Doctor Who: Its history, merchandise and legend.

The enigmatic Time Lord known as The Doctor is back! He's looking very dashing for somebody going on a millennia old, and doesn't show any signs of slowing down yet. There are so many adventures still to have!

Doctor Who first materialized on our screens in November 1963, with an episode entitled An Unearthly Child. That humble first episode saw the birth of a national institution that would become world famous for decades, and would provide generation after generation with amazing adventures in time and space. The series that put the words 'TARDIS' and Dalek into common usage the world over was quite an extraordinary thing from the first second of that unmistakeable theme tune.

Here was a show that could theoretically run forever, thanks to the ability of its main character to regenerate into a completely different person with a mostly new personality. Not only that, but it boasted such an essentially British and eccentric premise that it couldn't be duplicated. An alien who travels through time and space in a battered police box, righting wrongs and saving lives along the way? It is rather ludicrous, but, then again, that is precisely why it works so well, and has endured for over forty years.

The original run of Doctor Who lasted a glorious 26 years, from the 23rd of November 1963 to the 6th of December 1989. In that time the Doctor went through seven incarnations and a multitude of companions, ranging from his Granddaughter Susan to the Time Lady Romana, the robot dog K9, a streetwise teenager called Ace and many, many more.

The universe of Doctor Who has always been a varied, magical thing full of highly original alien species, many of which bore no resemblance to humans at all (Daleks would be the prime example of this), whereas shows such as Star Trek and its ilk played it safe with actors under slight and ineffective makeup.

Despite its budgetary restraints, the show's creators have always strived for excellence. Granted they've missed the mark by a long way on many occasions, but the effort and ingenuity is plain to see.

Doctor Who was originally conceived to be of an educational nature, teaching children about history with its historical stories and about science with the future-based tales. Following the early years this approach was eschewed in favour of more serious stories.

The series was cancelled after the 1989 season, or, as originally stated by the BBC, put on hold. That hiatus would last until 1996 when the Doctor returned in the joint British/Canadian venture that would become known as the Doctor Who TV Movie (aka 'The Enemy Within'). The seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy, returned to reprise his role before handing over the reigns to acclaimed British actor Paul McGann. Sadly, despite excellent ratings in the UK the film didn't perform well overseas and thus it did not lead to an ongoing series featuring the eighth Doctor.

The 'Wilderness Years' as they are affectionately called by fans, during the periods 1989-1996 and 1996-2003 were a fascinating time. The series may have left the airwaves but it lived on in the hearts and minds of its legions of fans all over the world, who went on to produce their own Doctor Who fan movies, audio dramas, books and more. Brand new 'official' Doctor Who audio dramas came about during 1999 thanks to the excellent Big Finish company. Featuring the actual fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth Doctors (along with many of their original co-stars reprising their roles as the Doctor's companions), these fantastic CD releases would bring about a small resurgence in interest in the Doctor's adventures.

Then, at long last, it happened.

In late September 2003, it was announced that the series would return to our screens in 2005, in a brand new format, helmed by long-time fan and TV writer extraordinaire Russell T Davies.

More details became apparent in quick succession. Highly acclaimed actor Christopher Eccleston would take the role of the Doctor into a new era, accompanied by former pop star Billie Piper. The fans had their reservations about the casting, the production team, the new logo, everything. Would their beloved show be treated with the respect it deserved? Would it be a valid entry to the Whoniverse or just fade away without a trace?

Doctor Who finally returned on Saturday March 26th, 2005, with an episode entitled Rose, which ushered in a marvellous new age. A whole new generation discovered Autons, Daleks, the TARDIS and a certain rogue Time Lord that had given so many people endless hours of entertainment and televisual magic.

Christopher Eccleston only made one series, passing the title onto Scotsman David Tennant in the exquisite final episode of the new era's first season, 'The Parting of the Ways'.

The era of the tenth Doctor (David Tennant) was ushered in with the incredible Xmas 2005 special 'The Christmas Invasion'. This led nicely into series two in 2006, which saw the return of the Cybermen and, once again, the Daleks. It also saw the exit of the popular Rose Tyler character in the episode 'Doomsday'. A further Christmas special came at the end of 2006 in the shape of 'The Runaway Bride' which, while vastly inferior to what had come before, was still entertaining.

2007 saw the advent of season three, and new companion Martha Jones, as played by Freema Agyeman. The Macra, Daleks and even the Master came back in this controversial and excellent set of episodes. The Master became a great favourite, portrayed at first by Derek Jacobi and then John Simm, following the climactic regeneration scene at the end of 'Utopia'. The ambitious two-parter 'The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords' brought this massive season to a close in style.

The 2007 Christmas special, 'Voyage of the Damned' divided fan opinion, but was another massive hoot for the show, bringing in over 13 million viewers on its original broadcast. Guest starring Kylie Minogue, it brought us a thrilling disaster epic set on the spacebound liner Titanic, with catastrophic results. One again, the Doctor was left alone in his TARDIS.

