The Real Reason Doctor Who Is On Disney Plus

[@woogha]

Get well soon Ellie!

[@jakesinclair69420]

HOLY COW!! IT'S SEAN!!! GET WELL SOON ELLIE!!

[@WhoCulture]

Thanks for the well wishes, she's on the mend!

[@ChazaMazza_]

i saw the pfp and thought this was the official doctor who channel

[@godmatt-ic3ze]

​@WhoCulture yo Sean have u realised the shot we got of the doctor in his blue shirt with ruby and someone else behind him while he looks at us closely well I've realised the women on the left is jocelyn from the tweet via dr who

[@magnumlad1001]

Thought u were the real Docter Who for a second there

[@dmitriiglass]

Take your time, Ellie! Sean is doing it so much better!

[@史萊姆托托]

GET WELL SOON, ELLIE! I really like your video. I am Taiwanese. I have very few friends who like Doctor Who, and with Ellie's voice and passion, I feel that I am not the only one who likes this show. I'm grateful that Doctor Who is on Disney+ and BBCiplayer, otherwise I can't meet the Doctor and this fantastic show. In Taiwan, even though I want to pay for it. I couldn't until it was on Disney+. It has changed my life. I can barely speak English before I watch this show and now I can do this writing. This show is a Tardis for me, it opens up the whole English world to me. So get well soon Ellie!(again) I'll always be waiting for your video.

[@WhoCulture]

That's an amazing story! Really speaks to the power of Doctor Who. Thank you for the support, and glad to have you along as we get closer to Season 1! 👊

[@conwarlock3537]

Having an iPlayer subscription instead of it being dependent on a British TV license would have the advantage of it being accessible legally outside the UK.

[@UranusMcVitieFish-yd7oq]

Or just watch it illegally and for free.

[@christinewhoyt]

@@UranusMcVitieFish-yd7oq but you have to know where to find it which isn't as easy as it seems for some people.

[@bentilley5412]

​@@UranusMcVitieFish-yd7oq or maybe don't be a theiving arsehole. The choice is yours, the judgment is mine.

[@steveom5479]

I'm highlyyyy against privatizing the BBC so Im not in favour of scrapping the TV license. I am VERY in favour of giving additional money to the BBC as someone outside Britain so roll on the subscription service!

[@conwarlock3537]

@@steveom5479 True. It would be better with the BBC staying publicly owned.

[@kittykittykitty883]

Thanks for the explanation! As an American, I never understood why certain BBC stuff wasn’t available in the US (like Doctor Who Unleashed!) I seriously have been over here screaming “Please take my money! You’re doing capitalism wrong!” It being a govt thing makes more sense, kinda.

[@rosehawke2577]

I recall looking into it back when, because I thought I'd be perfectly wiilling to pay a license fee it that's what it would take. But if I remember correctly, (and if I interpreted it right,) the way it*s set up it would *literally* take an act of Parliament to allow anyone outside the counry to do that.

[@GothAtheist]

Literally this, when they did Tales of the Tardis. I didn't want to have to pirate it, I wanted to pay for it, they just didn't want to sell it to me because I'm American, not British. It sucks, you try to support content you like, but sometimes it's not possible because of things like this.

[@GothAtheist]

​@rosehawke2577 Which is so ridiculous, but also so incredibly British ngl

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

It's not actually a government broadcaster. It is licensed by the govt to broadcast; the govt doesn't control or pay for it. It's a remnant of the earliest days of radio.

[@therealpbristow]

@@y_fam_goeglyd *NODS* That's a very important point. Government-controlled broadcasters all too easily just become mouthpieces of the government in question; basically propaganda outlets (usually cleverly disguised as a "public service") ... And several UK governments over the decades have tried hard to turn the BBC into that. Right now, I think it's the closest it's been since the early '70s to becoming that. On the other hand, commercial television all too easily becomes the mouthpiece of commercial interests, i.e. whichever companies/industries can pay the biggest sponsorship or advertising fees. The way the BBC was set up was designed to steer a middle course between these two possible "dark paths": It was free from commercial influence because it took no commercial funding (no ads or sponsorships allowed); And it was as free as possible from Government influence because it's funding was not part of general taxation, and so couldn't be raised or lowered at every annual govt budget according to "have the BBC been saying what we want them to lately?" However, the setting of the license fee amount, and what it can/should be used for, has to be negotiated every few years between the govt, the BBC, and the independent regulatory "watchdog" body, called Ofcom. And over the decades, this negotiation process has chipped away at more and more of the BBC's independence. On the commercial side, more and more of it's income is dependent on selling shows and other products overseas, so it has to make more shows that are... designed? moulded?... to appeal to overseas markets than it maybe would have done; And on the government side, the license fee gets frozen any time the Govt aren't happy with what the Beeb has been up to, rather than being raised in line with inflation, so it has to avoid being seen to be favouring the govt's opposition, even though it's journalists are morally bound to "speak truth to power" whenever the govt is screwing things up! =:o\

[@acd6835]

I find it interesting with contrasting how the ABC (BBC equivalent) is funded here in Australia, here it's funded by general taxes which also covers everything else that the Federal Government pays for like military, Medicare etc, not via a separate license fee itself, this is supplemented by deals they make with merchandising sales and selling the rights to broadcast the shows overseas (like Bluey). Seems to work well, despite changes in Government over the decades who have either reduced or increased the funding over time.

[@bruceboa6384]

Huh. So no ads on the ABC. Here in Canada the CBC is funded the same way, except the TV networks and Radio 2 also have ads. So far the federal government has left them alone. So far.

[@jukesy1992]

This year is epic. New Bluey on Sunday, then Doctor Who in a month. Honestly, I think you've got yourselves an absolutely brilliantly special show in Bluey, much like Doctor Who is British, Bluey is very much Australian, or it seems that way.

[@someoneoncesaid6978]

The US has PBS (Public Broadcasting System) that is largely funded by tax dollars (though they do also get funding from donations and fundraisers). They can't do "ads", but they do have "sponsors", which are basically product ads tacked on to the beginning or end of programs.

[@whophd]

It’s taken 50 years to realise, but Australia did the right thing in switching the licence fee “tax” to a normal tax. It was one of the sweeping changes from the same government that brought in colour TV, universal healthcare, free university (RIP), ending the Vietnam war etc. For decades it felt like this meant the government could strangle the ABC. We envied the BBC’s independence with its own revenue stream. But what about now?

[@jwb52z9]

@@someoneoncesaid6978 Actually, tax funding of PBS has been cut to almost nothing for years now.

