Dr. Who Meets The Pepperpot Monsters - or something ! (Doctor Who Magazine)

Member Name: karenuk

Product:	Doctor Who Magazine
Date:	30/12/00 (93 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good quality magazine, latest news on merchandise & conventions, tells you of latest developments for the future of the programme

Disadvantages: can be a bit boring with articles aimed at a very high level

What do you mean, you thought Dr. Who was dead and gone ? <insert evil laugh> Oh no, he's still alive and well and living on in new BBC novels, new video releases, repeats on UK Gold, a recent new online adventure and a monthly magazine.

Dr. Who was first televised in 1963, when the Doctor was played by William Hartnell and he was accompanied by his grand-daughter, Susan (Carole Ann Ford) and two of her teachers, Ian (played by William Russell aka Russell Enoch - more famous in the past few years as Rita's husband, Ted, in Coronation Street) and Barbara (played by the late Jacqueline Hill).

Since then, there have been another seven incarnations of the Doctor, played most famously by the wonderfully charismatic and eccentric Tom Baker (I've met him! I know!)for seven years.

Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Sylvester McCoy are the other actors who have played the role on TV. There was also a TV movie in 1996 starring Paul McGann and a Comic Relief spoof with Rowan Atkinson (and others) taking the title role.

Besides the Doctor himself, the companions over the years have included some well-known faces - Peter Purves, Bonnie Langford, Louise Jameson and Sophie Aldred, for example.

Doctor Who Magazine, published by Marvel, covers all of these, featuring interviews with people associated with the programme. There are in-depth analyses of certain eras of the programme, articles about the novels and spin-off projects, letters, quizzes, competitions - and occasionally, even giveaways like posters, trading cards and promotional CDs.

I have been a regular reader of DWM (as it's known to its fans) for around five years now and in that time, I feel it has become too pretentious - some of the articles being written at (so it seems) university level, which isolates the younger end of the market.

My partner is also a fan, but thinks the magazine is wonderful - but then,
he is more interested in the minutiae of it all. It is obviously a question of what each individual fan is looking for, but this magazine is disappointing for me nowadays.

I would love an interview with one of the stars, but those are few and far between now, as the editors seem to think once they have featured, say, Tom Baker, there is no point doing it again for another twelve months or so. However, I am assured there's a new Clin Baker nterview coming up soon - hooray!

My partner reads the whole magazine cover to cover each month. I look at the news pages, to find out which Dr. Who actor is appearing in panto or will be in an upcoming episode of Casualty. Then I have a quick browse through the pages for any nice pics of Colin Baker (Yes, I have an unusual taste in men!), before losing interest completely.

However, despite my criticisms, it is a good magazine and after all, it is the only magazine dealing exclusively with Dr. Who.

The photos are good, the quality of the magazine is high and it is very useful for finding out the latest details on merchandise or conventions.

The recent DWM tribute to the late great John Nathan-Turner was wonderful and there is a special devoted to the Jon Pertwee era out soon.

Overall, DWM is worth the £3.40, but it isn't as good as it could be.

Summary: