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Classic cult doesn't get much more classic, or more cult, than Doctor Who!
First launched by the BBC in 1963, it's the longest running sci-fi series in the world and has an estimated 100 million viewers in 54 countries. The adventures of its hero - a mysterious time-traveler known only as The Doctor - have enraptured audiences through hundreds of episodes. Each week, the TARDIS (a time machine disguised as a blue London police box) could land anywhere: the French Reign of Terror; a 15th century Aztec sacrifice; a 1289 meet-up with Marco Polo; or even Tibet in the 1920's- when it's being terrorized by Yeti. The travels of The Doctor and his companions aren't limited to Earth - they investigate mysterious deaths on the mining planet Uxarieus, or have a look-see around a derelict spacecraft maintained by clockwork androids. The only common theme: wherever The Doctor goes, evil forces lurk!
But just who is The Doctor? He's the last of the Time Lords from the planet Gallifrey (in the Kasterborus constellation, of course). Although he looks human, he actually has two hearts, a body temperature of 60 degrees, and he's over 900 years old. When on the brink of death, Time Lords can spontaneously regenerate their entire bodies... and come back for more adventures next week.
During the past four decades, The Doctor and the TARDIS have become icons of British culture. In 2002, the British Patent Office ruled that the BBC had merchandising rights to the blue police box design, because it was more closely associated with the fictional Doctor Who than with the actual police.
At Wikipedia's comprehensive coverage of Doctor Who, learn all about the history of the series, catch up on story lines, and learn more about the show's cult following. At the Internet Movie Database's entry on Doctor Who, find out who has played Who when.
