46 Years in the TARDIS

Doctor Who - an Appreciation

'Doctor Who' was a cult science fiction TV series in the UK and beyond, but, by the end of the 1980s, the viewing figures in Britain had dwindled to such a degree that the show was axed by the BBC. But now, even the most loyal supporters of 'Doctor Who' must be surprised by just how successful the show has been since its return in 2005.

The original 'Doctor Who' series was remembered fondly for its basic approach to special effects, and the rather wobbly sets. The charismatic Doctors, genuinely fearsome 'baddies' such as the Daleks, Cybermen, and the Master, the strange TARDIS, and Ron Grainer's sinister and futuristic theme tune all helped to hold the rapt attention of its audience of children and adults alike - despite the show's deficiencies.

The new 'Doctor Who' has far superior special effects - as you would expect - but the casting has been inspired, notably with Doctors Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant. The storylines and scripts have been impressive, and departing producer Russell T. Davies leaves behind a classic series in good shape - even if the 2008 series was uneven in quality, and weaker than the series the year before.

The original 'Doctor Who' ran from 1963 (the first episode was shown the day after the assassination of President Kennedy) to 1989, and even before its end, was, by far, the longest running science fiction series in the history of British television. Science fiction has many detractors, but 'Doctor Who' has always been rich in ingenuity, and that helped to keep the series going. Also, that ingenuity was probably forced on the show by cash restrictions. Terry Nation's Dalek design was simple, but very effective, and the Daleks were probably the most impressive non-humanoid villains of any science fiction show. Ron Grainer's theme tune was put together in the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop, but it would be hard to make a more astoundingly different sound even now - despite the huge technical advances in sound recording.