Ten sci-fi/fantasy shows to binge while sheltered in place

Picture shows: Yasmin Khan (MANDIP GILL), Ryan Sinclair (TOSIN COLE), The Doctor (JODIE WHITTAKER), Graham O’Brien (BRADLEY WALSH), Grace (SHARON D CLARKE)

8. Doctor Who

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that if you wanted to watch just one show for this whole lockdown, you could probably start Doctor Who now and maybe — just maybe — be done by the time social distancing is a thing of the past. It’s the longest running sci-fi show in history, which means it has approximately one bajillion seasons to sate your viewing needs.

For the uninitiated, the show follows its namesake Doctor, the last member of an extraterrestrial race called the Time Lords, as he/she/they go on all sorts of time-traveling adventures in a blue police box/spaceship called the TARDIS. If all those pronouns were confusing, that’s because the Doctor changes actors every few years. Unlike most shows, however, that change is actually built into the mythos. Every time the Doctor changes actors, it signals a new era of the show — often with a whole new cast of supporting characters who go along on the adventures. All that means that despite its insanely long run, Doctor Who still feels fresh and enjoyable.

There are two main runs of Doctor Who: the original series (which ran from 1963-1989), and the relaunch that began airing in 2005. I have a theory that if you asked five Doctor Who fans where to start watching, you’d get five different answers. But really, there’s no wrong place.

Like Star Trek, this one is more episodic in nature and can often be pretty feel-good (though it is certainly not without its intense moments and crazy plot twists). That makes it easier than most shows to jump right in and start enjoying the adventure.

You can find the classic Doctor Who streaming on BritBox. The post-2005 seasons will be available starting in May exclusively on HBO Max. You can also check out BBC America’s website for a list places to watch the newest season.