Bet you didn't see this coming.
Some classic episodes from the modern revival of Doctor Who are coming to family-friendly cable TV network Disney XD. The tweener-centric network has seen success with shows focused at older kids, like Star Wars Rebels and Phineas and Ferb, but this is probably the first time Disney XD has licensed a live-action series that's previously been targeted at adults.
Specifically, Disney XD has acquired the rights to air Seasons 2 through 4 of Doctor Who, which are the seasons that starred fan-favorite actor David Tennant. BBC America already airs these episodes regularly alongside the other five seasons of the modern Who, but BBCA is a network made for decidedly adult viewing.
Doctor Who regularly deals with universal themes and ideas that anyone of any age can identify with, but its high-concept science fiction often incorporates alien "monsters of the week" that some parents might hesitate letting their little ones watch.
To be fair, Doctor Who is a longstanding family affair on the other side of the pond. In the United Kingdom, the show is a cultural touchstone that many viewers grew up watching and have introduced their own kids to today. Despite its occasional frights, it's viewed as much more family-friendly, along the lines of the way Americans see... well, Disney. It remains to be seen if Disney's American audience will feel the same way.
Disney XD will premiere a preview episode of Doctor Who the evening of Saturday, May 9, 2015. But viewers will have to wait over a month to see more, as regular broadcasts begin with a week-long marathon starting Saturday, June 13. From the 13th through the 20th, the network will air eight episodes daily. On Sunday, June 14, mobile viewers will be able to watch episodes via the Watch Disney XD app.
David Tennant co-starred with a revolving door of companions across the three seasons, including Billie Piper (pictured above) in Season 2, Freema Agyeman in Season 3 and Catherine Tate in Season 4. His tenure on the show lasted from 2006 to 2008, though he returned in 2007 in a series of specials, and again in 2013 for the show's 50th anniversary telefilm.
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