Doctor Who Will Stream Globally in November - Here's How US Fans Can Watch Season 14

When Doctor Who returns in November, it will have a new home in the US. Here's how fans can catch the 60th anniversary specials and Season 14.


Big changes are on the way for Doctor Who. Not only are a new Doctor and a new companion Ruby Sunday (played by Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson respectively) going to be leading the series, but even bigger changes are happening behind the scenes. Russell T Davies is coming back as the series' showrunner, having previously served as head writer and executive producer when Doctor Who first returned to television in 2005. Davies is joined by his fellow former executives Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter, along with their production company, Bad Wolf. Possibly the biggest behind-the-scenes shakeup, however, is Doctor Who's new international home on Disney+.


It was confirmed in Oct. 2022 that the new series of Doctor Who would see the BBC and Disney Branded Television working together to bring the sci-fi series to audiences in the UK and overseas. While Doctor Who will continue to air on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK, in the US and other territories, the series will now debut on Disney+. A recent report from the BBC confirms that new episodes of Doctor Who will start streaming on Disney+ as of Nov. 2023, with the release of the series' three 60th anniversary specials. Doctor Who episodes will then continue to stream on Disney+ the same day they are broadcast in the UK.


Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary Specials Will Stream on Disney+ in November


As mentioned, the recent report from the BBC confirms that Doctor Who will be arriving on Disney+ in November, with the release of the three 60th anniversary specials: "The Star Beast," "Wild Blue Yonder" and "The Giggle." The report confirms that each of the specials will be an hour long. Interestingly, the report also refers to the specials as part of Doctor Who's 14th season, possibly suggesting that the anniversary specials and Christmas special will be more closely connected to the upcoming Season 14 than fans may have thought. The report previously stated that Season 14 would begin in the Spring of 2024, though the mention of its release date has since been removed.


Previously, Doctor Who has aired on BBC America in the US. The move to Disney+ will mark the first time American audiences -- and audiences in many other territories -- will have the option to watch new episodes of Doctor Who at roughly the same time they are aired in the UK. While BBC America was already broadcasting new episodes the same day they were shown in the UK, time differences meant UK audiences got to see the episodes five to eight hours before US audiences. Now, viewers around the world can watch Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials in unison.


By foregoing a traditional release in favor of going directly to streaming on Disney+, Doctor Who can be made available to global audiences at the same time as it airs on BBC One in the UK. With Disney's involvement helping transform Doctor Who into the global franchise it has always had the potential to be, a simultaneous or near-simultaneous international release can help bring the fanbase together in a shared global viewing experience. In an age when fans will immediately discuss new episodes of their favorite series online, a simultaneous release allows fans everywhere to join the conversation together.


Doctor Who's Christmas Special Will Stream on Disney+ in December


After the release of the three 60th anniversary specials, Doctor Who's 2023 Christmas special will be the next episode to come to Disney+ around the world, at the same time it arrives on TV screens in the UK. The upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special will mark Ncuti Gatwa's first full episode as the Fifteenth Doctor, following his introduction in the 60th anniversary specials. While its exact release date is yet to be announced, the confirmation that the special will air in December has raised hopes that 2023 will see Doctor Who return to its traditional Christmas Day slot.


Doctor Who's move to Disney+ outside the UK might even mean this festive season will be the first time viewers in the US are able to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special at a much earlier time than UK audiences due to the difference in timezones. While the episode will not be available for streaming in the UK until it is shown on BBC One (usually at around 7 p.m.), US audiences will no longer be waiting for episode to air on BBC America as it will now be available to stream on Disney+ straight away on Christmas. This is a benefit of the move to direct streaming, which affords viewers the freedom to choose when they watch new releases.


An earlier Christmas release in the US and other territories around the world will also mean audiences watching on Disney+ can fit the Doctor Who Christmas special into their own holiday viewing schedule. Doctor Who is sure to be just one of many Christmas specials and holiday-themed releases premiering on Disney+ over the festive season. A Christmas Day release on the streaming service means fans can watch at a time that suits their holiday plans, enjoying the special episode alongside other festive TV and movies.


Doctor Who Season 14 Will Stream on Disney+ in Spring 2024


When Doctor Who finally returns for a full season in 2024, fans around the world will similarly be able to watch it on Disney+ at a time that suits them, in much the same way as British fans have long been able to do via BBC iPlayer. In the UK, new episodes of Doctor Who are available to stream on iPlayer as soon as they have aired on television. Fans in the US have not previously had the option to stream new episodes of Doctor Who right away, having to wait for it to air on BBC America (at around 8:00 p.m.) before the episode was available to stream the following day.


By releasing Doctor Who Season 14 on Disney+, however, US fans will continue to have the freedom to schedule their own viewings and immediately re-watch episodes, just as British fans are able to do with iPlayer. The only difference between the viewing options available to UK audiences and other audiences around the world is that Doctor Who will not be airing on regular TV in other territories. However, its release on Disney+ gives the majority of viewers the option to stream Doctor Who on their TV as soon as new episodes are released. Fans will also then have access to the entire season once it is out, meaning those who prefer to binge-watch will have the option to get through all of Doctor Who Season 14 in one go, as soon as the full season has been released.

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