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{{retitle|''Doctor Who'' ( | {{subpage tabs}} | ||
{{Update|Info from | {{retitle|''Doctor Who'' (in-universe)}}{{pullout|{{Update|Info from {{cs|Extracts from the Doctor's 500 Year Diary (short story)}} and {{cs|The Diary of a Dr. Who Addict (novel)}} needs to be added.}}}} | ||
{{Infobox Object | {{Infobox Object | ||
|name = ''Doctor Who'' | |name = ''Doctor Who'' | ||
|image = Osgood's desktop.jpg | |||
|type = [[Science fiction]]/[[drama]] [[television]] series<br>multi-media franchise | |type = [[Science fiction]]/[[drama]] [[television]] series<br>multi-media franchise | ||
|origin = [[England]] | |origin = [[England]] | ||
|made by = The [[BBC]]<br>[[Target Books ( | |made by = The [[BBC (in-universe)|BBC]]<br>[[Target Books (in-universe)|Target Books]]<br>[[Marvel Comics Group (in-universe)|Marvel Comics]]<br>[[Big Finish (in-universe)|Big Finish]] | ||
|first | |first cs = Lady Penelope Investigates the stars of the Sensational new film Dr. Who and the Daleks! (short story) | ||
|appearances = | |appearances = {{appears}} | ||
|clip3 = | |clip = Doctor Who appears in 3D - Red Nose Day 2013 | ||
}} | |clip2 = Doctor Who LOCKDOWN The Zygon Isolation | ||
{{dab page|Doctor Who (disambiguation)}} | |clip3 = Doctor Who LOCKDOWN! U.N.I.T. On Call | ||
}}{{dab page|Doctor Who (disambiguation)}} | |||
'''''Doctor Who''''' was a | {{Doctor Who counterparts}} | ||
'''''Doctor Who''''' was a [[TV series (Remembrance of the Daleks)|television series]] produced by the [[BBC (in-universe)|BBC]] in the [[1960s]], centring around the eponymous character known as, among other names, [[the Doctor (fictional character)|the Doctor]]. The television series eventually had many [[novel]]s, [[CD]]s, and [[merchandise]] that formed part of its large multi-media franchise. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Terror of the Umpty Ums (short story)}}, {{cs|A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 464 short story)}}, etc.) | |||
The | Generally, it was considered by its viewers to be a work of fiction, ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Terror of the Umpty Ums (short story)}}, {{cs|A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 464 short story)}}, etc.) though those who produced the stories often had a history with the Doctor and thus based their stories ''upon'' the Doctor's adventures. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Stop, Thief! (short story)}}, {{cs|Bafflement and Devotion (short story)}}, etc.) The Doctor themself, on numerous occasions, appeared in person to endorse and promote the series, ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 1 short story)}}, [[TV]]: {{cs|Untitled (1986 TV story)}}, {{cs|The Doctor Drops In (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Doctor Appears (TV story)}}) with some accounts positing that the series itself was a documentation of the Doctor's adventures, ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Early Man: Dalek Invasion of Earth 2150 B.C. (comic story)}}, [[PROSE]]: {{cs|Dalek Survival Guide (novel)}}) or that the Doctor, at the least, portrayed themself on-screen. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|TV Terrors (TVC 709 comic story)}}) While one account claimed the programme was largely [[fiction]]al, many of the stories were based upon real occurrences. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Background (DWPM 7 short story)}}) | ||
== History == | ==History== | ||
=== In the 19th century === | ===In the 19th century=== | ||
The [[Fourth Doctor]] once wrote and dispatched [[ | The [[Fourth Doctor]] once wrote and dispatched two [[Letter (A Letter from the Doctor)|letters]] at a [[post office, Ganymede|post office]] on [[Ganymede]] on [[42 Paztenmber]], relative to [[1845]] "[[Earth]]-[[time]]", as the Doctor wanted to ensure his letters arrived in time to be printed in the [[Doctor Who Weekly Issue 1 (in-universe)|first issue]] of ''[[Doctor Who Magazine (in-universe)|Doctor Who Weekly]]''. In the first letter, the Doctor talked about several features in the magazine, and in the second letter, the Doctor explained how to use the [[rub-down action transfers]] on two colour [[panorama]]s illustrated by [[Dave Gibbons (in-universe)|Dave Gibbons]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 1 short story)}}) | ||
=== In the 20th century === | ===In the 20th century=== | ||
==== Development ==== | ====Development==== | ||
The creation of the series by the BBC was spurred by the growing appetite of the [[British]] public for realistic [[science fiction]], which had ironically been whetted by the accidental broadcasting in [[1953]] of real footage of the [[Bernard Quatermass|head]] of the [[British Rocket Group]] fighting off an extraterrestrial creature, which the [[Home Secretary]] had hurriedly passed off as fiction. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Background (DWPM 7 short story)}}) | |||
Indeed, it had been [[Winston Churchill]] who suggested in a letter to [[Sydney Newman (in-universe)|Mr Newman]] that he should alter his "whole new type of drama" to be based upon the story of Churchill's old friend, the Doctor, during production on [[26 March]] [[1963]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Stop, Thief! (short story)}}) | |||
According to the ''[[Dalek Survival Guide]]'', ''Doctor Who'' was a [[documentary]] series which was devised to alert the [[general public]] to the various [[alien]] [[danger]]s they faced, while at the same time serving as a dramatised [[biography]] of the central [[character]], the Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Dalek Survival Guide (novel)}}) | |||
==== | ====November 1963==== | ||
[[File:Remembrance Who.jpg|thumb|The series on [[Mrs Smith]]'s television. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)}})|left]] | |||
A BBC science fiction series beginning ''Doc-'' was first broadcast on [[BBC television|television]] at 5:15 [[PM|pm]] on [[Saturday]] ([[TV]]: {{cs|Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)}}) [[30 November|30th of November]], 1963. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Who Killed Kennedy (novel)}}) | |||
Early on, there was a novel called ''[[Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks (in-universe)|Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks]]'', which, according to the [[Eighth Doctor]], contradicted another book, ''[[Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child (in-universe)|Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child]]''. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Bafflement and Devotion (short story)}}) This [[book]] was later illicitly shared around on [[Gallifrey]] during [[War in Heaven|the War]], albeit with its title partially censored for security reasons. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Taking of Planet 5 (novel)}}) | |||
[[File:TV Terrors watch Dr. Who.jpg|thumb|The children watch Dr. Who. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|TV Terrors (TVC 709 comic story)}})]] | |||
Sometime in the mid-1960s, [[Monica (TV Terrors)|Monica]], [[Buttons (TV Terrors)|Buttons]], and [[Cuthbert (TV Terrors)|Cuthbert]] tried to get Dr. Who's [[autograph]] after seeing him on television, but after they arrived at the studio and chased by [[Hoppit|the studio guard]], they took refuge in [[The Doctor's TARDIS|Dr. Who's TARDIS]] that had been "parked" outside the studio. Buttons pressed [[Dematerialisation circuit|a button]], causing the TARDIS to take them to the [[Stone Age]], which they spent little time exploring due to [[Stone-Age Hoppit|a caveman]] chasing them for trying to access a [[Stone Age TV Studio]]. After they returned to the 20th century, they left the TARDIS, and were chased by the guard once again. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|TV Terrors (TVC 709 comic story)}}) | |||
====1970s==== | |||
Sometime in the [[1970s]], [[Terrance Dicks (in-universe)|Terrance Dicks]] listened in on a conversation between the [[Third Doctor]], [[Jo Grant|Jo]], [[the Brigadier]], and a [[Doctor Who fan (U.N.I.T. On Call)|''Doctor Who'' fan]] from the [[2020|future]], who was asking [[UNIT]] for help regarding [[COVID-19]]. He would join in on the conversation a few minutes later, where he came up with a name for a ''Doctor Who'' story, "who's for a brew". He wrote it down, intending to share it with [[Barry Letts (in-universe)|Barry]], before disconnecting from the call. ([[WC]]: {{cs|U.N.I.T. On Call (webcast)}}) | |||
In [[1971]], the serial ''[[The Claws of Axos (in-universe)|The Claws of Axos]]'' aired. There was, at least according to [[Claudia Winkleman (in-universe)|Claudia Winkleman]] in [[2013]], an "alien [[duplication unit]]" present in the story. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Doctor Appears (TV story)}}) | |||
On Christmas, [[1979]], Paul was given a [[Dr Who Paint-by-Numbers kit]]. ([[PROSE]]: | In [[1974]], [[Planet of the Spiders (in-universe serial)|a serial]] of the series aired, portraying the regeneration of the [[Third Doctor (fictional character)|Third Doctor]] into his next incarnation, the [[Fourth Doctor (fictional character)|Fourth Doctor]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Fanboys (short story)}}) The Fourth Doctor was played by [[Tom Baker (in-universe)|Tom Baker]], and was [[Paul Magrs (in-universe)|Paul Magrs]]' favourite actor to portray the Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Story of Fester Cat (novel)}}) | ||
On [[Christmas]], [[1977]], eight-year old Paul received a [[Doctor Who jigsaw (in-universe)|''Doctor Who'' jigsaw]], which had a picture of Tom Baker on it. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Story of Fester Cat (novel)}}) | |||
