Skip to Content

How to Catch Up on ‘Doctor Who’ Ahead of New Special Episodes Coming to Disney+

More wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff is heading to Disney+ for the holidays!

The T.A.R.D.I.S. is ready for another new adventure through time! The new “Doctor Who” specials, titled “The Star Beast,” “Wild Blue Yonder,” “The Giggle” and “The Church on Ruby Road,” starring series veterans David Tennant and Catherine Tate finally have their release dates, and fans of the show will want to be sure to set some time aside during the holidays to stream them.

  • “Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road” will come to Disney+ on Dec. 25. Three other “Doctor Who” specials will premiere on the service in the preceding weeks.
  • Episodes of the 2005 relaunch are available to stream on Max.
  • The original “Doctor Who” series which ran from 1963-1989 is exclusively available on BritBox.

When Do New ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes Arrive on Disney+?

The new “Doctor Who” special episodes will come to Disney’s flagship streamer starting this month. The first of these episodes is titled “The Star Beast,” which comes to the platform on Nov. 25. “Wild Blue Yonder” comes next on Dec. 2, and “The Giggle” debuts a week later on Dec. 9. Disney+ has decided to premiere the new “Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road” on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.

The episodes will feature David Tennant stepping back into the role of the Doctor, with Catherine Tate set to reprise her classic character Donna Noble. The episodes will also feature Neil Patrick Harris’ “Doctor Who” debut, as he’s been cast to play the enigmatic villain known only as The Celestial Toymaker. The episodes are intended to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the show’s debut.

Watch a Trailer for the New 60th Anniversary Special ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes:

Where Can You Stream Old ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes?

If you find yourself needing to catch up on what’s going on with the Doctor and all of his time-jumping adventures, you’re likely wondering which streaming platforms offer access to the show and allow for maximum binge-ability.

Your first stop should be Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform Max. It starts at $9.99 per month for ad-supported streaming and offers users all 13 seasons of the 2005 relaunch of the show. The platform also offers other sci-fi adventure series like “Torchwood,” “The Sarah Jane Adventures” and “Fringe,” in case a full binge of “Doctor Who” doesn’t quite scratch that itch.

Max

Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.

Max has three tiers, an ad-supported plan for $9.99 an ad-free plan for $16.99, and the ultimate tier that includes 4K for $20.99.

All Max subscribers will get the full libraries of shows like “Friends”, “The Big Bang Theory”, “South Park”, “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, “The West Wing”, and more.

You can choose to add Max as a subscription through Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, or other Live TV providers.


If you feel the need to be a true completist and start your “Doctor Who” journey from the very beginning, you’ll want to head over to BritBox. This streaming platform allows users to watch without ads for $8.99 per month after a seven-day free trial, and houses 26 seasons of “Doctor Who” (1963) for fans to binge, along with a wealth of classic and contemporary British television.

BritBox

BritBox is a hub for hundreds of TV shows and films produced in the UK. Enjoy your favorite classics like Doctor Who (1963) and Mr. Bean (1990), new original series like Sticks and Stones (2019) and There She Goes (2018), and watch special live events, tune into premieres, and keep up to date with current affairs and soap operas streaming direct from the UK. Oftentimes programming that premieres in the UK can be viewed internationally at the same time via the service.

BritBox only allows for one profile, but this Standard ($8.99) plan is 100% ad-free, supports offline downloads, features extensive parental controls (and some limited programming for children), and has a selection of over 150 films from a broad range of genres. Enjoy Britbox on devices up to 1080p on any of the devices listed below. Though niche, if you’re looking for excellent programming direct from the UK - both classic and current - BritBox is the service you want.


David covers the biggest news stories, live events, premieres, and informational pieces for The Streamable. Before joining TS, he wrote extensively for Screen Rant and has years of experience writing about the entertainment and streaming industries. He's a Broncos fan, streams on his Toshiba Fire TV, and his favorites include "Andor," "Rings of Power," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

DIRECTV STREAM Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $50 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for DIRECTV STREAM.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Sling TV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $25 Uber Eats Gift Card when you sign up for Sling TV.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Hulu Live TV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $35 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for Hulu Live TV.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.