Disney spent millions on the latest season of Doctor Who starring Ncuti Gatwa with the condition of airing the series on Disney Plus outside the United Kingdom. However, there are rumors that Doctor Who might stop airing on Disney Plus after two seasons.
Doctor Who made its debut on Disney Plus with multiple episodes in May. Its first season on the platform features Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as his companion, Ruby Sunday. The series follows the duo as they travel across time and space in the TARDIS and encounter great friends and dangerous enemies. The final episode aired on June 21, and just weeks after the finale of its first season on Disney Plus, there were already rumors that the series wouldn’t last beyond the agreed two seasons.
Disney co-produces the British sci-fi series with BBC. However, those who attended Disney’s Upfront 2024 at the North Javits Center in May noticed that Doctor Who was not front-and-center, prompting some to speculate it wasn’t among the streaming service’s priorities. Sources told Deadline that there was a big drop in the ratings and viewership compared to its previous seasons. One insider said, “The ratings are a problem.” There was a noticeable drop in viewership in the UK, with the May launch only making 2.6 million overnight viewers. The figures were behind Jodie Whittaker’s seasons of Doctor Who and David Tennant-starring specials.
BBC, however, had insisted that the overnights and seven-day figures were not conclusive. Its spokeswoman said overnights “no longer provide an accurate picture of all those who watch drama in an on demand world.” Additionally, the rep noted that “this season of Doctor Who premiered on iPlayer nearly 24 hours before broadcast,” which significantly affected the overnight figures. However, the industry source was not convinced, saying, “They can talk all they like about young viewers, but they’re still down from the specials and down from the Jodie [Whittaker] series. I imagine serious conversations are happening. Disney will want to see results.” A senior US ratings source echoed the same sentiment, saying the figures were “underwhelming.” The insider also acknowledged that Doctor Who struggled to attract mainstream audiences in the US.
However, some claimed the issue was more than the ratings and viewership. Tony Jordan, Society Co-ordinator of the 30,000-strong Doctor Who Appreciation Society, found the program a “mixed bag.” He said bringing back Russell T Davies as the showrunner was “fantastic,” but he had some concerns with the screenwriter and TV producer. Jordan said, “When Russell’s return was announced I thought, ‘That’s fantastic’ but maybe I remembered the good stuff and chose to forget the not so good stuff. His track record of ending seasons with two parters has been widely varying in success, for example.” Some episodes, including “Space Babies,” also received negative reviews from the critics. The Guardian described it as a “textbook example of a mid-ranking Who instalment,” while the Independent said it was a “promising idea that never entirely comes to life on screen.” Jordan also questioned the order of episodes and felt Gatwa didn’t have as much exposure as the other Doctor Who leads, probably due to other filming commitments since he was in demand. Deadline also noted that some tabloids branded the show as “woke obsession” and “peak woke,” which may have affected the show’s viewing and critical response.
Since Disney has yet to come out and talk about the numbers that Doctor Who made, the show probably performed average or below the average. Disney paid $100 million for two seasons and specials of Doctor Who, if the streaming giant doesn’t think the program is worth the investment, they will likely pull the plug. However, whether Disney keeps or drops the show, it will still likely survive. Doctor Who has been around for decades, even holding the record for the “longest-running science fiction TV series.” It’s a massive franchise, and if Disney decides to axe it, BBC can continue with the program. Doctor Who is a massive brand, and it will surely thrive no matter what the ratings. The brand alone guarantees money from merchandise and other outlets.