[@whophd]

Think of the 1970s transition to colour - the early Tom Baker seasons DID have the budget to be fully mainstream, high rating, and the BBC was flush with cash from the new licence fees for colour TV. People (at the time) didn’t say the music was camp, and the effects were leading at the time, particularly for Pertwee. So we’ve been there before - Doctor Who doesn’t have to be JNT 1980s hair-shirt low budget.

[@stevehodge133]

So far Disney doesn’t have full rights. And let’s just hope it stays that way.

[@ThetaSigma-vu1sk]

They'll never get full rights. Bad Wolf has the creative and production rights to the show. Right now, all the BBC do is throw some money and Bad Wolf and then just air it when it's done.

[@John_Krone]

@@ThetaSigma-vu1sk Disney purchased Lucasfilms, Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic, Hulu..... they can purchase Bad Wolf

[@ThetaSigma-vu1sk]

@@John_Krone Except its already owned by Sony

[@thetwilightjourneys]

Agreed. If Disney gains full rights, they swoop in, and clean it up

[@John_Krone]

@@ThetaSigma-vu1sk sigh, each of those companies I mentioned were owned by other companies. It doesn't matter who owns what.

[@zemorph42]

Doctor Who is literally the one reason I got a Disney+ subscription. If I could get access an easier way without giving money to Disney I would, but I can't give up the chance to watch current episodes of my favorite Sci Fi/ fantasy series as they are broadcast.

[@zemorph42]

I hope the show keeps its heart however it evolves in expression and story other aspects.

[@burf90]

Doctor Who is the ONLY reason I got a Disney+ subscription! Have I watched other shows on Disney+? Sure. But I would never have caved and gotten a subscription if not for Doctor Who only being offered on that platform in the US. And if it's ever removed from their line-up, I'll stop subscribing.

[@erinwood4968]

Previously, I would buy Doctor Who on Amazon Prime video. Btw, I’m in the US too. I don’t know whether it’ll be available to purchase on Amazon after the season ends, but I hope so. I have every other “New Who” season on Amazon. I want to be able to purchase it, preferably digital, but blu-ray if need be.

[@geraldmcmullon2465]

In the UK all episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer. You should have a TV Licence and it is not available outside of the UK. With all channels moving to streaming only it is unclear how things will change.

[@ryancoulter4797]

For me it was Dr Who and Shogun. Hmm 🤔 The Doctor in the Shogun era?

[@peterjamesfoote3964]

You’re right, Disney does vastly improve access to young audiences. However, Disney should also show Classic and Spinoff Who and perhaps some other series.

[@ShadowStorm78]

I agree, there's shows I haven't seen that are connected like the Sarah Jane adventures, or ones I want to re watch like Torchwood.

[@christinewhoyt]

problem it's the liscensing they only have the one for streaming Doctor Who.

[@tstidm4]

@@christinewhoytThe problem is just the US licenses are split between Max (2005 to 2022) and Britbox (classic Who). Imagine that licensing issues in the rest of the World. It will take years for these licensing issues to get back under BBC control.

[@heathercummins1644]

My understanding is that the licensing tenure has to expire on current holders of the series before Disney+ can get the original series seasons & any spinoff shows. I don't see them getting Torchwood (but I may be wrong there), but it would be nice to be able to see Class & Sarah Jane Adventures on DIsney+. Good to see you Sean.... Get well soon, Ellie!

[@anthonygordon9483]

We got to remember that Disney has not broke a profit yet.they are still fighting with Netflix and HBOmax . We really don't know where streaming is going. Disney is losing over 100million a year still since it's release. Disney is doing this to help them keep a float too cause they are desperate for content and viewership and right now Disney+ is uncertain in the long term

[@OverWims]

Just to clarify to people who don't know, paying the tv licence is 100% optional. However, not paying it means you can't watch any live tv or anything BBC. You can still watch netflix on your tv etc. You can even watch catch up channels (not BBC iPlayer though). You just can't watch live TV (including recordings of live TV or anything BBC). Many people think you need a TV licence simply to own a TV and this is not true at all (not that the BBC will admit this as they obviously want your money). Still, if you're planning on getting rid of your TV licence, do your own research.

[@djhalling]

"However, not paying it means you can't watch any live tv or anytbing BBC." I don't think even that is quite true. I believe you can watch BBC TV programmes as long as they are not live or on iPlayer, though that is a pretty limited set of programmes.

[@OverWims]

@@djhalling that is incorrect. Anything BBC requires a licence if viewed on a TV. Only one that may not is the radio I'm not sure on that one.

[@djhalling]

@@OverWims Thanks for your reply. Can you provide a source for that. I don't mean to be argumentative, but I want to make sure I am not watching content for which I require a licence, and the way I read the info on the TV licencing home page indicates I can watch BBC programmes on non-live streaming services.

[@OverWims]

​@@djhalling just to clarify. If you don't mean live or iplayer for BBC content, what else do you mean? The only other option i can think of is stuff you have recorded but they class as live TV as they were live when recorded by you. The govuk website states "You need a TV Licence to watch or record programmes on a TV, computer or other device as they're broadcast, and to watch on-demand BBC programmes on iPlayer" This is basically saying what i said originally that you need a license for anything live (BBC or not) and basically anything BBC. There may be some bracket that is not live BBC or iPlayer (e.g. radio etc) that might not require one but I'm not sure. If you're watching BBC Radio on the tv itself though as a channel then logically that classes as live tv and would require a license even if no picture on the screen.

[@djhalling]

@@OverWims I was thinking of S4C's streaming service, Clic. This does have some BBC programmes, but as long as I am not watching live, the rules would seem to allow it without a licence. Admittedly, it is a bit of an unusual case, possibly unique.

[@ianlaskey158]

The problem with streaming services is that they're so (relatively) new that no one seems to have cracked a profitable model. Just look at all the recent talk of Paramount+'s shaky future. Even a behemoth like Disney+ has struggled to be profitable, and the studio took a heck of a financial hit last year with a string of box office disappointments. Whilst I think our UK licence fee is outdated and untenable in its current form, I'm just not sure that a switch to a subscription based model offers any long term stability? In fact, seeing as so many of these streaming platforms have had to introduce cheaper "advertising-supported" price tiers, it feels like we're steadily moving back towards the old terrestrial broadcasting model (and a commercially supported model that the BBC has been able to avoid by virtue of the licence fee...)

[@cuppapablo]

I'm always happy to see Sean's face & hear his dulcet tones. So far from what we've seen from the Disney deal, it has only been good things for the show. And I agree that RTD is really looking towards protecting the future for the show.

