Doctor Who for Beginners: The New Series (2005-Present)

December 6, 1989 marked the end of an era as BBC 1 broadcast Part Three of "Survival," the final episode of the long-running classic science fiction series Doctor Who. After twenty-six seasons on television, the BBC decided to cease production of the program and fans around the world were left wondering when-or if-the Doctor would return to TV. In 1996, producer Philip David Segal pitched a made for TV movie as a pilot for a possible new series for Doctor Who, but the movie's failure to draw viewers in the United States killed that plan. Whovians would have to wait another nine years to see the Doctor on the small screen again.

In September of 2003, BBC 1 Controller Lorraine Heggessey announced that Doctor Who would, indeed, return in 2005. The new series, produced by BBC Wales, would begin production in 2004 and air in the spring of the following year. Russell T. Davies (creator of Queer as Folk) was named one of the executive producers along with Julie Gardner and Mal Young, with Phil Collinson as producer. Davies also became head writer for the Doctor Who relaunch. Other writers have included Steven Moffat (creator of the hit BBC comedy Coupling), Rob Shearman, Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss (of the sketch comedy group The League of Gentlemen).

The next step was to cast an actor to fill the role of the Doctor. This prompted much speculation and many questions from fans of the show. Would Paul McGann, who had played the Time Lord in the TV movie, return as the Eighth Doctor, or would someone new be cast as a ninth incarnation of the Doctor? And if so, who would be cast to step into the famous police box to pilot the TARDIS for a new generation of fans?

Christopher Eccleston became the ninth actor to play the beloved time traveler from Gallifrey. Viewers in the UK already recognized Eccleston from the drama series Clocking Off, as well as the detective drama Cracker. He had also been in several films including eXistenZ, Gone in 60 Seconds and 28 Days Later. Pop singer/actress Billie Piper was cast as Rose Tyler, the Doctor's new traveling companion. Recurring roles included Rose's boyfriend Mickey Smith, played by Noel Clarke, and her mother Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri). Ron Grainer's famous signature tune from the classic program would be brought back as the theme for the new series, with a new arrangement composed by Murray Gold.

The original series was produced in a serial format with episodes running twenty-five minutes long. The average story contained four episodes, although some could run as short as two parts. The longest story, The Trial of a Time Lord, ran fourteen episodes long. The new series would see a season comprised of fourteen 45-minute episodes with seven stand-alone stories and 3 two-part adventures.

The spring of 2004 gave many Doctor Who fans cause for concern when Michael Grade became Chairman of the Board of Governors for the British Broadcasting Corporation. In 1985 while serving as BBC 1 Controller, Grade put the original series on hiatus for eighteen months and made his dislike for the program well known to the public. Then in late 1986, he agreed to keep Doctor Who on the condition that then-Doctor Colin Baker be replaced. Fans were now worried that Grade might kill the relaunch of Doctor Who before a single episode would be broadcast. They were greatly relieved to learn that programming decisions rested with the controller, not the chairman.

Doctor Who finally returned to BBC 1 on March 26, 2005 with the broadcast of the premiere episode "Rose" which drew an audience of more than 10 million viewers. The program attracted strong ratings and positive reviews. The scripts were very well written and fans were pleased to see the return of a couple of old enemies from the classic series, the Autons and the Daleks, as well as the introduction of several original villains for the new series.

Christopher Eccleston's Doctor seemed a bit more streetwise and moodier than the classic series Doctors. His appearance was also a departure from Doctors past. The Ninth Doctor's hair was shorter, more closely cropped than previous Doctors. And instead of wearing Edwardian suits, smoking jackets or long scarves, Eccleston's Time Lord chose a plain black leather jacket and a jumper with black trouser and boots. The Ninth Doctor was a new Time Lord for a new millennium.

John Barrowman, who appeared in five episodes as former time agent turned futuristic con man Captain Jack Harkness, would get his own spin-off series called Torchwood. Within days after the broadcast of "Rose," the BBC announced plans for a Doctor Who Christmas special to air in December, and that the show would return for a second season in 2006.

But amongst all of this good news came the shocking announcement that Christopher Eccleston would leave the program at the end of the season after only one year with the show. The actor declared that his forthcoming departure was due to fear of being typecast. After several weeks of rumors circulating across the Internet, the BBC confirmed that David Tennant would become the Tenth Doctor. The first season finale "The Parting of the Ways" ends with Eccleston's Doctor regenerating into Tennant's Time Lord.

Apart from David Tennant replacing Christopher Eccleston, the rest of the Doctor Who cast would remain intact for Season Two with Billie Piper, Camille Coduri and Noel Clarke returning. Executive producers Russell Davies and Julie Gardner, along with producer Phil Collinson (co-executive producer Mal Young had left the series midway through production of Season One), set to work on the Christmas special and the second season. During the fall of 2005 Tennant and Piper starred in a seven-minute mini-episode as part of the BBC's annual "Children in Need" programming. The Tenth Doctor made is official debut on December 25, 2005 in the special episode "The Christmas Invasion."

With a new Doctor came a new wardrobe, as Christopher Eccleston's black leather jacket was replaced with a pinstripe suit with a tie and tennis shoes. The new Time Lord's persona was more lighthearted and easy going than his predecessor. David Tennant's Doctor has drawn many comparisons from fans and critics alike to Tom Baker's Doctor, although some have also pointed out how similar the Tenth Doctor is to Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor: a humorous exterior with a bit of a dark side underneath.

