Could Dr. Who’s TARDIS Soon Be Abandoned?

Tardis

Tardis, no more?

“Doctor Who,” the iconic British science fiction television series, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary later this month in London and fans worldwide are in high anticipation of the event. However, the festivities may not be exempt from controversy over a story developing about the good Doctor’s #1 mode of transportation – the TARDIS. 

According to a recent article in The Independent, Stef Coburn, the son of Tony Coburn, (who wrote the first-ever “Doctor Who” episode) claims that his father is the inventor of the Tardis time machine that looks like a blue police box and that the BBC has been in breach of copyright since his father’s death in 1977. He is now demanding that the BBC stop using the Tardis in the program or pay his family royalties for its continued use. Coburn believes all rights to the Tardis passed on to his family after his father’s death and that any informal permissions that were in place are now well expired with the copyright belonging to his family.

The BBC is looking into Coburn’s complaint, but were quick to point out that no challenges to the Tardis copyright have come up since the corporation registered it in the 1980’s. Although unlikely to have a positive result for Coburn if this case goes forward, could this mean the end of the recognizable Tardis in the Doctor Who series if he’s successful?

Our own Whovian reviewer and reporter, Lindalee Rose, along with the Beyond the Marquee crew will be in the thick of the action at the 50th Anniversary celebration in London later this month. No doubt, she’ll be asking quite a few people involved with the show what they think of this recent challenge to the venerated Doctor!

For more details on this story, check out The Independent’s article on the subject: Who Owns The Tardis?  Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

 

DayoftheDoctor

 

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