" In this eighth volume of essays adapted from the acclaimed blog TARDIS Eruditorum you'll find a critical history of the Paul McGann and Christopher Eccleston eras of Doctor Who. TARDIS Eruditorum tells the ongoing story of Doctor Who from its beginnings in the 1960s to the present day, pushing beyond received wisdom and fan dogma to understand the story not just as the story of a geeky sci-fi show but as the story of an entire tradition of mystical, avant-garde, and politically radical British culture. It treats Doctor Who as a show that is really about everything that ever happened, and everything that ever will. This volume focuses on the end of the so-called wilderness years and the series' triumphant 2005 return to television, looking at its connections with weird fiction, reality television, and the Spice Girls. The book contains a mixture of revised blog posts and a bevy of brand new essays exclusive to this collected edition, including a look at the strange continuity of the Paul McGann era, the astonishing cultural footprint of the new series, and an all new section on the John Hurt era. Plus you'll learn: * How many Time Wars there were * What happens when a minor tie-in work gains sentience * The metaphor at the heart of both Doctor Who and Big Brother "