As true as that statement remains, Doctor Who is universally renowned for being a show that's loved and cherished by fans of all ages. As such, suggesting that the ongoing escapades of a certain Time Lord can only be enjoyed by children is a guaranteed way to ignite annoyance in certain demographics of its far-reaching fandom, particularly amongst the older fans who have probably been following his adventures since "before you were born". A little known fact about the series is that it was originally intended to be one of the BBC's more educational offerings. Every Saturday tea time the Doctor's forays throughout time and space would inform a younger audience about the wonders of what's really out there. Over the years, of course, the show has moved away from its curriculum-based criteria, although there are still important lessons to be learned from watching Doctor Who. Granted, most of these lessons don't really lend themselves to activities in the real world, but who says we shouldn't be told how to understand the base code of the universe? It's basically maths. As a franchise at the forefront of fantasy entertainment, Doctor Who has a little something for everyone, especially with Steven Moffat in charge. His scripts embody a wide array of genres, characters, themes and messages with Michelle Gomez recently noting: "Steven's pen has a casual cruelty but there's also a wit and a humour. It's for everybody. There's something for the children but there's something for the adults, too." So there you go. Straight from the Master's mouth.
Dan Butler is the Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture.com. When he isn't writing his own articles or editing other people's, he can be found trawling the internet for gifs of Steven Moffat laughing. Contact him via dan.butler@whatculture.co.uk.
