The Inner World of Doctor Who ― Psychoanalytic Reflections in Time and Space

As Doctor Who approaches its fiftieth anniversary, recent series have taken the show to new heights in terms of popular appeal and critical acclaim. The Doctor and his TARDIS-driven adventures, along with companions and iconic monsters, are now recognized and enjoyed globally. The time is ripe for a detailed analytic assessment of this cultural phenomenon.

Focusing on the most recent television output, The Inner World of Doctor Who examines why the show continues to fascinate contemporary audiences. Presenting closely-observed psychoanalytic readings of selected episodes, this book examines why these stories of time travel, monsters, and complex human relationships have been successful in providing such an emotionally rich dramatization of human experience.

The Inner World of Doctor Who seeks to explore the multiple cultural and emotional dimensions of the series, moving back and forth from behind the famous sofa, where children remember hiding from scary monsters, and onto the proverbial psychoanalytic couch. The approach that the authors take recognizes the richness that Doctor Who contains, episode by episode and in its culture and mythos, in order to show how Doctor Who adventures can be appreciated in the acknowledgement that both sofa and couch provide lively places from which to enjoy the stories as they continue to unfold for the next fifty years.