"Doctor Who" (1963) TV series 1963-1989

Creator:

Sydney Newman

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | unknown

Release Date:

29 September 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The adventures of an eccentric renegade time traveling alien and his companions.

Plot Keywords:

Time Lord | Alien | Companion | Renegade | Police Box

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Tom Baker	...	Doctor Who (173 episodes, 1974-1981)
William Hartnell	...	Dr. Who / ... (136 episodes, 1963-1973)
Jon Pertwee	...	The Doctor / ... (129 episodes, 1970-1983)
Patrick Troughton	...	Dr. Who / ... (127 episodes, 1966-1985)
Frazer Hines	...	Jamie McCrimmon (117 episodes, 1966-1985)
Nicholas Courtney	...	Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart / ... (107 episodes, 1965-1989)
Elisabeth Sladen	...	Sarah Jane Smith (81 episodes, 1973-1983)
Jacqueline Hill	...	Barbara Wright / ... (80 episodes, 1963-1980)
William Russell	...	Ian Chesterton (77 episodes, 1963-1965)
Katy Manning	...	Jo Grant (77 episodes, 1971-1973)
Pat Gorman	...	Cyberman / ... (75 episodes, 1964-1985)
John Scott Martin	...	Dalek / ... (74 episodes, 1965-1988)
John Levene	...	Sergeant Benton / ... (73 episodes, 1967-1975)
Peter Davison	...	The Doctor / ... (70 episodes, 1981-1984)

Also Known As:

Dr. Who (UK) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

45 min (15 episodes) | 25 min (679 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White (1963-1969) | Colour (1970-1989)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (1963-1987) | Stereo (1988-1989)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:TV-PG | Argentina:13 | UK:PG | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:G (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The series was originally devised as an educational program for kids, with co-creator Sydney Newman having no intention of featuring "bug eyed monsters." The first episodes featured cavemen. But when the Daleks were introduced, the attitude of the program was forever changed. Even so, the series continued to alternate between science fiction and purely historical stories for several seasons.

Quotes:

The Doctor: A hyperactive Peri - too ghastly to contemplate.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Restoring 'The Aztecs' (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Incidental Music (1989)

Some recommendations for new viewers

The sheer volume of Doctor Who episodes makes briefly commenting on all aspects of this wonderful show a challenge. However, I can make some recommendations for new viewers.

If the ONLY thing you want from science fiction is special effects, then Doctor Who is not for you. The quality of the effects are often admirable when the shoestring production budget considerations are factored in, but Doctor Who never really equaled the special effects of other shows. What Doctor Who does deliver is keen attention to character, dialogue, and plot. Doctor Who was always something more than its 1963 b&w kid's show origins suggest, and over the years it evolved into a program that could make some very clever, thought-provoking comments and observations while at the same time delivering a fun and suspenseful adventure.

Cliffhangers were what made me a fan from the beginning. Unfortunately, Doctor Who tends to be shown now in movie-style blocks. This dilutes those marvelous cliffhangers. Every episode of the show is about a half-hour, but most stories had at least 4 parts. At the end of each part, the Doctor or one of his many companions faces seemingly absolute, inescapable doom of some kind or another. I was lucky enough to first see Doctor Who on PBS, one half-hour episode per week-night. My friends and I had to wait a whole agonizing day to see the Doctor's clever escape or rescue. I don't know how the UK fans had the patience to wait a week. If you can, you should try to preserve the breaks too in order to get a real sense of the show, even if you just pause a few moments between parts.

One more thing to remember is that the Doctor is enigmatic. We still don't know everything there is to know about this renegade Time Lord. Part of the fun of the show is learning about the complex character and his history. But rest assured, his hearts are always in the right place.

So which episode should you start with? Every fan has a favorite Doctor and episode. I think you can't go wrong with "Remembrance of the Daleks" (1988). The 7th Doctor and Ace are a great team. Or try "City of Death" (1979), a terrific 4th Doctor and Romana story set in Paris. But ask around and check the web; other fans will send you in other directions. That's the most fun thing about discovering this show, there are so many directions to explore.