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The Doctor Who Portal
Doctor Who is a long-running British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC about a mysterious time-travelling adventurer known only as "The Doctor". It is also the title of a 1996 television movie featuring the same character. It is common to see the show's title abbreviated as Dr. Who, even by the BBC, although purists consider this form incorrect.
The programme is a significant part of British
popular culture, widely recognised for its creative storytelling and use of innovative music (originally produced by the
BBC Radiophonic Workshop). It is also known for its innovative use of low-budget
special effects for most of its history. Elements of the programme are extremely well known and identifiable even to non-fans. In Britain and elsewhere, the show has become a
cult television favourite on a par with
Star Trek and has influenced generations of British television writers, many of whom grew up watching the series.
Doctor Who was ranked third in a list of the
100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the twentieth century, produced by the
British Film Institute in 2000 and voted on by industry professionals.
After a long period off screen, a new series of Doctor Who began in 2005, continuing the programme from the original 1963–1989 run and the 1996 television movie. It is produced in-house by BBC Wales with some development money contributed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). A critical and ratings success, the revived programme has finished its second series, with a Christmas special produced for and aired on Christmas 2006, and a third series to follow in 2007.
