Doctor Who Season 1 Could Easily Happen Again Thanks To The Death Of The Disney Deal
By Dan Bibby
November 24th, 2025
For a show that's over 60 years old, Doctor Who has done a surprisingly good job of making the story easy to follow and providing several jumping-on points for prospective Whovians. Still, some choices have been a little less carefully considered than others, and it's now arguably more confusing than ever for those who want to get into Doctor Who but have no idea where to start.
In late 2022, Disney and the BBC signed a deal to co-produce Doctor Who, agreeing to partner on an initial total of 26 episodes. After The War Between airs, which is the upcoming spinoff centered around the revamped UNIT team, that figure will be fulfilled. However, even before The War Between had been released, the BBC confirmed everyone's suspicions that Disney had opted not to renew its partnership agreement with the British studio.
While a multi-year hiatus was on the cards after the confusing return of Billie Piper at the end of Ncuti Gatwa's final episode as the Fifteenth Doctor, the BBC has thankfully confirmed that Doctor Who is coming back with a Christmas special in 2026 and that another season is also on the way. What the show's next batch of episodes will look like is currently unclear, but another reset could easily be on the horizon.
In late 2022, Disney and the BBC signed a deal to co-produce Doctor Who, agreeing to partner on an initial total of 26 episodes. After The War Between airs, which is the upcoming spinoff centered around the revamped UNIT team, that figure will be fulfilled. However, even before The War Between had been released, the BBC confirmed everyone's suspicions that Disney had opted not to renew its partnership agreement with the British studio.
While a multi-year hiatus was on the cards after the confusing return of Billie Piper at the end of Ncuti Gatwa's final episode as the Fifteenth Doctor, the BBC has thankfully confirmed that Doctor Who is coming back with a Christmas special in 2026 and that another season is also on the way. What the show's next batch of episodes will look like is currently unclear, but another reset could easily be on the horizon.
Doctor Who's Recent Problem With Season Numbers Explained
Like many shows, Doctor Who divides itself into batches of episodes. While the British media will often refer to each run as a "series," the Americanized "season" has also crept into the UK lexicon in a notable way. So, it becomes confusing when someone refers to Doctor Who season 1, because it could currently have three meanings: William Hartnell's first run as the First Doctor from 1963, Christopher Eccleston's time as the Ninth Doctor from 2005, or the first full run of episodes featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor in 2024.
Between the end of the show's classic era, which concluded in 1989, and the show's 2005 revival, Doctor Who fell into relative obscurity, with only occasional installments appearing in forms other than episodes of the show itself. So, when Russell T Davies brought it back mid-way through the 2000s, it made sense that all the old canon should remain intact, but that it would be relegated to optional viewing. Despite actually being series/season 27 of Doctor Who, Eccleston's episodes became known as series/season 1.
Between the end of the show's classic era, which concluded in 1989, and the show's 2005 revival, Doctor Who fell into relative obscurity, with only occasional installments appearing in forms other than episodes of the show itself. So, when Russell T Davies brought it back mid-way through the 2000s, it made sense that all the old canon should remain intact, but that it would be relegated to optional viewing. Despite actually being series/season 27 of Doctor Who, Eccleston's episodes became known as series/season 1.
All 3 Doctor Who seasons with a legitimate claim to "season 1."
- William Hartnell's first season (1963)
- Christopher Ecclestone's only season (2005)
- Ncuti Gatwa's first season (2024)
Between 1989 and 2005, a lot happened in both the real world and within Doctor Who lore. The show that came back felt almost like a spiritual successor to the classic era rather than a continuation. It had been gently reworked for modern audiences and capitalized on updated production techniques while also honoring Doctor Who's sprawling canon by keeping it all unchanged. Starting from the 2005 revival is a perfectly acceptable decision for those who have never seen Doctor Who before, so it's fine that it's referred to as season 1, rather than season 27.
Inversely, calling Gatwa's first run "season 1" is completely nonsensical from a storytelling point of view. Gatwa makes several references to very recent storylines like the Flux and the divisive Timeless Child twist. Regardless, that is the decision that Disney made when it teamed up with the BBC, and Doctor Who was forced to start a new era that was entirely unnecessary. At the moment, the show's recent chronology officially reads: Doctor Who season 13, Doctor Who's 60th-anniversary episodes, Doctor Who's 2023 Christmas special, and then...Doctor Who season 1. It's weird, no?
