10 Times Doctor Who Has Ripped Off Other Franchises

1. Buffy & Smallville

When bringing Doctor Who back to our screens in 2005, Russell T Davies and his team didn't look to the Who of the past but to the successful American imports that had been popular with family audiences. Joss Whedon's quality goes without saying (whatever some idiots post on Twitter!) so it's only natural that Russell would look at Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin off, Angel. Smallville, the tale of the young Superman growing up, was also a touchstone. Both these series showed that modern audiences were used to an ensemble, with more characters to invest in and to root for. These shows also reinforced the need for a mythology for the show, the Last of the Time Lords hook giving an emotional context to the Doctor's new adventures. Both also stressed the importance of strong female leads, Rose, the ordinary girl suddenly having an extraordinary life being very much the story of Buffy Summers before her. Finally, these shows gave Who the series arc and the 45 minute episode length, so new Who would fit in with the hour (with ads) format of US TV. What did you think of this list? Are there any other times Doctor Who ripped off other franchises? Join the conversation in the comments section below...