The Doctor Who Production Guide

The science fiction adventure series Doctor Who (BBC, 1963 - 89) has created a phenomenon unlike any other British TV programme. Despite having been off the air for 15 years, the adventures of the mysterious time travelling Doctor and his equally fantastic time and space machine the TARDIS - bigger inside than out and shaped like a 1950s Police box - continue to attract a loyal following.

The longevity of Doctor Who is partly due to the flexibility of its format. The TARDIS can travel anywhere in time and space, offering a huge potential for stories, while the show's ability to change its lead actor meant that it was possible to adapt its style to changing viewer tastes. For example, the Doctor, as first played by the ageing character actor William Hartnell (1963-66), would have been too paternalistic for later viewers, despite displaying the impeccable anti-establishment credentials that were central to the character throughout the show's run.