Season 11 of Doctor Who premieres on Sunday, October 7th on BBC America in the U.S. and will be watched by fans around the world. This season, the show is all new with a new Doctor played by Jodie Whittaker, a new group of companions, a new creative team, and a new showrunner, Chris Chibnall, who took over for Steven Moffat. This season will also have one more difference: a new timeslot. Traditionally Doctor Who has aired on Saturday nights, but will now air on Sundays.
New Doctors always come with a mixture of sadness and anticipation. It's hard to say goodbye to previous actors who have come to embody the character; each one brings something different and essential to the role and it's always a bit of a challenge to embrace someone new. However, it is all part of being a fan of Doctor Who. Regeneration and change is built into the very nature of the character. Fans are especially eager to see this iteration- the first time the Doctor will be a woman.
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In the United States Doctor Who airs on BBC America. The Doctor Who season 11 premiere, "The Woman Who Fell To Earth", was simulcast in the US and UK, meaning it aired early in the day for America. This won't be the norm for the whole season, however; for the rest of season 11, Doctor Who will air at 8pm EST.
Doctor Who Season 11 Air Time Changes On BBC America
The special, early time for the was unique for the premiere, to celebrate the new Doctor and make the episode a worldwide event for fans. Sarah Barnett, President of BBC America, spoke to EW about why the network made this change.
“We are thrilled to put together a remarkable moment around the world — for fans and new viewers alike — to celebrate this new era of Doctor Who with Jodie Whittaker. Jodie is breaking the mold for pop culture heroes everywhere, and Chris has created an inclusive series for all fans of great television.”
It is nice to see the BBC acknowledging what a big step forward the first female Doctor is for popular culture. The show has been important to fans for so many years and the ability for everyone to share in this historic event together is a special one.
How to Watch Doctor Who Season 11 Online
If you don't have a traditional TV package and want to watch Doctor Who online, you have a number of options. Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV, and other streaming TV services are available, so you can still watch it live, or use their Cloud DVR functionality to save it for later. Most of these services also have a free trial, so you can stream Doctor Who for free to test them out.
If you can't watch live, there are always online on-demand options. Doctor Who is available to stream on the BBC America website, along with the entire 10th season, for anyone who can log-in with their cable provider. Amazon Prime, Google Play, and iTunes will also sell individual episodes or a season pass for all 11 installments. The previous seasons of Doctor Who, starting with the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and including the Christmas Specials, are also available to stream for free with a Prime subscription.