Doctor Who is a TV show.
Doctor Who . The current lead , Peter Capaldi , took on the role after Matt Smith 's exit in the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . In the long running British science fiction television series Doctor Who , regeneration is a biological ability exhibited by the Time Lords , a race of fictional humanoids originating on the planet Gallifrey . `` The Time of the Doctor '' is an episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who , written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne , and was broadcast as the ninth Doctor Who Christmas special on 25 December 2013 on BBC One .