Portal:Doctor Who/Intro

Doctor Who, commonly abbreviated to Dr. 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.

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 development aided by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). A critical and ratings success, the programme has spawned two spinoffs, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Currently, the second series of Torchwood is airing and the fourth series of Doctor Who is set to air in early 2008.