Doctor Who seasons 13 and 14 confirmed! On Tuesday, HBO announced that a boatload of fancy new content is coming to HBO Max, and this just so happens to include two new seasons of Doctor Who. Comicon.com reports that the BBC’s deal with HBO Max includes making all existing 11 seasons on the streaming service at launch, with “an additional three seasons to come.”
With season 12 already planned to air some time next year, this means seasons 13 and 14 are guaranteed to follow, with as-yet unnannounced air dates. It’s not clear whether HBO Max will stream any of these three seasons as they air on BBC America, or if they’ll be made available on HBO Max after they finish, instead. Also no word on whether this low-key implies that Jodie Whittaker–sorry, Dr. Whittaker now–is signed to appear in those seasons. (21st century Doctor Who has consistently maxed out its Doctor actors after three seasons, so it would be a nice change of pace to have one that goes further.)
Season 12 will once again feature Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, with Chris Chibnall as showrunner. Filming wrapped up in February, according to Cultbox. There’s no word yet on the cast or crew for seasons 13 and 14 which have yet to be announced by the BBC, as The Doctor Who Companion notes.
So, it’s not showing on BBCAmerica anymore?
I’m not exactly thrilled with the trend of “Here’s yet another streaming service you’ll need to subscribe to for just a couple shows!”
For a moment, I was upset that it wouldn’t be on BBC America anymore… then I remembered that I just cancelled my cable and don’t get BBC America anymore, so I’d have to find some other way to watch Doctor Who anyway.
For now, I get Dr who on Britbox, although not the most recent season. $6.99 extra from Amazon. I guess that’s going away too, if HBO Max will have all the seasons?
I guess it’s buy-binge-cancel for a rotating bunch of streaming services from now on.
I can buy books or I can buy streaming channels. Goodbye to WHO.
According to Variety, the episodes will still air on BBC America. HBO Max is be the sole streaming channel.
https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/doctor-who-hbo-max-streaming-rights-1203288093/
@George C. Yay!
I have cable. I don’t have any streaming services, so it’s good to know I’m not missing out on yet another thing. (Unless they get a dvd release and I can get my library system to buy them)
I just hope Chibnall delivers better scripts. Whittaker is a good doctor, but the last one was by far the worst New Who season.
@3. Thomas: “I guess it’s buy-binge-cancel for a rotating bunch of streaming services from now on.”
This may be the flaw in their business model. You can use promotion of a free week or month to watch the one show you care about, then cancel. I may do that with Netflix when The Witcher releases. Amazon Video is different in that it’s included with Prime membership, so that takes care of The Expanse when it comes out.
Disney+ is sounding more appealing because of the price point. Lots of original content coming if you’re a Marvel or Star Wars fan.
I actually like YouTube TV, but they’re trying to directly replace cable, with pricing to match. We’ll likely cancel it when the HBO service launches, maybe sooner.
Cable did this to themselves. Between all the hidden/extra/padded fees and refusal to offer a la carte choices instead of bundling channels, they’ve alienated many customers.
Try reading the article instead of just jumping to the comments people. The show will be on BBC America as always.
“It’s not clear whether HBO Max will stream any of these three seasons as they air on BBC America, or if they’ll be made available on HBO Max after they finish, instead.”
I’m sure Jodi is a good actor in her own right but she doesn’t fit the role. The show seems forced not as natural as previous dr’s and companions. I think a lot of it is the writing.
Personally I would have preferred a less conventionally pretty actress for the first female Doctor. Some one more like Alex Kingston with wild hair and wild eyes. But I think the forced quality you’re seeing has to do with the self consciously meaningful scripts
@11: To each their own! She’s my favourite New Doctor, and I hope she will be around for a while.
I think Whittaker’s doing a great job, and it seems to me that the resistance is partly the usual “That’s not my Doctor” blowback you get every single time, and partly a hefty dollop of the same kneejerk misogyny leveled against Rey, Rose, Carol Danvers, Michael Burnham, and every other female SF lead these days.
I like Whittaker as the Doctor very much. My brother recently brought her up and asked what I thought of her.
I said that I think she is as good a Doctor as any I have seen – and I’ve watched this show off and on since the Third Doctor (for whatever that is worth). Her mannerisms are spot on. I find her very believable as the Doctor. I also like the companions as well.
That said, I think that they do need to give her & the rest of the cast better stories. I just think they need to get back to stories that are more fun. Bring back the energy & passion that has been lacking somewhat the last few seasons.
I am glad that the show will still be on BBC America – really don’t want to buy another streaming service honestly.
Kato
@15/Kato: I agree – both about the companions and the stories, with the exception of “Demons of the Punjab”.
Can’t wait for Season 12. Needs to be on sooner than April. At least we’re getting a holiday show to tide us over.
So, you cut the cable cord. Now you’re stuck with dozens of streaming services costing between $10-$15/month. If they keep proliferating, and grabbing back content from other services, you’ll soon ben paying as much as you did for cable/satellite.
@17. Bob: Nothing requires consumers to get all the streaming services. Most have very niche attractions, so the new model is more like the a la carte model cable companies should’ve been using all along.
One thing I don’t necessarily get is the viewers who apparently didn’t watch or follow live series while they seemed relevant. A show like Friends becoming most watched on Netflix seems like viewers consuming comfort food. It’s afterlife after live broadcast has become hugely profitable. Same goes for many other sitcoms, like Big Bang, that may play in perpetuity, like new I Love Lucys.
I’m certainly not the type of viewer who responds to this. I want new stuff, not to view things I’ve already seen endlessly.
Just want to know WHY we have to wait so long (1-2yrs) for a season of Doctor Who?! Why does it take so long for only 13 episodes???