Gary Russell

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/the-fourteenth-doctor-novelisations-the-star-bea...

This is a good start to the new regime. (One of my personal complaints about the Chibnall era is that little attention was paid to the spinoff publications.) As well as faithfully transferring the on-screen action to the page, we get more characterisation for the minor characters, especially Sylvia and Rose, and some delightful tips of the hat to the comic strip on which the story was based – the steelworks is called Millson Wagner, in a tribute to the original writers, and the original new companion, Sharon, makes an offstage appearance as Fudge’s friend. Basically it’s what you want from a novelisation.… (mehr)

Actually great. Segal was the producer of the 1996 TV film of 'Doctor Who', the abortive attempt to bring back the long-running series for an international audience after seven years in the wilderness.

Segal gives detailed accounts of the years of ideas and corporate entanglements, of the various stages of the draft script, and the fraught negotiations to get a budget and actors, etc. Obviously this is only of interest to fans but if you want to see the way that a new story comes from scratch, and perhaps explain both the good and the bad of this particular landmark pilot movie, Segal has you covered.

Unable to get the ratings required, the TV movie did not lead to a series, and instead the program would wait another nine years before a more successful BBC revamp. Still, the series gave us Paul McGann's Doctor, a role he continues to play in audio dramas almost three decades later. Highly readable.… (mehr)