Meanwhile, the BBC began shopping around the US networks to find someone willing to broadcast Doctor Who in the United States. Would they choose to air the show on BBC America, or would they attempt to find a network that was more widely available and could carry the show to more US homes than BBC America could? BBC officials ultimately choose the latter and began talks with several networks about airing Doctor Who. But for the time being, no one in the US was interested in carrying the program.

In the UK, Season Two premiered on April 15, 2006 with the episode "New Earth." Once again the program drew strong ratings, and critics loved David Tennant's new Doctor. Steven Moffat, who had won a Hugo Award for Season One's two-part story "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances," contributed once again with the stand-alone episode "The Girl in the Fireplace." In addition to a return appearance by the Daleks, the Cybermen-another popular enemy from the original series-returned to menace the Doctor and his companions. And director Graeme Harper, who had helmed several classic series adventures including "The Caves of Androzani" and "Revelation of the Daleks," returned to direct the two-parter "Rise of the Cybermen"/"The Age of Steel." Classic series companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and K9 (voiced by John Leeson) made return appearances in the nostalgia-laced "School Reunion."

After two seasons with the program, Billie Piper left Doctor Who at the end of the second season finale "Doomsday." Piper, who had enjoyed working on the show, had decided she was ready to move on to other projects. The season ended with Rose Tyler being trapped on another Earth in a parallel universe with the Doctor being unable to reach her and bring her back.

2006 saw the signing of a deal with SCI-FI to air Doctor Who in the United States. SCI-FI began airing Season One with Christopher Eccleston's Doctor on March 17. The network began airing episodes with David Tennant with "The Christmas Invasion" during the fall.

Christmas 2006 saw the broadcast of "The Runaway Bride," another Doctor Who Christmas special. David Tennant was joined in this story by comic actress Catherine Tate. Tate played Donna Noble, a young woman who was mysteriously turned up in the Doctor's TARDIS after disappearing from her wedding on Christmas Eve.

Season Three opened on March 31 2007 with the introduction of a new companion in a medical student named Martha Jones. Played by actress Freema Agyeman, Martha joined the Doctor in the season premiere "Smith & Jones." As the show drew strong ratings once again, critics raved about the quality of the writing, saying Season Three was the best from Russell Davies and company yet. Steven Moffat won a second Hugo for the Season Two episode "The Girl in the Fireplace," and contributed once again to the third season with a story titled "Blink."

In addition to a return appearance by the Daleks, two other classic series villains were featured during the third season. The Macra, last seen in 1967's "The Macra Terror," returned in "Gridlock. At the end of "Utopia," kindly old Professor Yana (Sir Derek Jacobi) is revealed to be the Master, who is shot and then regenerates into a younger villain played by John Simm. The new Master then wreaks havoc on Earth in the final two episodes, "The Sound of Drums" and "Last of the Time Lords," posing as Harold Saxon, a British politician who is elected Prime Minister. John Barrowman returns briefly as Captain Jack Harkness in the last three episodes.

David Tennant returned as the Doctor last week in the 2007 Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned," co-starring Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue. Near the end of Season Three, the BBC announced their plans for Doctor Who for the next three years. Season Four will air in the UK during the spring of 2008. Then in 2009, BBC 1 will air three DW specials instead of a regular full season. This is reportedly due to Tennant being unavailable for a full season that year. The show will return for Season Five in 2010. These announcements have led to speculation as to whether Tennant will leave the program sometime in 2008 or 2009. And with Russell Davies speaking recently about other television projects he wants to tackle, many are wondering how much longer he will remain with the show. Although Davies has not stated any intent of actually leaving Doctor Who, many Internet rumors have named Steven Moffat as a possible successor.

The producers have announced that Catherine Tate will return at the beginning of Season Four as Donna Noble becomes a regular traveling companion. Freema Agyeman will miss the first half of the season, but will return to travel with the Doctor. Agyeman will also play Martha in three episodes of Torchwood. Billie Piper will also return as Rose Tyler for three episodes during the fourth season.

The relaunch of Doctor Who has spawned two spin-off programs. John Barrowman stars as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood. The title is an anagram for Doctor Who. Harkness heads up a team of investigators at the Cardiff branch of the Torchwood Institute, which investigates events both supernatural and extraterrestrial on present day Earth. The return of Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith has spawned The Sarah Jane Adventures. The BBC had previously attempted a Doctor Who spin-off during the early 80's with Sladen starring opposite John Leeson (as the voice of K9) in K9 & Company. While Doctor Who is considered a family program suitable for all ages, The Sarah Jane Adventures is more of a children's show aimed at younger viewers, and Torchwood is aimed at an adult audience with a darker tone and stronger sexual content than would be accepted on Doctor Who.

The original Doctor Who series had a very successful run for twenty-six seasons before it ceased production. Then after an absence of nearly sixteen years, the show returned, and has been a hit once again with both viewers and critics. The reason the new series has been so successful is the writers and producers are longtime fans who loved the classic series, and they've been able to retain those elements of the original program that appealed to them and other fans while still updating the show for the current television climate. The new Doctor Who is a program that could very well enjoy a lengthy run just as its predecessor did.