In [[1978]], {{Fonda|c }} was sent by [[the Ministry]] to investigate [[Geoff Love]] as the Ministry suspected him of secreting in subliminal messages into his reworkings of classic TV sci-fi themes. Iris helped Geoff develop a remixed [[Doctor Who theme (Bafflement and Devotion)|''Doctor Who'' theme]] while proving that the Ministry was indeed correct with their suspicions. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Bafflement and Devotion (short story)}}) | |||
On Christmas, [[1979]], Paul was given a [[Dr Who Paint-by-Numbers kit]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Party Like it's 1979 (short story)}}) | |||
==== 1980s ==== | ==== 1980s ==== | ||
Prior to [[1981]], serials known as ''[[The Seeds of Doom]]'', ''[[State of Decay]]'' | [[file:Streets Doctor Who Ice Cream IU.png|thumb|left|[[Streets Doctor Who Ice Cream (in-universe)|Streets ''Doctor Who'' Ice Cream]], "the [[1 (number)|first]] ''Doctor Who'' [[ice]] [[treat]]". ([[TV]]: {{cs|Streets Doctor Who advertisement (TV story)}})]] | ||
Prior to [[1981]], serials known as ''[[The Seeds of Doom (in-universe)|The Seeds of Doom]]'', ''[[State of Decay (in-universe serial)|State of Decay]]'' and ''[[Planet of the Spiders (in-universe serial)|Planet of the Spiders]]'' were broadcast, the latter of which depicting the Fourth Doctor's regeneration into the [[Fifth Doctor]], who was set to return in the [[Doctor Who Season 19 (in-universe)|following season]]. By this time, the [[Wirrn]], [[Zarbi]], [[Sontaran]]s, [[Krynoid]]s, [[Zygon]]s, [[Mechanoid]]s, [[Yeti]], and the [[Brain]] of [[Morbius]] all had been featured in the show, serving the role of the villains. | |||
In early 1981, [[David Taylor (Fanboys)|David]] and [[Chris (Fanboys)|Chris]] were major fans of the series. They obsessed over the series and went to [[Darlington]] on a semi-regular basis, where they would be treated by their parents by taking them into [[WHSmith]]'s to buy [[Target Books (in-universe)|Target novelisations]] of ''Doctor Who'' stories. On one such occasion, they bought copies of ''[[State of Decay (in-universe book)|State of Decay]]'' and ''[[Planet of the Spiders (in-universe book)|Planet of the Spiders]]''. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Fanboys (short story)}}) | |||
''[[K9 and Company (in-universe)|K9 and Company]]'' premiered around Christmas 1981. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Story of Fester Cat (novel)}}) | |||
The [[Fourth Doctor]] described [[Streets Doctor Who Ice Cream (in-universe)|Streets ''Doctor Who'' Ice Cream]] as "the [[1 (number)|first]] ''Doctor Who'' [[ice]] [[treat]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Streets Doctor Who advertisement (TV story)}}) | |||
After the [[Sixth Doctor]] finished telling the audience that they had been watching ''[[Roland Rat: The Series]]'', and that they should now switch over to [[BBC television|BBC1]]'s ''Doctor Who'', [[Reggie Rat]] jumped up, shouting that ''Doctor Who'' was "rubbish", which caused the Sixth Doctor to promptly attempt to [[murder]] the rat. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Untitled (1986 TV story)}}) | |||
According to an [[American correspondent (Contributors)|American correspondent]], [[Jay Eales (in-universe)|Jay Eales]] had been responsible for the cancellation of ''Doctor Who'' in [[1989]] after he "fiendishly" edited a [[charity]] fanthology, ''[[Walking in Eternity (in-universe)|Walking in Eternity]]'', in the year [[2000]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Contributors (short story)}}) | |||
====UNIT era==== | |||
[[File:Doctor Who Discovers Historical Mysteries.jpg|thumb|''Doctor Who Discovers Historical Mysteries''. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Kingmaker (audio story)}})]] | |||
According to one account, the [[Doctor Who logo (in-universe)|''Doctor Who'' brand]] came about by accident after [[the press]]'s awareness of the Doctor turned him into a reluctant [[celebrity]], the [[Fifth Doctor]] suggesting that the newfound exposure came following the [[Fourth Doctor]]'s [[Zygon gambit|encounter]] with the [[Skarasen|Loch Ness Monster]]. A [[Target Books (in-universe)|publisher]] approached the Doctor, who accepted their request to write factual books aimed at children. The resulting series was intended to be named ''The Doctor, Who Discovers'' but became ''[[Doctor Who Discovers]]'' after "some [[idiot]]" in the publisher's design department missed the "The". The Doctor completed five books in the series and began work on the sixth, ''[[Doctor Who Discovers Historical Mysteries]]'', but left it unfinished until a robot sent by the publishers from the [[64th century]] invaded the TARDIS to forcefully remind him of his contractual obligation. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Kingmaker (audio story)}}) | |||
Another account stated a sixth book was indeed created during this time, titled ''[[Doctor Who Discovers Pirates]]''. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Doctor Who Discovers Pirates (novel)}}) | |||
====1990s==== | |||
In the late [[1990s]], an unspecified incarnation of the character was portrayed by [[Paul McGann (in-universe)|Paul McGann]] in the [[Doctor Who TV movie (in-universe)|''Doctor Who'' TV movie]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Hospitality (short story)}}) | |||
===In the 21st century=== | |||
====2000s==== | |||
Published around the turn of the [[21st century]], the ''[[Dalek Survival Guide]]'' acknowledged ''Doctor Who'' as a series of dramatised biographies transmitted as [[family]] [[entertainment]] between [[1963]] and [[1996]]. The series was followed by various published biographies presented in "mock-fictional" form as segments of the Doctor's [[incarnation|lives]]; some of these biographies were, according to the guide, "of dubious provenance". ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Dalek Survival Guide (novel)}}) | |||
Around the early [[2000s]], [[Paul Magrs (in-universe)|Paul Magrs]] wrote in a short [[Prose piece (Bafflement and Devotion)|piece of prose]] about his books and inspirations. In this piece, he stated that the [[Second Doctor|second]] and [[Fourth Doctor|fourth]] incarnations of the Doctor were [[Patrick Troughton (in-universe)|Patrick Troughton]] and [[Tom Baker (in-universe)|Tom Baker]], respectively, and that his collection of all [[150 (number)|150]] [[Target Books (in-universe)|Target novels]] written by Terrance Dicks had been [[theft|stolen]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Bafflement and Devotion (short story)}}) | |||
In [[SpoilerSpace]], [[Raf (To the Devil — A Diva!)|Raf]] told [[Raf's assistant|his assistant]] to tell any ''Doctor Who'' fans wanting to purchase the latest book that they'd have to wait due to a late delivery. She thought that ''Doctor Who'' fans were the worst, but Raf disagreed. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|To the Devil — a Diva! (novel)}}) | |||
In the mid-2000s, [[billboard]] advertisements were placed around [[Cardiff]] for the [[Doctor Who Exhibition (in-universe)|''Doctor Who'' Exhibition]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Everything Changes (TV story)}}) | |||
[[File:Doctor Who annuals in Books UnLtd.jpg|thumb|left|Various ''Doctor Who'' annuals stacked on [[table]]s and placed on [[shelf|shelves]] in [[Books UnLtd]]. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|A Groatsworth of Wit (comic story)}})]] | |||
By [[2006]], [[Books UnLtd]] stocked ''Doctor Who'' annuals, which [[Robert Greene]] walked past as he entered the shop. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|A Groatsworth of Wit (comic story)}}) | |||
By the 21st century, [[Cybermen]], [[Weeping Angel]]s, [[Sontaran]]s and [[Slitheen family|Slitheen]] had appeared in the franchise. [[David Karpagnon]], an [[orphan]] with [[dissociative personality disorder]], watched the show around this time. The Doctor helped him with his problems from inside his head. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Terror of the Umpty Ums (short story)}}) | |||
In [[2008]], Paul Magrs worked on several [[script]]s for [[Doctor Who CDs (The Story of Fester Cat)|''Doctor Who'' CDs]], which, once completed, would require Paul to travel to [[London]] and help with the production, where he got to meet Tom Baker. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Story of Fester Cat (novel)}}) | |||
====2010s==== | |||
[[File:Plush TARDIS.png|thumb|The plush TARDIS prize within a claw machine. ([[WC]]: {{cs|Web of Lies (webcast)}})]] | |||
In the early [[2010s]], [[Matt Smith (in-universe)|Matt Smith]] was an actor in the series. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Doctor Drops In (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Doctor Appears (TV story)}}) | |||
In [[2011]], there was a [[pink]] TARDIS as a prize in a claw machine in a fairground on [[Coney Island]]. ([[WC]]: {{cs|Web of Lies (webcast)}}) | |||
In a [[Wackopedia]] article about the partially lost [[David Bowie]] album ''[[Low/Profile (album)|Low/Profile]]'' dated to [[September]] [[2012]] and last updated by [[George Mann (in-universe)|George Mann]], ''Doctor Who'', ''[[Dad's Army]]'', and ''[[Callan]]'' were listed as examples of television shows that had deleted content and that as a result had fans that searched the [[archive]]s and [[internet]] in the hopes of recovering this content. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Low/Profile (short story)}}) | |||
On [[Red Nose Day]] [[2013]], [[Dermot O'Leary (in-universe)|Dermot O'Leary]] surprised his co-presenter [[Claudia Winkleman (in-universe)|Claudia Winkleman]] with a guest appearance of the [[Eleventh Doctor]]. At the event, an [[The Snowmen (in-universe)|episode]] of ''Doctor Who'' played on screen behind them with [[Richard E Grant (in-universe)|an actor]] portraying [[Walter Simeon]], and Claudia flirtatiously chased the Doctor around. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Doctor Appears (TV story)}}) Later that year, ''[[The Day of the Doctor (in-universe episode)|The Day of the Doctor]]'' was broadcast in [[3D]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Doctor Appears (TV story)}}, [[WC]]: {{cs|The Zygon Isolation (webcast)}}) | |||
