Streaming Sci Fi TV: Tracking down sci fi and fantasy shows of interest available on the streaming services. Note that these shows can be pulled from the services at any time with little notice.
What Is It?
After a long absence, the Time Lord known as the Doctor returns to Earth when the Autons show up as a threat to London. After defeating them, he invites Rose Tyler to join him in the TARDIS and travel through space and time. This kicks off a whole new set of adventures for the Doctor across six(-ish) incarnations so far and multiple companions.
Aired: BBC/BBC America/Disney+, 2005-Present, 15 Seasons Totaling 169 Episodes + Specials (So Far)
Starring: Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, Ncuti Gatwa, Billie Piper
Developed By: Russell T Davies
Why Watch It?
Classic Doctor Who ended its run in 1989 after 26 seasons, and it disappeared from television except for a brief attempt at a revival in 1996. It then made a return to the small screen in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston taking up the mantle as the Ninth Doctor, and it has been running ever since. The series had a bigger budget than what the BBC previously allowed, and it started to venture into even more epic tales than what we saw in its early years. The revival was celebrated at first, and it has been a staple on British and American television since its return.
The Ninth through Twelfth Doctors were generally well-liked, and David Tennant’s tenure is typically considered the best of the revival seasons. Opinions were mixed when the Doctor reincarnated in female form, but Jodie Whittaker ran with the role and did a pretty good job despite some subpar writing. Ncuti Gatwa was also generally well-liked, but the writing and direction of the show derailed during his two years, and the property is now on a temporary hiatus after his exit. But there are still plenty of good seasons from the revival, and it is defnitely a genre entry worth seeking out.
Where Is It Streaming?
Thirteen seasons of the revival series–spanning from Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor to Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth–are available for streaming on AMC+. That is AMC’s streaming arm which carries a lot of the shows that have aired on that cable channel as well as other series and movies. Plans start at $7.99 a month, and that includes the horror streaming service Shudder as well as Sundance Now and BBC America (you can see all of the plans at this link). The most recent two seasons of the show with Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, as well as the three specials with David Tennant briefly returning to the role, are currently streaming on Disney+ as the Mouse House has the licensing rights for those having co-produced and co-funded those episodes. Classic Doctor Who is streaming on BritBox, and you can also watch it for free (with ads) on Tubi TV, Pluto, and YouTube.
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