Series four, began in April 2008 and had some surprises in store for fans old and new, with Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) returning, as well as Martha Jones and none other than Rose Tyler in later episodes. Lots more shocks were in store as the Doctor is pitted against the engineered soldiers known as Sontarans, and faced off against Giant wasps, a swarm of murderous shadows, magma creatures, Daleks and a most lethal enemy from several lifetimes ago in a battle he may not win...

The story of the Doctor and his escapades is far from over. With three full series and three Christmas specials under its belt so far, it has become a phenomenon the likes of which hasn't been seen on British screens for decades.

COMING SOON: Five special episodes (Christmas 2008 and four in 2009) and series five (in 2010). Torchwood series 3, Sarah Jane series 2 and more are on the way too. Steven Moffatt has taken over as showrunner from series 5 onwards, and the future of Doctor Who is looking even more magical and thrilling than its past. There are rumours of a feature film, a regeneration and more classic villains to return! This page will be updated whenever big news is announced!

The spinoffs
Two official spinoff series are currently on the go and helping the Doctor Who mythos to grow and grow. These are the adult-themed series TORCHWOOD starring John Barrowman (aka the Doctor's occasional companion Captain Jack Harkness) and THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES, starring Elizabeth Sladen as The Doctor's popular classic era companion, which is aimed at a younger audience. A completely CG series featuring the robotic dog K9 is also on the way.

OCTOBER 2008: DAVID TENNANT TO LEAVE DOCTOR WHO AT THE END OF THE 2009 SPECIALS
It is has been officially announced by David Tennant at the National Television Awards that he is to step down as the tenth Doctor at the climax of the 2009 Doctor Who Specials. After playing the rogue Time Lord in three full series plus eight special episodes and two charity scenes, the Scottish actor is to pass along the mantle of the Doctor to the eleventh actor to play the role. For the full lowdown on David Tennant's announcement, check out this article: Doctor Who: David Tennant Leaves in 2009

Series four aired in mid 2008. The Doctor is back and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) is along for the ride of her life! The series opener, Partners in Crime, was a ratings hit, and with an incredible twist in its final seconds, it really does look as though we are in for a very special batch of episodes. The tone may have slipped into lighter territory after the overwhelmingly dark and dramatic third series, but the adventure continues at its usual frenetic pace. While fan opinion has been somewhat divided over the opening of the series, the episodes improved a huge amount as the series wore on. The highlights are undoubtedly 'Silence in the Library'/'Forest of the Dead' and the triple whammy of the closing story, which crossed over the final three episodes. Series four was a huge, terrifying, moving epic tale of good against evil, and the climax has to be seen to be believed. Quite simply astonishing.

THE SERIES FOUR EPISODE TITLES

1> Partners in Crime
2> The Fires of Pompeii
3> Planet of the Ood
4> The Sontaran Stratagem
5> The Poison Sky
6> The Doctor's Daughter
7> The Unicorn & The Wasp
8> Silence In The Library
9> Forest of the Dead
10> Midnight
11> Turn Left
12> The Stolen Earth
13> Journey's End

An integral part of the BBC's drive to keep its legendary science fiction franchise alive has been its ever-growing selection of related Doctor Who merchandise and memorabilia. Almost anything the dedicated Whovian could desire has been available over the decades, from TARDIS models and Dalek costumes (the classic 60's version featured a fabric 'skirt' in an early attempt to replicate the iconic monsters, and was a huge hit at the time) to replica sonic screwdrivers, Doctor Who toys, action figures, posters, t-shirts, statues, busts, Doctor Who lifesize standups,cutouts and more. A vast library of Doctor Who fiction and non-fiction has also been made available for many years, and despite its popularity waning somewhat in the 1990s, interest has been at an all-time-high since the Doctor's triumphant return to our screens in March of 2005.

Fans the world over have been treated to a mind-boggling array of items, and thankfully as time has gone on, the quality has improved a great deal. The dark days of the Dapol figures and their clunky joints and questionable sculpts (I'm being kind!) are long gone. The Doctor Who figures available currently are of an excellent quality, and boast a selection of convincing sculpts that have proven very satisfying to fans both old and new.

The tide of Doctor Who memorabilia fizzled out in the late 80s with the cancellation of the original TV show after the end of its 26th season, but the diehards always had an appetite for more. A brief resurgence arrived in 1996 alongside the Paul McGann TV Movie, but there was precious little Doctor Who merchandise available surrounding that short-lived and underrated return.

Mostly T shirts, postcards and a few prints were available aside from the video release, and it would take until 2005 and the real return of Doctor Who on the BBC for things to get underway again.

