"Doctor Who" 50th anniversary special tops Tumblr, BBC America ratings records
By
Ken Lombardi
/ CBSNews.com
What's that, my boy?
A special episode of the BBC program "Doctor Who" celebrating the 50th anniversary of the sci-fi series smashed worldwide records after airing simultaneously in 94 countries.
According to the BBC, the episode broke the Guinness World Record as "the world's largest ever simulcast of a TV drama."
More than 10.2 million viewers in the U.K. alone tuned in to watch "The Day of the Doctor," the 75-minute special installment marking half a century since the cult favorite was first broadcast.
In addition to airing on TV, the anniversary special was also screened at cinemas worldwide, with multiplex showings selling out in 11 U.S. cities alone.
Social media also took notice. 14.5 million users visited the "Doctor Who" Tumblr page on Saturday, more than any other televised event, including the Super Bowl, as pointed out by The Los Angeles Times.
The episode aired amid what the BBC has billed as a month-long celebration of the long-running "global phenomenon," which saw its very first episode air just one day after the JFK assassination in 1963.
In the pilot, William Hartnell originally portrayed the role of the Doctor, from the planet Gallifrey, venturing through time using his TARDIS phonebox. The series was not expected to become a hit upon initial airing, and it took years for it to catch on with viewers. After decades of amassing viewers, the sci-fi drama is now noted for its intense level of fandom, with die-hard "Whovians" ensuring the series' longevity.
Over time, 11 different actors have stepped into the role of the eponymous character, who alters his looks and regenerates every couple of years, allowing actors to be replaced in the role.
"Day of the Doctor" offered a treat for viewers, with three different Doctors appearing onscreen together -- David Tennant, John Hurt and Matt Smith, the most recent actor to play the Doctor, although Smith is soon set to step down from the role.
Smith will portray the 11th Doctor once more for an upcoming Christmas special, before passing the baton on to Peter Capaldi, who will become the main character on the series as the 12th Doctor.
Ken Lombardi is an entertainment reporter for CBS News. He has interviewed over 300 celebrities, including Clint Eastwood, Oprah Winfrey and Tom Hanks.
