# Doctor Who (1963)

> A time-traveling alien called The Doctor roams the universe in a police box-shaped ship, rescuing ordinary people with a rotating cast of companions.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/108

## Facts

- Seasons: 26
- Episodes: 694
- Episode runtime: 25 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: science fiction, family, adventure
- Created by: Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, Donald Wilson
- Network: BBC One, BBC Television
- Cast: William Hartnell, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton, Katy Manning, Roger Delgado, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Sylvester McCoy
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056751/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: whimsical, adventurous, playful, suspenseful, wistful

## What critics say

Viewers broadly regard the long-running series as acclaimed, admiring its open-ended premise and memorable monsters while acknowledging uneven stretches across its many eras.

## Synopsis

Doctor Who (1963-1989) is a British science fiction series created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson for BBC One. Its eccentric time-traveling alien, the Doctor, roams the universe in the TARDIS, a sentient ship disguised as a blue British police box. Across twenty-six seasons he is played by a succession of actors, including William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker and Peter Davison, while companions such as Jo Grant (Katy Manning) and Liz Shaw (Caroline John) travel with him. Each story is built around a fresh landing in a new era or world, where he confronts recurring foes like the Daleks, the Cybermen and the Master (Roger Delgado), often rescuing ordinary people from invasion or injustice. The format mixes historical adventures with alien invasions, giving the show a playful, inventive, sometimes uneven register that swings between suspense and whimsy. Its wide-open premise and mid-century British production sensibility make it a long-form adventure anthology for viewers who enjoy the wit of Quantum Leap and the wonder of Star Trek. Fans of those shows will find resonance in its episodic time travel and its lovable, eccentric hero.

## Shows like Doctor Who

- [Lost in Space (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/65677)
- [The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/186)
- [Star Trek (1966)](https://ember.film/tv/235)
- [Farscape (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/4058)
- [Class (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/56759)
- [The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/1939)
- [Lost in Space (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/2902)
- [Sherlock (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/18362)
- [Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)](https://ember.film/tv/619)
- [Around the World in 80 Days (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/81219)

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