During the intervening time, known by many fans as 'the Wilderness Years', the Doctor Who franchise was kept alive by a vibrant fanbase with the Big Finish Doctor Who audio plays (officially licensed by the BBC and featuring original cast members from the TV show itself) and the huge range of original BBC novels, one series following the further adventures of earlier Doctors (The PDAs, or 'Previous Doctor Adventures') and a separate series following the Eighth Doctor (the EDAs). These enjoyed a varied level of success, and the ranges ended with the eighth Doctor novel 'The Gallifrey Chronicles' and the Seventh Doctor novel 'Atom Bomb Blues'.

Incidentally, A growing range of 'New Era' novels came onto the scene with the 9th Doctor's era and continues to grow, although this series of pocket-sized hardbacks is aimed squarely at a younger audience.

While these items kept the mythos alive, they never really satiated the appetite of the legion of Doctor Who fans for 'proper' collectibles. The wave of goodies that would finally begin to quench their thirst- and that of a whole new generation of fans- would come following March 2005 with the advent of the new era of Doctor Who, ushered in by the excellent ninth Doctor as played by Christopher Eccleston and his companion Rose Tyler, played by former pop minx Billie Piper (who has since gone on to prove herself as one of this generation's most talented actresses). The initial selection of posters and whatnot was a surprise hit, but it wasn't until the era of the tenth Doctor (David Tennant) that the arena of Doctor Who merchandise really exploded on a massive level.

Suddenly every child wanted their own K9 or Dalek, their own TARDIS set or figure of the Doctor, and the selection of fantastic merchandise continues to grow and grow. With no end in sight for this new era of Doctor Who adventures from the BBC, the galaxy is the limit.

The second series, featuring the tenth Doctor, saw the advent of creatures such as the Krillitanes, the alternate universe Cybermen, and more, and the third went onto give us Martha Jones, more Daleks, and the Master! The selection of merchandise continues to grow at a massive rate, and with series four bringing us the classic monsters the Sontarans (and much more besides), it shows no signs of slowing. A huge amount of officially licensed Doctor Who merchandise is available online, including all of the new era merchandise a true Whovian could want. The choice is astounding now that the new era of Doctor Who has established itself as a real phenomenon again. Doctor Who, the longest running science fiction show in history (a FACT - despite what SG1 fans will tell you - DW has outrun it by thirty years and about 500 episodes!), is back and it is here to stay.

Doctor Who: A show, mythos and merchandise line that aptly covers past, present and indeed, future.

William Hartnell: 1963-1966

The first Doctor was typified by his long white hair and frock coat. A rather cantankerous and short tempered old fellow, he nevertheless had a lot of heart and a great deal of character.

Patrick Troughton: 1966-1969

The Doctor's first regeneration yielded his second incarnation, who was much more of a clown that the original. That said, he is still seen as one of the most fearsome of all ten Doctors. Noticeable features: Checked trousers, pudding basin haircut, recorder.

Jon Pertwee: 1970-1974

Dressed in all manner of Dandyish outfits, the third Doctor became something of a science fiction James Bond for a while, engaging in all manner of courageous stunts and karate-chopping action. He even had a Doctor Who hovercraft (the WHOMOBILE) and this incarnation saw the advent of Bessie, the Doctor's yellow car.

Tom Baker: 1974-1981

The fourth (and longest serving on TV) Doctor became the archetypal vision of the Time Lord, with the mass of curls, the huge scarf and that wide-eyed enthusiasm for knowledge and adventure. Doctor Who finally found an even bigger place in the hearts of viewers during the time of the fourth Doctor.

Peter Davison: 1981-1984

Clad in an odd variation on a Cricket outfit, the fifth incarnation of the Doctor was a much more gentle, subdued character, but that doesn't mean he couldn't face the action when he needed to. An underrated Doctor, who recently faced the tenth Doctor in the Children In Need special episode 'Time Crash'.

Colin Baker: 1984-1986

The fifth Doctor's subtlety vanished with the sixth version of the character. A brash, loudmouthed eccentric in the most hideous costume ever produced for a TV character, he got the job done, but he didn't care who he annoyed or offended along the way.

Sylvester McCoy: 1987-1989

The diminutive seventh Doctor was a fascinating character full of mystery, wit and hidden depths. Again very underrated, he remains one of the most fully rounded incarnations of the Doctor thus far. It was with the seventh Doctor that the character began to be explored to a deeper level, with varying results.

Paul McGann: 1996

Boasting a fine head of hair and a gorgeous bottle green velvet coat, the eighth Doctor was a relentlessly excitable character who was capable of a great deal of pathos and humour mixed in with saving the world. He only appeared onscreen in the TV movie, but the novels and Audio Dramas have filled out his adventures admirably.

Christopher Eccleston: 2005

The more streetwise ninth Doctor was a big hit for the show. Sadly only last one series, he nevertheless brought the character back into the public consciousness with style, dramatic weight and some fantastic performances against a variety of foes.

David Tennant: 2005-?

The wiry and very excited tenth version of the Doctor was an even bigger hit that the previous versions, with the character becoming an iconic hero once again. Despite his overly loud and shouty antics, the tenth Doctor continues to take us on adventures throughout time, space and imagination.