It's quite a star-studded line-up here with actors Carole Ann Ford (with Rob Craine), Sophie Aldred, Peter Davison, Mandip Gill and Katy Manning, along with series writers Robert Shearman and Inua Ellams, and also Miles Taylor who portrays the eleventh Doctor in the Big Finish audio dramas. I assume Beth Axford is the editor, but the book seems to credit her as the author (it doesn't say 'edited by') which is odd, and I assume she therefore wrote the overall Introduction and Postscript for the book.
There are eight stories presented, and the quality is fairly good, with each of them showing an event which seems to resonate with the Doctor/Companion pairing in each case. There's the usual clutch of continuity references too, but none of them grate, and I can see this being an ideal book to read to a younger Doctor Who fan at Christmas. The BBC has a new CBeebies Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew cartoon show coming up around Christmas 2027, so I expect that there will be a paperback of this and perhaps other books tying in with that show at that time. Aside from perhaps needing to explain a little more about who these different Doctors are each time, the stories seem complete and need little more to make them 'work'.
What is interesting is the shift in tone between the earlier Doctors' adventures, and those of the 13th and especially the 15th Doctors. The early ones tend to be more traditional science fiction ideas, and rooted in 'reality' wheras the 13th and 15th are far more whimsical and 'magic' based adventures - the sort of stories you used to find in the Doctor Who Annuals or TV Comic - ones where you're not sure if the author or artist had ever actually seen the show!
Overall I enjoyed the collection, and with the BBC apparently now firmly aiming Doctor Who at pre-schoolers, perhaps books like those that BBC Children's Books have been publishing for the last few years are what's needed to cement an early interest in the show.
DOCTOR WHO: TARDIS CREW
As I was reading this book, the BBC announced the first CBeebies cartoon show. Doctor Who and Crew as follows:
The TARDIS is set to welcome aboard a whole new generation of fans in an exciting new animated series...
BBC Children's and Education has unveiled a first look at Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew, a brand-new animated preschool series that introduces younger audiences to the wonder, adventure and endless possibilities of the Whoniverse.
Created for CBeebies viewers, the series follows the Doctor, a young Time Lord, and his friends Hannah, Beastie and Toast-IE as they embark on extraordinary adventures through time and space. Travelling aboard the iconic TARDIS, they encounter incredible creatures, discover amazing new worlds and come face-to-face with legendary Doctor Who foes, including the Daleks.
Bursting with imagination, humour and adventure, Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew brings the excitement of the Whoniverse to a new generation of fans. Through action-packed, preschool-friendly stories, the series celebrates curiosity, courage and kindness, encouraging young viewers to explore new ideas, solve problems and embrace the unexpected.
Across 52 eleven-minute episodes, families will join the TARDIS Crew on unforgettable journeys where friendship, teamwork and quick thinking can change everything. Blending the wonder and excitement of Doctor Who with the trusted storytelling and learning through play values of CBeebies, the series is set to introduce a whole new generation to one of the world's most iconic brands. Produced by Blue Zoo Animation Studio, the series is currently in production, with Dominic Minns serving as Series Director. Minns previously directed acclaimed CBeebies series including Mojo Swoptops and Supertato.
Kate Morton, Senior Head of Commissioning for CBeebies, said: "The TARDIS is ready for its youngest crew yet. Packed with imagination, humour and adventure, Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew will inspire children to be curious, courageous and kind as they explore incredible worlds across time and space. It's everything families love about Doctor Who, wonder, excitement and endless possibility, reimagined for CBeebies' youngest explorers."
Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew will arrive on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer in late 2027/early 2028.
And here's some pics from the show!
I have no idea why the TARDIS in that last picture with the title lettering (which is from the promotional video for the show) has the words:
DOROS WOOOD TADS
Written across the top ... rather than the more usual
POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX
Maybe it's an AI glitch on the animation. The Daleks look cute though.
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