Edited by Paul Driscoll

Obverse Books, out now

 

Obverse Books’ ongoing series of monographs focusing on a Doctor Who serial or story hits 2021’s Series 13 – the six episodes that make up Flux. 

In recent volumes of the Black Archive, authors have revealed stories that while initially unloved are now regarded more fondly – their status aided by the passing of time and a wider context of what follows. With a serial like Flux, which is only 18 months old and has been followed by just three specials, it’s difficult to see it in any other light than you probably did at the time.

In a break from the regular format, the study is written by a selection of authors, each taking an episode and writing their own essay. The work is introduced by series co-editor Paul Driscoll and topped and tailed by Sci-Fi Bulletin’s Alasdair Stuart, who rightly reminds us of how the show survived during adversity, with the COVID-19 pandemic dictating how Series 13 would be made.

It’s an interesting approach to the study, with each writer laying out their big ideas about their respective segments. While inevitably there’s not the depth that a volume dedicated to a single story would offer, there’s still a raft of theories. The representation of Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor and the Timeless Child plot thread are visited on numerous occasions, as well as the use of Liverpool, the evolution of the celebrity historical and Gallifrey as the colonial British Empire.

Verdict: As with the six episodes of Flux, each entry brings a different flavour to the table, and while I personally doubt that Series 13 will ever be regarded as vintage Doctor Who, there’s still a lot going on to discuss. 7/10

Nick Joy