About

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a mysterious and eccentric Time Lord known as the Doctor who travels through time and space in his time machine, the TARDIS (an acronym for Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space), which normally appears from the exterior to be a blue 1950s British police box. With his companions, he explores time and space, faces a variety of foes (most famously the Daleks, the Cybermen, and the Master) and saves civilisations, helping people and righting wrongs.

Doctors, seasons and series

The Doctor has been played by different successive actors. The transition from one actor to the next is acknowledged in the plot as a regeneration. Each incarnation has a different appearance, and to some extent a different personality. The characters (or more accurately character aspects) are known as the First Doctor, the Second Doctor and so on.

From 1963 to 1989, the BBC produced 26 seasons of Doctor Who, often known as the “original series”. There was also a TV movie in 1996. After a hiatus, new episodes (introducing the Ninth Doctor) started being produced in 2005, often known as the “revival series”. The 2005 episodes are often known as “series 1”, or sometimes “season 27” or “revival season 1”.

As of 2016, the show has had 35 seasons (seasons 27-35 usually being known as “series 1-9”) and the incumbent Doctor is the Twelfth.

Cultural significance

The programme is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television show in the world, and as the "most successful" science fiction series of all time, in terms of its overall broadcast ratings, DVD and book sales, iTunes traffic, and "illegal downloads". It has been recognised for its imaginative stories, creative low-budget special effects during its original run, and pioneering use of electronic music (originally produced by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop). The show is a significant part of British popular culture in the United Kingdom and elsewhere it has become a cult television favourite. The show has influenced generations of British television professionals, many of whom grew up watching the series. It has received recognition from critics and the public as one of the finest British television programmes, including the BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series in 2006, and five consecutive wins at the National Television Awards from 2005 to 2010, in the Drama category.

The show has inspired many spin-offs, spoofs and other adaptations.

External links

• BBC Doctor Who portal
• Wikipedia
• List of tie-in websites
• TARDIS index file, a Doctor Who wiki
• Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel)
• Doctor Who Reference Guide

_{Part of the text in this description was adapted from the Wikipedia article for Doctor Who.}