[[Peter Capaldi (in-universe)|Peter Capaldi]] was cast as the [[Twelfth Doctor (fictional character)|Twelfth Doctor]] in [[2013]], where he attended a [[meeting]] with [[Steven Moffat (in-universe)|Steven Moffat]]. Capaldi prepared for this meeting by reading issues of [[Doctor Who Magazine (in-universe)|DWM]]. Later, he wrote [[Letter (A Letter from the Doctor)|a letter]] to the readers of DWM, writing about his more than positive opinions of the magazine. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 464 short story)}}) | |||
[[File:Doctor Who bus.jpg|thumb|A poster on a [[double decker bus]] in [[2014]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|In the Forest of the Night (TV story)}})|left]] | |||
In [[November]] [[2014]], ([[PROSE]]: "[[The Time Lord Letters (novel)|Assessing the Risk]]") when the [[Earth]] became overgrown with [[tree]]s, a [[double decker bus]] had an [[advertisement]] on its side, depicting [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] and individuals closely resembling the Twelfth Doctor and [[Clara Oswald]]. An unknown source rated the show four stars out of five commenting "A-MAZE-ING ENTERTAINMENT!". ([[TV]]: {{cs|In the Forest of the Night (TV story)}}) | |||
Around [[October]] of [[2015]], the [[Doctor Who Series 9 (in-universe)|ninth series]] of the show was broadcast on [[BBC television|BBC One]], comprising of the stories ''[[New Series Prologue]]'', ''[[The Magician's Apprentice (in-universe)|The Magician's Apprentice]]'', ''[[The Witch's Familiar (in-universe)|The Witch's Familiar]]'', ''[[Under the Lake (in-universe)|Under the Lake]]'', ''[[Before the Flood (in-universe)|Before the Flood]]'', ''[[The Girl Who Died (in-universe)|The Girl Who Died]]'', ''[[The Woman Who Lived (in-universe)|The Woman Who Lived]]'', ''[[The Zygon Invasion (in-universe)|The Zygon Invasion]]'', ''[[The Zygon Inversion (in-universe)|The Zygon Inversion]]'', ''[[Sleep No More (in-universe)|Sleep No More]]'', ''[[Face the Raven (in-universe)|Face the Raven]]'', and ''[[Heaven Sent (in-universe)|Heaven Sent]]''. ([[WC]]: {{cs|The Zygon Isolation (webcast)}}) | |||
On [[29 April]] [[2016]], Peter Capaldi was asked by ''[[Doctor Who Magazine (in-universe)|Doctor Who Magazine]]'' to write a [[letter (A Letter from the Doctor)|letter]] for the [[Doctor Who Magazine Issue 500 (in-universe)|five-hundredth issue]]. He had written another letter for the magazine a while back, but couldn't remember if it was for the [[Doctor Who Magazine Issue 1000 (in-universe)|one-thousandth]] or the [[Doctor Who Magazine Issue 100000 (in-universe)|one hundred-thousandth]] issue. In his letter, he noted that the magazine had a [[comic strip]], and he was proud to have his likeness be captured so well, as well as how inspirational the magazine was to its fans. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 500 short story)}}) | |||
[[Colin Baker (in-universe)|Colin Baker]] was once put on [[trial]] for not paying a [[parking fine]], which he received whilst filming ten [[hour]]s of new content for ''[[Doctor Who Season 23]]'', which included updated [[special effect]]s and extended versions of every [[episode]], as well as behind the scenes material such as ''[[The Writers' Room: The Missing Season 23? (The Trial)|The Writers' Room: The Missing Season 23?]]'', ''[[The Doctor Who Cookbook Revisited (The Trial)|The Doctor Who Cookbook Revisited]]'', and ''[[The Doctor's Table: Season 23 (The Trial)|The Doctor's Table: Season 23]]''. Despite showing [[Magistrate (The Trial)|the magistrate]] evidence of this on his [[iPad]] which had been beamed directly from [[the Matrix]], he was "put away" in a cell with his friend [[Nicola Bryant (in-universe)|Nicola Bryant]], who had been put there for marrying [[Brian Blessed (in-universe)|Brian Blessed]]. ([[WC]]: {{cs|The Trial (webcast)}}) | |||
====2020s==== | |||
[[File:Osgood's desktop.jpg|thumb|Osgood's desktop. ([[WC]]: {{cs|The Zygon Isolation (webcast)}})]] | |||
In [[ | In [[Louise Jameson's home|her garden]], [[Louise Jameson (in-universe)|Louise Jameson]] spoke to her friend [[Tom Baker (in-universe)|Tom]] about how wonderful her new [[Home Assistant V14]] was. During the phone call, she gave it too many orders, causing the robot malfunctioned and attempt to kill her. Hanging up on Tom, Louise grabbed a [[Doctor Who Season 14 (in-universe)|''Doctor Who'' Season 14]] boxset and used it to knock the Home Assistant to the ground, deactivating it. ([[WC]]: {{cs|Home Assistant (webcast)}}) | ||
By [[2020]], the show had 12 series and 167 episodes that were available on [[BBC iPlayer]]. ([[WC]]: {{cs|The Zygon Isolation (webcast)}}) | |||
[[ | On [[10 May]], 2020, the two [[Osgood]]s conversed over [[Zoom]]. Afterwards, one of the duo went onto [[BBC iPlayer]] after ending the chat, scrolling past several episodes of ''Doctor Who'' from series nine, until she decided to watch ''[[The Zygon Invasion (in-universe)|The Zygon Invasion]]''. ([[WC]]: {{cs|The Zygon Isolation (webcast)}}) | ||
[[ | In late 2020, after a [[Doctor Who fan (U.N.I.T. On Call)|fan]] finished watching an [[Turn Left (in-universe)|episode]], she rang UNIT in the 1970s, asking for help from the real Third Doctor, Jo, and the Brigadier, and they told her to remain positive despite the hardships. Terrance Dicks, also on the call, applauded the trio and told the fan a tea break was deserved. He then came up with an idea for the name of a story. After the call, the fan drank a [[TARDIS mug|cup]] of tea while watching an older episode of ''Doctor Who''. ([[WC]]: {{cs|U.N.I.T. On Call (webcast)}}) | ||
====2060s==== | |||
By [[2065]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Peaceful Thals Ambushed! (short story)}}) [[William Hartnell (in-universe)|William Hartnell]] had played the part of "[[Dr. Who]]" in "the television series". However, he was too busy to play the character in the film adaption ''[[Dr. Who and the Daleks (in-universe)|Dr. Who and the Daleks]]'', leaving [[Peter Cushing (in-universe)|Peter Cushing]] to take on the role. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Lady Penelope Investigates the stars of the Sensational new film Dr. Who and the Daleks! (short story)}}) Other accounts held that Hartnell and Cushing had lived much earlier in human history, the [[20th century]], ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Pier Pressure (audio story)}}; [[COMIC]]: {{cs|Whodunnit? (comic story)}}; [[PROSE]]: {{cs|From Wildthyme with Love (novel)}}, et al.) but [[The Doctor|the real Doctor]] had met both men. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Pier Pressure (audio story)}}; [[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)}}) In fact, the Doctor was known to have taken Cushing throughout time, allowing the actor to appear in films made after his death. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)}}) | |||
By [[2067]], there was a [[BBC (in-universe)|BBC]] series one account called "F[REDACTED] P[REDACTED]" that featured an actor take on the role of [[Auteur]]. This actor, whose name was redacted like the show's name, continued to hold the role up to [[7898]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Auteur's Abecedarium (short story)}}) However, actor [[David Bradley (in-universe)|David Bradly]] instead played Auteur in the [[200th Anniversary Special]] by wearing a rubber mask. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Resurrection of the Author (short story)}}) The redacted title featuring an "F" and a "P" in front of each word, ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Auteur's Abecedarium (short story)}}) matched the name of the rogue [[Great House]] of [[Faction Paradox]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Book of the War (novel)}}) of which Auteur was a member. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|A Bloody (And Public) Domaine (short story)}}, {{cs|Going Once, Going Twice (short story)}}) | |||
==== | ===In the 26th century=== | ||
====2590s==== | |||
In [[2596]], [[Chris Cwej]] and [[Clarence]] once watched a show on a [[vidscreen]] that ran for "thirty-odd years" and mostly comprised of "people being captured and escaping, a lot of [[running]] and an [[explosion]] at the end". Clarence found this series to be predictable, but they both preferred it to the alternative, which were [[cookery]] shows. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Twilight of the Gods (BNA novel)}}) | |||
Cwej was actually a native of the [[30th century]] ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Head Games (novel)}}) and had grown up on another series, ''[[EarthDoom XV]]''. This [[holovid]] series told a fictionalised version of the [[Third Dalek War]] with a low budget. Nonetheless, it scared the young Cwej and others his age. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Sky Pirates! (novel)}}) | |||
[[ | |||
[[ | ===Undated events=== | ||
A [[Narrator (The Daleks)|narrator]] once told the story of the [[Mechonoid Incident]], warning that it was a real despite how fantastical it was. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Daleks (audio story)}}) | |||
[[ | [[David Fisher (in-universe)|David Fisher]] wrote the story ''[[The Stones of Blood (in-universe)|The Stones of Blood]]'', a story which involved a [[stone circle]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Stones of Spookiness (short story)}}) | ||
[[Justin Richards (in-universe)|Justin Richards]] was the author of many stories about the Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|About the Authors (feature)}}) | |||
[[Kelly Hale (in-universe)|Kelly Hale]] once co-[[author]]ed a [[Grimm Reality (in-universe)|''Doctor Who'' tie-in novel]] and another novel, ''[[Erasing Sherlock (in-universe)|Erasing Sherlock]]''. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Contributors (short story)}}) | |||
