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Doctor Who Fans: 8 Other Netflix Shows You’ll Love

By Barry Rice

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Rose is sucked into the telly in the Doctor Who episode, ‘The Idiot’s Lantern.’ (Credit: BBC)

At long last, it was finally announced this week that Doctor Who Series 8 would be arriving on Netflix next month — August 8, to be more specific. But after months of waiting, knowing the date is coming in less than two weeks is going to make these last few days torturous. Not to mention, once we’ve all binged through Series 8, there’s still more than a month before Doctor Who‘s Series 9 premieres on September 19.

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So what should we do to fill that time? Well, how about binging through another series! There are thousands of movies and television shows on Netflix, so there should be no shortage of options out there for Whovians. But we don’t just want any old show, we want something to keep us in the Doctor Who spirit. Something tangibly related to our favorite blue box sci-fi series, or something that at least has a similar feel to it.

Fear not! I’ve got eight picks for you that should keep you more than busy for the next few weeks. Some are more obvious than others, some you may have already seen; others may make you say “oh yeah, I forgot about that one!” and others may be a complete surprise.

First, a disclaimer: all of these picks come from the American version of Netflix. That’s where I’m based, so that’s my frame of reference here. Some of these may still be available in your region if you’re outside the US; you’ll just have to investigate. Even if they’re not on Netflix where you are, they may be available on another streaming service in your area.

If you have any additional suggestions or comments, we’d love to hear them, too! Be sure to comment below and maybe we’ll include them in a follow-up article.

Next: The Physicist and the Doctor

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(Credit: geeksofdoom.com)

The Science of Doctor Who

1 Episode

Starring: Brian Cox, Matt Smith

This one’s a bit of a cheat for a couple of reasons, and I fully admit that. First, it’s not a fully TV series — it’s a one-episode special. Second, it’s an official Doctor Who tie-in, so the odds that Whovians have already seen it are pretty high.

Still, it’s a great special and there’s a chance that many fans missed it when it originally aired. Even if you’ve seen it, it might be time for a rewatch.

Related: Five Questions That Need Answers on Doctor Who

The special (which aired in 2013 as part of the Doctor Who 50th anniversary festivities) features noted physicist and TV host Brian Cox presenting a lecture at the Royal Institute on — you guessed it — the science behind Doctor Who. But it’s not as dry as it sounds. Interspersed throughout are clips from the show and some new scenes with Cox onboard the TARDIS with Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor.

Doctor Who or not, it’s a very cool, accessible exploration of the physics involved in black holes and time dilation and, coolest of all, a look at the possibility for alien life to exist. And considering Matt Smith is involved in character, you could technically count it as a little-known Doctor Who adventure.

It only runs 59 minutes, so consider this a breezy warm-up for the binge-watching to come.

Next: Not a Robot, but Definitely in Sherwood

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(Credit: BBC)

Robin Hood

3 Series (39 episodes)

Created by: Dominic Minghella and Foz Allan

Starring: Jonas Armstrong, Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage, David Harewood, Keith Allen, Gordon Kennedy, Sam Troughton, Joe Armstrong, Harry Lloyd, William Beck, Anjali Jay, Dean Lennox Kelly. Sophie Winkleman, Paul Hilton, Ian Reddington, Lara Pulver, Clive Standen, Joanne Froggatt, Toby Stephens

Robin Hood was a 2006-2009 attempt by the BBC to put a hip, cool spin on the classic archer. It was actually conceived to fill in for Doctor Who on Saturday nights, taking over the time slot while Doctor Who was between series.

Doc Martin creator Dominic Minghella conceived the show with Foz Allan, and the pair scripted a great deal of the episodes, along with Doctor Who writer (and Bernice Summerfield creator) Paul Cornell.

Second Doctor Patrick Troughton starred in the first BBC Robin Hood series back in 1953, and his son Sam Troughton plays Robin’s ex-manservant, Much, throughout this newer version. Several other notable British actors have roles, including The Hobbit trilogy’s Richard Armitage, Downton Abbey‘s Joanna Froggatt, and Homeland‘s David Harewood (who also appeared on Doctor Who in 2009/10’s ‘The End of Time’).

Nothing will ever top Mark Gatiss’ Series 8 Doctor Who episode ‘Robot of Sherwood’ with Tom Riley as Robin Hood, but hey, it’s a start. (Incidentally, a computer screen in that episode featured a picture of Patrick Troughton from his aforementioned Robin Hood series).

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(Credit: BBC)

Torchwood

4 Series (41 episodes)

Created by: Russell T. Davies

Starring: John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoki Mori, Gareth David-Lloyd, Kai Owen, Peter Capaldi, Mekhi Phifer, Alexa Havins, Bill Pullman

Another obvious choice? Maybe, but I’m constantly surprised by the number of Doctor Who fans I talk to who still haven’t watched Torchwood. And even if you have seen it, maybe it’s time for a rewatch.

