Doctor Who means 3 shows across 61 years — 1963 to 2024 — and 427 hrs 54 in total.
Where we would start: Doctor Who (2005) — 153 episodes, 123 hrs. That is 29% of the whole.
Why 2005, even at 123 hours
Because the 1963 run weighs 292 hours on its own, two thirds of the total, and part of its 1960s episodes was destroyed by the BBC: starting there means starting with a hole. The 2005 revival restarts from scratch — new lead, new companion, no prior knowledge needed. And above all: its first season is thirteen episodes and forms a complete arc. You can stop there and consider you have watched a whole story. That is the number that matters, not the 123 hours.
The list follows release order. Ratings appear only for the 2 of 3 shows that reach 500 votes — below that, a rating rests on too few people.
Everything the franchise holds
- 1963 — Doctor Who — 694 ep. — 292 hrs 15 — 7.9/10
- 2005 — Doctor Who — 153 ep. — 123 hrs — 7.6/10
- 2024 — Doctor Who — 16 ep. — 12 hrs 39
Carrying on, or stopping
Simply carry on: the 2005 run changes Doctor every three or four years, and each change is a clean exit if you want one. The 2024 season is the other option, the shortest of the three: sixteen episodes, a little over twelve hours — but it is also the only one of the three whose rating is not shown, for lack of votes, and it assumes vague prior knowledge. As for the 1963 run, save it for later: it asks you to accept the pace and the effects of another era.
Who it is for
For anyone who has heard of a sixty-year-old cult show and dares not approach it. For anyone who wants science fiction that changes tone every week. If you want a short, closed story, this is the wrong place: even the narrowest door opens onto hundreds of hours.
Track Doctor Who on WatchTrailFAQ
Do the 1963 and 2005 shows tell the same story? Yes, the second is the direct continuation of the first, sixteen years later. It is written to be understood without having seen the first.
Why three entries and not one? Because TMDB counts three, and that is faithful: 1963 ends in 1989, 2005 picks it up, 2024 restarts the numbering.
How long is the first 2005 season? Thirteen episodes of about 45 minutes, roughly ten hours. That is the real entry ticket.
Last updated: November 6, 2026 — TMDB data verified on August 16, 2026.