When the first episode of Dr. Who aired on BBC television in the UK back in 1963, who could have ever guessed that this small budget, Sci-Fi series would turn into the longest running series of its kind, and eventually spawn into several spin-offs?
Over the years, the popularity of Dr. Who has been nothing short of amazing, which explains why ‘Whovians’ from around the world love to wear their favorite Doctor Who t-shirts, and buy hundreds of BBC-licensed products in celebration of their favorite television series.
The Reboot
After being dormant for 16 years, the show re-launched in 2005 and was an instant success. Over 10 million people tuned in to watch the first episode. When 2013 marked the official 50th anniversary of Dr. Who, t-shirt and memorabilia sales went wild. It’s one of the only television show that spans generations where grandparents, children, and grandchildren can all glory in (and spar over) a wide selection of t-shirts choices. Who was the best Doctor?
Apparently they just can’t get enough, and one has to wonder if the show will ever end. After 44 years in existence, Dr. Who’s fan base is significant. In tribute to the show, there are hundreds of ‘episodes’ created by fans, and even films have been made to pay their respects to the great doctor.
He’s not a medical doctor by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, he’s an alien Time Lord from another planet who has gone through both space and time. Since the series’ first aired, he’s come across over 180 distinct alien species, had over 38 partners, and has regenerated 12 times. Although Time Lords are generally just observers of timelines and the lives of others, the great Doctor is a rebel who comes out of the shadows to save lives and fight tyrants- all the while having a great time.
With his multi-purpose sonic screwdriver, he can do anything from picking locks to performing medical scans, and even welding!
The Many Faces of the Great Doctor
In total, 11 actors have played the role of Doctor Who with each one bringing their own wild personalities and physical appearances. Remember the fourth Doctor who always wore his iconic, incredibly long scarf? Or the eleventh Doctor who always had his bow tie?
From the beginning when the role was played by the late William Hartnell, until most recently when Mr. Smith took it on, the character has continually evolved. Traveling between different worlds, and parallel dimensions, the great doctor has always collected new toys to take with him on his next adventure. There is no stopping Dr. Who!
The show is definitely the most unique series to ever hit television, the internet and audio genres. It’s no wonder it’s become a cult phenomenon, and there are t-shirts to commemorate each doctor and his arsenal of weapons. What other television series, that you can think of, allows the main character to regenerate from fatal injury by emerging as a new character?
Who is your doctor? All the doctors are great, but most fans have one they love the most.
Too Many Choices – Dr. Who T-Shirts: The Many Faces of the Great Doctor
It’s obvious that fans can’t get enough of the best Sci-Fi series ever made. So it’s great that they can get merchandise, such as t-shirts, to pay tribute to their favorite Doctor, and the entire series. It’s understandable that the fans of Doctor Who are quite dedicated when it comes to getting the perfect Dr. Who T-shirt, and this is why there’s such a vast array of them to choose from. Fans have the choice of getting a simple shirt, with the linear design to a detailed TARDIS design.
There is such a selection that no fan should have a problem finding the perfect one – or two, or three to best suit them. Due to the long run of the series, the show has gained fans of all ages, and generations, but the most popular T-shirt image is the loveable Time and Relative Distance in Space (TARDIS) machine that is part space rocket, part time traveling machine, and of course, part police phone booth.
With the TARDIS the Doctor can move through time with ease, and that’s one of the things the fans love the most about the show, no matter what their age!
This article was written by Alexia .H. Della, a fashion music enthusiast, who is an avid collector of merch from the portals of bands like the Dr. Who.