[@josephcooter5763]

I've actually watched on Doctor Who on Disney Plus here in the states. I can honestly say Disney hasn't promoted it. They've promoted Madame Web, they're promoting the Shogun remake that is airing on Hulu. And I am not sure when it will be advertise. I did see a screen shot for their promotion of Hulu on Disney Plus, which primarily focused on Disney made things like Shogun

[@christinewhoyt]

There still almost a left and Disney+ promoting is weird. It's like last minute 90% pourcent of them.

[@steveom5479]

Was Madame Web on Disney + in the US? I'd have thought it'd be on Sony's side of things

[@josephcooter5763]

@@steveom5479 No I think it's on Disney Plus because it is part of the MCU. That said even Sony has allowed all the Spiderman films on Disney Plus now.

[@SenecaRaine]

Madame web is not part of the MCU, it's Sony's weird Spider-Man-verse, which is like the MCU knock-off brand that's actually getting confused for it enough that it's damaging the original.

[@PrecariousPorcupine]

Nearly 5 million views on the trailer on the Disney Plus KZbin channel. Js

[@roblough3314]

In all my years as a Doctor Who fan, I’ve never once heard it referred to as ‘that silly phone box show’

[@jukesy1992]

Me neither. I've heard it referred to as cheasey, which it can be, but I think that's also what makes it whimsicle. Murry Gold also added the bombastic music for the modern revival of the show.

[@GothAtheist]

I've heard it referred to as wibbly wobbly tbh

[@DalekKhronos]

I've heard it referred to as the 'one with the Martian who kidnaps people from earth '😅

[@Exit911YT]

​@@DalekKhronosWell whoever gave it that title apparently doesn't know that the Doctor is not a Martian because he is not from Mars. He is from Gallifrey

[@DalekKhronos]

@@Exit911YT that is exactly what I said then had to explain the entire history of the time lords also apparently ur not allowed to use any pronouns but 'they' for the doctor any more

[@IamFree03]

The nice thing about Disney+ is now everyone around the world can watch Doctor Who at the same time instead of waiting years or months to see it. I remember when the "The Christmas Invasion" episode came out in the US on PBS (Public Broadcasting Station). It wasn't till March 2006 that we got to see it because it was for the pledge drives that they only do twice a year. For three months had not look at the description. Glad Twitter wasn't a thing back then. I find it interesting that Doctor Who came out in November 1963 in the UK and in 1975 was first aired in the US on PBS. The first episode to air in the US was Spearhead from Space with the 3rd Doctor Jon Pertwee. Where as in the UK BBC at time in 1975 the episode Robot came out with the 4th Doctor Tom Baker.

[@SleepyJosh06]

Just checked Disney plus no doctor who so not everyone in the world can watch it im from the uk. I'll stick to bbc iplayer.

[@Arizonaguy1856]

@@SleepyJosh06 i think its specifically not on disney in the uk because you guys have it broadcasted and on bbc iplayer already, so "everyone around/in the world CAN watch it" like the point was that everyone around the world can watch it now WITH you guys instead of days, weeks, months or even years later than yall.....

[@soullessmin]

As a British fan I am really looking forward to being able to watch Who when I get up on a Saturday morning, rather than usually waiting until Sunday evening (even when it's shown on a Saturday evening) :D

[@therealpbristow]

I'm just wondering if I can resist the temptation to watch it over breakfast before heading in to work, rather than waiting to see it alongside my friends over dinner after my shift! =:o}

[@xaidil8459]

The change of everything going to streaming is quite frustrating for me personally. I was very little in 2005 when Doctor Who came back but i remember watching the Matt Smith series in the TV, yes it came later because they had to dub it first but it was as easy as turning on the TV and it being there. Now with so many platforms we're expected to pay 5 subscriptions at the same time to watch anything because not a single license get sold to foreign TVs anymore, apart from the same 7 cop shows.

[@gilliankew]

For those of us living abroad, an internationally valid I-player subscription would be great!

[@Lia-zw1ls7tz7o]

5:03 In Germany we have that too. In fact, the BBC was a direct role model for German television after World War II. Except we also a federal nation like the US with 16 states (well, 10 in West-Germany at the time) and so we have different sub sections with our equivalent to the BBC, the ARD: like West Germany Broadcasting , Hesse Broadcasting Bavarian Broadcasting etc. In 1959, we had a second channel, ZDF, which is broadcast on a federal level, which is a station, not a network but also funded by a licence fee. And then in the 80s and 90s, like in other countries, dozens of private channels sprung up.

[@therealpbristow]

The BBC has regional sub-divisions. These days the only differences between them are the local news and weather, and some daytime or late-night local-language broadcasts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Back in the 1970s and 80s, though, it was quite common to hear announcers say things like "Later this evening you can see $PROGRAMME. That's at 9pm for most viewers, but for our viewers in Scotland it will be at the slightly later time of 9:30" - Presumably because something uniquely Scottish would be shown to them at 9pm. =:o}

[@josephcooter5763]

In the US we've never had a licensing fee. We've had Public Broadcasting of Course; which is partially funded by Congress but mostly through viewer contributions. Basically every couple of months we use have pledge drives where our local station would interrupt programs and talk about becoming a member of your local PBS station. Usually they would do it during sweeps or during the Holiday season.

[@shawnholbrook7278]

you can subscribe to PBS now for a 5 dollar donation, cuz t.v. and cable are expensive.

[@fleason771]

The BBC is public broadcasting but its non-optional. If you own a television & watch live TV you are required to have a license but what you get for that is vast. BBC TV Add free, Iplayer content (Partly funds Ch4 which runs with ads), tons of radio channels, News, Sports, Children's Education content etc all for £169.50 pa. It also is discounted for disabled ppl & completely free for over 75's. It definitely should launch a global subscription service & it's strange why it still hasnt

[@IamFree03]

@@fleason771 PBS is also non-optional as well. Congress does fund it from everyone's tax dollars. PBS gets additional funding from fund raisers to keep it going other wise Congress has said that they will drop it. The additional funding helps it have better quality graphics on low budget. PBS has educational show that does not exist elsewhere.

