Disney+For the better part of a century, Doctor Who has aired in the U.K. before the U.S. Watching the series required strategic viewing of PBS or BBC America, and even now in the streaming era, the show is scattered across three different services. Back in 2023, it seemed like the troubles were over when Disney+ brokered a deal with the BBC to premiere the series’ 60th anniversary specials and future seasons on its streamer at the same time as the U.K. release. But over the specials and two seasons of the show, led by Ncuti Gatwa, it seemed like Disney was wavering on the deal. And recently it was announced that the partnership would no longer continue, but the show would return on the BBC in late 2026. But the two still have some unfinished business: a miniseries spinoff. Now, it looks like this series won’t get the same treatment as the other Disney-era Doctor Who products. Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure as the Doctor was part of an experimental collaboration with Disney. | Disney+The BBC recently announced that the upcoming miniseries The War Between the Land and the Sea will premiere on December 7, 2025, with two episodes airing on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Despite the fact that the series was produced along with Disney, there is still no Disney+ release date for countries outside of the U.K., and it has the very vague release window of “2026.” This means that by the time the series premieres on Disney+, the series will already be seen — and likely spoiled — by U.K. audiences, and it’s even likely global viewers will use other means to watch the show on iPlayer before its premiere. The War Between the Land and the Sea premieres in the UK in December, but won’t air in the US until 2026. | Disney+Unfortunately, this will likely become the new normal for Doctor Who fans. This is only a spinoff miniseries, so it won’t have huge impacts on greater Doctor Who lore, but by the time the main series returns to screens, it’s likely the U.K. will see it first, be that by a few hours, days, or even weeks. The Disney+ era may have only lasted a few years, but it proves that a simulcast is possible in the streaming age, where viewers are more connected than ever. But if it returns with a delayed premiere, at least we tasted what’s possible. To adapt a phrase from another U.K. export, ‘tis better to have a simultaneous premiere and lost than not have a simultaneous premiere at all.The War Between the Land and the Sea premieres on Disney+ in 2026.