If Matt Smith has his way (and why wouldn't he?), The Doctor would celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first adventures in the Tardis in the most exciting ways: 3-D.

Although it seems the craze is dying down in America, who says that the man who made bow-ties look cool couldn't resurrect 3-D as well?

"I'm interested in all the 3-D stuff," Smith recently told Bang Showbiz. "If [the anniversary] could be filmed for 3-D TV, that would be fun, especially with 'Doctor Who.' I love making 'Doctor Who,' and I get to be part of that 50th year, which they'll do something mental."

In past anniversaries, however, no one needed special glasses to watch the "Doctor Who" specials. But it didn't mean that fans didn't get a special treat.

Anniversaries usually mean the return of old Doctors in some way or another. Smith is the 11th actor to play the role, but over the last five decades, three of The Doctors (the first three actors, actually) have passed away. William Hartnell, the original Doctor, died in 1975 at the age of 67. Patrick Troughton died in 1987, once again at the age of 67. Jon Pertwee died in 1996 at the age of 76.

But that still leaves eight Doctors. Tom Baker (now 77), Peter Davison (now 60), Colin Baker (now 68), Sylvester McCoy (also 68), Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Smith. Yes, yes, listing all the Doctors helps with our search engine optimization.

Would any of the past Doctors return? That's a good question. Of the modern Doctors, Tennant has always expressed a willingness to return in some form if asked to. Eccleston, however, who helped resurrect "Doctor Who" in 2005, likely would not don the black collarless shirt and the leather jacket once again.

There's still time to figure it all out. BBC is currently planning what it will do for "Doctor Who" in 2012, with some speculation that there will be specials (similar to Tennant's final year with the sonic screwdriver), or a partial season with a continuation going into 2013.

"Doctor Who" premiered on BBC on Nov. 23, 1963. Yes, earlier that day (technically the day before when adjusted for the time difference in Dallas), President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Although "Doctor Who" is a British icon, its development can actually be credited to a Canadian, Sydney Newman, who was the Head of Drama at BBC at the time. Newman developed what could best be described as a series bible, with help from Donald Wilson (Head of the Script Department) and staff writer C.E. Webber. Also contributing to the early formative years of "Doctor Who" were Anthony Coburn, David Whitaker and Verity Lambert.

Newman, who was born (and lated died) in Toronto, was also responsible for the start of "The Avengers" for Associated British Corp. Wilson, who almost deprived "Doctor Who" of its greatest villains ever -- the Daleks -- died in 2002 at the age of 91.

Lambert died in 2007, and has been referenced in modern "Doctor Who" both as one of The Doctor's "parents" in "Human Nature" and with a dedication following the 2007 Christmas special.

BBC and BBC America airs the current season of "Doctor Who" with Matt Smith every Saturday through next month.