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Doctor Who is a [[BBC]] TV programme started in 1963 and still going strong today. It centres around a character named The Doctor, who travels around the universe in a [[time machine]] called the Tardis, which resembles a 1940s British Police Phone Booth, but is much bigger inside than outside, usually with a female companion that he picks up along the way.

Doctor Who is a [[BBC]] science fiction television programme originally created in 1963. It centres around a character named the Doctor, who travels around the universe in a [[time machine]] called the TARDIS ("Time and Relative Dimensions in Space"), which resembles a 1940s British Police phone box, but is considerably larger on the inside than it is on the outside.

The program was initially cancelled in 1989, following some years of declining interest, but was resurrected for a TV movie in 1996. A new set of series began in 2005 with a much improved budget and more consistently high-quality acting and writing.

The programme ran for twenty-six seasons between 1963 and 1989, at which point it was cancelled indefinitely. Various forms of the series continued after the cancellation, with popular series of novels published by Target and then BBC Books, along with audio serials and re-releases of past episodes on VHS and DVD. In 2005, a new series of Doctor Who hit television screens produced by BBC Wales.

 

The series is currently airing on [[BBC One]] in the UK, [[CBC Television]] in Canada and the [[SciFi Channel]] in the US.

The Doctor has the ability to regenerate his body when mortally weakened, a useful plot device that has allowed the role to be played on TV by ten different actors so far.

The Doctor has the ability to regenerate his body when mortally weakened, a useful plot device that has allowed the role to be played on TV by ten different actors so far.

==[[William Hartnell]] (1963-66)==

The first actor to play the Doctor portrayed him as a cantankerous old man. Initially a somewhat dark character, he became more grandfatherly in later episodes. Hartnell's era introduced the most well-known of the Doctor's foes, the [[Dalek]]s.

===[[William Hartnell]] (1963-66)===

The first actor to play the Doctor portrayed him as a cantankerous old man. Initially a somewhat dark character, he became more grandfatherly in later episodes. Hartnell's era introduced the most well-known of the Doctor's foes, the [[Dalek|Daleks]].

==[[Patrick Troughton]] (1966-1969)==

===[[Patrick Troughton]] (1966-1969)===

Troughton's Doctor was an impish figure, whose gimmicks included playing the recorder. In this period, much of which is lost, the program felt the influence of [[Star Trek]] somewhat.

Troughton's Doctor was an impish figure, whose gimmicks included playing the recorder. In this period, much of which is lost, the program felt the influence of [[Star Trek]] somewhat.

==[[Jon Pertwee]] (1970-1974)==

===[[Jon Pertwee]] (1970-1974)===

The third Doctor was Earth-bound for much of his tenure, due to budgetary constraints. This period had a reliance on gadgetry (including the [[Sonic Screwdriver]] and the [[Whomobile]]) under the influence of [[James Bond]], and featured UNIT, the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, dedicated to combating extra-terrestrial threats.

The third Doctor was Earth-bound for much of his tenure, a move that was partly motivated by budgeting constraints in production. In the stories themselves, this was explained by the Doctor's race - the Time Lords - imposing an exile upon him due to alleged crimes prosecuted in ''The War Games''. During this time, the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce ("UNIT") was a key element of plots - the Doctor was officially UNIT's scientific advisor, but he frequently attempts to break free of the Time Lords' imposition of exile.

==[[Tom Baker]] (1974-1981)==

===[[Tom Baker]] (1974-1981)===

By far the most popular and iconic Doctor, Baker, with his seven-foot long scarf and fondness for Jelly Babies played the role for longer than any other actor. His time featured arguably the best scripts of the Classic Series, including the thought-provoking ''Genesis of the Daleks'', and [[Douglas Adams]]' witty ''City of Death''.

Arguably the most well-known Doctor, Baker, with his seven-foot long scarf and fondness for jelly babies played the role for longer than any other actor. Considered to be an "eccentric" character, he was capable both of representing human attributes and being aloof and of being detached from others around him.