[[File:Doctor Who Season 8.jpg|thumb|left|[[Melanie Bush|Mel]] looks down at her present. ([[WC]]: {{cs|24 Carat (webcast)}})]] | |||
In [[Melanie Bush]]'s [[Mel's spacestation headquarters|spacestation headquarters]], the [[Seventh Doctor]] gave Mel a copy of ''[[Doctor Who Season 24|Doctor Who The Collection Season 24]]'', which he claimed was a "[[holographic]], [[6 (number)|six]]-[[dimension]]al record" of his and Mel's adventures. They decided to watch an episode, but not [[Time and the Rani (in-universe)|the one with the Tetraps]]. ([[WC]]: {{cs|24 Carat (webcast)}}) | |||
''[[Gallifrey: a rough guide]]'', when suggesting leisurely activities for time-active vacationers to partake in on their trip to [[Gallifrey]], illustrated the many uses of [[The Matrix|its Matrix]] by suggesting the option to view the various title sequences of ''Doctor Who.'' ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Gallifrey: A Rough Guide (short story)}}) | |||
[[Jo Grant]] once used a ''Doctor Who'' [[stamp]] on her [[space-time postcard]] to [[Mike Yates]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Greyhound (short story)}}) | |||
===Other accounts=== | |||
{{Section stub|Info about ''[[The Time Surgeon]]'', ''[[Doctor X]]'', ''[[Professor X]]'', ''[[Doctor Omega]]'', ''[[Doctor (series)|Doctor]]'', ''[[Mister E]]'', and ''[[Comic Relief spectacular]]'' needs to be added.}} | |||
Other accounts of [[The Doctor in popular culture and mythology|the Doctor appearing in Earth fiction]], sometimes as a [[Doctor Who (Salvation)|character called "Doctor Who"]], suggested that some of the movies [[The Doctor in popular culture and mythology#On television|and TV programmes]] about the character were based on records and testimonies of the real Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Stop, Thief! (short story)}}, {{cs|Salvation (novel)}}, {{cs|The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)}}) It has been suggested that when the Doctor's existence has become too noticeable to a world, they have a favourite "panic button", going back in time and introducing themselves as a fictional character in that world's mythology. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Afterword (short story)}}) | |||
Premiering in the [[1950s]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|In Search of Doctor X (short story)}}) the television series ''[[Doctor X]]'' shared similarities ''Doctor Who'', ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|In Search of Doctor X (short story)}}, [[WC]]: {{cs|Doctor X (webcast)}}, etc.) with the series both being primarily [[science fiction]], centring around a mysterious, eponymous time traveller, with similarly named books<ref>''[[Doctor X in an Amazing Adventure in Space]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks (in-universe)|Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks]]''</ref>, ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|In Search of Doctor X (short story)}}, {{cs|Bafflement and Devotion (short story)}}) as well as a dedicated fanbase. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Bafflement and Devotion (short story)}}, {{cs|The Story of Fester Cat (novel)}}, [[WC]]: {{cs|Doctor X (webcast)}}) | |||
===Parallel timelines=== | |||
{{Main|Meta-fiction universe}} | |||
''Doctor Who'' also existed as a TV series/franchise in several [[parallel universe]]s. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|TV Action! (comic story)}}, {{cs|The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who (comic story)}}, [[PROSE]]: {{cs|All Our Christmases (short story)}}, {{cs|The Thief of Sherwood (short story)}}, [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Deadline (audio story)}}) | |||
[[ | ==Behind the scenes== | ||
===History of the concept=== | |||
The existence of the TV series ''[[Doctor Who]]'' within the [[Doctor Who universe|''Doctor Who'' universe]] is a metafictional gimmick with a long and storied history within licensed ''Doctor Who'' fiction. The show itself stopped just shy of confirming the existence of a series called ''Doctor Who'' within its universe on two occasions; the first was in ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'', where a [[TV series (Remembrance of the Daleks)|TV series]] whose title began with "Doc…", and which debuted on the same date as the real-life ''Doctor Who'', was briefly mentioned — only for the characters (and viewers) to miss the full name of the programme. Many years later, a poster featuring the [[Twelfth Doctor]], [[Clara Oswald]] and [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] was glimpsed in the background of the [[Series 8 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series 8]] episode ''[[In the Forest of the Night (TV story)|In the Forest of the Night]]'', but with no title visible. | |||
''[[The ArcHive Tapes (audio anthology)|The ArcHive Tapes]]'' established the [[Earth Document]]s, a series of audio-visual documents which were essentially in-universe recordings of the Doctor's adventures, as a rationale to utilise archive audio from ''Doctor Who''. | |||
As a significant part of [[The Doctor in popular culture and mythology|popular culture]] of [[The Doctor in Earth history|Earth history]] in their own universe, [[television]] programmes and [[book]]s based upon the Doctor have also been referenced in other in-universe sources; some, like [[Sarah Jane Smith]]'s [[Doctor (series)|''Doctor'' series]], were reminiscent but distinct from real-life ''Doctor Who'' productions, while others, such as the mention of the two [[Peter Cushing]] | As a significant part of [[The Doctor in popular culture and mythology|popular culture]] of [[The Doctor in Earth history|Earth history]] in their own universe, [[television]] programmes and [[book]]s based upon the Doctor have also been referenced in other in-universe sources; some, like [[Sarah Jane Smith]]'s [[Doctor (series)|''Doctor'' series]], were reminiscent but distinct from real-life ''Doctor Who'' productions, while others, such as the mention of the two [[Peter Cushing]] movies in [[Steven Moffat]]'s [[The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)|''Day of the Doctor'' novelisation]], intentionally matched pieces of real-life ''Doctor Who'' fiction. While many stories about the in-universe series failed to address how it could exist within [[the Doctor's universe]] (with stories such as [[PROSE]]: ''[[A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 1 short story)|A Letter from the Doctor]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Drops In (TV story)|The Doctor Drops In]]'' and ''[[The Doctor Appears (TV story)|The Doctor Appears]]'' coming close, depicting the Doctor endorsing the series), only the short story ''[[Background (DWPM 7 short story)|Background]]'' actually addressed the issues, to some extent, positing that the series was created by the BBC after being inspired by an incident in [[1953]] where they had caught footage of an alien organism (which had subsequently been broadcast on television), causing the [[Home Secretary]] to issue a public statement that the footage was actual from a science fiction programme. ''Doctor Who'' was a culmination of the public's desire for science fiction during the following decades, and such, the BBC created the series, mostly as fiction, with certain stories being based upon actual events. | ||
As an in-universe concept, ''Doctor Who'' has been additionally used in [[Meta-fiction universe|parallel universes]] — where the logically thorny implications of the series known to the viewer simultaneously being a true account of a time-traveller's life, ''and'' a piece of fiction which the same individual could theoretically watch, would be lessened. The [[Eighth Doctor]] discovered the existence of ''[[Doctor Who (TV Action!)|Doctor Who]]'' in ''[[TV Action! (comic story)|TV Action!]]'' while the [[Eleventh Doctor]] dealt with chapters of his life being chronicled as [[episode]]s of a [[Doctor Who (The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who)|television programme]] in ''[[The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who (comic story)|The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who]]''. The articles from ''[[The Thief of Sherwood (short story)|The Thief of Sherwood]]'', which depict an adventure with the [[First Doctor]], [[Susan Foreman|Susan]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] and [[Barbara Campbell|Barbara]] where they meet [[Robin Hood]], is placed in "an alternate version of our world", belonging to [[the Doctor]]'s [[multiverse]], by authorial intent. | As an in-universe concept, ''Doctor Who'' has been additionally used in [[Meta-fiction universe|parallel universes]] — where the logically thorny implications of the series known to the viewer simultaneously being a true account of a time-traveller's life, ''and'' a piece of fiction which the same individual could theoretically watch, would be lessened. The [[Eighth Doctor]] discovered the existence of ''[[Doctor Who (TV Action!)|Doctor Who]]'' in ''[[TV Action! (comic story)|TV Action!]]'' while the [[Eleventh Doctor]] dealt with chapters of his life being chronicled as [[episode]]s of a [[Doctor Who (The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who)|television programme]] in ''[[The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who (comic story)|The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who]]''. The articles from ''[[The Thief of Sherwood (short story)|The Thief of Sherwood]]'', which depict an adventure with the [[First Doctor]], [[Susan Foreman|Susan]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] and [[Barbara Campbell|Barbara]] where they meet [[Robin Hood]], is placed in "an alternate version of our world", belonging to [[the Doctor]]'s [[multiverse]], by authorial intent. | ||
