Doctor Who is a Britishscience fiction television series broadcast by theBBC since 1963. The series, created bySydney Newman,C. E. Webber andDonald Wilson, depicts the adventures of anextraterrestrial being calledthe Doctor, part of ahumanoid species calledTime Lords. The Doctor travels in the universe and in time using atime travelling spaceship called theTARDIS, which externally appears as a Britishpolice box. While travelling, the Doctor works to save lives and liberateoppressed peoples by combatingfoes. The Doctor usually travels withcompanions.

Beginning withWilliam Hartnell,fourteen actors have headlined the series as the Doctor; the most recent beingNcuti Gatwa, who portrayed theFifteenth Doctor from 2023 to 2025. The transition between actors is written into the plot of the series with theconcept of regeneration into a newincarnation, aplot device in which, when a Time Lord is fatally injured or weakened from old age, their cells regenerate and they are reincarnated into a different body with new mannerisms and behaviour but the same memories. This explains each actor's distinct portrayal, as they all represent different stages in the Doctor's life and, together, form a single lifetime with a single narrative. The time-travelling nature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet. The Doctor can change ethnic appearance or gender; in 2017,Jodie Whittaker became the first woman cast in the lead role, and in 2023, Gatwa became the first black actor to lead the series. The different incarnations wear distinctive costumes; designers includeAlexandra Tynan andBarbara Lane.

The series is a significant part ofBritish popular culture and has gained acult following overseas. It has influenced generations of British television professionals, many of whom grew up watching the series.Fans of the series are sometimes referred to asWhovians. The series has been listed inGuinness World Records as the longest-running science-fiction television series in the world, as well as the "most successful" science-fiction series of all time, based on its overall broadcast ratings,DVD and book sales. (Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

Recognized quality articles

Image 1

A pair of Autons, as they appear in "Rose", on display at theDoctor Who Experience

TheNestene Consciousness and theAutons are a pair of antagonists from theBritish science fiction television seriesDoctor Who. They were originally created by scriptwriterRobert Holmes for the serialSpearhead from Space (1970). The Nestene Consciousness is anon-corporeal entity that has the ability to control plastic. The Autons aremannequins animated by the Consciousness, used as itsfootsoldiers. Following their debut, the Nestenes and Autons re-appeared in the 1971 serialTerror of the Autons, as well as in the show's 2005 revival in the episodes "Rose" (2005), "The Pandorica Opens", and "The Big Bang" (both 2010).

While brainstorming concepts for the new, entirely earthbound format for the 1970 season of the show, the team decided on an alien invasion from a non-corporeal entity that could split into parts; following discussions about plastic and the potential terror that lay in mannequins coming to life, it was decided to make the entity capable of controlling plastic, resulting in the creation of the Nestene and its Auton minions. The Nestene would go on to re-appear inTerror of the Autons as a result of the popularity of the prior serial. Though another re-appearance was planned for both the 1983 serial "The Five Doctors" and the 1986 season of the show, both of these were scrapped in production. Their usage in "Rose" was done, alongside several other reasons, in order to ensure the titular character, Rose Tyler, would not immediately assume the Autons were aliens, which was important in the episode's narrative. (Full article...)
Image 2
"Demons of thePunjab" is the sixth episode of theeleventh series of theBritish science fiction television programmeDoctor Who. It was written byVinay Patel, directed by Jamie Childs, and first broadcast onBBC One on 11 November 2018.

In the episode,Yasmin Khan asks theThirteenth Doctor to take her to see her grandmother during her youth. Along with the othercompanions Graham O'Brien andRyan Sinclair, they get caught up in the events preceding thepartition of India; meanwhile, the Doctor also investigates if aliens are involved in the death of a man killed during their visit. The episode was watched by 7.48 million viewers in the UK during the week following its release, and was met with positive reviews from critics. (Full article...)
Image 3
"73 Yards" is the fourth episode of thefourteenth series of thescience fiction television seriesDoctor Who. The episode was first released in the United Kingdom onBBC iPlayer on 25 May 2024 and was broadcast onBBC One the same night. It was releasedsimultaneously onDisney+ in the United States on 24 May. The episode was written byRussell T Davies and directed byDylan Holmes Williams.

