How to watch 'Doctor Who': When does the new season premiere?
A new Doctor Who season is upon us — and it's the first-ever season to launch on Disney+ and release simultaneously worldwide. So whether you're a dedicated Whovian or you've never even heard the word Tardis before, it's an exciting time to dive into the Whoniverse.
The quintessentially British TV show is one of the longest-running scripted series in the world. The original series aired for 26 seasons beginning in 1963, while the revived series that premiered in 2005 has 13 seasons under its belt. That makes the upcoming release Season 14 (or Season One, or Season 40 — it's all very confusing). If you're wondering how to watch the new season of Doctor Who when it premieres, we've got you covered. Here's what you need to know about this epic sci-fi series.
When is Doctor Who Season 14 coming to Disney+?
Doctor Who Season 14 premieres on Disney+ on Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m. ET with two initial episodes. In the UK, the season kicks off Saturday, May 11 at 12 a.m. GMT on BBC iPlayer, followed by BBC One later in the day. There will be eight episodes total, with subsequent episodes airing weekly.
Why is Doctor Who Season 14 also called Season 1?
Not only is this the first season to premiere on Disney+, but it's also the first season to star Ncuti Gatwa as the fifteenth doctor — though he already won over viewers in the latest Christmas special and a surprise appearance in the last of the 60th anniversary episodes. While technically Season 14 on paper, showrunner Russell T. Davies believes rebranding it as Season 1 can help attract new audiences and give the franchise a bit of a reset. After all, this season will make history with Gatwa as the first Black Doctor and explore more inclusive themes as well.
"Who is interested in Season 67, or whatever it is? It genuinely starts again. The reason why it’s survived for all these years is that every so often, Doctor Who stops, opens the door and refreshes itself, and gets a new audience in," Davies said in an interview with Rolling Stone.
How to watch Doctor Who: the best Disney+ streaming deals
Best Disney+ deal for most people
The best way to watch Doctor Who Season 14 is to sign up for a Disney+ monthly subscription. Technically, you won't actually save any money, but you also won't continuously waste it either — so long as you remember to cancel your subscription immediately after the season ends (although you may want to stick around to watch Star Wars series like The Acolyte). If you don't mind a few ads, it'll only cost you $7.99 per month. Otherwise, the ad-free option will run you $13.99 per month.
Best Disney+ bundle deal
The Disney+ bundle is too good of a deal to pass up — especially if you're already a Hulu subscriber. For just $9.99 per month, you can bundle Disney+ with Hulu — that's only $2 per month more than paying for Disney+ or Hulu on its own or 37% savings compared to paying for each separately. If you're a sports fan, you can even throw ESPN+ into the mix and pay just $14.99 per month for all three — a savings of 44%. You'll have to watch a few ads during your viewing experience, but at this price, it's hard to complain. To eliminate ads, you'll have to pay an extra $10 per month.
Best Disney+ trial
If you're a Verizon Fios home internet user, check your plan to see if you qualify for a free year or six months of Disney+ Premium (no ads). Customers on the 2 Gig Streaming or 2 Gig Complete package can watch for free for an entire year, while those on the 1 Gig Streaming or 1 Gig Complete package can watch for free for six months. Either way, that's plenty of time to consumer the new Doctor Who season. Activate the offer and read more about eligibility terms on the Verizon website.
Best Disney+ deal for Verizon Wireless customers
Verizon Wireless customers can score a sweet deal on Disney+ through Verizon myPlan. Just add a Disney Bundle to your account through myPlan, which includes Disney+ Premium (no ads), Hulu (with ads), and ESPN (with ads). The bundle would regularly cost you $18.99 per month, but by signing up through this myPlan deal, it'll only cost you $10 per month.
Best way to get Disney+ for free
If you're a Total by Verizon customer on the $60/month prepaid unlimited plan, then you get Disney+ Premium (no ads) for free. No terms or trial periods — just be sure to keep your account in good standing and you can stream as much as you desire on Disney+. If you decide to cancel or switch your plan, your subscription will end as well.
Those on the $50/month prepaid unlimited plan can also enjoy six free months of Disney+, which is plenty of time to watch the new season of Doctor Who. However, you can extend those six months by switching over to the $60/month plan instead.
Other ways to watch Doctor Who: BBC iPlayer via VPN
If you're based in the UK, traveling to the UK, or simply cannot fathom adding Disney+ to your already crowded streaming service collection, you can watch the new season of Doctor Who via BBC iPlayer. You can access the entire season without hassle from the UK, but if you're based anywhere else in the world, you're going to need a VPN to unlock the geographical barrier. The good thing is BBC iPlayer is free, so you'll only have to pay a small monthly fee for a VPN if you don't already have one.
A VPN can hide your real IP address and allow you to connect to a secure server in the UK, which makes BBC iPlayer think you're connecting from a local network. Then, you can watch not only the new season of Doctor Who, but tons of other content from the Whoniverse from right here in the United States.
Follow these quick steps to watch Doctor Who via BBC iPlayer from the U.S.:
Sign up for a VPN (peep our top picks below)
Download the app to your device of choice
Open up the app, sign in, and choose a server in the UK
Navigate to BBC iPlayer and visit the Whoniverse
Watch Doctor Who for free from anywhere in the world
Best VPN deals
Of all the VPNs we've tested and recommend, only two consistently unblocked BBC iPlayer when connected to a UK-based server: NordVPN and ExpressVPN. In other words, not all VPNs are created equal. Here are the details on our top picks.
NordVPN
A top contender and probably one of the most well-known VPNs on the market, NordVPN is one of our favorites for a few reasons: an unrivaled suite of top-notch security features, a Threat Protection feature, more than 5,000 obfuscated servers, and a sweet deal on a 27-month Standard plan. You'll be able to unlock BBC iPlayer and plenty of other geo-blocked websites and apps. It has some lingering transparency concerns, but has made great strides to repair its reputation with network upgrades, boosted security standards, and a bug bounty program. It'll only cost you $3.09 per month for your first two years, plus you'll get an additional three months for free.
Read our full review of NordVPN.
ExpressVPN
It may be a bit pricier, but ExpressVPN is our favorite VPN for streaming. It offers a massive network of more than 3,000 servers across 94 countries, a user-friendly app, and a strong commitment to data protection. Per Mashable Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel, "Skirting geo-restrictions and playing shows on ITVX was a cinch when I connected to one of ExpressVPN's British servers. (Netflix UK and the BBC iPlayer were also easily unblocked.)" You can sign up for a 15-month plan for just $6.67 per month at the time of writing, which is still cheaper than a Disney+ subscription.