BBC's Doctor Who will be hitting international markets with a bang with its official addition to the Walt Disney Company's streaming platform, Disney Plus. The move, which comes in the wake of the latest iteration of the Doctor being announced, is another win on the horizon for the streaming platform.
Doctor Who is one of the most popular science fiction franchises in history, spanning several decades and multiple iterations of the titular Doctor, an often witty and mysterious alien who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, a time-travel-enabled spaceship disguised as a British police box. The BBC has aired the show since its premiere in 1963, along with a litany of foreign stations airing it abroad with varying consistency.
The US has previously gotten parts of the series via BBC America and HBO Max, but a recent announcement by the BBC has confirmed a partnership between the British broadcasting company and Disney Branded Television, moving Doctor Who to Disney Plus for viewing outside of the UK and Ireland. Russell T. Davies, who spearheaded the show’s 2005 revival and will return as Doctor Who showrunner in 2023, had praise for the team-up. He said, "I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK."
The President of Disney Branded Television, Ayo Davis, also had positive things to say about the partnership and Davies' leadership as well. Discussing the finalized agreement, Davis said, “Doctor Who has captivated the imaginations of families around the world for the past six decades. We are so excited about this collaboration with the BBC and the opportunity to bring this iconic franchise – and Russell T. Davies' brilliant vision – to life for a huge new global audience.” Davis' comments encapsulate just how monumental an addition Doctor Who is to Disney Plus, as it has intrigued fans with everything from its on-screen presentation to lore-based questions like the enigmatic society of the Time Lords.
Despite being several decades along the line from its original iteration, Doctor Who has continued to move along into new and exciting territory while also retrenching older material to delight and unify fans from several generations. Most recently, the series has seen a familiar face return as Tenth Doctor David Tennant returned to portray the Fourteenth Doctor, acting as a transitory form to pass the torch from Jodie Whitaker to Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa, who was recently cast as the latest iteration of the Doctor Who. The timing of Disney's partnership with the BBC is auspicious, as it will allow new fans to come on board easily and allow older fans easier access to the latest from the beloved franchise.
While Gatwa's casting is historic in its own way, and the star is set to begin filming his debut as the iconic character sometime in November, some fans are still grappling with what Whittaker's exit means for the Doctor Who franchise. Whether Gatwa's time in the role will be as controversial as Whittaker's and how that will affect the franchise going forward remain to be seen.
Doctor Who begins streaming on Disney Plus in 2023.
Source: DoctorWho.tv