Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television franchise produced by the BBC, following the adventures of an alien Time Lord known as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in a ship called the TARDIS, outwardly disguised as a British police box, and who periodically regenerates into a new body and personality, a device that has allowed more than a dozen actors to take on the lead role since the series began in 1963. After an original run from 1963 to 1989, the series was revived in 2005 under Russell T Davies as head writer and has continued with several changes of showrunner and lead actor since, becoming one of the longest running science fiction television series in the world and, according to Guinness World Records, the most successful science fiction series of all time by numerous measures. The franchise has produced the spin off series Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, along with novels, audio dramas, comic books and video games, and remains a significant part of the BBC's own institutional identity.