We begin in the middle of the Doctors story and fifty years later we remain there. A person who exists throughout all of space and time cannot be portrayed in a linear way. It is precisely because the Doctor does not live his life in a straight line that we are able to mold his story in such a way that it resonates with current sensibilities and modes of thought. The genius conceit of Doctor Who is that the character and his journey still makes sense whether the shows writers were raised in the fallout from World War Two or in the shadow of the Twin Towers. The Doctors story has no beginning or end. A disinterested front office or collection of bad scripts may hamper the narrative at times but there is no real reason why the Doctor could not remain relevant for another fifty years. The classic and current series have superficial differences but they share a common core. They both portray a man caught up in a never-ending journey whos looking for a friend to share his experiences.