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Classic Doctor Who ran from the early 60s until the late 80s. Was revived for a movie in the mid 90s with a co-production between BBC and an American network. That was not picked up and the hoped for series didn't happen. The franchise continued in books and comic strips for about another 10 years and then a new Who was launched in 2005; this time with the BBC pouring money into the project and giving the team pretty much free reign. Everything prior to 2005 is considered Classic Doctor Who, everything after is New Doctor Who. They are stylistically very different, primarily because of the budget and the fact that it's come out of a different era with different sensibilities. But the character is a continuation of the original. It is still essentially the same story (a time traveling and ancient alien who picks up companions as he travels) but with a slightly different flavour.
In the new show the character and backstory have become much darker, with the Doctor now the last of his kind and (it's hinted) responsible for the genocide of his own race, whom he sacrificed as the only way to stop their enemy the Daleks, who'd have wiped out all life in the universe (etc etc).
It's a fun kids show though at heart. Occasionally silly, occasionally challenging. Nice sense of legend and mythos. The fact that it's been going for 46 years ( I think) means it has gathered many layers.
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