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Doctor Who

Doctor Who, commonly abbreviated to Dr. Who, is a long-running British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC about a mysterious time-travelling adventurer known only as "The Doctor". It is also the title of a 1996 television movie featuring the same character.

The programme is a significant part of British popular culture, widely recognised for its creative storytelling and use of innovative music (originally produced by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop). It is also known for its innovative use of low-budget special effects for most of its history. Elements of the programme are extremely well known and identifiable even to non-fans. In Britain and elsewhere, the show has become a cult television favourite on a par with Star Trek and has influenced generations of British television writers, many of whom grew up watching the series. Doctor Who was ranked third in a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the twentieth century, produced by the British Film Institute in 2000 and voted on by industry professionals.

After a long period off screen, a new series of Doctor Who began in 2005, continuing the programme from the original 1963–1989 run and the 1996 television movie. It is produced in-house by BBC Wales with development aided by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). A critical and ratings success, the programme has spawned two spinoffs, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Currently, the second series of Torchwood finished airing in April 2008 and the fourth series of Doctor Who began on April 5, 2008.

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A Dalek (pronunciation (help·info) "DAH-leck", IPA: /ˈdɑːlɪk/) is a member of a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Daleks are grotesque mutated organisms from the planet Skaro, integrated within a tank-like mechanical casing. The resulting creatures are a powerful race bent on universal conquest and domination, utterly without pity, compassion or remorse (as all of their emotions were removed except hate). They are also, collectively, the greatest alien adversaries of the Time Lord known as the Doctor. Their most famous catchphrase is "EX-TER-MI-NATE!", with each syllable individually screeched in a frantic electronic voice.

The Daleks were created by writer Terry Nation and BBC designer Raymond Cusick and were introduced in December 1963 in the second Doctor Who serial. They became an immediate hit with viewers, featuring in many subsequent serials and two 1960s motion pictures. They have become synonymous with Doctor Who, and their behaviour and catchphrases are part of British popular culture. "Hiding behind the sofa whenever the Daleks appear" has even been cited as an essential element of British cultural identity.

The word "Dalek" has entered the Oxford English Dictionary and other major dictionaries; the Collins Dictionary defines it rather broadly as "any of a set of fictional robot-like creations that are aggressive, mobile, and produce rasping staccato speech. It is also a trademark, having first been registered by the BBC in 1964 to protect its lucrative range of Dalek merchandise.

The term is sometimes used metaphorically to describe people, usually figures of authority, who act like robots unable to break from their programming. John Birt, the Director-General of the BBC from 1992 to 2000, was publicly called a "croak-voiced Dalek" by playwright Dennis Potter in the MacTaggart Lecture at the 1993 Edinburgh Television Festival. The Daleks appeared on a postage stamp celebrating British popular culture in 1999, photographed by Lord Snowdon.

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Happening soon...

Scheduled events in the next three months: Date Event 5 April 2008-Summer 2008 Doctor Whoseries 4 airs. 14 April 2008 Black Orchidis released on DVD. 19 April 2008"Planet of the Ood" airs. 26 April 2008"The Sontaran Strategem" airs.

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The Smugglers is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from September 10 to October 1, 1966.

In the episode, the Doctor arrives on the coast of seventeenth century Cornwall, much to the astonishment of Polly and Ben. Pirates led by Captain Samuel Pike and his henchman Cherub are searching for a hidden treasure, while a smuggling ring masterminded by the local Squire is trying to off-load contraband.

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Did you know?

...that Doctor Who spoofs include a Comic Relief special The Curse of the Fatal Death?

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“ On my travels to Cathay, Ian, I have come to believe many things I'd previously doubted. For instance, when I was a boy in Venice, they told me that in Cathay there was a stone that burned. I did not believe, but there is such a stone: I have seen it. And if stone burns, why not a caravan that flies? Birds fly; I have even seen fish that fly. You are asking me to believe that your caravan can defy the passage of the sun? Move not merely from one place to another, but from today into tomorrow, today to yesterday? No Ian, that I cannot believe. ”

—Marco Polo, Marco Polo

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Topics

Doctor Who Doctor Who pages The Doctor • Companions • Daleks • Cybermen • The Master • Davros • Sontarans • TARDIS • Regeneration • UNIT • Torchwood Institute • Time War • Whoniverse • History • Story arcs • Missing episodes • Theme music • Fandom Doctor Who lists Serials(incomplete • unmade • titled episodes) • DVD releases • Cast • Producers • Script editors • Writers • Celebrity appearances • Supporting characters • Historical characters • Monsters and aliens • Villains • Henchmen • Robots • Planets • Items • Vehicles • Music • Chronology • Story chronology Spin-offs and related shows K-9 and Company • TARDISODE • Torchwood • The Sarah Jane Adventures • K-9 • Doctor Who Confidential • Totally Doctor Who • Torchwood Declassified • Doctor Who: The Commentaries Adaptations and tie-ins Doctor Who spin-offs • Novelisations and original books • Audio plays • Stage plays • Dalek Films • Spoofs • Bernice Summerfield • Kaldor City • Time Hunter • Spin-off companions Related publications Doctor Who Magazine • Doctor Who Adventures • Doctor Who - Battles in Time

Torchwood Torchwood main pages Themes • Criticism • Torchwood Declassified • Doctor Who • Whoniverse • Torchwood Institute • Cardiff Rift • Weevils Main characters Jack Harkness • Gwen Cooper • Owen Harper • Toshiko Sato • Ianto Jones Torchwood lists Episodes • Monsters and aliens • Characters • Items • Guest stars • Writers Related publications Torchwood Magazine • Comics • Novels and audio books

The Sarah Jane Adventures General Episodes • Monsters and aliens • Minor characters • Celebrity appearances • Items Main characters Sarah Jane Smith • Maria Jackson • Luke Smith • Clyde Langer • Mr Smith Related articles Sonic lipstick • K-9• Third Doctor • Fourth Doctor • Tenth Doctor • Whoniverse • Slitheen Related shows Doctor Who • K-9 and Company • Torchwood • K-9

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Things you can do

Where possible, replace fair use images on Doctor Who pages with free images.
Ensure that all remaining fair use images on Doctor Who pages are appropriately tagged with fair use rationales.
Make sure that all of the featured and good Doctor Who articles contain reliable, inline citations.
Help expand any Doctor Who lists to include a reasonable mixture of both in-universe and out-of-universe information.
Add information about production and reception to all episode and serial pages to do with Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures.