Turns out the Disney+ deal gave the house of mouse far more control over broadcast times for Doctor Who in 2024 than anyone expected. Now updated with global times, because sure, why not?
We’ve known for a while that the next season of Doctor Who — officially Season One, apparently, though it’s also arguably season 40 as well, because, well, timey-wimey and all that — would debut in May 2024.
However, it’s now emerged that the deal that Disney+ struck with the BBC has given it far more control over when those episodes go out than anyone really imagined.
Previously — and this was the case for the 60th anniversary specials — Doctor Who would air on BBC1 and become available to stream directly at the same time — which meant a typical Saturday (or earlier on in the new Who revival’s run, Sunday) evening UK time, very early start in Australian time if you wanted to avoid spoilers.
However, the next season will kick off instead with not one but two episodes jumping onto Disney+ and BBC iPlayer at midnight on the 11th of May 2024 — which means for viewers in the US, for example, it’ll actually be there on the 10th of May.
When will Doctor Who’s 2024 season air in Australia?
Pedantically, “air” isn’t the right word here, because it’s (sadly) seemingly never coming back to the ABC. Not my fault, money talks and all that.
Still, that midnight timezone will mean that we get access to stream episodes (or at least those first two episodes) on Saturday mornings, but not the typical 5am-and-yawning start you might expect.
Author’s admission: At first I had my timezones slightly messed up and figured it was nearer lunchtime in the eastern states, but it’s actually earlier in the morning than that.
With thanks to James S for sending this my way!
Although that does mean an earlier start is still on the cards for those of you in Perth. Sorry — I don’t make the time zones!
Is this just a stunt for the first two episodes?
Nope — according to the BBC’s own statements on this, episodes will then appear in the UK on iPlayer and globally on Disney+ from Midnight each week through the 2024 run.
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