=== Other notes === | ===Other notes === | ||
[[File:Bus advert.jpg|thumb|The fan-made poster used on the [[bus]] in ''[[In the Forest of the Night (TV story)|In the Forest of the Night]]''.]] | [[File:Bus advert.jpg|thumb|The fan-made poster used on the [[bus]] in ''[[In the Forest of the Night (TV story)|In the Forest of the Night]]''.]] | ||
The bus seen in ''[[In the Forest of the Night (TV story)|In the Forest of the Night]]'' was cardboard, as it was too hard to transport a real [[bus]] into the [[forest]]. The [[advert]] seen on the bus was a fan-made poster for [[Series 8 (Doctor Who)|series 8]] of ''Doctor Who'', made by [[Logan Fulford]]. | The bus seen in ''[[In the Forest of the Night (TV story)|In the Forest of the Night]]'' was cardboard, as it was too hard to transport a real [[bus]] into the [[forest]]. The [[advert]] seen on the bus was a fan-made poster for [[Series 8 (Doctor Who 2005)|series 8]] of ''Doctor Who'', made by [[Logan Fulford]]. | ||
The ''Doctor Who'' annuals seen in [[COMIC]]: ''[[A Groatsworth of Wit (comic story)|A Groatsworth of Wit]]'', while are clearly recognisable, the specific years are too small to make out. In the real world, these annuals correspond to the [[Doctor Who Annual 1968|1968]] and [[Doctor Who Annual 2006|2006]] annuals. | |||
In some stories, vague allusions towards ''Doctor Who'' stories have been made, such as in [[PROSE]]: ''[[I Am the Doctor (short story)|I Am the Doctor]]'', where [[Nardole]] watches "The Chase"; whether this was a meta-fictional reference to the [[The Chase (TV story)|''Doctor Who'' serial]] or a reference to the [[The Chase|game-show of the same name]] is currently unclear. Similar instances have occurred with characters, where they've been named after or in homage to real world individuals involved with ''Doctor Who'', with ambiguity surrounding whether they're supposed to be direct, in-universe counterparts, equivalents of, or even entirely unrelated individuals in all but name. | |||
[[ | |||
Many of [[Douglas Adams]]' ''[[Doctor Who]]'' stories, such as [[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]'', have implied a shared universe with ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' series, however an authorised sequel ''[[w:hitchhikers:And Another Thing...|And Another Thing...]]'' seems to contradict this by having [[Arthur Dent]] compare the destruction of Earth to early [[special effect]]s on ''Doctor Who'', however by the content gathered on this page, this disparity can be easily reconciled. | |||
==== | ===Information from invalid sources === | ||
====Dead Ringers==== | |||
In a ''[[Dead Ringers]]'' sketch, the [[Tenth Doctor]], whilst spending [[Christmas]] with his previous [[incarnation]]s, suggested that they put the [[television]] as he "heard there might be something good on" only for the other Doctors to reject him, with the [[Ninth Doctor]] saying that he does not want to watch the "poncy Doctor". | |||
==== Ident Interruptions ==== | |||
During the run up to the broadcast of ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'', the [[Eleventh Doctor]] interrupted idents on [[BBC One]]. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Eleventh Doctor Ident Interruptions]]'') | |||
During the run up to the broadcast of [[Series 8 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series 8]], the [[Twelfth Doctor]] interrupted idents on BBC One. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Twelfth Doctor Ident Interruptions]]'') | |||
==== '' | ====''Oh Mummy!'' ==== | ||
When [[Sutekh]] auditioned for the role of himself, [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] set [[fire]] to many objects to see if Sutekh could hold back the flames. Unbeknownst to him at the time, one of these objects was a copy of ''[[Fury from the Deep (in-universe)|Fury from the Deep]]''. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Oh Mummy! (home video)|Oh Mummy!]]'') | |||
'' | ====''Eye on... Blatchford''==== | ||
[[File:Fury from the Deep DVD cover.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sardoth]]'s [[DVD]] copy of ''[[Fury from the Deep (in-universe)|Fury from the Deep]]''. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Eye on... Blatchford (home video)|Eye on... Blatchford]]'')]] | |||
In his home, [[Sardoth]] read ''[[The Dr Who Annual 1979]]'', and in his attic, had a [[DVD]] copy of ''[[Fury from the Deep (in-universe)|Fury from the Deep]]'' in a cardboard box. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Eye on... Blatchford (home video)|Eye on... Blatchford]]'') | |||
== External links == | ====''Doctor Who meets Mr. Men''==== | ||
[[File:Doctor Who DWmMM.jpg|left|thumb|[[Doctor Who episode (Doctor Who meets Mr. Men)|An episode]] of ''Doctor Who'' on a [[Television|TV]]. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Doctor Who meets Mr. Men (webcast)|Doctor Who meets Mr. Men]]'')]] | |||
''Doctor Who'' was the favourite TV show of [[Little Miss Dee]], who watched it with [[Christel Dee's friends|her friends]]. After watching an "exciting [[Doctor Who episode (Doctor Who meets Mr. Men)|episode]]" of the series, she heard [[the TARDIS]] [[materialising]] and searched for it. After verifying that it hadn't materialised in the [[Weeping Angel graveyard]], [[Zygon cave]], or [[Cybermen spaceship]], she used [[Christel Dee's vortex manipulator|a vortex manipulator]] to appear in [[Adam Hargreaves (Doctor Who meets Mr. Men)|Adam Hargreaves]]' [[Adam Hargreaves' studio|studio]], where he talked about combining ''Doctor Who'' with ''[[Mr. Men]]''. The [[Dr. Men|"''Doctor Who'' Roger Hargreaves books]]" included ''[[Dr. First]]'', ''[[Dr. Fourth]]'', ''[[Dr. Eleventh]]'', and ''[[Dr. Twelfth]]''. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Doctor Who meets Mr. Men (webcast)|Doctor Who meets Mr. Men]]'') | |||
==== ''Peter Capaldi and Simon the Shy Cyberman Invite You to Breakfast with 7 Doctors'' ==== | |||
The Doctor first learned of the series through, in the [[Twelfth Doctor]]'s words, "various [[psychic]] shenanigans". When the various actors who had played the Doctor came together for a special [[breakfast]] event, the Twelfth Doctor considered going to it, telling [[Simon the Shy Cyberman]] and another individual as such. ([[WC]]: ''[[Peter Capaldi and Simon the Shy Cyberman Invite You to Breakfast with 7 Doctors (webcast)|Peter Capaldi and Simon the Shy Cyberman Invite You to Breakfast with 7 Doctors]]'') | |||
====''Verity''==== | |||
A young woman, [[Verity Lambert (in-universe)|Verity]], went to the [[BBC (in-universe)|BBC]], and became the [[producer]] of the show, despite the protests of the "[[Men Who Knew What To Do]]". By standing her ground against their blatant [[sexism]], she helped the ''Doctor Who'' series flourish with her creative ideas. | |||
Early on in the series, there were [[Tribe of Gum|Cavemen]], [[Dalek]]s, [[Aztec]]s and [[Marco Polo]]. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Verity (poem)|Verity]]'') | |||
====''A New Year's message from the Doctor''==== | |||
The [[Thirteenth Doctor]] and everybody at ''Doctor Who'' once wished their audience "[[love]] and [[luck]]" for [[2021]]. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[A New Year's message from the Doctor... (webcast)|A New Year's message from the Doctor...]]'') | |||
====''Tom Baker stars in John Lloyd's lost Doctor Who adventure, The Doomsday Contract'' ==== | |||
In 1978, [[Douglas Adams (in-universe)|Douglas Adams]] became the [[script editor]] for ''Doctor Who'' after he finished writing ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' for [[Radio 4]]. [[John Lloyd (in-universe)|John Lloyd]], who had assisted Adams with the writing for ''Hitchhiker's'', submitted a story treatment entitled ''[[The Doomsday Contract]]''. Despite putting a lot of work into multiple drafts, the episode was never produced and Lloyd moved onto other projects. | |||
In [[2021]], [[Big Finish (in-universe)|Big Finish]] produced a "full cast audio version" of the unproduced serial ''[[The Doomsday Contract]]'', written by [[John Lloyd (in-universe)|John Lloyd]] and [[Nev Fountain (in-universe)|Nev Fountain]], starring [[Tom Baker (in-universe)|Tom Baker]], [[Lalla Ward (in-universe)|Lalla Ward]], [[John Leeson (in-universe)|John Leeson]], and [[Julian Wadham (Tom Baker stars in John Lloyd's lost Doctor Who adventure, The Doomsday Contract)|Julian Wadham]]. ([[NOTVALID]]: ''[[Tom Baker stars in John Lloyd's lost Doctor Who adventure, The Doomsday Contract (webcast)|Tom Baker stars in John Lloyd's lost Doctor Who adventure, The Doomsday Contract]]'') | |||
==External links== | |||
{{Lockx}} | {{Lockx}} | ||
==Footnotes== | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
{{Doctor Who}} | {{Doctor Who}} | ||
{{DWU DW stories}} | {{DWU DW stories}} | ||
{{Marvel Comics}} | {{Marvel Comics}} | ||
[[Category:Doctor Who (N-Space)| ]] | |||
[[Category:Doctor Who (N-Space)| *]] | |||
[[Category:Television series from the real world]] | [[Category:Television series from the real world]] | ||
[[Category:BBC]] | [[Category:BBC]] | ||
[[Category:Science fiction television series]] | [[Category:Science fiction television series]] | ||
[[Category:Big Finish (in-universe)]] | |||
Latest revision as of 06:36, 24 October 2024
- You may wish to consult
Doctor Who (disambiguation)for other, similarly-named pages.
Doctor Who was a television series produced by the BBC in the 1960s, centring around the eponymous character known as, among other names, the Doctor. The television series eventually had many novels, CDs, and merchandise that formed part of its large multi-media franchise. (PROSE: The Terror of the Umpty Ums [+]Loading...["The Terror of the Umpty Ums (short story)"], A Letter from the Doctor 464 [+]Loading...["A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 464 short story)"], etc.)
