Doctor Who: Difference between revisions

''Doctor Who'' is about the adventures of a mysterious time-traveller known as [[the Doctor]].  The Doctor travels through space and time in a craft known as the [[TARDIS]], an acronym for "Time and Relative Dimension in Space".  The Doctor is usually accompanied by one or more [[list of companions|companions]], who are often attractive females.  The tone of the programme varies from serious to comic, from gothic horror to pantomime camp.  The original ''Doctor Who'' series is fondly remembered among the general public both for frightening monsters (such as the [[Dalek]]s and [[Cybermen]]) and pioneering use of both electronic music and low-budget [[special effects]].

==History of ''Doctor Who''==

The series returned in [[1986]] with a season-long story arc entitled ''[[Season 23|The Trial of a Time Lord]]'', but with greatly reduced screen time due; 14 episodes were allotted for the season, up from 13 the previous season, but with episode lengths reverted back to 25 minutes this was roughly half the storytelling time enjoyed by recent seasons.

Although the show's return garnered sufficient ratings for the BBC to grant a stay of execution and renew it for a 24th season, Colin Baker's contract as the Doctor was not renewed and he subsequently (and against his will) ceded the role to [[Sylvester McCoy]] as the [[Seventh Doctor]] in [[1987]]. The series had survived the hiatus, but never managed to regain ratings levels necessary for ongoing survival, constantly being beaten in the ratings by ''Coronation Street'' and, towards the end, garnering ratings barely in the 3 million range (compared to 11 millions during the height of the Tom Baker era). Attempts were made to refresh the aging series by darkening the character of the Doctor through what was later called the [[Cartmel Masterplan]] (named for then-script editor [[Andrew Cartmel]]). It was during McCoy's era that the series celebrated its 25th anniversary on TV, with one of the serials produced during the anniversary year, ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks]]'', returning the Doctor to [[76 Totter's Lane]], where it all began back in 1963. Following production of the 26th season, Nathan-Turner learned that the show would not be renewed for a 27th season, and after having McCoy record a series-ending monologue, the final episode -- part 3 of the ironically titled ''[[Survival]]'' -- aired on 6 December 1989, bringing ''Doctor Who's'' marathon 26-year run to a close.

==External links==

*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/ The BBC's official "Doctor Who" home page]

*[http://www.outpostgallifrey.com Outpost Gallifrey, the largest un-official site]