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Doctor Who is a British science fiction television program produced by the BBC. The program depicts the adventures of a mysterious alien time-traveller known as "the Doctor" who travels in his space and time-ship, the TARDIS, which normally appears from the exterior to be a blue 1950s police box. With his companions, he explores time and space, solving problems, facing monsters and righting wrongs.
The programme is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television show in the world and is also a significant part of British popular culture. It has been recognized 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). In the United Kingdom and elsewhere, the show has become a cult television favorite 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 programs, including the BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series in 2006.
The program originally ran from 1963 to 1989. After an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production with a backdoor pilot in the form of a 1996 television film, the program was successfully relaunched in 2005, produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff. The first three seasons of the new series had some development money contributed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which was credited as a co-producer. Doctor Who has also spawned spin-offs in multiple media, including the current television programs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, and a single 1981 pilot episode of K-9 and Company.
The show's lead character, the Doctor, has been played by eleven actors over the history of the show. The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show as regeneration, and the different parts are often treated as distinct characters to the extent that in some time travel plots they encounter one another and work together. The Doctor is currently portrayed by David Tennant. In the programme's most recent series, which ran from 5 April to 5 July 2008, Catherine Tate played the Doctor's companion, reprising her role of Donna Noble from the 2006 Christmas special. A Christmas special, entitled "The Next Doctor", was broadcast in 2008 and will be followed by four more specials in 2009 and early 2010, the first was an Easter special titled "Planet of the Dead" and the next one will be called "The Waters of Mars"; the next full series, Series 5, has been confirmed to air in 2010. Tennant announced at the 2008 National Television Awards that after appearing in the four 2009–2010 Doctor Who specials, he will leave the role. The Eleventh Doctor will be portrayed by Matt Smith. Smith was 26 years old at the time of his casting, making him the youngest actor to be cast in the leading role.
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