Biography

December 2, 1969 · Hull, Yorkshire, England, UK

Matthew David Sweet

He has worked as a columnist for The Big Issue, a film critic for The Independent on Sunday and he has contributed to BBC Radio 4.

He attended Oxford University.

He is a renowned expert on the television series Docteur Who (1963) and presented the 50th anniversary television special Me, You and Doctor Who (2013).

[on the mix of darkness and humour in Docteur Who (1963)] I think it's my favourite kind of storytelling as far as Docteur Who (1963) is concerned. It's certainly what makes Docteur Who (1963) richer and more watchable than some of its historical rivals. Terror of the Autons: Episode One (1971) has killer gonks and a brilliantly nasty visual gag about a dead body inside a lunchbox. Alerte dans l'espace (1970) has people in collarless shirts and suits standing glumly in white rooms. I know which I'd rather watch with my kids.

[on Doctor Who (2005)] It also seemed to offer an amazingly inclusive view of sexuality in a place and a time when it's not often offered to this particular audience.

[on Old Dog with New Tricks (1978)] What we get here is pretty extraordinary. It's an exploitation filmmaker's dream: violence, sex and an explosion all somehow brought together in the same dramatic moment. Full marks to them for ticking all of those boxes. Actually what I think emerges most from TV of this period is the utterly casual sexism that is never the issue but is always the background buzz of the culture.

The idea of a black or woman Doctor is something we only seem to be able to enjoy as a tease. When Tom Baker left, for example, there was speculation about Joanna Lumley taking over. There is a little part of me that's disappointed the Obama [Barack Obama] effect hasn't reached Gallifrey yet.