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Sci fi series "Doctor Who" zooms into record books
Thu Sep 28, 10:08 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - The cult science fiction series "Doctor Who" has won a place in the record books as the longest-running television show of its type, a fitting accolade for the time-travelling adventurer.

The book "Guinness World Records" said on Friday more than 700 episodes of the program, which first aired on the BBC in 1963, had been broadcast, covering 173 story lines and showcasing 10 different actors in the role of the Time Lord.

A spokeswoman for the book said the category of longest-running sci-fi series had been newly introduced for the 2007 edition.

The latest actor to play the Doctor, David Tennant, told the book he decided to become an actor after watching an earlier incarnation -- Tom Baker -- during the 1970s.

"I took one look at his Doctor Who and decided it was the job for me. I was convinced that when I was old enough I was going to play the part of the Doctor on TV," he said.

While fans of the different series may have their favorite Doctors, the concept has endured and the program attracts more than 7 million viewers in Britain and many more abroad.

That the series has lasted so long is partly thanks to iconic villains such the "Daleks" and the Cybermen, and also because the main character can regenerate, allowing the series to keep fresh by bringing a new lead actor.

Helping maintain consistency are props such as the Doctor's time traveling machine the Tardis, his companion -- usually young and female -- and his robot dog K-9.


Some might say being gay made me weird--but no--loving this show as a teen made me weird. Davis and I have so much in common.