8. Watching Similar Shows
Science fiction has long been a staple of television. Dating back to the 1960s all the way to today, there has almost always been quality science fiction available for our enjoyment. Let's take a look at a few that may merit attention from Doctor Who fans.
Star Trek: Might as well start with the obvious, eh? The original series (named Star Trek, later referred to as Star Trek: The Original Series) ran from 1966 to 1969, and followed the adventures of the crew of The Enterprise, a starship on a five-year mission to "explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before". It was finally cancelled after airing 79 episodes, but was later followed by several spin-off series (The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise), as well as kick-starting a hugely successful film franchise that has now produced 12 movies.
Blake's 7: A BBC series that ran from 1978 to 1981, and was created by Terry Nation, known to Doctor Who fans as the creator of the Daleks. The series follows a ragtag crew of convicts and guerrilla warriors who commandeer a spaceship and use it to fight back against the totalitarian government that condemned them all. This show is of special interest to fans of the classic Doctor Who series, due to its strong and well developed stories, but also a lack of budget leading to some sets, costumes, and special effects being... less than adequate.
Firefly: Alright, everybody should watch this, not just Doctor Who fans. This show is unique amongst science fiction programs due to its lack of many SF tropes and standards - no aliens, no warp speed, etc - but is nonetheless very engaging, and has created a beautiful and visually striking world. Unfortunately it was cancelled after fourteen episodes, but it was followed shortly thereafter by a feature film, 'Serenity', which tied up the loose ends left over from the show.
Other Shows To Watch: The Twilight Zone is certainly a top pick, as is The Outer Limits, Babylon 5, Farscape, and any of the three Stargate series. Not to mention Doctor Who's own spin-off series, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.