28 Mar How Doctor Who has stood the test of time
Doctor Who is the longest-running science fiction show in the world. It started in 1963 and had an unbroken run of series until its cancellation in 1989. It was reborn in 2005 and has continued ever since. To date, there have been 869 episodes and 298 stories. It has influenced our popular culture, been lampooned, seen as a social commentary, used groundbreaking effects and characterisation, plus it’s given us some of the most memorable on-screen “baddies” in the shape of the Daleks, Cybermen and the Doctors’ great enemy, the Master. How has it done this? One thing that has enabled it to be still going is the need for a decent signal to get the show. Luckily a TV aerial installation Gloucester company like steveunettaerials.co.uk/ can be on hand to help.
It began in 1963. The start was delayed by the coverage of the assassination of USA President John F Kennedy. With the nation in shock, it was in no mood to watch the story of how two school teachers track one of their students to a junkyard where she appears to live in an old battered blue Police Callbox with her eccentric Grandfather. With viewing figures low, the BBC were ready to pull the plug, but the show’s producer, Verity Lambert, argued forcibly and passionately for a repeat the following week. She got her way and, being one of only a handful of female producers at the time, deserves great praise for this.
As the show developed, it soon became a Saturday evening stalwart. Initially started as a way to educate children in History, as per Reithian values and guidelines, it was the intervention of the Daleks that caught the public’s attention. They were scary and soon had the nation’s children hiding behind the sofa or snuggling into the welcome arms of their Mums, Dads and Grandparents.
The show’s writers and creators recognised that this was the way to take the show. Slowly the history element was reduced, and the more entertaining stories came through. With the retirement of William Hartnell from the role, it seemed that the show was over, but, as this is science fiction, a way was found via the Doctor’s regenerations to come back as a new but slightly similar character. This ensured the continuing success of the series and allowed the opportunity to renew the show in the same way as the Doctor does.