In the episode, theFifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) suddenly vanishes from a clifftop inWales after breaking afairy circle. Hiscompanion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), searches for him whilst being followed by a mysterious woman who is always 73 yards away from her. Described by Davies asfolk horror, "73 Yards" was the first episode of the fourteenth series to be filmed, with shooting taking place in various locations around Wales in late 2022 and early 2023. (Full article...)
Image 4
"Cold War" is the eighth episode of theseventh series of the British science fiction television seriesDoctor Who. It first aired onBBC One on 13 April 2013, and was written byMark Gatiss and directed byDouglas Mackinnon.

In the episode, alien time travellerthe Doctor (Matt Smith) and hiscompanion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) land on aSoviet submarine in 1983 during theCold War, where theIce Warrior Grand Marshal Skaldak breaks loose and plots revenge against humanity. (Full article...)
Image 5
"The Vampires of Venice" is the sixth episode of thefifth series of the Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who, which was broadcast on 8 May 2010 onBBC One. It was written byToby Whithouse, who previously wrote "School Reunion", and was directed by first-timeDoctor Who directorJonny Campbell.

Following from the end of "Flesh and Stone" where hiscompanion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) had kissed him, the alientime traveller theEleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) picks up Amy's fiancéRory (Arthur Darvill) and takes the two on a romantic trip to Venice in 1580. There they are intrigued by a girls' school whose students appear to bevampires and discover that they are really alien refugees in disguise, who plot to make Venice their new home. (Full article...)
Image 6
"Closing Time" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of thesixth series of theBritish science fiction television programmeDoctor Who, and was first broadcast onBBC One on 24 September 2011. It was written byGareth Roberts and directed by Steve Hughes. It is a sequel to "The Lodger", an episode Roberts wrote for theprevious series.

In the episode, alien time travellerthe Doctor (Matt Smith) is going on a "farewell tour" before hisimpending death and visits his friend Craig Owens (James Corden) in present-dayColchester, who has a new baby son, Alfie. Though not initially intending to stay, the Doctor becomes intrigued by aCybermen invasion at a local department store. (Full article...)
Image 7
"The Well" is the third episode of thefifteenth series of theBritish science-fiction television seriesDoctor Who. In the episode, theFifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and hiscompanion,Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu), arrive at a mining colony where contact has been completely lost. Upon investigation, they discover a sole survivor: the crew's deaf cook, Aliss Fenly. Attached to her is an alien being known as theMidnight Entity that kills anyone who steps behind her. Aliss is portrayed byRose Ayling-Ellis, a deaf actress. The cast was trained inBritish Sign Language, with a consultant on set to ensure that the sign language was accurate and authentic.

The episode was co-written byRussell T Davies, theDoctor Who showrunner, and Sharma Angel-Walfall, and directed byAmanda Brotchie. It was released onBBC iPlayer,BBC One, andDisney+ on 26 April 2025. The programme was originally planned as a stand-alone focussing on Nigerian spirits known asOrishas, but for several reasons it was converted into asequel to the 2008 episode "Midnight". Filming occurred atPant-y-Ffynnon Quarry inBridgend in February 2024. (Full article...)
Image 8
"The Girl in the Fireplace" is the fourth episode of thesecond series of the Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who. It was first broadcast onBBC One on 6 May 2006. Written bySteven Moffat and directed byEuros Lyn, the episode is inspired byAudrey Niffenegger's novelThe Time Traveler's Wife.

The episode is set in France throughout the 18th century. In the episode, repair androids from a spaceship from the 51st century create time windows to stalkMadame de Pompadour (Sophia Myles) throughout her life. They seek to remove her brain as a replacement part for their spaceship at a particular point in her life as they believe her to be compatible with the ship. (Full article...)
Image 9
"Doomsday" is the thirteenth and final episode in thesecond series of the revival of the Britishscience fiction television programmeDoctor Who. It was first broadcast on 8 July 2006 and is the conclusion of a two-part story; the first part, "Army of Ghosts", was broadcast on 1 July 2006. The two-part story features theDaleks, presumed extinct after the events ofthe 2005 series' finale, and theCybermen, who appeared in aparallel universe in the 2006 episodes "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel". Both species unexpectedly arrive on Earth at the conclusion of "Army of Ghosts".

