Like every other Whovian, I am not so patiently anticipating the return of Doctor Who with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors this fall and winter. Frankly, the date of the first Sixtieth Anniversary special still feels a little too far away for my liking. I started Doctor Who Psychology for its promise of interviews with past Doctors but stayed for its well-researched and clever essays on Doctor Who, its titular Doctors, and its many well-loved companions and alien species. Not only are the cast interviews outstanding but the articles and essays are incredibly thought-provoking and well-written. This collection is a must-read for all lovers of Doctor Who.

Though some of the essays and interviews appealed to me more than others, each was written with depth, understanding, and a true appreciation for Doctor Who. Below I’ve listed just five of my favorite essays and articles, along with a brief description of their subject matter, in hopes that one of these might appeal to you as well.

• “Time Lords to Time Ladies” by Travis Langley and Billy San Juan – An essay about gender, Missy and the Master, Bill Potts, the Twelfth and Thirteenth Doctors, Cybermen, and how it all might connect with the Tardis and Judoon. Hands down, this is my favorite in the entire collection. It’s such a smart article with angles I had never even considered.
• “Behind Two Hearts: Grief and Vulnerability” by Janina Scarley and Jenna Busch – An article in which the grief and compounded losses of the Doctor, particularly the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, is examined.
• “Post-Time War Stress Disorder” by Kristin Erickson and Matt Munson, with Travis Langley and Stephen Prescott – An analysis of a potential diagnosis of PTSD in the Post-Time War Doctors using the DSM-5 definition and criteria. A tremendous analysis that was far more interesting than it sounds.
• “Who Makes a Good Companion?” by Sarita J. Robinson – An examination of the Doctor’s companions and their skills to determine what the Doctor looks for in his companions and what makes a “good companion.”
• “Love on Board a Big Blue Box” by Travis Langley – An essay in which Langley shows that “[t]he Eighth Doctor starts all the kissing,” and that not every companion is the Doctor’s hot young lover, despite what the Tardis has to say on the matter.

The interviews within the book were also outstanding. Multiple Doctors and fan-favorite characters were interviewed for the book, some for longer-form interviews than others. Matt Smith, Alex Kingston, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Christopher Eccleston, Michelle Gomez, Peter Davison, and Sylvester McCoy each appear in interviews within the book, and former companion Katy Manning pens the forward. I don’t want to spoil too much of the interviews, but I will say that the interview with Christopher Eccleston, which is new to this 2nd Edition of Doctor Who Psychology, is especially endearing. Eccleston was an exceptional interviewee; his interview had me pausing to contemplate Hamlet and the loneliness of the Doctor, laughing at his description of the Slitheen, and recalling the best of the Ninth Doctor as Eccleston recounted his favorite scenes and lines. This interview was utter perfection and was a great way to close the book.

Final Thoughts: This 2nd Edition of Doctor Who Psychology is an excellent read for any Doctor Who enthusiast – a perfect read before the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors appear on screen this fall. This would also be an excellent holiday buy for the Doctor Who lover in your life (even if that’s yourself).

Rating: 5/5 Stars.

Find Doctor Who Psychology: Times Change on Goodreads and Amazon. This new 2nd Edition releases on February 7, 2023.

A special thanks to the publisher for an early copy of the book for review. All the above thoughts are my own.