5. Educational Purposes
At its inception back in the 1960s, Doctor Who was designed to be an educational programme for families to enjoy together at teatime. As such this is the fundamental ethos of the show and while it isn't an aspect of it that's as heavily emphasised or explored today, it does still have the tendency to inform its viewers about various aspects of the universe - albeit in its own special timey-wimey sort of way. What's more, its inspiring foray of characters makes Doctor Who a show that encourages the audience to
want to discover more about the world around them and that's one of the most powerful aspects of its far reaching format. You might not realise it but Doctor Who has opened your eyes - and minds - to what's really out there and if you haven't been left questioning the concepts of time after watching a Steven Moffat episode, you obviously weren't paying attention. For Doctor Who to be education, it also has to be truthful (or as truthful as the confines of its fictional universe can be, anyway). Sometimes the truth is dark so the writers owe it to the format to respect this. If it sugarcoated everything it would be going against what it's been trying to represent for half a century.