==[[Peter Davison]] (1981-1984)==

==[[Peter Davison]] (1981-1984)==

The fifth Doctor was  a vulnerable character, part of an effort to move to program into the realm of 'serious' Sci-Fi.

The fifth Doctor became something of a vulnerable character, which was a conscious decision by the production team (led by John Nathan-Turner) to remove the aura of invincibility that they had felt was becoming part of the Doctor's characterisation with Tom Baker. Shown to be a keen cricket fan, the Doctor was arguably more human than any of his predecessors and often relied more on his companions to assist throughout his missions.

==[[Colin Baker]] (1984-1986)==

==[[Colin Baker]] (1984-1986)==

Dogged by poor writing, an absurd costume and misguided attempts to darken the Doctor's character, Colin Baker's portrayal is often regarded as the least satisfying of all.

The sixth Doctor was premised around being the antithesis of his predecessor, with his garish and colour-mismatched costume reflecting the vast contrast with the mild-mannered fifth Doctor. In terms of characterisation, the Doctor became something of an unstable character, often violently responding to people and events around him.

==[[Sylvester McCoy]] (1986-1989)==

==[[Sylvester McCoy]] (1987-1989)==

Initially not much of an improvement, the quality of the series improved markedly towards the end. However, this was not enough to save it, and it ended in 1989.

After the departure of Colin Baker, McCoy's depiction of the Doctor saw the series shift mood considerably. Early stories within the era depicted a somewhat comic and light-hearted Doctor, but over time the Doctor's character became steadily darker - a development that has been commonly described as making the Doctor a manipulating, scheming character who influenced events like a chess game.

==[[Paul McGann]] (1996)==

==[[Paul McGann]] (1996)==

McGann played the role for the pilot episode of what was to be a new series for US consumption. However the compromises made for the US market alienated old fans, and failed to win new ones, and the series was never made.

McGann played the role for a television movie, with the creation of a new series by US producers dependent on the success of the movie. This was never made. The Doctor himself was perhaps more human than any other, with the revelation that he was "half-human" on his mother's side and displaying far greater emotional response than in the past.

==[[Christopher Eccleston]] (2005)==

==[[Christopher Eccleston]] (2005)==

Several stories in the series have been subtly or overtly political in their themes. For instance, ''The Green Death'' (1973) emphasised the dangers of [[Pollution]] and big business - while the following year's ''Invasion of the Dinosaurs'' featured a contrasting menace -pro-environment extremists. Other stories have taken their themes from current news stories of the time, such as the [[United Kingdom]]'s entry into the [[Common Market]].

Several stories in the series have been subtly or overtly political in their themes. For instance, ''The Green Death'' (1973) emphasised the dangers of [[Pollution]] and big business - while the following year's ''Invasion of the Dinosaurs'' featured a contrasting menace -pro-environment extremists. Other stories have taken their themes from current news stories of the time, such as the [[United Kingdom]]'s entry into the [[Common Market]].

In a recent episode, the Daleks - Doctor Who's most dangerous enemy, a race of creatures who are physically shriveled and weak but contained within an armored tank-like body - take over Manhattan. They ruthlessly exploit workers engaged in construction and repair on the Empire State Building. This was reported in the British newspaper [[The Independent]] as a metaphor for the rampant abuse of capitalism. Writers on [[The Guardian]] have commented that this is evidence of the BBC pumping out "relentless socialist propaganda".  

In a recent episode, the Daleks - Doctor Who's most dangerous enemy, a race of creatures who are physically shriveled and weak but contained within an armored tank-like body - take over Manhattan. They ruthlessly exploit workers engaged in construction and repair on the Empire State Building. This was reported in the British newspaper [[The Independent]] as a metaphor for the rampant abuse of capitalism. Writers on [[The Guardian]] have commented that this is evidence of the BBC pumping out "relentless socialist propaganda".  

[[Category:Broadcasting]]

[[Category:Broadcasting]]