Doctor Who
A British sci-fi series about a time-traveling alien.
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television series first broadcast by the BBC in 1963. The series follows the adventures of the Doctor, an extraterrestrial Time Lord who travels through space and time in a time machine called the TARDIS, which resembles a British police box. The Doctor protects civilizations, outwits foes, and often travels with a companion.
- first_broadcast
- 1963
- creators
- Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, Donald Wilson
- field
- Science fiction television
- nationality
- British
- known_for
- Longest-running science-fiction TV series; global cult following; regeneration plot device
Lore & Background
Doctor Who was originally intended as a family educational programme using time travel to explore scientific ideas and history. It first aired on 23 November 1963, 80 seconds late due to announcements about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The series was developed by Sydney Newman, Donald Wilson, and C. E. Webber, with contributions from Anthony Coburn, David Whitaker, and Verity Lambert. The second serial, The Daleks, introduced the series' most popular monsters and sparked 'Dalekmania' and the BBC's first merchandising boom.
The series originally ran from 1963 to 1989, with fourteen actors headlining as the Doctor, beginning with William Hartnell. The transition between actors is explained by regeneration, a Time Lord ability to change form when fatally injured or aged. The series was revived in 2005 after a 1996 television film pilot failed to launch a new series. Since 2016, the show has been produced by BBC Studios Productions in Cardiff, and since 2026, it has been pending an invitation to tender for future episodes.
Reader's Guide
Doctor Who is a British popular culture staple with a global cult following, listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running science-fiction television series and the 'most successful' sci-fi series based on ratings, DVD, and book sales. The show has shaped generations of British television professionals and is one of the most frequently referenced and parodied series in television history. The Doctor Who franchise, or Whoniverse, spans television spin-offs, literature, audio dramas, and films. The series' use of regeneration allows a continuous narrative across different actors, and its iconic TARDIS, sonic screwdriver, and recurring enemies like the Daleks and Cybermen have become widely recognized. Fans are sometimes called Whovians.
Did You Know?
- The first episode aired 80 seconds late due to announcements about the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
- The TARDIS's exterior is fixed as a blue British police box due to a malfunctioning chameleon circuit.
- The Daleks were originally written as victims of a neutron bomb attack before being made aggressors.
- The series was cancelled in 1989 but revived in 2005 after a 1996 television film pilot.
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