Terry Nation (The Television Series)

This is the first academic study of the science fiction television devised and written by Terry Nation, who wrote Dalek stories and other serials for Doctor Who, and created the BBC's 1970s post-apocalyptic space adventure series Blake's 7. This illustrated book by academic specialists in television science fiction places Nation's work in the context of its production and contains sustained analysis of key programs. It will be of interest to students of television and enthusiasts of these landmark drama series.

It is not often that one's search for his or her inner Dalek is rewarded, but here Bignell (television and film, U. of Reading, UK) and O'Day examine their genesis in the mind of Nation and the means by which that authorship came to the page and screen. Nation's contributions to science fiction television include the aforesaid Daleks (along with several other Doctor Who serials and elements), Survivors, Blake's 7, and a wide range of other programs and films; and the authors examine his work in terms of the genre as well as production processes, television politics, and relationships among writers, producers and audiences. They find that Nation could not be said to be a sole authority but instead served as a significant influence in the collaborative environment of the 1960s through the 1990s. An appendix includes a list of Nation's wide range of radio, television and film work. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Jonathan Bignell is Reader in Television and Film at the University of Reading, and Director of the Centre for Television Drama Studies.

Andrew O'Day has recently completed a PhD thesis on television science fiction at Royal Holloway, University of London.