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Whoniverse, a portmanteau of the words "Who" and "universe", is a word used to describe the fictional setting of the television series Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures, as well as other related stories. The term is often used to link characters, ideas or items which are seen across multiple productions, such as Sarah Jane Smith from Doctor Who, K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures, Jack Harkness from Doctor Who and Torchwood as well as K9 from Doctor Who, K-9 and Company, The Sarah Jane Adventures, and K-9.

Before the expansion of the Doctor Who fictional universe, the term "Whoniverse" referred to everything connected with the programme behind-the-scenes. In this original meaning, standing exhibitions, discussions about the filming of episodes and even fandom itself were considered part of the "Whoniverse".

Unlike the owners of other science fiction franchises, the BBC takes no position on which Doctor Who stories are definitive for future projects. The show has no 'canon', and indeed, recent producers of the show have expressed distaste for the idea. Though the term is essentially an example of fanspeak, it has recently begun to appear in mainstream press coverage following the popular success of the 2005 Doctor Who revival.

Original usage

It is not known precisely when the term "Whoniverse" came into common fan parlance. However, an early instance is found in the 1983 book, Doctor Who: A Celebration; Two Decades Through Time and Space by frequent Doctor Who non-fiction writer, Peter Haining. In this overview, Haining called his final chapter, "The Whoniverse". The section assembled factual information about all the episodes to date, but also gave information about fan clubs and ancillary entertainments related to the programme. Thus, the author enjoined his readers to believe that their own efforts were connected to those of the show-runners. Fans, in other words, were a part of the Whoniverse as much as the plot details of specific episodes. Though this meaning is rare today, the "Whoniverse" originally described both narrative intent and viewer reaction, plot and production, studio floor and convention hall.

Current usage

The foreword to 1992's The Universal Databank makes it clear that commentator Jean-Marc Lofficier considered the Whoniverse to be a wholly fictional place, where certain facts, such as production details, do not belong.

Features

Typical features of the Whoniverse are planets inhabited by humanoid species (e.g. Mondas, Skaro, Gallifrey etc.) and other bipedal aliens. Time travel is possible, as was interdimensional travel; since the fall of the Time Lords, however, the latter has become significantly more difficult. Alien technology is often far more advanced than Earth technology, often creating seemingly magical feats such as resurrecting the dead. In its early days — the "Dark Times", the universe was smaller, a chaotic place of "blood and magic", with relics still remaining from this period. But since these times, there seems to be a degree of order to the universe, with rules regulating time travel, and the Celestial Intervention Agency occasionally intervening. A political code of conduct exists between many alien races, with mentions of the "Shadow Proclamation", and also evidenced when the Daleks and Time Lords co-operated in the execution of the Master. The universe itself seems to have some natural agents to clean up problems, such as Reapers who appear to clean up time paradoxes.

Doctor Who is set in a rational universe, where everything is explained through applications of different sorts of science, the Carrionites being just one example of aliens using complex science to seemingly magical ends. Concepts of faith, deities and magic are not absent in the universe, however (and the Third Doctor story The Daemons suggests that magic and psychic powers are two ways of looking at the same thing). The series had established that there is a "Black Guardian" and "White Guardian" who serve as personifications of chaos and order, respectively, balancing the forces of the universe. There appears to be at least some indication of a monotheistic deity (the term 'creation' is often used to describe the universe/multiverse) and adversary with some place in the universe. The Beast and Abaddon are demons revealed to have been sealed away in planets "before the dawn of time", with the suggestion that there are more demons sealed away in a similar fashion. This seems to indicate some sort of dualistic higher power (also evidenced by the Guardians) with at least some control over creation. Simultaneously, Torchwood presents existentialist themes throughout its entire first series.

People on Earth are to varying extents aware of alien life. Aliens have invaded Earth many times, most notably in recent years as part of "The Christmas Invasion" and "Doomsday", and UNIT and the Torchwood Institute are examples of government responses to the knowledge of extraterrestrial life. However, most members of the public remain ignorant of aliens as they have (as put by the Doctor) "an amazing capacity for self-deception". Some people explain the events of these invasions as "mass hallucinations" caused by psychotropic drugs planted by terrorists in the water supply. (Something mentioned in the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, by Douglas Adams who worked on the original series of Doctor Who for a time.) Others form conspiracy groups, having become aware of the presence of the Doctor and alien life. In late 2007, Prime Minister Harold Saxon finally confirms the presence of alien life forms to the universe when in the presence of the US President he establishes "first contact" with alien life. Saxon's actions also allowed the press within the Doctor Who's fictional universe to confirm to the world that many previously suspected alien encounters in the 2000s were all in fact true. In later years however, wide alien scepticism may have returned. The constant flux between widespread extraterrestrial knowledge and self-deception is shown in some episodes to continue throughout contemporary Earth.

