What is it about Doctor Who?

What is it about Doctor Who?  I’ve been a Star Trek fan since I was a kid and watched the animated series on Nickelodeon as a kid.  I used to tape ST:TOS on my parents’ VCR and painstakingly edit out the commercials.  I was 10 when ST:TNG premiered and had the biggest crush on Wesley Crusher (and I still think that Wil Wheaton is extremely handsome).  I was young enough when I first watched Star Wars that I don’t remember watching it for the first time, and I’ve always been a fan.  But last year I was introduced to an old, but new to me, science fiction series.  One episode of Doctor Who and I was hooked.

The popularity of Doctor Who has been steadily rising in the United States.  This is obvious from the amount of items for sale on sites like ThinkGeek and Amazon.  Heck, you can even find Doctor Who items at the mall.  And it’s not just popular with adults.  I know a lot of kids who are big Doctor Who fans – my own ten year old among them.

But really, what is it about this show?  The actors?  The directors?  The storyline?  I really don’t know.  All I know is that it seems to draw people in with an almost cult-like following.  Are you a Doctor Who fan?  If so, what are your thoughts about what makes it so irresistible?