Doctor Who is in no danger of being cancelled anytime soon despite a ratings decline, says the BBC. The popular British television program featuring a time-traveling alien and human companions traversing space and time has been on the air for more than fifty years.
The premise of the show is that the Doctor, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, travels through space and time via the TARDIS, a time machine that looks like a British police box from the 1960's. The Doctor tends to pick up human companions from Earth who share the Doctor's keen sense of adventure and desire to explore the universe. A major reason why Doctor Who hasn't run out of steam fifty years and counting is due to the fact that the Doctor regenerates into a new face every few seasons. In other words, when the main actor decides to move on from the role, another actor takes over. So far there have been thirteen incarnations of the Doctor with Jodie Whittaker currently playing the Thirteenth Doctor for the current season. The actress confirmed that she would definitely be returning for the thirteenth season. She is the first woman to play the iconic role. Whittaker's first season debut actually broke ratings records.
The Thirteenth Doctor's second season hasn't fared nearly as strongly as the first. According to Deadline, season 12's penultimate episode only had 3.7 million viewers. However, the BBC's drama chief Piers Wenger doesn't appear to be worried about the low viewership, and defended the series.
"It’s an incredibly important show for young audiences, it’s still watched by families in a world where there are fewer shows that have the power to do that. It will always be an important show for us and we’re a very long way from wanting to rest it."
Wenger's defense of Doctor Who is spot on. What makes the program so great is its universal appeal. Although the Doctor is in fact an alien, their two hearts beat for protecting innocent humans and species on a plethora of planets. The lessons that Doctor Who teaches are important for viewers both young and old, to respect life and not to take time for granted. Fans also experience genuine terror and excitement every time the Doctor regenerates into someone new, which also continues to keep the show fresh and interesting. Doctor Who has such a rich history to draw from from its fifty years and counting on television screens worldwide, and truly does best when it draws from its own mythology that fans know and love.
The Doctor has lived for more than 900 years. Doctor Who has appeal and a fanbase that extends far beyond Britain. The twelfth season will come to an end next weekend. With countless storylines and plenty of potential for future characters and regenerations, Doctor Who will continue to remain timeless for decades to come.
Source: Deadline