The episode marks the first conflict between the Daleks and the Cybermen inDoctor Who's 43-year history; the concept of the two species appearing on-screen together was first proposed in 1967, but was vetoed byTerry Nation, the creator of the Daleks. The episode also featuresBillie Piper's last appearance in the leadcompanion role asRose Tyler; the final regular appearance ofNoel Clarke as Rose's ex-boyfriend and previous companionMickey Smith; and the first appearance ofCatherine Tate asDonna Noble, the companion inthe following episode, thefourth series and thesixtieth anniversary specials. The episode and its predecessor were filmed between November 2005 and January 2006, alongside the episodes "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel". (Full article...)
Image 10
"The Husbands of River Song" is an episode of the Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who. First broadcast onBBC One on 25 December 2015, it is the eleventhChristmas special since the show's revival in 2005. It was written bySteven Moffat and directed byDouglas Mackinnon. The episode marks the return ofAlex Kingston asRiver Song, making her first appearance alongsidePeter Capaldi'sTwelfth Doctor and her last on-screen appearance to date. This also features the first appearance ofNardole, who would become a companion starting fromthe next episode.

In the episode, the alientime traveller known as the Doctor encounters River Song on the colony of Mendorax Dellora in 5343, with one of her husbands, Hydroflax (Greg Davies), who has an invaluable diamond lodged in his brain. Outsmarting Hydroflax and his worshippers, the Doctor and River have a date at the Singing Towers of Darillium, which the Doctor knows will be the last meeting beforeher death. (Full article...)
Image 11
"The Crimson Horror" is the eleventh episode of theseventh series of the British science-fiction dramaDoctor Who. It was written byMark Gatiss and directed bySaul Metzstein, and was first broadcast onBBC One on 4 May 2013. It marks the 100th episode, including specials, sincethe return ofDoctor Who on 26 March 2005.

Set in 1893 Yorkshire, the episode features theVictorian-era detectivesMadame Vastra (Neve McIntosh),Jenny Flint (Catrin Stewart), and their alien butlerStrax (Dan Starkey). The first half of the episode focuses on the detectives' search for their missing friend, the alientime traveller the Doctor (Matt Smith).
In the second half, they team up with the Doctor and hiscompanion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) to prevent a plot by the chemist and engineer Mrs Gillyflower (Diana Rigg), who wishes to start a new world by wiping out all of humanity, apart from a community she deems as being "perfect". (Full article...)
Image 12
"The Girl Who Waited" is the tenth episode of thesixth series of the Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who, and was first broadcast onBBC One andBBC America on 10 September 2011. It was written byTom MacRae and was directed byNick Hurran.

In the episode, the alien time travellerthe Doctor (Matt Smith) takes hiscompanions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and her husbandRory (Arthur Darvill) to the planet Apalapucia for a holiday, but they find that the planet is on quarantine as the two-hearted natives are susceptible to a deadly plague. Amy accidentally gets separated from the Doctor and Rory but, when they try to rescue her, they arrive 36 years later in her timeline. The older Amy does not trust the Doctor, who is forced to remain on theTARDIS as he also has two hearts, and will not allow the Doctor and Rory to leave and rescue her at the correct point in her timeline. (Full article...)
Image 13
"School Reunion" is the third episode in thesecond series of the Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who. It first aired onBBC One on 29 April 2006.

The episode's narrative takes place in England some time after the events of the 2005 episode "The Christmas Invasion", and involves theTenth Doctor (David Tennant) reuniting with his former travellingcompanion Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), whom theFourth Doctor left behind in the 1976 serialThe Hand of Fear. In the episode, the alien race the Krillitanes, disguising themselves as school faculty, use the minds of children to solve atheory of everything that would allow them to control time and space. (Full article...)
Image 14
"Twice Upon a Time" is a special episode of the Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who, broadcast onBBC One on 25 December 2017 as the programme's thirteenthChristmas special. The episode was written bySteven Moffat and directed byRachel Talalay. It features the final regular appearance ofPeter Capaldi as theTwelfth Doctor, the first official appearance ofJodie Whittaker as theThirteenth Doctor, and also starsDavid Bradley as theFirst Doctor.Pearl Mackie stars as the Twelfth Doctor's former companionBill Potts, while his other companions make guest appearances –Jenna Coleman asClara Oswald andMatt Lucas asNardole.Mark Gatiss plays aFirst World War British army captain.