[@kevin10001]

@@fleason771pbs isn’t optional here it is a basic channel that is also able to get over the air with an antenna we don’t have to donate during their pledge drives but but it’s not an optional channel and the congressional funding and donations during pledge drives go to largely funding the content they show some of the kids programming may have corporate sponsorships but that’s it

[@IamFree03]

@@kevin10001 I remember when the "The Christmas Invasion" episode came out in the US. It wasn't till March 2006 that we got to see it because it was for the pledge drives that they only do twice a year. PBS reminding us that if we wanted to continue to see Doctor Who we need to donate because other wise Congress would drop BBC America as we call it when a BBC show is aired on PBS. Basically PBS is paid by congress from American tax dollars and Congress pays BBC to air BBC show in America. So Americans help fund Doctor Who from our tax dollars. Another show that I liked watch as a kid from the BBC that was on PBS was The Chronicles of Narnia which has Tom Baker in The Silver Chair. I like BBC The Chronicles of Narnia better than Disney's version of it even though Disney's has better graphics. My reason for it is BBC fallowed the books and Disney didn't. Also Disney never made The Silver Chair. When I first saw The Silver Chair I thought it was Doctor Who because Tom Baker was in it. I'm just glad to see that Disney isn't ruining Doctor Who.

[@corm7538]

As a fan of Doctor Who that's from the US the news that the show is coming to Disney+ is the best news in the last few years to come about the show because I will now know where to find it as that as been an issue here for at least the last 5 to 10 years, I've never had a easy answer to, "Where can I watch Doctor Who?", now I'll know that answer.

[@CineScarborough]

I agree that you can still have Doctor Who be 'the silly phone box show'. The Guardians Of The Galaxy films, also partly by Disney, are very big budget movies but still have a similar madcap energy to Doctor Who.

[@kenzieduckmoo]

When i saw comments from UK people saying things like "UK tax money funded this, we should get it first" it sorta made me chuckle, because they have no idea how much US TV shows are funded by the Canadian Government, and they often don't even get to watch it in Canada. It's officially called the "Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit" and you'll see it in the credits of nearly everything. This is no different with Doctor Who, especially since production of new content is through outside companies like Bad Wolf or Big Finish. Ive said for a while (probably close to 20 years now) that the BBC should have opened up iPlayer to everyone worldwide and just charged the $15/month as a sub fee so if they can do that with an agreement to put the things on Disney+ then thats even better

[@therealpbristow]

If it was up to the BBC to make that decision, maybe they would have. If nothing else, it would provide a useful test case for the idea of replacing the license fee with a subscription model here in the UK (which is one of the likelier future scenarios that various politicians keep pushing for).

[@dattaxpony920]

I mean...ngl I love seeing Seán but that's because I have a low key crush on him. Having said that, please get well soon Ellie!

[@lpierce8842]

I’ve been watching Doctor Who on PBS (which would probably have 2 days of programming a week if it wasn’t for the BBC) since the 70’s. Jon Pertwee was my first Doctor. Even on Disney+, I think the series retains it’s quintessential Britishness. As long as it’s produced in Britain, with mainly British actors, I think it always will. That was the big problem with TV movie. Paul McGann was great. The problem was the American production. The BBC needs to make more of its productions for the benefit of Britbox or other streaming services. Americans love British productions and many pay for multiple streaming subscriptions. Speaking for myself, most of what I watch is on Britbox or Acorn.

[@radeadcool]

I get it but in the case of Australia taking it from the ABC makes it less. Not more with Disney plus.

[@nekolalia3389]

Disney has also stopped releasing content on region 4 DVDs. What did we in particular do to the house of mouse?

[@joshuajoshua2732]

It's disgusting that they did that.

[@IAmTatianaSmith]

I'm an American living abroad and i'm super happy that it is moving to Disney. I had the hardest time watching the last few sessions because I would have to wait for it to be available on Amazon Prime and buy it there. This move will be so much easier (and cheaper) for me. lol I'm excited! I also hope they keep the same tone of the show. Each Dr. is so different but that holiday special was amazing. now i'm super excited to see what this season holds. Do we know if David Tennant will do more camos during Season 1?

[@joshg2714]

Here in the USA we don't pay a license for TV. The closest thing to publicly funded TV would be PBS (public broadcast system?), and they do receive some funding from the federal government, but mostly it is funded by sponsors and donations. All other over the air TV channels have advertisements during shows.

[@grahamcann1761]

GET WELL SOON ELLIE❣ (And I DO like you too Seán!) As always thank you all so very much for the videos.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

Being an actual licence-paying viewer, I would _far_ rather continue to pay it than to deal with advertising! Also I want to keep my regional news, plus the national and regional radio stations. There's a lot more to the BBC than Dr Who... I definitely don't want everything to be done on streaming, because not everywhere gets a good enough - if any - signal. Re co-productions, they've been around for many decades! E.g. David Attenborough's Life on Earth was part funded by an American broadcaster. As an aside, some of the licence fee also goes towards Channels 4 & 5.

[@AussieFaraday2024]

Thanks for explaining the concept of the license fee for the non-Brits. My first experience of hearing about it was the episode of 'The Young Ones' where Vivian eats the television to avoid paying it. I had no idea what they meant. And thank you for continuing brilliant content that spans ups and downs, fan service and serious content like this. I know this is Who Culture, but LLAP.

[@omegadeep1]

Licence

[@janechoy2073]

I'm in Canada, and having the show on Disney+ is SO much more accessible and convenient than in the past where it got bounced around broadcast / mid tier cable / digital. Also, having Disney+ as one of the backers just means more funds and resources for the production company to scale up the quality of the show in aspects that money *can* buy.

[@CGI_Andy]

Such a good video. Keep up the good work :)

[@bradamato5497]

GET WELL SOON ELLIE!!!!

[@barryparker9341]

The biggest concern I have about the Disney involvement is what would Disney's reaction be if the show doesn't take off that well on their platform/what if the show doesn't get that many new viewers? As thinking back to the TV movie which was FOX had been involved with, they hoped that the movie would spark interest in the American audience and lead to a revival of the series in America, but all that got scrapped when there was a lack of interest in America. So, what happens if history was to repeat itself and the show doesn't take off a Disney hopes?

[@jesseszymcik3026]

The BBC tried very hard to mess up the movie. The interviews about the making of the movie cast the BBC in a dark light. The official stance of the BBC was that Doctor Who needed to rest longer, before being revived.

[@therealpbristow]

It's a valid concern, and I think RTD - being aware of what happened with the TV Movie - has done all he reasonably can to prevent a repeat. This time round, the *production* rights are not going to the American backer, only the *distribution* rights. So if Disney decide the show's a flop for them, the worst they can do is stop funding the show and relinquish those rights. That might mean a period when nobody has the overseas distribution rights until new arrangements are made, and a big cut in budget for making the show, but it would still be possible for the Beeb & Bad Wolf to make more Doctor Who in the meantime, even if it's only a few specials stretched over a year. Also, he way things are currently set up they have plenty of lead-time between production and release. We know that "Season 2" is definitely getting made, even before "Season 1" starts airing. That gives them lots of time and flexibility if the funding is cut or reduced to find new funding sources, adjust release schedules, and make the transition from "The Disney Era" into whatever era comes next as painless as possible.

