About Doctor Who
Doctor Who is the longest running science fiction show in the world, it's an
award-winning British science fiction television programme, (And a 1996 television film), produced by the BBC. (
British
Broadcasting
Corporation.)
The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989. A television film was made in 1996, and the programme was successfully relaunched in 2005, produced in-house by BBC Wales. (Some development money for the new series is contributed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which is credited as a co-producer, although they do not have creative input into the show.)
The programme takes us through the adventures of a mysterious time-traveller known as, "
The Doctor", who explores time and space in his time ship, often with
Companions that he has picked up along the way, some human, some alien, solving problems and righting wrongs. Though inevitably, these Companions leave him for one reason or another, are lost or are killed and he is left by himself time and time again. Something he finds very painful.
The Doctor is a member of an alien race called
Time Lords, from the planet Gallifrey. His home planet was destroyed in, "
The Great Time War", between his people and the Dalek race. This war was never shown in the show but apparently happened during the shows hiatus, between the 1996 television movie and the shows return in 2005. All of his race perished in said war. Thus he travels the universe in space and time, in his spacecraft, called the
TARDIS, (
Time
And
Relative
Dimension
In
Space).
The TARDIS is much larger on the inside than the outside, from the outside it is the size of a modern day Earth telephone box.
His TARDIS seems to take him, more often than not, to situations that need fixing or putting right. He has often referred to the TARDIS as being, "alive", and uses "She" or "Her" when talking about it, though its sentience has never been explored fully. The TARDIS appears to function and continue to "live" with a psychic link between it and the Doctor and his Companions. It translates alien languages and writing wherever he goes, directly into his mind and anyone travelling with him. However, when the Doctor is badly injured or just following a regeneration, this appears to have a negative effect on TARDIS, often systems on-board start failing and it appears to be "dying", and the translation capabilities are badly impaired. When he recovers the TARDIS returns instantly to its former state and glory.
Time Lords don't die as humans and many other races do, they "
regenerate" into a whole new person, with all the memories and some random character traits of previous incarnations, but with a personality new and unique to each incarnation. So far we have seen 10 incarnations of The Doctor. Hence the longevity of the show. 46 years and counting.
The programme is listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television series in the world [1] and is also a significant part of British popular culture.
It has been recognised for its imaginative stories, in the old version of the show, running from 1966 to 1989, creative low-budget special effects, and pioneering use of electronic music, (Originally produced by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop).
The show returned to the small screen in 2005 with a much, much larger budget.
In Britain and elsewhere, the show has become a cult television favourite and 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 ever to be made, including a BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series in 2006 and many other awards including best Actor, several times since.
Doctor Who has also spawned spin-offs in multiple media, including the current television series
Torchwood and
The Sarah Jane Adventures.
The shows lead is currently portrayed by David Tennant. In the programme's most recent series, 2008, which ran from 5 April to 5 July 2008. Catherine Tate played the Doctor's Companion in this series, reprising her role of Donna Noble from the 2006 Christmas special.
In 2009 four more specials will be aired and no actual series, the next full series has been confirmed for airing in 2010.
We do know that David Tennant is leaving the role of the Doctor at the end of the specials in 2009. So fans are excited and also upset that a "regeneration" will take place this year as the next incarnation of the Doctor is introduced to the audience.
The actor playing the 11th incarnation of the Doctor, series 2010 will be Matt Smith
Everything You Need To Know About Who Here....