Doctor Who is the world's longest continuously running Science Fiction television series. It started in 1963 and originally commissioned for a run of six episodes, and ran to the summer season 1989 having been interrupted by a few strikes and an earlier decision to 'rest' the series for a while. Most of the TV stories were usually broadcast in a block of four or six episodes, though both longer and shorter story arcs were used, and usually with little linking the various stories though one season was dedicated to the search for the Key to Time and another saw the Doctor on trial.
A new series has commenced in 2005 to critical and popular acclaim. Although most of these stories were single episodes, a few ran over two episodes and the stories often led to a season climax. Originally, the episode lengths were approximately 25 minutes long, while the new series has standardised on 45.
Many of the original television stories have been novelised and the series has been continued in book form since the end of the original TV series. Originally these were on the Virgin New and Missing Adventure imprints, but the BBC finally woke up to the value of the Doctor Who name and re-absorbed the imprint whilst Virgin continued developing the character of Bernice Summerfield, the first companion of the Doctor not to have appeared in the TV series (This was a real shame IMO!) under the 'New Adventures' imprint.
The Doctor is a member of a race who has developed a method of transporting themselves through both space and time. However, the vast majority of his race are content to merely watch without taking action against the various injustices they see around them. His race have the unique ability to regenerate their body structure if their bodies are too badly damaged to survive, though it never looks like the previous body and, in the Doctor's case, the bodies are looking younger. This can be done twelve times, giving the Doctor thirteen bodies.
The Doctor is on his eleventh!
He had found it impossible to remain on his home planet and stole a TARDIS but it has a number of problems.
Click here to see my thoughts on the Doctor's various incarnations.
The Doctor has had many Companions and associates throughout his adventures. Click here for more information.
As well as companions, the Doctor and those companions have faced may enemies. Click here for further information.
Decalog 1
Decalog 2
Decalog 3
Decalog 4 This follows the adventures of the
Forester Clan from simple space flotsam to Imperial greatness.
There was a
Decalog 5 as well, which is just a collection of stories set anywhen with
limited connection to Dr Who or Dr Summerfield.
The Paradise of Death Originally a Radio play, this is an Audio CD of that production.
The Ghosts of N-Space. Originally a radio broadcast, this is an audio CD of that production.
A History of the Universe: From before the Dawn of Time and Beyond the End A list of events in the Whoverse
The above books are available through the Amazon web sites at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
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