Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a long-running British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC about a mysterious time-travelling adventurer known only as "The Doctor", who explores time and space with his companions, fighting evil. It is also the title of a 1996 television movie featuring the same character. It is common to see the show's title abbreviated as Dr. Who, even by the BBC, although purists consider this form incorrect.
The programme is one of the longest-running science fiction television series in the world and also a significant part of British popular culture. It has been recognised for its imaginative stories, creative low-budget special effects and pioneering use of electronic music (originally produced by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop). Elements of the programme are well known and identifiable even to non-fans. In Britain and elsewhere, the show has become a cult television favourite on a par with Star Trek and has influenced generations of British television writers, 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 a BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series in 2006.
The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989. A television movie was made in 1996, and the programme was successfully relaunched in 2005, produced in-house by BBC Wales. Some development money is contributed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which is credited as a co-producer in overseas markets, although they do not have creative input into the series. The United States broadcast of the 2005 series began on March 17, 2006 on the Sci Fi Channel.
The second year of the new series, starring David Tennant as the Doctor and Billie Piper as his companion Rose Tyler, began in the UK at 7.15pm, 15 April 2006 on BBC One. A Canadian broadcast date has not been announced. |
