Culture & Religion — November 23, 2009

Doctor Who?

On this day 46 years ago the Time Lord (aka Doctor Who) hit television screens, sparking several generations of hick British science fiction.

bigthinkeditor

“1963: At 6:15 on a cold, wet night, the BBC premieres its new family science fiction show, Doctor Who, with its first episode, ‘An Unearthly Child.’ The series will become a legendary part of modern British folklore and the longest-running sci-fi series on TV. Featuring a benevolent traveling alien known only as The Doctor, the series followed the adventures of the heroic Time Lord and his human companions through time and space. Originally developed by Canadian Sydney Newman, BBC’s head of drama, the day-to-day creation of the show’s first season fell to script department head Donald Wilson, BBC staff writers C. E. Webber and Anthony Coburn, story editor David Whitaker, and producer Verity Lambert. Fans of the show traditionally recognize Lambert as the show’s strongest creative force at the start. The stories took place in serial form — with each episode lasting about 25 minutes, ending with a cliffhanger that would bring the audience back for the next segment.”

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