Generally, it was considered by its viewers to be a work of fiction, (PROSE: The Terror of the Umpty Ums [+]Loading...["The Terror of the Umpty Ums (short story)"], A Letter from the Doctor 464 [+]Loading...["A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 464 short story)"], etc.) though those who produced the stories often had a history with the Doctor and thus based their stories upon the Doctor's adventures. (PROSE: Stop, Thief! [+]Loading...["Stop, Thief! (short story)"], Bafflement and Devotion [+]Loading...["Bafflement and Devotion (short story)"], etc.) The Doctor themself, on numerous occasions, appeared in person to endorse and promote the series, (PROSE: A Letter from the Doctor 1 [+]Loading...["A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 1 short story)"], TV: Untitled [+]Loading...["Untitled (1986 TV story)"], The Doctor Drops In [+]Loading...["The Doctor Drops In (TV story)"], The Doctor Appears [+]Loading...["The Doctor Appears (TV story)"]) with some accounts positing that the series itself was a documentation of the Doctor's adventures, (COMIC: Early Man: Dalek Invasion of Earth 2150 B.C. [+]Loading...["Early Man: Dalek Invasion of Earth 2150 B.C. (comic story)"], PROSE: Dalek Survival Guide [+]Loading...["Dalek Survival Guide (novel)"]) or that the Doctor, at the least, portrayed themself on-screen. (COMIC: TV Terrors [+]Loading...["TV Terrors (TVC 709 comic story)"]) While one account claimed the programme was largely fictional, many of the stories were based upon real occurrences. (PROSE: Background [+]Loading...["Background (DWPM 7 short story)"])
History[[edit] | [edit source]]
In the 19th century[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Fourth Doctor once wrote and dispatched two letters at a post office on Ganymede on 42 Paztenmber, relative to 1845 "Earth-time", as the Doctor wanted to ensure his letters arrived in time to be printed in the first issue of Doctor Who Weekly. In the first letter, the Doctor talked about several features in the magazine, and in the second letter, the Doctor explained how to use the rub-down action transfers on two colour panoramas illustrated by Dave Gibbons. (PROSE: A Letter from the Doctor 1 [+]Loading...["A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 1 short story)"])
In the 20th century[[edit] | [edit source]]
Development[[edit] | [edit source]]
The creation of the series by the BBC was spurred by the growing appetite of the British public for realistic science fiction, which had ironically been whetted by the accidental broadcasting in 1953 of real footage of the head of the British Rocket Group fighting off an extraterrestrial creature, which the Home Secretary had hurriedly passed off as fiction. (PROSE: Background [+]Loading...["Background (DWPM 7 short story)"])
Indeed, it had been Winston Churchill who suggested in a letter to Mr Newman that he should alter his "whole new type of drama" to be based upon the story of Churchill's old friend, the Doctor, during production on 26 March 1963. (PROSE: Stop, Thief! [+]Loading...["Stop, Thief! (short story)"])
According to the Dalek Survival Guide, Doctor Who was a documentary series which was devised to alert the general public to the various alien dangers they faced, while at the same time serving as a dramatised biography of the central character, the Doctor. (PROSE: Dalek Survival Guide [+]Loading...["Dalek Survival Guide (novel)"])
November 1963[[edit] | [edit source]]
A BBC science fiction series beginning Doc- was first broadcast on television at 5:15 pm on Saturday (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks [+]Loading...["Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)"]) 30th of November, 1963. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy [+]Loading...["Who Killed Kennedy (novel)"])
Early on, there was a novel called Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks, which, according to the Eighth Doctor, contradicted another book, Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child. (PROSE: Bafflement and Devotion [+]Loading...["Bafflement and Devotion (short story)"]) This book was later illicitly shared around on Gallifrey during the War, albeit with its title partially censored for security reasons. (PROSE: The Taking of Planet 5 [+]Loading...["The Taking of Planet 5 (novel)"])
Sometime in the mid-1960s, Monica, Buttons, and Cuthbert tried to get Dr. Who's autograph after seeing him on television, but after they arrived at the studio and chased by the studio guard, they took refuge in Dr. Who's TARDIS that had been "parked" outside the studio. Buttons pressed a button, causing the TARDIS to take them to the Stone Age, which they spent little time exploring due to a caveman chasing them for trying to access a Stone Age TV Studio. After they returned to the 20th century, they left the TARDIS, and were chased by the guard once again. (COMIC: TV Terrors [+]Loading...["TV Terrors (TVC 709 comic story)"])
1970s[[edit] | [edit source]]
Sometime in the 1970s, Terrance Dicks listened in on a conversation between the Third Doctor, Jo, the Brigadier, and a Doctor Who fan from the future, who was asking UNIT for help regarding COVID-19. He would join in on the conversation a few minutes later, where he came up with a name for a Doctor Who story, "who's for a brew". He wrote it down, intending to share it with Barry, before disconnecting from the call. (WC: U.N.I.T. On Call [+]Loading...["U.N.I.T. On Call (webcast)"])
In 1971, the serial The Claws of Axos aired. There was, at least according to Claudia Winkleman in 2013, an "alien duplication unit" present in the story. (TV: The Doctor Appears [+]Loading...["The Doctor Appears (TV story)"])
In 1974, a serial of the series aired, portraying the regeneration of the Third Doctor into his next incarnation, the Fourth Doctor. (PROSE: Fanboys [+]Loading...["Fanboys (short story)"]) The Fourth Doctor was played by Tom Baker, and was Paul Magrs' favourite actor to portray the Doctor. (PROSE: The Story of Fester Cat [+]Loading...["The Story of Fester Cat (novel)"])
On Christmas, 1977, eight-year old Paul received a Doctor Who jigsaw, which had a picture of Tom Baker on it. (PROSE: The Story of Fester Cat [+]Loading...["The Story of Fester Cat (novel)"])
In 1978, Iris Wildthyme was sent by the Ministry to investigate Geoff Love as the Ministry suspected him of secreting in subliminal messages into his reworkings of classic TV sci-fi themes. Iris helped Geoff develop a remixed Doctor Who theme while proving that the Ministry was indeed correct with their suspicions. (PROSE: Bafflement and Devotion [+]Loading...["Bafflement and Devotion (short story)"])
On Christmas, 1979, Paul was given a Dr Who Paint-by-Numbers kit. (PROSE: Party Like it's 1979 [+]Loading...["Party Like it's 1979 (short story)"])
1980s[[edit] | [edit source]]
Prior to 1981, serials known as The Seeds of Doom, State of Decay and Planet of the Spiders were broadcast, the latter of which depicting the Fourth Doctor's regeneration into the Fifth Doctor, who was set to return in the following season. By this time, the Wirrn, Zarbi, Sontarans, Krynoids, Zygons, Mechanoids, Yeti, and the Brain of Morbius all had been featured in the show, serving the role of the villains.
In early 1981, David and Chris were major fans of the series. They obsessed over the series and went to Darlington on a semi-regular basis, where they would be treated by their parents by taking them into WHSmith's to buy Target novelisations of Doctor Who stories. On one such occasion, they bought copies of State of Decay and Planet of the Spiders. (PROSE: Fanboys [+]Loading...["Fanboys (short story)"])
K9 and Company premiered around Christmas 1981. (PROSE: The Story of Fester Cat [+]Loading...["The Story of Fester Cat (novel)"])
The Fourth Doctor described Streets Doctor Who Ice Cream as "the first Doctor Who ice treat. (TV: Streets Doctor Who advertisement [+]Loading...["Streets Doctor Who advertisement (TV story)"])
After the Sixth Doctor finished telling the audience that they had been watching Roland Rat: The Series, and that they should now switch over to BBC1's Doctor Who, Reggie Rat jumped up, shouting that Doctor Who was "rubbish", which caused the Sixth Doctor to promptly attempt to murder the rat. (TV: Untitled [+]Loading...["Untitled (1986 TV story)"])
According to an American correspondent, Jay Eales had been responsible for the cancellation of Doctor Who in 1989 after he "fiendishly" edited a charity fanthology, Walking in Eternity, in the year 2000. (PROSE: Contributors [+]Loading...["Contributors (short story)"])
UNIT era[[edit] | [edit source]]
According to one account, the Doctor Who brand came about by accident after the press's awareness of the Doctor turned him into a reluctant celebrity, the Fifth Doctor suggesting that the newfound exposure came following the Fourth Doctor's encounter with the Loch Ness Monster. A publisher approached the Doctor, who accepted their request to write factual books aimed at children. The resulting series was intended to be named The Doctor, Who Discovers but became Doctor Who Discovers after "some idiot" in the publisher's design department missed the "The". The Doctor completed five books in the series and began work on the sixth, Doctor Who Discovers Historical Mysteries, but left it unfinished until a robot sent by the publishers from the 64th century invaded the TARDIS to forcefully remind him of his contractual obligation. (AUDIO: The Kingmaker [+]Loading...["The Kingmaker (audio story)"])
Another account stated a sixth book was indeed created during this time, titled Doctor Who Discovers Pirates. (PROSE: Doctor Who Discovers Pirates [+]Loading...["Doctor Who Discovers Pirates (novel)"])
1990s[[edit] | [edit source]]
In the late 1990s, an unspecified incarnation of the character was portrayed by Paul McGann in the Doctor Who TV movie. (PROSE: Hospitality [+]Loading...["Hospitality (short story)"])
In the 21st century[[edit] | [edit source]]
2000s[[edit] | [edit source]]
Published around the turn of the 21st century, the Dalek Survival Guide acknowledged Doctor Who as a series of dramatised biographies transmitted as family entertainment between 1963 and 1996. The series was followed by various published biographies presented in "mock-fictional" form as segments of the Doctor's lives; some of these biographies were, according to the guide, "of dubious provenance". (PROSE: Dalek Survival Guide [+]Loading...["Dalek Survival Guide (novel)"])
Around the early 2000s, Paul Magrs wrote in a short piece of prose about his books and inspirations. In this piece, he stated that the second and fourth incarnations of the Doctor were Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker, respectively, and that his collection of all 150 Target novels written by Terrance Dicks had been stolen. (PROSE: Bafflement and Devotion [+]Loading...["Bafflement and Devotion (short story)"])
In SpoilerSpace, Raf told his assistant to tell any Doctor Who fans wanting to purchase the latest book that they'd have to wait due to a late delivery. She thought that Doctor Who fans were the worst, but Raf disagreed. (PROSE: To the Devil — a Diva! [+]Loading...["To the Devil — a Diva! (novel)"])
