‘Doctor Who’: U.S. Streaming Now Available Exclusively On Amazon Prime
Doctor Who will be available on Amazon Prime exclusively beginning March 27, according to a report from Variety. The online retail giant has entered a multi-year plan with BBC Worldwide North America following the end of an agreement they previously held with Hulu and Netflix for Doctor Who streaming rights. The BBC agreement with the two streaming services came to an end on February 4.
Seasons 1 through 8 of Doctor Who will be available on Amazon Prime beginning March 27 and will be free to Amazon Prime Customers. The Doctor Who Christmas episodes for the same seasons will be available on the same date. Season 9, including the Christmas special The Husbands of River Song, will be available in the fall on an undetermined date, and Doctor Who Season 10 will kick off with a new Christmas special in 2017. Amazon Prime customers will have access to that episode and the rest of the new Season 10 shows.
Doctor Who has been on the air since 1963, premiering the day after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Amazon’s exclusive arrangement with BBC is sure to gain them more customers as avid fans, and there are many, flock to the streaming service so they don’t miss out on the Doctor’s further adventures. In case you aren’t familiar with the British sci-fi series, it follows the Doctor who is from the planet Gallifrey, where the rest of his race, the Time Lords, live. The rogue Time Lord travels through time and space in his TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimensions In Space), shown below. In his travels, Doctor Who meets a variety of fascinating characters and teams up with his travel companion and others to save the world using some ingenious plan he creates with few resources at his disposal. Recurring evil enemies of the Doctor include the Daleks, the Cybermen, and the Master, another renegade Time Lord.
Doctor Who has featured 12 different actors in the starring role. The new season, Season 10, that will show on Amazon is the second for the current Doctor – Peter Capaldi. The Doctor has also had many travel companions. Most recently, Doctor Who has featured Jenna Coleman in the role of Clara. Coleman has been in the role since 2012. How does Doctor Who get away with changing actors in the leading role so often? From time to time, the Doctor suffers some horrific injury that would leave any mere mortal dead, but he is able to instead regenerate into a new form, assuming a new appearance. Other actors who have recently appeared in the title role of Doctor Who include Christopher Eccleston (Thor: The Dark World), David Tennant (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), and Matt Smith (Terminator Genisys).
The Doctor Who franchise has also kept things interesting over the years by employing the talents of a variety of directors, producers, and writers. The current team who brings Doctor Who to life, and who will create the season that will premiere on Amazon includes: creator Sydney Newman (The Avengers), executive producer Russell T. Davies (Torchwood), Julie Gardner (Torchwood), Steven Moffat (Sherlock), Phil Collinson (Coronation Street), Piers Wenger (How I Live Now), Beth Willis (Doctor Who Confidential), Brian Minchin (Wizards vs. Aliens), Caroline Skinner (Our Girl), and Mal Young (Desperate Scousewives).
Doctor Who has gained a large cult following that will be relieved to hear that their favorite time traveler has found a new home on Amazon Prime. It appeals to people of all ages, children and adults alike. Doctor Who airs on BBC One in Britain and is considered a family show there. In its nearly 53 years on the air, Doctor Who has won hundreds of awards. The range of Doctor Who merchandise that is available is staggering and includes computer games, role-playing games, collectible picture cards, board games, card games, gamebooks, action figures, a pinball game, and postage stamps.
[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]
