1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

Hundreds of classic Doctor Who episodes are now streaming on Tubi for free

By

This month marks the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, the hit BBC sci-fi series with a devoted fan following worldwide. And while new episodes of the 2005 revival series are coming to Disney+ later this month, fans of classic Doctor Who will get a chance to fully explore the Doctor’s adventures even further. Tubi has announced that as of today, over 600 episodes of the original Doctor Who series are now streaming for free.

Doctor Who debuted on November 23, 1963, in an era before the preservation of television programs was given any priority. Because of that, 97 episodes are missing from the show’s original 871-episode run. However, a few of those lost episodes were animated with archival recordings of the actors. Those recreations will also be available on Tubi under the Classic Doctor Who: The Animated Lost Stories banner.

BBC / BBC

One of the reasons for Doctor Who‘s sustained popularity is that it maintains its continuity all the way back to the beginning of the series. William Hartnell was the first actor to portray the Doctor, a Time Lord from Gallifrey who travels through time and space on his ship, the TARDIS, which is permanently disguised as a blue Police Box.

Recommended Videos

When Hartnell stepped aside from the role, the Doctor regenerated with a new face and persona, as played by Patrick Troughton. The rest of the Doctors from the original series include Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy.

Genesis of the Daleks | Doctor Who

McCoy appeared for his regeneration scene in the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie, which cast Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor. However, Fox only aired the movie and declined to pick up the show. It took another nine years before the BBC resurrected Doctor Who with Christopher Eccleston in the title role. Eccleston was succeeded by David Tennant (arguably the most popular modern Doctor), Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, and Jodie Whittaker. The fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, will star in a new season of the revival Doctor Who series next year on Disney+.

In the meantime, Disney+ will premiere the first of three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials on November 25.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
Like the 1997 action satire Starship Troopers? Then watch these 3 classic sci-fi movies now

Since its release more than 25 years ago, more and more people have come to realize that Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers is actually something close to a masterpiece. (Well, except for one Twitter user, who went viral with his tone-deaf take on it.) The 1997 film, which is set in a future in which young army officers battle against massive alien bugs, is a hilarious send-up of the military-industrial complex and the ideologies that propel it.
Given its incredibly specific tone, though, it’s fair to say that there aren’t a lot of movies out there that are like Starship Troopers. That doesn’t mean there are none, though, so we’ve done our best to come up with a list of three great sci-fi satires that will remind you of what Starship Troopers is able to achieve.

Mars Attacks! (1996)
Mars Attacks! (1996) Official Trailer #1 - Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan Sci-Fi Comedy
One of Tim Burton’s least hyped films, Mars Attacks! is a pretty straightforward story about what would happen on Earth if Martians invaded. While something like Independence Day takes that story with a certain amount of seriousness, though, Mars Attacks! emplys the opposite approach.
The film is a camp comedy where Jack Nicholson has two roles, James Bond's Pierce Brosnan plays a scientist, and all of Washington, D.C. is totally destroyed by the end of the movie. It’s one of the very best sci-fi comedies of its kind, and one of Burton’s most underrated films.
Mars Attacks! can be rented or purchased on Amazon Prime Video.
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Galaxy Quest (1999) Theatrical Trailer
Ostensibly a parody of Star Trek, Galaxy Quest has built up its own fandom thanks to its tremendous success. The film follows a group of actors who once starred in a Star Trek-esque series as they discover that real aliens exist -- and that the aliens believe these actors are actually the characters they played on the show.
Thanks to brilliant work from a great ensemble cast, as well as a premise that lends itself to plenty of comedy, Galaxy Quest is a sci-fi romp of the highest caliber, and it's also surprisingly moving when it needs to be. Add in a dash of Tony Shalhoub’s expert comic timing and a healthy dose of Alan Rickman, and you have a genuine comic masterpiece. 
Galaxy Quest is streaming for free in Pluto TV.
They Live (1988)
They Live Official Trailer #1 - Keith David Movie (1988)
John Carpenter has long been a master of sci-fi satire, and They Live might be his magnum opus. The film tells the story of a working-class guy who discovers that the entire world he believed he lived in is actually run by aliens who look like people.
The film is both deeply silly and a little bit serious, as it suggests that everything from the news to advertisements is designed to hypnotize the populous into unthinking compliance. Is it a pretty blunt allegory? Undoubtedly, but it’s one that Carpenter manages to pull off with aplomb.
They Live can be rented or purchased on Amazon Prime Video.

Read more
Resident Alien is now a big hit on Netflix. Here’s why you should watch this underrated sci-fi show

Syfy's Resident Alien - Official Trailer (2021) Alan Tudyk

Original series are becoming an endangered species on Syfy, but Resident Alien has been one of the bright spots on the channel's lineup since its debut in 2021. The show is based on the comic book of the same name by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, and it features Alan Tudyk as the lead character, an alien masquerading as a human doctor named Harry Vanderspeigle.

Read more
3 cult classics you need to watch on Tubi in January 2024

While it may not seem like an obvious first stop if you're looking for something excellent to stream, Tubi has a pretty robust library of titles. In addition to being a free, ad-supported service, Tubi also has some under-the-radar titles thanks in part to the quirky way that streaming rights often work.

So, while the streaming service definitely has some classic titles that are highly regarded, we've also found plenty of titles that could more accurately be described as cult classics. These are movies that are cherished among certain fans, but aren't typically though of as excellent. Hopefully, we can help change that.
Mandy (2018)
MANDY - Official Trailer

Read more