Doctor Who To Leave Netflix Feb 1st

Doctor Who set to leave Netflix Feb 1st

“Redshirt, oh wise and glorious Redshirt….the Geek Lyfe needs you.” Darth Mexican said to me on that cold winter night. I could tell it was important for he forgot his traditional sacrificial pile of gold and Dr.Pepper. But I could tell from the desperate look in his eyes this was serious. I adjusted my glasses, the light reflecting off the black frames. “What does the site require of me?” I said, my voice booming with the raw power of my station. “D…Doctor Who is leaving Netflix on February 1st and the people need to know what to watch before it is gone!” His voice cracked slightly, I gave him a moment to compose himself. “The Whovians, your people, need you now more than ever!” The air grew heavy as the full weight of what had happened dawned upon me. Doctor Who…gone from Netflix?! But why?! My fists clenched as I fought off a budding tear that threatened to escape my eye. “For the Geek Lyfe….for my people…I will not abandon them in this dark hour!”

Being a cableless American, Netflix has been my main method of watching Doctor Who. Hell it was how I was first introduced to the show years ago when my friends Zombieboi and Powerforce finally got me to watch the crazy British show about a time traveling alien and a blue police box. From Christopher Eccelston to Peter Capaldi I fell in love with this crazy show and hearing that I might be going through some SERIOUS withdrawals from it soon…… Every year BBC has to renew contracts with Netflix and there has already been some small hope with a recent announcement that Doctor Who will remain on Netflix in England but this combined with the announcement that we would have to wait until Christmas to get a new episode….But now is not the time to mourn! We still have Doctor Who for a few more days, there is still time to spend with our favorite Time Lord from Galifrey and if you only have time to watch a handful of episodes be it for the first time or the hundredth…these are the ones you cannot let yourself miss!

“The Empty Child” / “The Doctor Dances” Season One, Episodes Nine and Ten-Christopher Eccelston

*Insert obligatory “Are you my mummy?” here*

While yes there is a two parter (a common theme in many of the best episodes and especially true in classic Who) it is one of the highlights of the Ninth Doctors brief but amazing run in the new Who. Combined with some genuinely unsettling elements of a unstoppable gas mask wearing child who only utters one pant shitting phrase, this episode lets Eccelston shine as the Doctor trading quips with the newly introduced soon to be fan favorite character Captain Jack Harkniss, investigates a mystery in London during the Blitz, and showing just the kind of Doctor he brings to the table as he triumphantly yells one of my personal favorite Doctor lines in the series: “Just this once, everybody lives!”

“Silence in the Library/The Forest of the Dead” Season Four, Episodes Nine and Ten-David Tennant

“Hey! Who turned out the lights?”

One of my personal favorites (which since I’m writing this article goes without saying I guess), this two parter is one of Tennants best moments during his run as the Tenth Doctor. Introducing a creature who in my opinion is one of the most terrifying concepts to come out of the series putting the Doctor against one of the most primal fears in the universe: the fear of the dark. Some excellent writing provides plenty of dramatic and jawdropping moments while also exploring some of the deeper mysteries behind the Time Lord with the introduction of River Song, a woman the Doctor always runs into in the wrong order. This two parter cannot be missed and is amazing for fans both new and old.

“The Eleventh Hour”-Season Five, Episode One-Matt Smith

The moment where every bow tie maker in England cheered

Ah the Eleventh Hour, one of the most recommended episodes to introduce someone to the series and for good measure. Our first taste with not only a new Doctor in the form of Matt Smith but a new show runner Steve Moffat (who for added trivia wrote “Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead” created Captain Jack Harkniss AND River Song). The Eleventh Doctor carried over elements that made us fall in love with his predecessor while at the same time starting to develop his own unique take on the madman in a box, he came into the series strong and had an incredible run before he regenerated…and it all began with this episode.

“The Day of the Doctor”-Doctor Who 50th Anniversary-David Tennant, Matt Smith, John Hurt

My body was not prepared

How many shows can boast about a 50th anniversary? Can you think of any? Go ahead I’ll wait while you think……

.

Yeah thats what I thought! Being the closest thing to a full fledged Doctor Who movie complete with a theatrical release, this is the first time we get a full length genuine multi Doctor special since new Who’s revival (with the notable exception of “Time Crash” a short made for the Children in Need charity). Seeing Smith and Tennant on screen together trading barbs and one liners was almost too much awesome to contain! Coupling that with some SERIOUS story shake-ups and the story behind John Hurts “War Doctor” made this a cannot miss event in the Doctor Who universe.

“Time Heist”-Season Eight, Episode Five-Peter Capaldi

Attack of the eyebrows

While some were concerned with the casting of the aged Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, Capaldi’s portrayal of the Time Lord has been nothing short of amazing! Even in episode with less than stellar writting, Capaldi delivers every single time and one of his best episode to date has to be “Time Heist”. Awesome writting combined with some creative and memorable supporting character, this episode put alot of Capaldi doubters to shame as they saw the Scottish Doctor break into the universes most secure bank.

While it is a safe bet that the contract will eventually be renewed between Netflix and the BBC the wait can be a painful one but don’t give up! Doctor Who has survived the Dark Years of the haitus between Classic Who and New Who, it survived the terrible Americanized movie (which granted brought the AMAZING Paul Mcgann as the Eighth Doctor), it will survive this mini-hiatus as well. In the meantime as we fans are forced to take the long way around until we get some more taste of the Time Lord there are other avenues to explore beyond Netflix! Vudu, Amazon, iTunes, and other online video databases sell episodes and seasons at a discount, Doctor Who is growing in popularity and is fairly easy to find at any video shop. Even Youtube is home to dozens of Doctor Who specials like “Time Crash”, “Time”, and “Space.” There are comics, Big Finish audiobooks, books and more out there! Keep the faith and before you know it you’ll be seeing that amazing opening intro grace your TV screens and computer monitors soon!

ALLONSY!