HBO Max secures exclusive US streaming rights for Doctor Who, other BBC series

Enlarge / Jodie Whittaker, who plays Doctor Who's 13th Doctor, is seen here contemplating her future fate chained to HBO Max. (credit: BBC America / Aurich)

AT&T Time Warner's upcoming video-streaming service, HBO Max, has already been announced with an ambitious content plan ahead of its "Spring 2020" launch window. That plan grew ever larger on Thursday with the news that its American debut will include a major non-AT&T library of content: a wealth of BBC America series, particularly the complete "modern" run of Doctor Who.

This will mark the first time American viewers will have streaming-subscription access to the series' 11th season, which wrapped in December 2018 and introduced the world to the 13th Doctor, who is the first female actor in the role, Jodie Whittaker. (As of press time, your legitimate access to these 2018 episodes has been limited to subscribing to a cable-TV plan or buying episodes a la carte.)

HBO Max's deal with BBC America, as announced by WarnerMedia, will include every previous episode in the most recently rebooted Doctor Who series, dating back to 2005, and "future seasons after they air on BBC America." Since HBO Max will have the "exclusive streaming rights" to the series, that means existing Amazon Prime Video users will assumedly lose their existing subscription-based access to seasons 1-10 ahead of the rival streaming service's launch.

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