Torchwood was, of course, the 2006-2011 Doctor Who spin-off starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness and his covert government agency, as set up through all of Doctor Who‘s Series 2.

The show’s had a troubled history, starting out on the fledgling BBC Three, then receiving a higher budget and profile by moving to BBC Two for its second series. For its third series, it received an even higher budget and a move to BBC One, but in exchange the episode count was slashed to only five, making it an “event series.” For the fourth series, BBC teamed up with the Starz network in the US, creating a ten-episode stand-alone season.

Related: Torchwood’s Gareth David-Lloyd Talks About the Return of Ianto Jones

I won’t lie; that final series, Torchwood: Miracle Day, is dreadful. I barely made it through, and I’ve had no desire to ever see it again. The first three series, though, are pure gold. It looks and feels largely the same as Davies-era Doctor Who, albeit with much more sex, blood, and f-bombs. And don’t forget, current Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi had a recurring role in the third series, Torchwood: Children of Earth, as John Frobisher.

Officially, the show is on hiatus; hopefully, the BBC will eventually see fit to revive it in some form or another. In the meantime, Big Finish is currently in production on a new series of Torchwood audio plays, each focusing on an individual team member.

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(Credit: ITV}

Broadchurch

1 Series (8 episodes)

Created by: Chris Chibnall

Starring: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan, Jonathan Bailey, Carolyn Pickles, David Bradley, Matthew Gravelle, Arthur Darvill, Adam Wilson, Joe Sims, Charlotte Beaumont, Simone McAullay, Tanya Franks, Pauline Quirke

If you still haven’t gotten around to watching Broadchurch, it’s high time you corrected that. It’s one of the best, most emotionally-wrenching shows this writer has ever seen.

Former Tenth Doctor David Tennant stars as DI Alec Hardy, and the show was created by former Doctor Who/Torchwood writer Chris Chibnall. Five episodes of Doctor Who were scripted by Chibnall: ’42,’ ‘The Hungry Earth’/’Cold Blood,’ ‘Dinosaurs on a Spaceship,’ and ‘The Power of Three,’ plus the ‘Pond Life’ minisodes and the proposed (but ultimately unfilmed) DVD short film, ‘P.S.’ In addition, Chibnall was the head writer and co-producer on the first two series of Torchwood.

Beyond Tennant, Broadchurch features a plethora of actors with Doctor Who ties. Former Rory Williams actor Arthur Darvill plays Rev. Paul Coates, ‘Dinosaurs on a Spacehip’ and An Adventure in Space and Time star David Bradley has a recurring role in Series 1, and Torchwood‘s Eve Myles joined the show in Series 2.

Related: Arthur Darvill on the Multiple Deaths of Rory Williams

Unfortunately, although two series have aired, only the first is currently available on Netflix in the US. Still, it’s a place to start, and the show has been renewed for a third series, so better to start catching up now.

(Tennant also starred in the American remake of the show, Gracepoint, which aired on FOX last fall. It did not perform well and will not be back. Gracepoint isn’t on Netflix yet, but it’s nearly a shot-for-shot remake, so you’re not missing much.)

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(Credit: BBC)

Merlin

5 Series (65 episodes)

Created by: Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps, Julian Murphy

Starring: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Richard Wilson, John Hurt, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Anthony Head, Rupert Young, Eoin Macken, Tom Hopper, Adetomiwa Edun, Nathaniel Parker, Michael Cronin, Emilia Fox, Alexander Vlahos, Santiago Cabrera, Michelle Ryan, Carline Faber, Tom Ellis, Trevor Sellers, Asa Butterfield, Terence Maynard

Merlin was a 2008-2012 BBC series that served as an origin story for the fabled wizard of Arthurian legend. It re-imagined Arthur and Merlin as young friends, setting up characters and events that would later take place in the King Arthur stories we all know and love.

Colin Morgan, who had guest-starred as Jethro in the 2008 Doctor Who episode ‘Midnight,’ plays the lead role, while former Doctor Who guest-star and narrator Anthony Head plays Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon. Future War Doctor John Hurt gives voice to Merlin’s mentor, The Great Dragon, and young Guinevere is played by ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’ guest-star Angel Coulby.

Related: Anthony Head Says Doctor Who Owes a Debt to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The show actually aired on NBC in the United States for its first series, but was subsequently moved to corporate sibling Syfy for the remainder of its run. Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall actually worked on a version of the show before it was turned over to a different creative team, and the show was co-produced by BBC Wales, run by former Doctor Who producer-turned-Head of Drama, Julie Gardner. Like Robin Hood, the show was intended as an off-season replacement for Doctor Who, and Gardner cited her work with Russell T. Davies as an influence on the show.

