![06 Longevity from The Doctor Who Changed the TV Universe – Dr. Rosanne Welch [Video]](https://rosannewelch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/sdwhocon-2022-dwtv-06.jpg)
Transcript:
Canonically when you look at television, “Gunsmoke” was considered the longest-running show – 20 years – and you can see that’s actually Bert (Reynolds). He started on that show and then “Law and Order” was on for a good 20 years and “Supernatural.” Thinking of Science Fiction. “Supernatural” is really the longest-running that we’ve had here in the states at 15, which seems like a lot but not compared to “Doctor Who” So the thing about “Doctor Who” is that fandom that built over all these years allowed this explosion in Cons, which were not a normal thing back in the day right? They were just what geeky kids did and nobody took them seriously. Nobody looked deeply into the TV shows they were watching. I think it’s a beautiful thing to think how much the support and the fame of “Doctor Who” has expanded the world of Cons.
In this presentation given at the 2022 San Diego WhoCon I had the chance to trace the many ways Doctor Who changed the TV universe. By focusing on the interesting and innovative things the many writers did with the show across the years we were able to see the Who footprint by becoming the first narrative program to reach 50 years on the air, the first to create a spin-off across the ocean, and a show alongside Star Trek that created the Con-craze that brought the world of cosplay to the mainstream. Perhaps most importantly, a love of Doctor Who lead more Americans to watch programming from other countries – from Korean dramas to Mexican telenovelas – which has so enriched our culture.
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