[@WyrdWaysRockShow]

Fox tried to kill it, too. They put it on opposite Roseanne, which was a ratings juggernaut at the time.

[@IsiahBradley]

THANKS for this, Sean!!! Yes, get well soon, Ellie!!!!

[@Virishking]

For all the talk about Disney’s new ties to Doctor Who, we also shouldn’t forget that Bad Wolf Productions was purchased by Sony not long ago. So Davies and co. have both set themselves up under a parent company that pumped millions into the studio and then made a deal to co-Produce with Disney too. This isn’t just a “Disney era” these are multiple moves on behalf of the Bad Wolf to secure a larger budget and secure the future of the series for if/when the BBC no longer sustains it.

[@MsSmartiecat]

I'm in America so I didn't really have much access to Dr. Who. When Max dropped all the Seasons I started watching it and was totally hooked. I'm excited about this change ! The 60th Anniversary specials were amazing!

[@everettrailfan]

Off topic but I noticed you have a Museum of Flight shirt, LOVE IT! I'm a student pilot born and raised here in Seattle! Didn't expect to see that haha

[@jaywalker1233]

I think the franchise value of Doctor Who has been given away. Sure, Disney picks up (half? most?) the production tab, but the asset value - and the worldwide profits - is in the franchise. Why has this happened? Because BBC assets are controlled by powerful individuals carving up the ‘family silver’ as the traditional BBC model falls apart (Doctor Who is, or rather was, owned by the licence fee payers) and these valuable assets are moved into a complex web of privatised production entities hidden from public scrutiny by ‘commercial confidentiality’. There is no transparency about what is happening - because transparency allows awkward questions.

[@nigelmitcherson9225]

Thank you Sean, for your very informative video. It does explain some things. I am saddened that the BBC seems to have "sold out" on many older fans of Doctor Who, like myself, don't have the wherewithal for this "streaming" lark that now appears to be taking over the normal TV services . Russell T. is an amazing creator as we have seen before, but have he and his friends considered the eyeballs which are not going to be able to receive this brilliant series now, unless they have a smart TV and are prepared to pay out money constantly to Disney to see their favourite programme? (By the way, when I say " older" fan, I mean it! We even have our own full-blown TARDIS out in the front garden here in New Zealand..... What must the neighbours think!) Now, I don't know how these things are done, but I am hoping that tvnz will still get hold of these missed episodes somewhere in the future when Disney have done their dash.

[@christaylor3193]

We love seeing you too, tell Ellie she has to share the spotlight more. LOL

[@brachiator1]

I'm an American, but I have seen social media conversations where people have complained about having to pay the BBC license fee because they watch more programs elsewhere, and have heard Tory MPs argue for privatizing the BBC or selling it off entirely. On the other hand, I have never understood how the license fee could still exist when you can stream programs on your phone or laptop. I have been willing to pay a monthly subscription for the BBC iPlayer app, so I could watch more BBC programs, including Doctor Who. I am frustrated by the BBC Sounds app, which stupidly delays radio programs by 30 days before they are available in the US.

[@jaywalker1233]

It’s not that BBC management decision-makers don’t understand the commercial imperatives (although some/many almost certainly don’t), it’s that they don’t want to generate the huge profits that they could from their asset value - BBC content. At least not yet. Because BBC managers who *do* understand commercial content global streaming are planning how to acquire the most valuable BBC content (owned by licence fee payers) at minimal cost, to then be exploited worldwide by 3rd party production companies as the BBC is gradually dismembered

[@Raineyluwho]

So good to see you, Sean. An outstanding episode for certain! Get well soon, Ellie!

[@overtheoverseer]

For anyone in the UK reading this, Sean is incorrect when he says the TV licence is mandatory. You can opt out, provided you don't watch live TV or anything on iplayer - that's it. If you only use streaming services (that are NOT iplayer) and don't watch any live TV - you don't need to give the BBC £169.50.

[@OverWims]

Yup. So many people think you need it to even own a TV 🤣

[@omegadeep1]

It also helps fund channel 4

[@seanwhite6781]

Being in America I personally love the fact that Disney is involved as long as they don't try to change it too much. Since I don't have cable I was not able to watch episodes for almost a year if not more. Now I can watch it with everyone else.

[@nathanielstacy4488]

In the u.s. Doctor who was on Syfy, then Netfix, then only oon-demand, demand, then only on DVD, now it's on Disney Plus.

[@SwiftFoxProductions]

Actually, for the modern series, it was on SyFy, then BBC America, then Netflix, then HBOMax, and now Disney+. I don't think modern Doctor Who has ever ONLY been on DVD in the US as far as I can remember. 🤔Even during that gap when it was taken off of Netflix before HBOMax launched, it was still continuously airing on BBC America. (You just might have lost track of it during those times). Now, the classic series/'90s TV movie... that's a different story! 😅You definitely have to track those down a bit.

[@AdamYJ]

For a little while they also aired older episodes (like, David Tennant episodes) on Disney XD.

[@nathanielstacy4488]

I had to buy series 9-11 on DVD just to watch them.

[@Siddif]

Unfortunately I think you’re spot on with everything here. The licence has been frozen for a considerable number of years now and the Tories seems hell bent on getting rid of the licence as well as C4 for short term gains. I’m not even sure KS would be any better if the parties changed. So the BBC surviving as a subscription service may be the best outcome.

[@thejither]

It's not really short-term gains, though - that's just what's used to convince the public and a naive opposition. The right wing have been doing this methodically as a typically 2-3 decade "plan" in *every* country with public broadcasting modelled on the BBC... Move towards running the corporation more like a group of individual commercial entities. Move towards public service standards that are more based on viewing figures and other "commercial broadcaster" success criteria than "fuzzy" quality considerations. Start a few prestige projects that will make the corporation waste money in the public's eye. Point towards the broad commercial appeal of the programming *you* forced them to make a decade ago - and use that as an argument for there being no need for a public service broadcaster. Start arguing about how license fees might as well be taxes - but be sure to not take into account *any* arguments made when the license fees were first put into place. Instead, make up new superficial pros and easily debunkable cons. Etc. Hint to politicians: When an idea is 100 years old and still exists, that usually means that your predecessors spent a whole lot more time thinking about how it should work before putting it into place - than you're doing now that you've decided to get rid of it.

