Doctor Who Psychology: Times Change, Second Ed

This book on the psychology of Doctor Who, edited by Langley (psychology, Henderson State Univ.; series editor of “Popular Culture Psychology”), covers a lot of ground, delightfully pairing elements of the doctor’s life—personality, companionship, and death—with interesting insights from contemporary psychology. This makes for a rather unusual combination, as it takes both the pop culture icon and the science of psychology quite seriously. The book’s psychological insights are often intriguing, such as assessing each doctor using the famous Myers-Briggs personality test or listening to Converse sneaker–wearing 10th Doctor David Tennant as he considers how the doctor has a distinctive “set of circumstances.” The main character’s convoluted path through time becomes a perfect meta-story to project human issues about love, loss, and unresolved trauma. The book achieves a remarkable balance between footnotes and Who trivia to bring exciting energy to a beloved longstanding television franchise that’s celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.