This essay will attempt to illustrate the role of the science fiction serial Doctor Who in British culture, comparing the classic series (which aired from 1963 to 1989) with the new one (on air since 2005) analyzing the “birth” of Doctor Who in the 20th century and its “regeneration” in the 21st. Far from being just a filler in the Saturday night show schedule, Doctor Who has become a cult hit not just in Britain but around the world, emerging as a model for all science fiction series to come. Over the years the “Whoniverse” expanded and, alongside the canonical television series, numerous spin-offs, comics, novels, radio programs and theater adaptations began to appear. To bring some order to this whole “wibbly wobbly timey wimey” scenario, many Doctor Who fans and scholars have worked on detailed analyzes of the series (such as “Triumph of a Time Lord: Regenerating Doctor Who in the Twenty- first Century”, by “fan-academic” Matt Hills and “TARDISbound” by Professor of Art History Pier D. Britton). From the late 1970s, the BBC also began producing documentaries to show “behind the scenes” of the series and provide some clarification, and in 2004 the BBC archives were opened and their documents published online, thus making the sources available originals about the “genesis of Doctor Who”. The docu-drama “An Adventure in Space and Time”, written by Doctor Who writer and actor Mark Gatiss in In 2013, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the series, recalls its history from its creation to the success of the first seasons with William Hartnell and his replacement with Patrick Troughton in 1966. Donald Wilson, head of BBC Serial Dramas, had shown an interest in science fiction ever since. March 1962, when he commissioned two members of the BBC Survey Group, Donald Bull and Alice Frick, ...... middle of document ...... 2013. “Doctor Who 50th Anniversary: ​​The Time Lord's World Records”. Guinness World Records. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2013/11/doctor-who- 50th-anniversary-the-time-lord's-world-records-53100/O'Day, A. 2012. “Event TV: Fan Consumption of Doctor Who on television in Britain (1963-present)”. In Critical Explorations of Science Fiction and Fantasy: Doctor Who in Time and Space: Essays on Themes, Characters, History, and Fandom, 1963-2012, ed. Gillian I. Leitch, Donald E. Palumbo, C.W. Sullivan, pp 7-24. USA: McFarlandWebber, CE 1963. “Conceptual Notes for the New Science Fiction Drama.” BBC Archive. http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/doctorwho/6402.shtmlWebber, C.E., Sydney Newman. 1963. “Background Notes for 'Dr. Who'". BBC Archive. http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/doctorwho/6403.shtml“Verity Lambert Tribute” 2007. Sfx. http://www.sfx.co.uk/2007/ 11/26/verity_lambert_tribute/