Summary

• Doctor Who's deal with Disney has brought new excitement and concerns, as Disney+ acquired overseas rights to the show's new era.
• Ncuti Gatwa's debut run of episodes as the Doctor on Disney+ has confused the numbering system for seasons, as it's labeled as "season 1."
• The release plan for Doctor Who on Disney+ means there will be two episodes released at once on May 11, 2024.

Ever since Doctor Who season 14 has even begun. Doctor Who still belongs to the BBC, but Disney+ acquired the overseas distribution rights to the show's new era in 2022. While the streaming platform doesn't host Doctor Who's classic era or the 2005-2022 revival, every episode from the 60th-anniversary specials onward is available on Disney+ for audiences outside the UK. The deal has proved lucrative for Doctor Who, but it's not without its downsides either.

Out of confusion regarding Disney-era Doctor Who regarding the number system of the coming seasons, Disney+ has branded Gatwa's first full run as "season 1." However, the show's canon has remained intact, and the fact there's been no notable break since last season has had many argue the next season should be labeled "season 14" instead. Numbering conventions aside, Disney's Doctor Who arrangement has broken other trends for better and for worse.

Doctor Who's Release Plan Confirms Its Disney-fication Has Begun

Disney+ will drop two episodes at once on May 11, 2024

Doctor Who has always released its episodes weekly, with the occasional special dropping around the holidays or during key anniversaries of the show's run. So far, Disney+ has only been responsible for distributing the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials and the 2023 Christmas episode. As such, nothing has seemed out of the ordinary. However, when Ncuti Gatwa's first full season as the Fifteenth Doctor begins on May 11, Disney+ will be making the first two episodes available at the same time. This multi-episode premiere is a common ploy by Disney+, with some shows even dropping complete seasons at once.

Doctor Who is a very high-concept show that commonly introduces new mind-bending plots and unexpected twists. Having said that, it's often also very episodic, but the serialized elements of the overall saga are better suited to a weekly release schedule. The remaining six episodes of Doctor Who season 14 that follow the double-episode premiere are set to debut weekly, which is reassuring. Worryingly, Doctor Who's relationship with Disney+ is still fairly new, so there's no guarantee that the long-running British sci-fi won't eventually slip into the "all-at-once" format. If it does, this could hurt the show.

Doctor Who Is Already Reaping The Rewards Of Working With Disney

The show's increased budget is partly due to its collaboration with Disney

Even though there's the risk that Disney could make unwelcome changes to how Doctor Who is released in the future, the episodes they've distributed so far have been cause for much optimism. David Tennant's return as the Fourteenth Doctor in the 60th-anniversary specials was always going to be a landmark event, but the clear bump in budget elevated the trilogy of installments to an incredible level. The global popularity of Doctor Who should be a good draw for new Disney+ subscribers, but the show itself is also clearly benefiting from the arrangement.

While Doctor Who has been responsible for some very impressive special effects in the past, the funds garnered from shaking with Disney+ can help this level of quality become more consistent.

Everything from the CGI to the practical effects in current Disney+ Doctor Who episodes have taken a huge leap forward compared to the end of Jodie Whittaker's run as the Thirteenth Doctor. The Doctor Who season 14 trailer also confirms a vast array of bespoke sets, new alien races, and expensive-looking action sequences will all be in the limelight. While Doctor Who has been responsible for some very impressive special effects in the past, the funds garnered from shaking with Disney+ can help this level of quality become more consistent.

Doctor Who's Disney+ Deal Was Always Going To Be A Double-Edged Sword

The BBC knew what it was getting into

The new ties between Doctor Who and Disney+ suit both parties well, but there were bound to be compromises. According to "The Church on Ruby Road" feels very much like a soft reboot ahead of Doctor Who season 14.

Doctor Who needed a bold new direction after the franchise withered during Chris Chibnall's stint as showrunner, and while the deal with Disney will inevitably impose certain restrictions on the show's format, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Speaking with The Guardian, Davies stated that the end of the BBC is, "Undoubtedly on its way in some shape or form," and this coming inevitability is part of what triggered the search for a company to co-produce Doctor Who.

Doctor Who's Disney+ deal is about more than just increasing the show's budget, as it also ensures its longevity if the BBC folds.

The BBC is mostly funded by a licensing fee charged to UK households with any device that can receive live broadcasts from the corporation. As the world shifts the way it consumes media to a model that focuses on streaming platforms like Disney+, it makes sense why Davies thinks the BBC will become obsolete at some point. So, Doctor Who's Disney+ deal is about more than just increasing the show's budget, as it also ensures its longevity if the BBC folds. Doctor Who is one of the best dramas the BBC has ever produced, so it deserves to live on.

Will Doctor Who's Disney+ Deal Be Worth It After All?

Time will tell if Doctor Who's relationship with Disney+ will continue to get even better

Even with the ittedly small sample size of Disney-era Doctor Who that's currently available, it's already difficult to imagine the show going back to being made on what was once a paltry budget by comparison. Early signs point to Gatwa's era of the show focusing on drawing in new audiences, but it also has one eye on the franchise's dense canon. While teaming up with Disney could cause some complications in the future, Doctor Who has taken a huge step toward repairing its damaged reputation caused by subpar recent seasons, while also ensuring a safer position within the television industry.

In short, a slightly altered release schedule is a small price for the show to pay for Doctor Who's continued existence and more money to play with. While the move was a little unexpected, Doctor Who's partnership with Disney should do more good than harm. New eras of Doctor Who often have creative overhauls, but the fact that the biggest addition this time around is arguably bringing Disney on board means it's difficult to know for sure what the result will be.

Doctor Who season 14 begins with a two-episode premiere on May 11, 2024.

Sources: Doctor Who TV, The Guardian