If you’re looking at the title of this article then looking back at the web address you’re on, then I agree that it could be a little confusing as to why we’re reporting on Amazon Prime but it has huge significance for Netflix.
Throughout the month of January, things were tense. We originally reported that Doctor Who, the BBC sci-fi show, was scheduled to leave Netflix on February 1st and while we suspected that it was a simple case of it being up for renewal that certainly wasn’t the case. February 1st rolled around and all 8 seasons of Doctor Who had been removed.
On our original post many, including us, speculated as to the fate of the show many predicting that it’d appear sometime on a new rumored streaming platform by the BBC to premiere in the states. While that certainly was on the tip of most peoples tongues, it didn’t explain why a lot of other BBC content had been renewed for another year. It’s worth noting that the same thing has happened with streaming rival, Hulu too.
So news today that Amazon Prime has announced that Doctor Who would be arriving exclusively on their service, in the US at least, on March 1st 2016. This comes as little surprise as it’s no lie that Amazon has been carefully selecting British content for their libraries. Whether it’s the cross collaboration between AMC and Channel 4 gaining exclusive streaming rights to Humans or the fact they’ve gave a job to the ex-BBC Top Gear staffers Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.
This news should give Netflixers a bit of closure as to why the show was taken away from Netflix and information about where its new streaming home will be.
For Doctor Who fans in the United Kingdom, you’ll be able to stream Doctor Who for at least another couple of months before it comes up for renewal on your service. Chances are however, is that Amazon will have negotiated for the rights to the show in all of its regions.
