|[[1985 (releases)|1985]] - [[1989 (releases)|1989]], [[1996 (releases)|1996]] (Seasons [[Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|22]] - [[Season 26 (Doctor Who 1963)|26]], ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'', ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]'', ''[[The Curse of Fatal Death (TV story)|The Curse of Fatal Death]]'', ''[[Dr. Who and the Daleks (theatrical film)|Dr. Who and the Daleks]]'', ''[[Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (theatrical film)|Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.]]'')
|[[5 December (releases)|5 December]] [[2007 (releases)|2007]]
|-
|[[About Time 7]]
|[[2005 (releases)|2005]] - [[2006 (releases)|2006]] (Series [[Series 1 (Doctor Who 2005)|1]] - [[Series 2 (Doctor Who 2005)|2]])
|[[10 September (releases)|10 September]] [[2013 (releases)|2013]]
|-
|[[About Time 8]]
|rowspan=2|Tat Wood
|2006 - [[2007 (releases)|2007]] ([[Series 3 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series 3]])
|[[7 November (releases)|7 November]] [[2017 (releases)|2017]]
|-
|[[About Time 9]]
|[[2008 (releases)|2008]] - [[2009 (releases)|2009]] ([[Series 4 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series 4]])
|[[23 April (releases)|23 April]] [[2019 (releases)|2019]]
|}


== Cover gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
About Time 1.jpg|[[About Time 1]]
About Time 2.jpg|[[About Time 2]]
About time vol 3.jpg|[[About Time 3]]
About time vol 4.jpg|[[About Time 4]]
About time vol 5.jpg|[[About Time 5]]
About time 6.jpg|[[About Time 6]]
AboutTime7.jpg|[[About Time 7]]
About Time 8.jpg|[[About Time 8]]
About Time 9.jpg|[[About Time 9]]
</gallery>


==List of Volumes==
{{TitleSort}}
* Rather than dividing each volume by [[The Doctor|Doctor]], the authors instead focus on the "production era". The books are broken down as follows:


*[[About Time: Volume 1|Volume 1]]: [[1963]] - [[1966]] (Seasons [[season 1|1]] - [[season 3|3]])
[[Category:About Time| ]]
 
*[[About Time: Volume 2|Volume 2]]: [[1966]] - [[1969]] (Seasons [[season 4|4]] - [[season 6|6]])
 
*[[About Time: Volume 3|Volume 3]]: [[1970]] - [[1974]] (Seasons [[season 7|7]] - [[season 11|11]])
 
*[[About Time: Volume 4|Volume 4]]: [[1975]] - [[1979]] (Season [[season 12|12]] - [[season 17|17]])
 
*[[About Time: Volume 5|Volume 5]]: [[1980]] - [[1984]] (Seasons [[season 18|18]] - [[season 21|21]])
 
*[[About Time: Volume 6|Volume 6]]: [[1985]] - [[1989]], [[1996]] (Seasons [[season 22|22]] - [[season 26|26]], [[TV Movie|TVM]])
 
*[[About Time: Volume 7|Volume 7]] <i>(forthcoming)</i>
 
 
 
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:About Time}}

Latest revision as of 03:47, 22 October 2024

RealWorld.png

About Time is a series of reference books written by Tat Wood and Lawrence Miles (with additional material by Lars Pearson and contributions by Dorothy Ail and Robert Shearman), billed as the largest single work of reference on Doctor Who. According to the publishers, the series stands at 1.7 million words. The series currently features nine volumes, the first six covering the run from 1963 to 1989, plus the 1996 Movie, and the latter three covering the run of stories from Rose to The End of Time.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

In About Time, the whole of classic Doctor Who is examined through the lens of the real-world social and political changes — as well as ongoing developments in television production — that influenced the series in ways big and small over the course of a generation. Armed with these guidebooks, readers will be able to cast their minds back to 1975, 1982 and other years to best appreciate the series' content and character.

Subject matter[[edit] | [edit source]]

A critical and cultural analysis of every televised Doctor Who story up to The End of Time, as well as the Peter Cushing films, assorted one-off specials, and The TV Movie. Areas of examination include production notes; logical flaws in the story; detailed catalogues of facts about planets, alien races, the Doctor, the TARDIS and the companions; and an attempt to examine where each story came from, and why each was made in the contemporary cultural climate of Great Britain and Earth.

Notable features[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Each story is broken down into many segments, including: Which One Is This? (very brief introduction, as the writers eschewed dense plot summaries), Firsts and Lasts, Continuity - encompassing The Doctor, The TARDIS, The Time Lords, The Supporting Cast, The Supporting Cast (Evil), Planet Notes, Non-Humans and History -, Where Did This Come From?, Things That Don't Make Sense, Critique (often divided into Prosection and Defence), Facts (writer, director, ratings, guest cast and list of cliffhangers) and The Lore (behind-the-scenes notes).

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

Authors Tat Wood and Lawrence Miles initially published volumes 3, 4 and 5 (as they were aware that these volumes covered the most well-remembered eras) in 2004. In 2006, volumes 1 and 2 were published. Miles subsequently left the team, and Wood wrote Volume 6, with additional material supplied by Lars Pearson, which was released in 2007.

In 2009, Wood authored a significantly expanded edition of volume 3, which — as it was published first — had not been as in-depth as the following works. This second edition, at almost three times the size of the original, included much of Miles' original material. Since 2013, three new volumes have been released, covering the Ninth and Tenth Doctor's eras. An original note in Volume 7 suggested that volume 8 would cover the remainder of the Tenth Doctor's era, with volume 9 covering an unspecified amount of the Eleventh Doctor, but this plan later changed.

Published titles[[edit] | [edit source]]

Rather than dividing each volume by Doctor, the authors instead focus on the "production era". The books are broken down as follows:

Title Writer Subject matter Release date
About Time 1 Lawrence Miles, Tat Wood 1963 - 1966 (Seasons 1 - 3) 30 June 2006
About Time 2 1966 - 1969 (Seasons 4 - 6) 30 November 2006
About Time 3 1970 - 1974 (Seasons 7 - 11) December 2004
About Time 4 1975 - 1979 (Season 12 - 17) 30 December 2004
About Time 5 1980 - 1984 (Seasons 18 - 21, plus K9 and Company) 30 June 2005
About Time 6 1985 - 1989, 1996 (Seasons 22 - 26, Doctor Who, Dimensions in Time, The Curse of Fatal Death, Dr. Who and the Daleks, Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.) 5 December 2007
About Time 7 2005 - 2006 (Series 1 - 2) 10 September 2013
About Time 8 Tat Wood 2006 - 2007 (Series 3) 7 November 2017
About Time 9 2008 - 2009 (Series 4) 23 April 2019

Cover gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

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