The Earth occupies much of the past and future of the setting's history. It is explained that supernatural entities have always inhabited Earth as had prehistoric reptilian humanoids and extraterrestrial visitors long before humans ever came to be. The planet Earth was formed with a passing Racnoss spaceship at its planetesimal core and was also once one of twin planets, with its sister Mondas. Earth is also home to a spacetime Rift, partially serving to imprison a demon known as Abaddon. As portrayed, contemporary Earth is somewhat more technologically advanced than its real-world analogue, with certain areas in the 60s, 70s and 80s in places ahead of their time, although the majority of this technology has been evidenced by specialised groups, such as UNIT and the Torchwood Institute. In "The Christmas Invasion", the planet even is described as "armed", possessing weaponry sufficient to obliterate a Sycorax mothership or take down a Racnoss Webstar with tank shells. The future of Earth has been portrayed in various ways; sometimes with little difference to the present, at others ranging from abandoned to overpopulated and hyper-industrialised, from a Utopia to a dying planet.

See also

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References

Citations

1. ^ Haining 1983
2. Davies, Russel T. (2005). Doctor Who Magazine (356). {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
3. Morrison, Ryan (12 July 2007). "Battle of Flowers: Cybermen and Dalek for Battle". BBC Jersey Entertainment Page.
4. Lofficier 1992
5. Russell T Davies, Tom MacRae, Graeme Harper (13 May 2006). "Rise of the Cybermen". Doctor Who. BBC. The Doctor: Used to be easy . When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea. Then they died, took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
6. ^ Alan Barnes, Gary Russel (13 April 2007). "The Infinite Quest episode 2". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
7. ^ Writer ], Director Charles Palmer, Producer Phil Collinson (7 April 2007). "The Shakespeare Code". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
8. ^ Russell T Davies, Keith Boak (26 March 2005). "Rose". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |city= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
9. Peter T. Ware, Matthew Jacobs, Geoffrey Sax (14 May 1996). "Doctor Who". Doctor Who. Fox Network. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
10. Russell T Davies, Paul Cornell, Joe Ahearne (14 May 2005). "Father's Day". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |city= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
11. "The Shakespeare Code" cast and crew. "Stage Fright". Doctor Who Confidential. BBC Three. Russell T Davies: "The Doctor exists in a rational universe... If magic was real, well that's just not Doctor Who to me.
12. Russell T Davies, Matt Jones, James Strong (10 June 2006). "The Satan Pit". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
13. ^ Russell T Davies, Chris Chibnall, Ashley Way (1 January 2007). "End of Days". Torchwood. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |city= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
14. "Notes on Abaddon". Torchwood Institute External Hub Interface. Retrieved 2 January 2007.
15. Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Morgan, John Nathan-Turner (5 October 1988). "Remembrance of the Daleks, part I". Doctor Who. BBC. The Doctor: Your species has the most amazing capacity for self-deception, matched only by its ingenuity when trying to destroy itself. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
16. Russell T Davies, Brian Kelly (22 August 2006). "Everything Changes". Torchwood. BBC Three. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |city= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
17. ^ ], Russell T Davies, Colin Teague (1 January 2007). "Invasion of the Bane". The Sarah Jane Adventures. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
18. Russell T Davies, Dan Zeff (17 July 2006). "Love & Monsters". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
19. Russell T Davies, Colin Teague (23 July 2007). "The Sound of Drums". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
20. Russell T Davies, Peter J. Hammond, Alice Troughton (12 November 2006). "Small Worlds". Torchwood. BBC Three. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |city= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
21. ^ Russell T Davies, Euros Lyn (25 December 2006). "The Runaway Bride". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |city= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
22. Kit Pedler, Derek Martinus (8 October 1966). "The Tenth Planet". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)
23. "Dating the UNIT stories". BBC 's Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide. Retrieved 5 June 2007.
24. Russell T Davies, James Hawes (25 December 2005). "The Christmas Invasion". Doctor Who. BBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink=, |city=, and |serieslink= (help)

Bibliography

• Haining, Peter (1983). Doctor Who: A Celebration; Two Decades Through Time and Space. W.H. Allen. ISBN 978-0-491-03351-0. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Lofficier, Jean-Marc (1992). The Universal Databank. Virgin Publishing (Target). ISBN 0-426-20370-4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

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• Doctor Who
• The Sarah Jane Adventures
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