The episode is a continuation of "The Doctor Falls", and takes place during the final serial of the First Doctor,The Tenth Planet (1966); footage fromThe Tenth Planet is used in the special. "Twice Upon a Time" is Capaldi's fourth and final Christmas special as the Twelfth Doctor, and at the time was the lastDoctor Who story to be written and produced by Moffat, who served as the show's executive producer and chief writer since taking over fromRussell T Davies in 2010. After the special's broadcast, Moffat was succeeded as executive producer and showrunner byChris Chibnall. (Full article...)
Image 15
The Wheel in Space is themostly missing seventh and final serial of thefifth season in the Britishscience fiction television seriesDoctor Who, which originally aired in six weekly parts from 27 April to 1 June 1968. This is the fourth serial featuring theCybermen, and marks the first appearance ofWendy Padbury as companionZoe Heriot. In this serial,the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his travellingcompanion Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) become stranded on a seemingly abandoned spaceship. They make contact with the crew of a nearby wheel-shaped space station, only to discover that a group of Cybermen have followed them and plan to hijack the station for their invasion fleet.

This was the first serial featuring the Cybermen not written by either of the villains' creators,Kit Pedler andGerry Davis. Due to Davis' commitments onThe First Lady, Pedler's story notes were developed into the final script byDavid Whitaker, a veteranDoctor Who screenwriter and the programme's first story editor. (Full article...)

More recognized articles

edit

Selected story

The Tenth Planet is aserial in theBritish science fiction television seriesDoctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from October 8 to October 29, 1966. It wasWilliam Hartnell's last regular appearance as theFirst Doctor, and the first story to feature theCybermen.Patrick Troughton also makes his first, uncredited appearance as theSecond Doctor.

The episode takes place in 1986.Earth's sister planet,Mondas has returned home, bringing with it the emotionless, unstoppableCybermen. At the Snowcap base inAntarctica, the invasion begins, but the Cybermen have not reckoned on theFirst Doctor and his companions. However, the Doctor becomes weaker throughout the episode, eventually collapsing andregenerating into a new form: theSecond Doctor.

More selected stories

edit

Related portals

Did you know(auto-generated)

... that the villain ofaDoctor Who story reappeared after 49 years?
... that Irish writerDave Rudden has written a juvenile fantasy trilogy as well as several stories in theDoctor Who universe?
... that "The Christmas Invasion" led to Christmas specials becoming a staple forDoctor Who?
... thata popular romantic pairing fromDoctor Who was later adapted into the show at the suggestion of lead actressJodie Whittaker?
... that the roar of theYeti fromDoctor Who was made by slowing down the sound of a flushing toilet?
... thatDoctor Who series 13 told only a single story, the first time for the show since 1986?

edit

Selected quote

“

'Cause that's how I see the universe. Every waking second, I can see what is, what was, what could be, what must not. That's the burden of a Time Lord, Donna. And I'm the only one left.

”

— Tenth Doctor,The Fires of Pompeii

More selected quotes

edit

Events

**Recent scheduled events**
Date	Event
29 August 2022	AnotherSMTV Live crossover episode
1 January 2022	2022 specials
December 2021	Big Finish audio playThe Year of Martha Jones [1]
February 2022	Second volume of the Big Finish audio playThe Lone Centurion [2]
May 2022	Series 2 of the audio playDoctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures

edit

More did you know?

... thatRose is the first new episode ofDoctor Who to be shown since1996?
... that a rough cut of "Deep Breath", the first episode of theeighth series ofDoctor Who, was leaked online six weeks before the episode was due to air?
... that the designs for theDoctor Who serialThe Sensorites were inspired byAntoni Gaudí's design of theSagrada Família(pictured) inBarcelona, which has no right angles?

More Did you know facts

edit

Topics

Doctor Who

Programme

Episodes	1963–1989 episodes 1996 film 2005–present episodes Christmas and New Year's specials Supplementary episodes Missing episodes Radio stories Unmade serials
Production	Producers Script editors Writers Music theme music composers soundtrack releases
Releases	Home video Other home video
Miscellaneous	History Australia United States and Canada Whoniverse Fandom Thasmin Merchandise Awards and nominations Gender in Doctor Who

Plot devices

Characters	The Doctor actors considered Companions Supporting characters The Master Cast
Creatures	Cyberman Dalek Davros Ice Warrior Nestene Consciousness and Autons Sontaran Silurian and Sea Devil Slitheen Time Lord Weeping Angel
Concepts	Sonic screwdriver TARDIS Torchwood Institute UNIT