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(Credit: BBC)

Sherlock

3 Series (9 episodes)

Created by: Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves, Mark Gatiss, Louise Brealey

Another obvious choice, perhaps, but still one that bears mentioning. Sherlock is, of course, current Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat’s other hit BBC show, based on the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The tremendous Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Sherlock, with The Office/Hobbit star Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson. The clever twist that separates this version of the famous sleuth from other interpretations is the update to a modern, contemporary setting (for the most part — we’ll get to that).

It’s a smart, high-quality production, with each “series” technically consisting of three two-hour TV movies. Moffat and Doctor Who writer/guest-star Mark Gatiss conceived of the series on their train rides to Cardiff, where Doctor Who is produced.

Related: Comic-Con 2015: Sherlock Victorian Special – First Footage and New Details

A fourth series has been approved, but filming is not scheduled until 2016. In the meantime, a bizarre Christmas special has been filmed that transports Holmes and Watson back to their traditional Victorian setting.

It you haven’t gotten around to watching Sherlock yet, I highly, highly recommend it. There’s also a 56-minute behind-the-scenes special available on Netflix called Unlocking Sherlock.

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(Credit: BBC)

Wizards vs Aliens

3 Series (36 episodes)

Created by: Russell T. Davies and Phil Ford

Starring: Scott Haran, Annette Badland, Michael Higgs, Dan Starkey, Jefferson Hall, Alex Childs, Manpreet Bambra, Connor Scarlett, Percelle Ascott, Brian Blessed, Gwendoline Christie, Tom Bell

I know, I know…it’s a kid’s show. But its ties to Doctor Who are strong, and don’t forget — Doctor Who itself was originally conceived as a children’s show.

After her successful return appearance on Doctor Who in the 2006 episode, ‘School Reunion,’ producer Russell T. Davies created The Sarah Jane Adventures, a kid-friendly spin-off with Elisabeth Sladen reprising her famous role. Unfortunately, Sladen passed away in 2011 before the show’s fifth series was completed.

Davies teamed with writer Phil Ford to fill the sudden gap left by the cancellation of The Sarah Jane Adventures. Ford was the head writer for Series 2 of the former show, and wrote several episodes of Doctor Who and Torchwood. Together they came up with a new show to appeal to the same fanbase and demographics: Wizards vs Aliens.

Related: Is Traveling With the Doctor Necessarily a Good Thing?

Scott Haran stars in the show as a 16-year-old wizard who has to team with his family and friends to fend off an invasion from the alien Nekross, who have the ability to absorb magic.

Other Doctor Who alums in front of the camera include Strax actor Dan Starkey as the hobgoblin Randal and Slitheen actress Annette Badland as Ursula, while former ‘Trial of a Time Lord’ guest-star Brian Blessed gives voice to the Nekross King. Game of Thrones and Star Wars: The Force Awakens star Gwendoline Christie plays the alien Princess of Nekron.

All three series are on Netflix; the show was placed on hiatus in January 2015, but could return sometime in the future.

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(Credit: Netflix)

Sense8

1 Season (12 episodes)

Created by: Andy and Lana Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski

Starring: Ami Ameen, Bae Doona, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Tuppence Middleton, Max Riemelt, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Brian J. Smith, Freema Agyeman, Anupam Kher, Terrence Mann, Naveen Andrews, Daryl Hannah

Easily one of the most polarizing shows of recent years, Sense8 is a high-concept Netflix original series from The Matrix creators, Andy and Lana Wachowski.

Essentially, the series is about a seemingly random group of strangers from around the world who find themselves suddenly able to connect to one another psychically. They can see one other in the same room, transfer one another’s consciousness, and feel each other’s emotions.

The hard ties to Doctor Who are light, with former Martha Jones star Freema Agyeman being the only real connection. The show is rife with genre talent, though, including the Wachowskis themselves and co-creator J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5), Lost‘s Naveen Andrews, Stargate Universe star Brian J. Smith, and Blade Runner‘s Daryl Hannah in a small but pivotal role.

Related: Freema Agyeman: Martha Jones vs. Amanita

Sense8 is a love it-or-hate it show, and even its biggest fans will tell you the first three episodes are a chore to get through. I’ve made it a bit further than that (I’m on episode seven or eight, I believe), but I find the series absolutely awful. I’m a completist, so I intend to finish it, but I’ve never hate-watched a show so hard in my life.

So why recommend it? Because those fans that do love it, they really love it, so maybe you’ll fall into that camp, as well. We have several big Sense8 fans on staff here at Doctor Who Watch and our friends at sibling site Netflix Life seem to love it, too.

What do you think? Any glaring omissions you think should be included? Any shows that shouldn’t have been included? Sound off in the comments below!

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