[@GregoryIsom]

I get it… co-production because more funding, but why Disney? why not some other distribution like Paramount?

[@joannelively9934]

You, Ellie & all the crew are awesome & I just love you're dedication & devotion to our quaint little British show about a traveller with 2 hearts in a phone box. Looking forward to your ups & downs when it airs too ❤❤❤

[@WhoCulture]

Thank you. We're very excited too!

[@amandakaras356]

As an American fan of Doctor Who since 2005 I love that Disney has it because it got so frustrating when cable companies would drop BBC America. Bravo Disney for noticing that Doctor Who is global, and not making us wait for the DVD release.

[@CorubiaNall]

Get well soon Elle! Hey Sean, great to see you!! Love the MoF T-shirt! Take care, from Seattle!

[@toddanderson9574]

Sean, love the shirt! We go to the Flight Museum about a dozen times a year. Great video, thanks for all the awesome content!

[@ManxFoe]

Hello from Seattle, Sean! Love the Museum of Flight tee-shirt :) Feel better, Ellie!

[@BartSimplett08]

I think what would be neat is to do remakes of the Hartnell and Troughton era with all the same elements, and scripts, but with all the similar looking actors and better acting and effects just to make the original stuff better overall.

[@IamFree03]

I use to watch Doctor Who on PBS in the US. PBS is just like the BBC in the US. It is Government funded and the US Bought the rights to Doctor Who along with many other shows since the 70's. I remember watching Doctor Who as a kid when it aired from 11 to Midnight on Saturdays because that was when it aired in the 90's watching classic who. One episode of Tom Baker and then one of the other Doctors right afterwards. Then when new who came out it was exciting to see David Tennant. PBS would start at 10 to 12:30 at night putting on New Who episode, then Doctor Who Confidential, then one episode of Tom Baker and then one of the other classic who Doctors right afterwards. Doctor who reached its peak in the United States during series 6 the mystery of River Song. I remember seeing Matt Smith and Karen Gillan at Comic Con in San Diego that year and everyone was trying to figure out why Amy always wore the same cloths. At the largest State Fair someone decided to build a life size TARDIS and in the inside had space and a picture of every Doctor and their was a long line just to get a picture of the TARDIS. The reason series 6 took off was because River Song since the most popular genre in the us is mystery. The way the Season 1 is written so far has got the everyone in the US curious since everyone here loves mysteries and RTD knows it. When I heard that was in volved Disney+. I knew that we would get better quality Doctor Who on Disney+ and a bigger audience because more people watch Disney+ than PBS now.

[@jwb52z9]

Government funding for PBS has been almost nothing for years now.

[@SueGarden]

Poor ellie get well soon su garden 🤧

[@SueGarden]

Aww thanks you

[@PhantomObserver]

I remember being really, really frustrated with BBC’s iPlayer because they never wanted subscriptions from international viewers, only British ones. That the BBC is finally courting the international market via streaming partnerships like Disney+ makes more sense than trying to rely on the license fee alone.

[@paulmodderman]

A few things: 1st. I love the fact that Disney has Dr Who. I watched it as a kid growing up with Tom Baker as the 4th Dr. 2nd. I hope Disney adds all the episodes from all the Dr.s, so I can binge watch them with my grandkids. (Disney, please don't deprive them from the earlier Dr.s) 3rd. If you think for a minute, what is currently being called season 1 actually isn't season 1 by a long run. Now, if they were to change it to: Dr # Season 1 Episode 1 You would actually be correct. Currently, it would be: Dr 15 Season 1 Episode 1. For myself, I'd love to watch Dr 1 Season 1 Episode 1 all the way thru: Dr 15 Season 1 Episode whatever or even Dr whatever the newest Dr who is by the time I get there

[@fraystreet9615]

Ellie is perfect for Who Culture and I wish her a very quick recovery. It was also great to see Sean presenting again. Sean used to host Who Culture videos all the time, but now it seems he only really does it when Ellie is unavailable. I'd love to see them do more co-hosting. I reckon Ellie and Sean should present equal amounts of videos. It's also fun when we see Ellie and Sean doing videos together when they talk about the trailers and the episodes. Just to clarify this is absolutely NOT a negative comment about Ellie. I love her, she's fantastic. I'd just like to see more of a mix. Anyway, keep up the awesome work everyone. I'm a huge fan of the channel and I look forward to watching more Who Culture content. 😊

[@Musicradio77Network]

I do remember the 1996 “Doctor Who” TV movie that aired on Fox, and it’s way better than the current one.

[@shawnholbrook7278]

🙏 Get good rest so we can see you soon Ellie, also, Hi Sean!

[@memawh57]

I've missed you on here. Glad to see you.

[@StephenLeGresley]

I think it's inevitable. And it's not the first time this has happened. Series 1 of DW in 2005 was vastly different then prvious Doctor Who had been. Change isn't good or bad, it's how it's executed that determines it. Look at Star Trek, From TOS to TNG to DS9 and VOY it evolved. and even now it's still evolving and thats good because it gives us new and fresh concepts to work with.

[@zyphbehr]

A lot of those in the US can't understand the BBC license fee: think about PBS and they constantly have to have "pledge drives", but think if the government REQUIRED you to pay it because you own a TV. It's the same idea, the only difference is on PBS many do not pay or help money wise, so they have to try and get more money from others to offset it. And their budget is still much lower to still have quality programming when many have switched to streaming instead of PBS. This is why Sesame street had to be turned into a co-production with HBO/Max. They needed to keep the money coming in and the sagging donations by viewers required a change and not lose a show that has been cherished by many. The main difference is Doctor Who has more of an "Adult" spin, but same concepts. I do hope that if the BBC turned to a subscription model for those willing to pay streaming wise, could help be closer to "BritBox" and may even be able to be merged so the content is Available worldwide. Yes, many older people would rather keep the license fee since it's easier to just turn on, many changes will have to be made anyway.

[@frankharr9466]

It's a fine outro. Keep the good work up. I hope Ellie feels better.

[@scifirocks]

I think part of the licence fee also pays for the infrastructure of radio and tv transmission, so I think we'd either need to always have a small licence fee or raise taxes.