In the mid-2000s, billboard advertisements were placed around Cardiff for the Doctor Who Exhibition. (TV: Everything Changes [+]Loading...["Everything Changes (TV story)"])
By 2006, Books UnLtd stocked Doctor Who annuals, which Robert Greene walked past as he entered the shop. (COMIC: A Groatsworth of Wit [+]Loading...["A Groatsworth of Wit (comic story)"])
By the 21st century, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, Sontarans and Slitheen had appeared in the franchise. David Karpagnon, an orphan with dissociative personality disorder, watched the show around this time. The Doctor helped him with his problems from inside his head. (PROSE: The Terror of the Umpty Ums [+]Loading...["The Terror of the Umpty Ums (short story)"])
In 2008, Paul Magrs worked on several scripts for Doctor Who CDs, which, once completed, would require Paul to travel to London and help with the production, where he got to meet Tom Baker. (PROSE: The Story of Fester Cat [+]Loading...["The Story of Fester Cat (novel)"])
2010s[[edit] | [edit source]]
In the early 2010s, Matt Smith was an actor in the series. (TV: The Doctor Drops In [+]Loading...["The Doctor Drops In (TV story)"], The Doctor Appears [+]Loading...["The Doctor Appears (TV story)"])
In 2011, there was a pink TARDIS as a prize in a claw machine in a fairground on Coney Island. (WC: Web of Lies [+]Loading...["Web of Lies (webcast)"])
In a Wackopedia article about the partially lost David Bowie album Low/Profile dated to September 2012 and last updated by George Mann, Doctor Who, Dad's Army, and Callan were listed as examples of television shows that had deleted content and that as a result had fans that searched the archives and internet in the hopes of recovering this content. (PROSE: Low/Profile [+]Loading...["Low/Profile (short story)"])
On Red Nose Day 2013, Dermot O'Leary surprised his co-presenter Claudia Winkleman with a guest appearance of the Eleventh Doctor. At the event, an episode of Doctor Who played on screen behind them with an actor portraying Walter Simeon, and Claudia flirtatiously chased the Doctor around. (TV: The Doctor Appears [+]Loading...["The Doctor Appears (TV story)"]) Later that year, The Day of the Doctor was broadcast in 3D. (TV: The Doctor Appears [+]Loading...["The Doctor Appears (TV story)"], WC: The Zygon Isolation [+]Loading...["The Zygon Isolation (webcast)"])
Peter Capaldi was cast as the Twelfth Doctor in 2013, where he attended a meeting with Steven Moffat. Capaldi prepared for this meeting by reading issues of DWM. Later, he wrote a letter to the readers of DWM, writing about his more than positive opinions of the magazine. (PROSE: A Letter from the Doctor 464 [+]Loading...["A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 464 short story)"])
In November 2014, (PROSE: "Assessing the Risk") when the Earth became overgrown with trees, a double decker bus had an advertisement on its side, depicting the TARDIS and individuals closely resembling the Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald. An unknown source rated the show four stars out of five commenting "A-MAZE-ING ENTERTAINMENT!". (TV: In the Forest of the Night [+]Loading...["In the Forest of the Night (TV story)"])
Around October of 2015, the ninth series of the show was broadcast on BBC One, comprising of the stories New Series Prologue, The Magician's Apprentice, The Witch's Familiar, Under the Lake, Before the Flood, The Girl Who Died, The Woman Who Lived, The Zygon Invasion, The Zygon Inversion, Sleep No More, Face the Raven, and Heaven Sent. (WC: The Zygon Isolation [+]Loading...["The Zygon Isolation (webcast)"])
On 29 April 2016, Peter Capaldi was asked by Doctor Who Magazine to write a letter for the five-hundredth issue. He had written another letter for the magazine a while back, but couldn't remember if it was for the one-thousandth or the one hundred-thousandth issue. In his letter, he noted that the magazine had a comic strip, and he was proud to have his likeness be captured so well, as well as how inspirational the magazine was to its fans. (PROSE: A Letter from the Doctor 500 [+]Loading...["A Letter from the Doctor (DWM 500 short story)"])
Colin Baker was once put on trial for not paying a parking fine, which he received whilst filming ten hours of new content for Doctor Who Season 23, which included updated special effects and extended versions of every episode, as well as behind the scenes material such as The Writers' Room: The Missing Season 23?, The Doctor Who Cookbook Revisited, and The Doctor's Table: Season 23. Despite showing the magistrate evidence of this on his iPad which had been beamed directly from the Matrix, he was "put away" in a cell with his friend Nicola Bryant, who had been put there for marrying Brian Blessed. (WC: The Trial [+]Loading...["The Trial (webcast)"])
2020s[[edit] | [edit source]]
In her garden, Louise Jameson spoke to her friend Tom about how wonderful her new Home Assistant V14 was. During the phone call, she gave it too many orders, causing the robot malfunctioned and attempt to kill her. Hanging up on Tom, Louise grabbed a Doctor Who Season 14 boxset and used it to knock the Home Assistant to the ground, deactivating it. (WC: Home Assistant [+]Loading...["Home Assistant (webcast)"])
By 2020, the show had 12 series and 167 episodes that were available on BBC iPlayer. (WC: The Zygon Isolation [+]Loading...["The Zygon Isolation (webcast)"])
On 10 May, 2020, the two Osgoods conversed over Zoom. Afterwards, one of the duo went onto BBC iPlayer after ending the chat, scrolling past several episodes of Doctor Who from series nine, until she decided to watch The Zygon Invasion. (WC: The Zygon Isolation [+]Loading...["The Zygon Isolation (webcast)"])
In late 2020, after a fan finished watching an episode, she rang UNIT in the 1970s, asking for help from the real Third Doctor, Jo, and the Brigadier, and they told her to remain positive despite the hardships. Terrance Dicks, also on the call, applauded the trio and told the fan a tea break was deserved. He then came up with an idea for the name of a story. After the call, the fan drank a cup of tea while watching an older episode of Doctor Who. (WC: U.N.I.T. On Call [+]Loading...["U.N.I.T. On Call (webcast)"])
2060s[[edit] | [edit source]]
By 2065, (PROSE: Peaceful Thals Ambushed! [+]Loading...["Peaceful Thals Ambushed! (short story)"]) William Hartnell had played the part of "Dr. Who" in "the television series". However, he was too busy to play the character in the film adaption Dr. Who and the Daleks, leaving Peter Cushing to take on the role. (PROSE: Lady Penelope Investigates the stars of the Sensational new film Dr. Who and the Daleks! [+]Loading...["Lady Penelope Investigates the stars of the Sensational new film Dr. Who and the Daleks! (short story)"]) Other accounts held that Hartnell and Cushing had lived much earlier in human history, the 20th century, (AUDIO: Pier Pressure [+]Loading...["Pier Pressure (audio story)"]; COMIC: Whodunnit? [+]Loading...["Whodunnit? (comic story)"]; PROSE: From Wildthyme with Love [+]Loading...["From Wildthyme with Love (novel)"], et al.) but the real Doctor had met both men. (AUDIO: Pier Pressure [+]Loading...["Pier Pressure (audio story)"]; PROSE: The Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)"]) In fact, the Doctor was known to have taken Cushing throughout time, allowing the actor to appear in films made after his death. (PROSE: The Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)"])
By 2067, there was a BBC series one account called "F[REDACTED] P[REDACTED]" that featured an actor take on the role of Auteur. This actor, whose name was redacted like the show's name, continued to hold the role up to 7898. (PROSE: Auteur's Abecedarium [+]Loading...["Auteur's Abecedarium (short story)"]) However, actor David Bradly instead played Auteur in the 200th Anniversary Special by wearing a rubber mask. (PROSE: Resurrection of the Author [+]Loading...["Resurrection of the Author (short story)"]) The redacted title featuring an "F" and a "P" in front of each word, (PROSE: Auteur's Abecedarium [+]Loading...["Auteur's Abecedarium (short story)"]) matched the name of the rogue Great House of Faction Paradox, (PROSE: The Book of the War [+]Loading...["The Book of the War (novel)"]) of which Auteur was a member. (PROSE: A Bloody (And Public) Domaine [+]Loading...["A Bloody (And Public) Domaine (short story)"], Going Once, Going Twice [+]Loading...["Going Once, Going Twice (short story)"])
In the 26th century[[edit] | [edit source]]
2590s[[edit] | [edit source]]
In 2596, Chris Cwej and Clarence once watched a show on a vidscreen that ran for "thirty-odd years" and mostly comprised of "people being captured and escaping, a lot of running and an explosion at the end". Clarence found this series to be predictable, but they both preferred it to the alternative, which were cookery shows. (PROSE: Twilight of the Gods [+]Loading...["Twilight of the Gods (BNA novel)"])
Cwej was actually a native of the 30th century (PROSE: Head Games [+]Loading...["Head Games (novel)"]) and had grown up on another series, EarthDoom XV. This holovid series told a fictionalised version of the Third Dalek War with a low budget. Nonetheless, it scared the young Cwej and others his age. (PROSE: Sky Pirates! [+]Loading...["Sky Pirates! (novel)"])
Undated events[[edit] | [edit source]]
A narrator once told the story of the Mechonoid Incident, warning that it was a real despite how fantastical it was. (AUDIO: The Daleks [+]Loading...["The Daleks (audio story)"])
David Fisher wrote the story The Stones of Blood, a story which involved a stone circle. (PROSE: The Stones of Spookiness [+]Loading...["The Stones of Spookiness (short story)"])
Justin Richards was the author of many stories about the Doctor. (PROSE: About the Authors [+]Loading...["About the Authors (feature)"])
Kelly Hale once co-authored a Doctor Who tie-in novel and another novel, Erasing Sherlock. (PROSE: Contributors [+]Loading...["Contributors (short story)"])
In Melanie Bush's spacestation headquarters, the Seventh Doctor gave Mel a copy of Doctor Who The Collection Season 24, which he claimed was a "holographic, six-dimensional record" of his and Mel's adventures. They decided to watch an episode, but not the one with the Tetraps. (WC: 24 Carat [+]Loading...["24 Carat (webcast)"])
Gallifrey: a rough guide, when suggesting leisurely activities for time-active vacationers to partake in on their trip to Gallifrey, illustrated the many uses of its Matrix by suggesting the option to view the various title sequences of Doctor Who. (PROSE: Gallifrey: A Rough Guide [+]Loading...["Gallifrey: A Rough Guide (short story)"])
Jo Grant once used a Doctor Who stamp on her space-time postcard to Mike Yates. (PROSE: Greyhound [+]Loading...["Greyhound (short story)"])
Other accounts[[edit] | [edit source]]
Info about The Time Surgeon, Doctor X, Professor X, Doctor Omega, Doctor, Mister E, and Comic Relief spectacular needs to be added.
