How the Internet Saved 'Doctor Who'

Doctor Who is just a day away from its 50th anniversary. On Nov. 23, the long-running British TV series will broadcast a special extended episode in 75 countries. The worldwide broadcast will be simultaneous so fans across the globe will experience it at the exact same time. Viewing parties are planned everywhere, and the episode will even be shown as a one-time screening in some cinemas — in 3D, no less.

It's hard to imagine, but there was a time when things didn't look so good for Doctor Who. In 1989, the BBC put the show, which had been making fresh episodes every year since 1963, on extended hiatus, citing declining ratings and shoddy production values. Read more...