[@EliotHochberg]

I’d be very worried that if the UK changes it’s funding model, that it will change the character of UK television. It will become more like US television and that would be a shame. I’m not saying that necessarily US television is bad, but UK television is different in a way that is good for television. The biggest thing that I’m worried about is panel comedy shows. I’ve long thought that the sensibilities of Britain versus the United States is the reason why the UK can have shows like eight out of 10 cats do countdown and taskmaster. I didn’t really think about what the reason would be, but when you look at how taskmaster was changed for US audiences (Shorten to a half hour, picking a host that was not a good fit), and then you also compare US versions of game shows to UK and European versions of game shows, there is definitely a distinctly different flavor. There’s also a difference in UK news versus American news. It occurs to me that the BBC can take more risks and have more subdued content because they are guaranteed funding. Now the BBC still has to manage that funding wisely, but they are not dependent on sales or even viewership to get the funding in the first place. What this means is that Can be a little bit more intellectual, a little more subdued, a little more wry, with dryer humor because they don’t have to be flashy. BBC can also get away with programming that American advertisers would not want to advertise on. I predict that if this license fee system goes away, several things will happen very quickly. The first thing that will change will be BBC News. When the news has to make its own way Through advertising, which presumedly the BBC would have to do, or otherwise through subscription, either way, the news will become more fantastic with fewer deep stories and start to resemble networks like CNN. This would be unfortunate, because the news should be there to educate citizens so they know about the important things of the day, not what somebody’s doing on TikTok, or some weird potato. The next thing that I predict will happen is that fewer non-celebrities will be given a chance. That may take 10 or 20 years, but eventually if the BBC hast to justify it funding through viewership, it will play the lowest common denominator. One of the problems in American television, even though it’s a golden age and there’s a lot of good TV out there, is that a lot of television executives are risk averse. What that leads to is fewer original ideas, and instead, rehashing or remaking or revising of from other places. There’s nothing wrong with that to an extent, but it would be nice if in the United States more original programming was given a chance.

[@dannyayala3462]

Get well fast ellie ❤ miss u

[@lcflngn]

Gotta say, though I pay way more than UK license fee prices for the random streaming services we like (working on cutting way back!) the Disney+ version of Who is not cut to shreds nor interrupted by horribly long commercials, as were the BBC America versions - for most of the modern era. This is why we pay, and happily. I’m truly sorry the timing is not working well for many, but very very fine with it in California.

[@ajsmovieplace]

The TV Licence is Optional. If you don’t want to nor watch Broadcast TV it’s not required. I’ve not had one for a decade ☝️

[@stinker1000000]

The licence fee is not mandatory. You do not have to pay it. I do not - legally. It just means you cannot watch broadcast or live tv. You can watch streaming tv ( netflix, amazon prime, disney+, youtube etc) without a licence.

[@RichTeer]

If “Getting it in front of as many eyeballs as possible” was the real reason for going with Disney+ then surely Netflix, with its MUCH larger subscriber base, would’ve been the better option. So I ain’t buying it…

[@hammerman199374]

Love your shirt, BTW, Sean. As a resident of Western Washington State, I fully approve anything Seattle related, but especially some like the Museum of Flight.

[@steveallsopp4434]

When first heard that was going to be on Disney I was happy as thought (Wrongly) that at last 4k Doctor who in the UK as will be on Disney, Alas we still have to suffer 1080i on Iplayer :(

[@aannddrryyaa]

Great to see ya Sean!

[@alltradesjack502]

Get better soon Ellie ❤️

[@that_faerie_heather]

4:23 ~ my sister loves beep so much, if this comes to be reality then she will 100% need that.

[@danthemeegs8751]

That thing will sell like hotcakes

[@mugglescakesniffer3943]

I am sorry but the first two episodes made me stunned with my mouth open at the end trying to say something but I am not sure what I just saw. WTF?

[@catherinejames2739]

Midnight sleep 💤 and a rewatch in the evening for me it looks like 🎉

[@UranusMcVitieFish-yd7oq]

Life's too short mate. Just watch it on broadcast.

[@catherinejames2739]

@@UranusMcVitieFish-yd7oq Good point probably end up doing that

[@judithstrachan9399]

Me, too, although it’ll be reasonable morning hour when I’m in Melbourne. & again at home.

[@catherinejames2739]

Great that America gets to watch DW first at 7pm just because of time difference!! Where was DW broadcast for the last 60 years here in the UK

[@judithstrachan9399]

Not that they are first. I believe Disney+ & iviewer have it at the same time, midnight GMT.

[@SassySapphireUK]

I hope the expanded whoinverse will show a variety of stories like Big Finish adaptations, a Paul McGann prequel series etc,

[@cannedmusic]

So, in 1963 Doctor Who went from an amusement that was looked at as a short-lived item that won't last more than 4, maybe 5 seasons, to about the only thing that's keeping BBC alive? How odd. Maybe they should seriously consider bringing back Torchwood and SJA...yes, I realize that she has sadly passed on, and I miss her, she was the best part of the early Tom Baker episodes, but the fundamentals of the show still exist. Besides, the lady who played Harriet Jones, Penelope Wilton, looks and sounds so much like Elizabeth Sladen...she's the same age...she could easily play Sarah Jane. There have been so many who have played the master, the first doctor, the second and third doctors, why does it matter that Sarah, who has sadly passed on, is now being portrayed by Penelope. I really think Miss Sladen would encourage the continuance of the show despite her unfortunate passing.

[@malphasblackwing420]

Ellie we love you and we can’t wait to hear your voice again! Get well… *sweetie*

[@EliotHochberg]

I think it’s also an error to look to shows like the Mandalorian for hopeful budgets. The producers of that show have done a pretty good job of taking advantage of new techniques and technologies to make their stories work, but if you look at the broader Disney+ Slate, you’ll see that there are a lot of rushed shows. There’s a reason why there isn’t a marvel movie starting out this summer. Disney has squeeze that dry, and they need to re-orient because they’re losing traction. Star Wars is having a similar issue, when you look at all the different shows it’s put out, only a few are really mailing some kind of a story that’sworthwhile. Andor is one, the bad batch is another, and parts of the Mandalorian are really great. But there’s a lot of overproduction content, and I think Doctor Who is in danger of succumb to that same disease if they’re not careful.

[@fizzlingfirebox985]

hotel services became more expensive so airbnb and verbo were born, now they are becoming more expensive than hotels so people are going back to hotels and i feel the streaming services are taking the same route. while doctor who is receiving the benefits of this (and i love it) i’m not sure it can be kept afloat for the long term as streaming will become far too expensive (as it is becoming) and quality will decline and prices rises (do to corporate greed), and people will want to return to channel service. (I’m not saying the quality will diminish) but it’s a vicious capitalist cycle that’s unsustainable and I don’t want to see one of my favorite shows suffer do to it, but i’m afraid for its future.. also hope ellie gets better soon!!!