Other accounts of the Doctor appearing in Earth fiction, sometimes as a character called "Doctor Who", suggested that some of the movies and TV programmes about the character were based on records and testimonies of the real Doctor. (PROSE: Stop, Thief! [+]Loading...["Stop, Thief! (short story)"], Salvation [+]Loading...["Salvation (novel)"], The Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)"]) It has been suggested that when the Doctor's existence has become too noticeable to a world, they have a favourite "panic button", going back in time and introducing themselves as a fictional character in that world's mythology. (PROSE: Afterword [+]Loading...["Afterword (short story)"])
Premiering in the 1950s, (PROSE: In Search of Doctor X [+]Loading...["In Search of Doctor X (short story)"]) the television series Doctor X shared similarities Doctor Who, (PROSE: In Search of Doctor X [+]Loading...["In Search of Doctor X (short story)"], WC: Doctor X [+]Loading...["Doctor X (webcast)"], etc.) with the series both being primarily science fiction, centring around a mysterious, eponymous time traveller, with similarly named books[1], (PROSE: In Search of Doctor X [+]Loading...["In Search of Doctor X (short story)"], Bafflement and Devotion [+]Loading...["Bafflement and Devotion (short story)"]) as well as a dedicated fanbase. (PROSE: Bafflement and Devotion [+]Loading...["Bafflement and Devotion (short story)"], The Story of Fester Cat [+]Loading...["The Story of Fester Cat (novel)"], WC: Doctor X [+]Loading...["Doctor X (webcast)"])
Parallel timelines[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Main article: Meta-fiction universe
Doctor Who also existed as a TV series/franchise in several parallel universes. (COMIC: TV Action! [+]Loading...["TV Action! (comic story)"], The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who [+]Loading...["The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who (comic story)"], PROSE: All Our Christmases [+]Loading...["All Our Christmases (short story)"], The Thief of Sherwood [+]Loading...["The Thief of Sherwood (short story)"], AUDIO: Deadline [+]Loading...["Deadline (audio story)"])
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
History of the concept[[edit] | [edit source]]
The existence of the TV series Doctor Who within the Doctor Who universe is a metafictional gimmick with a long and storied history within licensed Doctor Who fiction. The show itself stopped just shy of confirming the existence of a series called Doctor Who within its universe on two occasions; the first was in Remembrance of the Daleks, where a TV series whose title began with "Doc…", and which debuted on the same date as the real-life Doctor Who, was briefly mentioned — only for the characters (and viewers) to miss the full name of the programme. Many years later, a poster featuring the Twelfth Doctor, Clara Oswald and the Doctor's TARDIS was glimpsed in the background of the Series 8 episode In the Forest of the Night, but with no title visible.
The ArcHive Tapes established the Earth Documents, a series of audio-visual documents which were essentially in-universe recordings of the Doctor's adventures, as a rationale to utilise archive audio from Doctor Who.
As a significant part of popular culture of Earth history in their own universe, television programmes and books based upon the Doctor have also been referenced in other in-universe sources; some, like Sarah Jane Smith's Doctor series, were reminiscent but distinct from real-life Doctor Who productions, while others, such as the mention of the two Peter Cushing movies in Steven Moffat's Day of the Doctor novelisation, intentionally matched pieces of real-life Doctor Who fiction. While many stories about the in-universe series failed to address how it could exist within the Doctor's universe (with stories such as PROSE: A Letter from the Doctor and TV: The Doctor Drops In and The Doctor Appears coming close, depicting the Doctor endorsing the series), only the short story Background actually addressed the issues, to some extent, positing that the series was created by the BBC after being inspired by an incident in 1953 where they had caught footage of an alien organism (which had subsequently been broadcast on television), causing the Home Secretary to issue a public statement that the footage was actual from a science fiction programme. Doctor Who was a culmination of the public's desire for science fiction during the following decades, and such, the BBC created the series, mostly as fiction, with certain stories being based upon actual events.
As an in-universe concept, Doctor Who has been additionally used in parallel universes — where the logically thorny implications of the series known to the viewer simultaneously being a true account of a time-traveller's life, and a piece of fiction which the same individual could theoretically watch, would be lessened. The Eighth Doctor discovered the existence of Doctor Who in TV Action! while the Eleventh Doctor dealt with chapters of his life being chronicled as episodes of a television programme in The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who. The articles from The Thief of Sherwood, which depict an adventure with the First Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara where they meet Robin Hood, is placed in "an alternate version of our world", belonging to the Doctor's multiverse, by authorial intent.
Other notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
The bus seen in In the Forest of the Night was cardboard, as it was too hard to transport a real bus into the forest. The advert seen on the bus was a fan-made poster for series 8 of Doctor Who, made by Logan Fulford.
The Doctor Who annuals seen in COMIC: A Groatsworth of Wit, while are clearly recognisable, the specific years are too small to make out. In the real world, these annuals correspond to the 1968 and 2006 annuals.
In some stories, vague allusions towards Doctor Who stories have been made, such as in PROSE: I Am the Doctor, where Nardole watches "The Chase"; whether this was a meta-fictional reference to the Doctor Who serial or a reference to the game-show of the same name is currently unclear. Similar instances have occurred with characters, where they've been named after or in homage to real world individuals involved with Doctor Who, with ambiguity surrounding whether they're supposed to be direct, in-universe counterparts, equivalents of, or even entirely unrelated individuals in all but name.
Many of Douglas Adams' Doctor Who stories, such as TV: Destiny of the Daleks and TV: Shada, have implied a shared universe with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, however an authorised sequel And Another Thing... seems to contradict this by having Arthur Dent compare the destruction of Earth to early special effects on Doctor Who, however by the content gathered on this page, this disparity can be easily reconciled.
Information from invalid sources[[edit] | [edit source]]
Dead Ringers[[edit] | [edit source]]
In a Dead Ringers sketch, the Tenth Doctor, whilst spending Christmas with his previous incarnations, suggested that they put the television as he "heard there might be something good on" only for the other Doctors to reject him, with the Ninth Doctor saying that he does not want to watch the "poncy Doctor".
Ident Interruptions[[edit] | [edit source]]
During the run up to the broadcast of The Day of the Doctor, the Eleventh Doctor interrupted idents on BBC One. (NOTVALID: Eleventh Doctor Ident Interruptions)
During the run up to the broadcast of Series 8, the Twelfth Doctor interrupted idents on BBC One. (NOTVALID: Twelfth Doctor Ident Interruptions)
Oh Mummy![[edit] | [edit source]]
When Sutekh auditioned for the role of himself, Philip Hinchcliffe set fire to many objects to see if Sutekh could hold back the flames. Unbeknownst to him at the time, one of these objects was a copy of Fury from the Deep. (NOTVALID: Oh Mummy!)
Eye on... Blatchford[[edit] | [edit source]]
In his home, Sardoth read The Dr Who Annual 1979, and in his attic, had a DVD copy of Fury from the Deep in a cardboard box. (NOTVALID: Eye on... Blatchford)
Doctor Who meets Mr. Men[[edit] | [edit source]]
Doctor Who was the favourite TV show of Little Miss Dee, who watched it with her friends. After watching an "exciting episode" of the series, she heard the TARDIS materialising and searched for it. After verifying that it hadn't materialised in the Weeping Angel graveyard, Zygon cave, or Cybermen spaceship, she used a vortex manipulator to appear in Adam Hargreaves' studio, where he talked about combining Doctor Who with Mr. Men. The "Doctor Who Roger Hargreaves books" included Dr. First, Dr. Fourth, Dr. Eleventh, and Dr. Twelfth. (NOTVALID: Doctor Who meets Mr. Men)
Peter Capaldi and Simon the Shy Cyberman Invite You to Breakfast with 7 Doctors[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Doctor first learned of the series through, in the Twelfth Doctor's words, "various psychic shenanigans". When the various actors who had played the Doctor came together for a special breakfast event, the Twelfth Doctor considered going to it, telling Simon the Shy Cyberman and another individual as such. (WC: Peter Capaldi and Simon the Shy Cyberman Invite You to Breakfast with 7 Doctors)
Verity[[edit] | [edit source]]
A young woman, Verity, went to the BBC, and became the producer of the show, despite the protests of the "Men Who Knew What To Do". By standing her ground against their blatant sexism, she helped the Doctor Who series flourish with her creative ideas.
Early on in the series, there were Cavemen, Daleks, Aztecs and Marco Polo. (NOTVALID: Verity)
A New Year's message from the Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Thirteenth Doctor and everybody at Doctor Who once wished their audience "love and luck" for 2021. (NOTVALID: A New Year's message from the Doctor...)
Tom Baker stars in John Lloyd's lost Doctor Who adventure, The Doomsday Contract[[edit] | [edit source]]
In 1978, Douglas Adams became the script editor for Doctor Who after he finished writing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for Radio 4. John Lloyd, who had assisted Adams with the writing for Hitchhiker's, submitted a story treatment entitled The Doomsday Contract. Despite putting a lot of work into multiple drafts, the episode was never produced and Lloyd moved onto other projects.
In 2021, Big Finish produced a "full cast audio version" of the unproduced serial The Doomsday Contract, written by John Lloyd and Nev Fountain, starring Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, John Leeson, and Julian Wadham. (NOTVALID: Tom Baker stars in John Lloyd's lost Doctor Who adventure, The Doomsday Contract)
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]
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