Inversely, calling Gatwa's first run "season 1" is completely nonsensical from a storytelling point of view. Gatwa makes several references to very recent storylines like the Flux and the divisive Timeless Child twist. Regardless, that is the decision that Disney made when it teamed up with the BBC, and Doctor Who was forced to start a new era that was entirely unnecessary. At the moment, the show's recent chronology officially reads: Doctor Who season 13, Doctor Who's 60th-anniversary episodes, Doctor Who's 2023 Christmas special, and then...Doctor Who season 1. It's weird, no?
Why Doctor Who's Upcoming Return Might Default To ANOTHER Season 1
From a marketing standpoint, it does make sense why Disney wanted to call Gatwa's first run "season 1." The deal with the BBC didn't grant Disney access to all previous Doctor Who episodes, so it would have been a hard sell to convince subscribers to start with Doctor Who season 14, which is what the run should really have been called. "Season 1" implies the start of a new story, which...it is, in its way, but it's a different scenario than addressing the huge period of largely ignored adventures that happened offscreen between 1989 and 2005.
Jodie Whittaker only made her exit as the Thirteenth Doctor in 2022, making way for David Tennant to return as the Fourteenth Doctor for three episodes in 2023. When Disney's "season 1" aired, there hadn't been a year without Doctor Who. So, from a narrative perspective, "season 1" suggests a harder reset than ended up happening. Instead, the transition between Tennant and Gatwa was fairly traditional — if we ignore that wild bi-generation twist.
Still, if Disney retains the rights to the episodes it helped produce, international fans will need to look elsewhere to see what happens to the Doctor after "The Reality War." Of course, UK Whovians can just continue to conveniently fire up the BBC iPlayer. Regardless, with the show back in BBC hands and lacking Disney's involvement, I'm not sure how logical it is for Doctor Who to continue with "season 3." If it does, then the show's new international home may just have Doctor Who season 3 to promote, which is also a tough position to be in.
Jodie Whittaker only made her exit as the Thirteenth Doctor in 2022, making way for David Tennant to return as the Fourteenth Doctor for three episodes in 2023. When Disney's "season 1" aired, there hadn't been a year without Doctor Who. So, from a narrative perspective, "season 1" suggests a harder reset than ended up happening. Instead, the transition between Tennant and Gatwa was fairly traditional — if we ignore that wild bi-generation twist.
Still, if Disney retains the rights to the episodes it helped produce, international fans will need to look elsewhere to see what happens to the Doctor after "The Reality War." Of course, UK Whovians can just continue to conveniently fire up the BBC iPlayer. Regardless, with the show back in BBC hands and lacking Disney's involvement, I'm not sure how logical it is for Doctor Who to continue with "season 3." If it does, then the show's new international home may just have Doctor Who season 3 to promote, which is also a tough position to be in.
How The BBC Can Fix Doctor Who's Confusing Season Numbers
If Disney hadn't partnered with the BBC ahead of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary, then the episodes featuring Tennant as Fourteen would probably have looked a lot different — if they had happened at all. Specials aside, Doctor Who would have continued with season 14 instead of season 1. After that, season 15 would have followed...But I don't need to teach you how to count, do I?
Certain outlets still refer to the Disney seasons as 14 and 15, for reasons such as ease when discussing the era. "Doctor Who season 14" is infinitely easier than saying "Doctor Who season 1. No, not the 2005 one. The one with Ncuti Gatwa. Yes, I know it's annoying. Yeah...Look, I don't — Just let me make my point, Dave!" So, if possible, I'm convinced the best route forward is to retroactively and officially rebrand the Disney seasons as 14 and 15, rather than leaving them as 1 and 2. That way, there'll be a steady string of Doctor Who season numbers dating back to 2005, rather than there being a random reset in 2023.
Certain outlets still refer to the Disney seasons as 14 and 15, for reasons such as ease when discussing the era. "Doctor Who season 14" is infinitely easier than saying "Doctor Who season 1. No, not the 2005 one. The one with Ncuti Gatwa. Yes, I know it's annoying. Yeah...Look, I don't — Just let me make my point, Dave!" So, if possible, I'm convinced the best route forward is to retroactively and officially rebrand the Disney seasons as 14 and 15, rather than leaving them as 1 and 2. That way, there'll be a steady string of Doctor Who season numbers dating back to 2005, rather than there being a random reset in 2023.
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