Navigating the world of Doctor Who can be thrilling, but understanding its season and series numbering system can be as perplexing as time travel itself. If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out how many seasons of Doctor Who exist, you’re definitely not alone. The show’s long history and reboots have led to a somewhat complicated, but ultimately logical, system. Let’s break it down to clarify How Many Seasons Are In Doctor Who and how they are structured.
The Classic Era: Seasons Defined by Number
Doctor Who first premiered in 1963, starring William Hartnell as the First Doctor. From its inception until 1989, the show was organized into what are traditionally called “seasons.” This original run meticulously numbered each season sequentially, starting from Season 1. The concept of the Doctor regenerating, changing actors while remaining the same character, is key to the show’s longevity and the continuation of these numbered seasons.
Below is a breakdown of the Classic Doctor Who seasons:
| Season | Doctor | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | First Doctor (William Hartnell) | 1963 |
| Season 2 | First Doctor (William Hartnell) | 1964 |
| Season 3 | First Doctor (William Hartnell) | 1965 |
| Season 4 | Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) | 1966 |
| Season 5 | Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) | 1967 |
| Season 6 | Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) | 1968 |
| Season 7 | Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) | 1970 |
| Season 8 | Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) | 1971 |
| Season 9 | Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) | 1972 |
| Season 10 | Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) | 1972 |
| Season 11 | Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) | 1973 |
| Season 12 | Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) | 1974 |
| Season 13 | Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) | 1975 |
| Season 14 | Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) | 1976 |
| Season 15 | Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) | 1977 |
| Season 16 | Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) | 1978 |
| Season 17 | Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) | 1979 |
| Season 18 | Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) | 1980 |
| Season 19 | Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) | 1982 |
| Season 20 | Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) | 1983 |
| Season 21 | Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) | 1984 |
| Season 22 | Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) | 1985 |
| Season 23 | Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) | 1986 |
| Season 24 | Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) | 1987 |
| Season 25 | Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) | 1988 |
| Season 26 | Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) | 1989 |
This classic era comprises 26 seasons of Doctor Who, concluding in 1989.
The New Era: Rebranded as Series
After a hiatus, Doctor Who returned in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor. This revival marked not only a fresh start for the show but also a shift in terminology. Instead of continuing with “seasons,” the revived era adopted the term “series.” This was essentially a soft reboot, and with it came a new numbering convention, starting over with Series 1.
The New Era of Doctor Who is structured in “series” as outlined below:
| Series | Doctor | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Series 1 | Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) | 2005 |
| Series 2 | Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) | 2006 |
| Series 3 | Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) | 2007 |
| Series 4 | Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) | 2008 |
| Series 5 | Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) | 2010 |
| Series 6 | Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) | 2011 |
| Series 7 | Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) | 2012 |
| Series 8 | Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) | 2014 |
| Series 9 | Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) | 2015 |
| Series 10 | Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) | 2017 |
| Series 11 | Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) | 2018 |
| Series 12 | Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) | 2020 |
| Series 13 | Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) | 2021 |
This New Era accounts for 13 series of Doctor Who.
The Global Era: Season 1… Again!
In a move to potentially attract a broader, global audience, Russell T. Davies has announced that Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure as the Fifteenth Doctor will be designated as “Season 1” once more, starting in 2024. This means we now have two “Season 1s” of Doctor Who, alongside the “Series 1” from the New Era.
The beginning of the Global Era is marked as:
| Season | Doctor | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) | 2024 |
Currently, the Global Era includes 1 season, with more to come.
In total, Doctor Who has 26 seasons in the Classic Era, 13 series in the New Era, and is beginning its Global Era with Season 1. So, depending on how you count, Doctor Who has a vast and evolving number of seasons and series! Understanding this breakdown should help you navigate the incredible journey through time and space with the Doctor.
