Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. As of 1 January 2021, 862 episodes of Doctor Who have aired, concluding the twelfth series. This includes one television movie and multiple specials, and encompasses 296 stories over 38 seasons, starting in 1963. Additionally, four charity specials and two animated serials have also been aired. The programme’s high episode count has resulted in Doctor Who holding the world record for the highest number of episodes of a science-fiction programme.
Doctor Who ceased production in 1989, then resumed in 2005. The original series (1963–1989), generally consists of multi-episode serials; in the early seasons, and occasionally through its run, serials tend to link together, one story leading directly into the next. The 2005 revival trades the earlier serial format for a run of self-contained episodes, interspersed with occasional multi-part stories and structured into loose story arcs.
