Allons-y! Watch the wildest ‘Doctor Who’ episodes online for free

Batman, James Bond, and Magnum PI, what do these three have in common? They all bridged the gap between older & younger generations by having multiple iterations spanning decades. From Adam West to Kevin Conroy and Tom Selleck to Jay Hernandez, newer versions of the characters have captured younger viewers as much as their parents. Perhaps no property has done this better than Doctor Who. 

What made this series so successful was their innovative special effects (at the time . . . all fans remember the now ultra cheesy bubble wrap monster, right?) and their clever use of story writing that allowed for longevity. The ability to rewrite for a new doctor any time a lead actor was ready to move on gave the series a massive amount of staying power. 

Now, for all of you who are uninitiated to the power of the TARDIS, here’s where you can watch Doctor Who online for free (and for all of you who are initiated, here’s where you can relive the wildest episodes), ALLONS-Y!

Doctor Who

“Have you ever thought what it’s like to be wanderers in the Fourth Dimension? Have you? To be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet – without friends or protection. But one day, we shall get back. Yes, one day.” – First Doctor. 

Doctor Who made its debut in 1963 with William Hartnell as the first doctor. He ran into season 4 before stepping away from the role due to his degenerating health and the show’s physical demands. That was the first in a long line of tumultuous times where the show teetered on the precipice of cancellation. It was saved by the novel idea of regeneration, introduced by producer Innes Lloyd and editor Gerry Davis. 

The show made it through twenty-two more seasons and six more doctors before it was finally canceled for good in 1989. The BBC cited declining ratings and the competition with rival TV networks forcing them to shed any low performers and focus strictly on high-performing series.

Regenerating a classic

The beloved time lord wouldn’t stay gone forever, of course. Just as our favorite doctor always did at the end of every season, the show avoided ultimate demise. It returned for a revival in 2005, with a contemporary overhaul and Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor. 

The newest iteration of Doctor Who maintained the continuity of the classic series, but it took on a darker and more dramatic tone, in which Eccleston thrived. The regeneration brought a new audience into the fold and began prosperity that the series continues to enjoy today. 

In 2013, during Matt Smith’s incredible run as the fez-headed Eleventh Doctor, the series enjoyed a fiftieth anniversary and the status of a reigning juggernaut of British television. Since then, Peter Capaldi was the Twelfth Doctor, and Jodie Whittaker became the Thirteenth Doctor and the first female to hold the role. The question of who will play the next doctor sparks debates that rival the ferocity of the James Bond role.

Watch Doctor Who online for free

Before 2021, you could watch all the seasons of Doctor Who on Netflix. But at the beginning of 2021, the company removed the show from the streaming service. The reason for its removal has not been stated or announced. However, shows are usually removed due to the failure to renew contracts or poor performance.  

You can find the newer seasons (since the 2005 revival) on HBO Max to stream. Unfortunately, it isn’t free, as you have to pay for the HBO Max subscription service. If you are lucky enough to be in the U.K., BBC iPlayer has all of the same episodes for free online as well, but what about the first eight doctors?

Dial back the clock and check out BritBox, a new streaming service with all of the old & new seasons available. If you are ready to sit down and binge until your eyes bleed, you could try to burn through and watch every episode from 1963-1989 during the thirty-day free trial. Another option is to pay £29.99 a month, and for the sake of Gallifrey, save your eyesight for the inevitable season 13 and the Fourteenth Doctor!

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Will you be binge-watching Doctor Who online? Who do you think should be the next doctor? Let us know in the comments below!