Related media

Spin-offs	K-9 and Company Torchwood The Sarah Jane Adventures K9 Class Tales of the TARDIS The War Between the Land and the Sea
Specials	Dimensions in Time The Curse of Fatal Death Scream of the Shalka An Adventure in Space and Time The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Films	Dr. Who and the Daleks Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
Documentaries	Whose Doctor Who Thirty Years in the TARDIS Dalekmania Totally Doctor Who Torchwood Declassified The Commentaries The Science of Doctor Who
Aftershows	Confidential Extra Whovians Unleashed
Stage	2008 Prom Live
Books	New Adventures Missing Adventures Virgin Decalog Eighth Doctor Adventures Novellas Past Doctor Adventures New Series Adventures BBCShort Trips Big FinishShort Trips Novelisations
Audio	Big Finish The Classic Series The New Series The Worlds of Doctor Who Audiobooks Audio releases
Video	Wartime P.R.O.B.E. Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans Mindgame Downtime Cyberon Auton Dæmos Rising Zygon: When Being You Just Isn't Enough
Video games	The First Adventure The Warlord The Mines of Terror Dalek Attack Destiny of the Doctors Top Trumps The Adventure Games Evacuation Earth Return to Earth The Mazes of Time Worlds in Time The Eternity Clock Legacy Lego Dimensions Worlds Apart
Miscellaneous	Comics Faction Paradox The Minister of Chance Pinball Spoofs Star Trek crossover Exhibitions Time Lord Victorious The Game of Time & Space Wizards vs Aliens

Publications

Magazinesetc.	Magazine Adventures Battles in Time The Black Archive
Publishers	Big Finish Productions Reeltime Pictures BBV Productions Mad Norwegian Press Magic Bullet Productions Obverse Books

Torchwood

Television series

Episodes

Series 1	"Everything Changes" "Day One" "Ghost Machine" "Cyberwoman" "Small Worlds" "Countrycide" "Greeks Bearing Gifts" "Random Shoes" "Out of Time" "Captain Jack Harkness" "End of Days"
Series 2	"Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" "Sleeper" "To the Last Man" "Meat" "Adam" "Reset" "Dead Man Walking" "A Day in the Death" "Something Borrowed" "From Out of the Rain" "Adrift" "Fragments" "Exit Wounds"
Series 3	Children of Earth
Series 4	Miracle Day "The New World" "Rendition" "Dead of Night" "The Categories of Life" "The Middle Men" "Immortal Sins" "End of the Road" "The Gathering" "The Blood Line"

Characters

Main	Jack Harkness Gwen Cooper Owen Harper Toshiko Sato Ianto Jones Rhys Williams Rex Matheson Esther Drummond Oswald Danes
Supporting	Andy Davidson John Hart Martha Jones Vera Juarez Jilly Kitzinger
See also	Cybermen UNIT

Whoniverse	Doctor Who "Army of Ghosts" / "Doomsday" "The Stolen Earth" / "Journey's End" Torchwood Declassified
Other	Torchwood Institute Ianto's Shrine

Other media

Radio plays	"Lost Souls" " Asylum" "Golden Age" "The Dead Line" The Lost Files
Audio drama	"The Conspiracy" "Fall to Earth"
Soundtracks	Original Television Soundtrack Children of Earth
Publications	Books and audiobooks Comics Torchwood Magazine

The Sarah Jane Adventures

Serials

Special	"Farewell, Sarah Jane"

Characters

Main	Sarah Jane Smith Luke Smith K9
Guests	UNIT Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart The Doctor Tenth Eleventh Jo Jones Slitheen Sontarans

Whoniverse	Doctor Who "School Reunion" "The Stolen Earth" / "Journey's End" "The End of Time" K-9 and Company

edit

Things you can do

Where possible, replacefair use images onDoctor Who pages with free content.
Ensure that all remainingfair use images onDoctor Who pages are appropriately tagged with validfair use rationales.
Make sure that all of the featured and goodDoctor Who articles contain reliable, inline citations.
Help expandany Doctor Who lists to include a reasonable mixture of both in-universe and out-of-universe information.
Add information about production and reception to allepisode and serial pages to do withDoctor Who,Torchwood, andThe Sarah Jane Adventures.