[@fizzlingfirebox985]

NOT TO BE A DOWNER, but the cycles are inevitable

[@terrysaunders7107]

Im from the US, this new reboot of doctor who is odd. The first two episodes was written for PBS kids - they could have been episodes of odd squad. The answer to episode three is she says, " You are owned by Disney now.". So yeah, times change and so does the Doctor, they were all brilliant once. Mavity-:sums it all up.

[@AlanRogers250]

Sean, I have the same shirt. If you got it in Seattle, ( and not as a gift), did you get a chance to go to the Science Fiction Museum? How about the Space Needle? BTW, I grew up on Tom Baker's Doctor.

[@TheGhostOfSabotage]

People saying streaming will kill TV reminds me of what they said about radio when TV came around, I'm sure they said the same about books when radio came around and yet radio is as strong as ever. People are saying the same thing about physical media over digital stuff and yet physical media is still going strong too.

[@micron000]

Radio is most certainly not going as strong as ever lol. People used to listen to the radio all day, every day - they would huddle around the radio at home as a primary source of entertainment, and use it as a primary source for news. Radio dramas used to have millions of daily listeners. These days, people mostly listen to the radio casually in their car, and even that is slowly happening less and less, as newer generations normally opt for music streaming services (and getting their weather/traffic reports on different apps online). Same goes for physical media.. VHS or DVDs used to be the only way to rewatch a show, and therefore their sales were very high - These days, it's more of a "collector" thing, and even big fans of the show might not see the point of buying physical copies anymore, when they can pay less for digital files and/or find their favourite shows streaming online. Same goes for physical books over digital copies and audiobooks btw. If you think this isn't true, just look into sales figures on books 20 years ago as compared to now. So, yeah, traditional broadcast will go in the way of radio, traditional print and other forms of physical media. It's a long, gradual process which we've been on for a while now, but it's happening nonetheless.. Again, just look into the shift in overall viewing figures if you don't believe it. And it's not a bad thing, either, imo. It's just society moving with the times and finding better, more accessible ways to distribute media to as many people as possible :)

[@Ibalistic_hedge]

Dr who being put on Disney Plus is a bad sign. The BBC is on the decline, but that's not the main red flag. The franchises on Disney plus usually are franchises that used to be great but are now bad or dead or both. Marvel and star wars are the best examples- they both used to be great, but now they suck. So, from this, we can make the assumption that Dr who is dying. And what Russel said about getting it to as many audiences as possible is crap bc1, Dr who used to be on netflix but they took it off for some reason, so everyone around the world could have watched it (except the countries that don't allow netflix ofc) and 2, as far as I'm aware, series 13 down to series 1 aren't available on Disney Plus which kind of contradicts what Russel said. The final red flag is the fact that Disney is on the decline now as well like it has been for the past decade. In over 10 years, only 3 out of the many Disney projects has been successful. I mean, they literally lost 100 million dollars on Strange world alone. Disney will most probably be gone soon, which means that Disney plus will probably die with it. Even with Russel writing, bc of Disney's weird, messed up rules, it's unlikely that the stories will be good. Like Ik a lot of ppl loved the 60th, but that was just bc Tennant and Tate ware back, not bc the writing was quality. Now yes, Wild Blue Yonder was decent even if the beginning was questionable, but The star beast wasn't great except from a few moments and The Giggle was decent but had a few big floors.

[@lcflngn]

Lol, have to comment again. Agree, writing is everything, most especially for Who. Hoping for great things this season, working well so far!

[@JMHardinMyTwoLives]

It's good to see you again, Sean! (Get well soon, Ellie. I'm waiting for your next 2-some vid). I just have one thing for the license fee/iPlayer subscription: TAKE MY BLOODY MONEY, DAMMIT! 😎

[@spustatu]

While it is strange to see the Disney+ logo on Doctor Who, as an American, I couldn't be more pleased that I'll have a straightforward way to watch Who again, especially since I'm already paying for it anyway.

[@DrWhoFan_J]

They did the same with Casualty a few months ago (releasing on IPlayer early)

[@yafre_tv]

your tshirt actually resumes the reason very well

[@Lia-zw1ls7tz7o]

9:02 makes me wonder what the Thirteenth Doctor era would’ve been like had they already done that back then, streaming it on Disney+.

[@AdamJohnson20]

Glad to have the Irish perspective on the whole Disney plus Doctor who streaming thing.

[@sarasate89]

An interesting point is that BBC Three tried to move wholly online for a few years, didn't fare so well, and in the last year has come back to a physical channel as well as iplayer. So I don't necessarily think the move to streaming only is imminent for the BBC, but it makes sense they are planning ahead. But I still feel Disney have held the power when it comes to broadcast, ensuring the North American audience were prioritised. I'm still not happy that to wait for the broadcast on BBC One means I will need to dodge spoilers literally all day.

[@dragonfye1]

Davies claims he’s ready to bring Dr Who back to being one of the ‘Heavy Hitters’, and I THINK HE’S MORE THAN CAPABLE. Based on what little material we have seen of season one so far, I’M personally very hopeful, the episode sneak peaks look genuinely promising.

[@micron000]

Russell is right, and I don't think he's saying anything too controversial here either. It's not really about the BBC specifically, but more about traditional broadcast dying out. Think of it kinda like the end of the era of print, back when internet-news were starting to become more prevalent.. Streaming is just the future. This is simply them moving with the times, and I personally feel like it's 100% the right move for the show. It's going to be a slow process, though. The BBC won't disappear overnight. Just like with physical newspapers, traditional broadcast will probably still be around for a while - but moving more and more towards streaming platforms, makes a lot of sense in this day and age. This has been the trajectory we've been on for the last decade or so regardless, and the virus only pushed the timeline forward even faster, with more people than ever before opting to use streaming services over watching traditional TV. And if you need any proof of this regarding DW specifically? I think you've said it yourself. Only 36% of your subs are UK-based, and that's despite the show mostly having aired in the UK for the longest time. People have been finding ways to watch it internationally for decades now, it's only that now, we have an actually legal and organised way to do so. That's bound to bring in more audiences, and therefore more revenue back to Bad Wolf and the BBC. It's the best way to make the show more widespread overall, hopefully, as RTD said, on the level of Stranger Things etc. If you're a fan of DW and want it to continue sticking around for a while, you should be happy about this move, since it's the most logical and appropriate way to prolong the show's longevity in this age of streaming.