Dr. Who Is Now Officially The Most Successful Sci-Fi Show

[Starkers]

Sorry but I'd just sick of the barely disguised "bear agenda!"

 

[The]

Oh for fuckssake, if Gregor goes on about 'Talia' one more time. She's gone, okay? Trapped in America forever. Let's move on. The Bear's constant gurning and whining really grate on me, as well. I hope when they bring in the next bear, it's The Rani...

 

[trampledamage]

 

[Saul]

I didn't want to start a new Thread on this but in terms of viewing time is Doctor Who also the longest running series? Or does that title still belong to Star Trek? How about the largest episode count? I saw that Power Rangers is up to something like 700 by now.

 

[captcalhoun]

Who is the world's longest running SF series.

 

[Saul]

Who is the world's longest running SF series.

Longest running but how about actual viewing time?

 

[Starkers]

Who is the world's longest running SF series.

I don't know, who is the world's longest running SF serial?

 

[captcalhoun]

:facepalm:

*groan*

 

[23skidoo]

I didn't want to start a new Thread on this but in terms of viewing time is Doctor Who also the longest running series? Or does that title still belong to Star Trek? How about the largest episode count? I saw that Power Rangers is up to something like 700 by now.

But Power Rangers isn't a single TV series, but about a dozen by now.

Star Trek consisted of 79 episodes. Full stop. TNG, DS9, etc are separate TV series.

Someone also tried to make a case for Twilight Zone once. The Twilight Zone ran for 4 or 5 seasons in the early 1960s and about 120 episodes or so. All other shows carrying the name are separate TV series.

Doctor Who 1963-89; 2005-present is a single TV series (ignoring the marketing lingo of "Series 1", etc), and it's somewhere north of 750. And full running time dwarfs all competitors. Its nearest competitors in English-language TV (someone's bound to cite some Japanese thing that ran longer) are Stargate SG-1 (and no you can't add in the spin-offs either) and Smallville, both of which managed to claw their way to a decade each.

Alex

 

[captcalhoun]

the Guiness book of records counted all 5 live-action Star Trek series as one entity.

 

[Sindatur]

the Guiness book of records counted all 5 live-action Star Trek series as one entity.

That becomes Franchise though, rather show/Series

 

[Saul]

True that. I guess Who gets away with that even though it is recast and has different production teams working on it in different centuries.

Didn't wikipedia once have a page dedicated to the running times of Sci-fi franchises? Can't seem to find it now.

 

[CaptainMatt]

This is great news for fans of the Good Doctor.

 

[23skidoo]

True that. I guess Who gets away with that even though it is recast and has different production teams working on it in different centuries.

So? It's still a single series, no different than Law & Order doing same, or Bewitched changing Darrins. Doesn't make the show any different. And the series has gone through about a dozen changes of production teams.

Also, the BBC never cancelled Doctor Who in 1989. They simply put it on hiatus.

A case could be made that, say, the new version of Dallas that starts this summer is a continuation of the original series. But they've chosen to treat it as a brand-new series, rather than Season 13 or whatever. Doctor Who from 2004 onwards was always going to be a continuation and the only reason it isn't marketed as Season 27, 28, 29, etc. is that the BBC marketing people - not without good logic - decided that relaunching the series as Season 27 would alienate potential new viewers. It was the same gambit UPN attempted when Star Trek: Enterprise was initially titled simply "Enterprise". In that show's case, it backfired badly, but it was a successful gambit with regards to Doctor Who.

Alex

 

[Saul]

Also, the BBC never cancelled Doctor Who in 1989. They simply put it on hiatus.

That was some hiatus.

 

[Kelso]

Also, the BBC never cancelled Doctor Who in 1989. They simply put it on hiatus.

That was some hiatus.

LOL. Yeah, a hiatus in which the entire production was shut down indefinitely and everyone involved moved on to other things and never came back.

But some fans like to pretend that the show was never cancelled. If it helps them sleep at night, just let 'em have it.

 

[captcalhoun]

well, ONE person did come back... before it went to hiatus again.

 

[MacLeod]

I didn't want to start a new Thread on this but in terms of viewing time is Doctor Who also the longest running series? Or does that title still belong to Star Trek? How about the largest episode count? I saw that Power Rangers is up to something like 700 by now.

But Power Rangers isn't a single TV series, but about a dozen by now.

Star Trek consisted of 79 episodes. Full stop. TNG, DS9, etc are separate TV series.

Someone also tried to make a case for Twilight Zone once. The Twilight Zone ran for 4 or 5 seasons in the early 1960s and about 120 episodes or so. All other shows carrying the name are separate TV series.

Doctor Who 1963-89; 2005-present is a single TV series (ignoring the marketing lingo of "Series 1", etc), and it's somewhere north of 750. And full running time dwarfs all competitors. Its nearest competitors in English-language TV (someone's bound to cite some Japanese thing that ran longer) are Stargate SG-1 (and no you can't add in the spin-offs either) and Smallville, both of which managed to claw their way to a decade each.

Alex

You forgot 1996.

What about Red Dwarf, true it has had long periods of being out of production. But it is almost 25years old with the same cast. (more or less)

 

[DWF]

Also, the BBC never cancelled Doctor Who in 1989. They simply put it on hiatus.

That was some hiatus.

LOL. Yeah, a hiatus in which the entire production was shut down indefinitely and everyone involved moved on to other things and never came back.

But some fans like to pretend that the show was never cancelled. If it helps them sleep at night, just let 'em have it.

Officially Doctor Who was cancelled in 1985 but in the 1989 the papers weren't filled as far as I know cancelling the show a second time,

 

[Iamnotspock]

LOL. Yeah, a hiatus in which the entire production was shut down indefinitely and everyone involved moved on to other things and never came back.

But some fans like to pretend that the show was never cancelled. If it helps them sleep at night, just let 'em have it.

Yeah, they cancelled it alright.... just not officially for fear of the wrath of the fans! It was quietly buried, and they had no intention of bringing it back.