'Doctor Who' Season 2 Finale Will Premiere Simultaneously in U.S. and U.K.

Doctor Who fans have had literal decades of practice at dodging spoilers. It's a practice that's been honed over years' worth of conflicting release dates, long waits between U.S. and U.K. transmissions, eventual day and date synchronicity, and whatever was happening last season, when American viewers technically got to see the show first for a couple of hours. Things have largely settled down in Ncuti Gatwa's second season, with episodes now launching on Saturday mornings on both Disney+ and BBC iPlayer before a terrestrial BBC One broadcast that night. But, apparently, the Season 2 finale is set to be such a big deal that the show is shaking things up once more. 

On the plus side, fans won't have to worry about dodging spoilers for this much-hyped installment — because, for once, we're all going to be watching it at the same time. The finale, titled "The Reality War," is set to premiere simultaneously on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, on Disney+, and in over 450 cinemas across the U.K. and Ireland. This is a significant shift from the rest of the season's release pattern, which saw episodes drop early at 8 am on iPlayer and Disney+. 

As Season 2 is currently still broadcasting, details about what to expect from the finale are sparse. But we know that it's being billed as an "extra-special-length episode" in which the Doctor will face one of his most terrifying and monumental battles to date. So, you know, no pressure there.

“The Doctor is doomed, Belinda is lost, Ruby is trapped, UNIT is powerless, the Unholy Trinity rule supreme, and the Underverse is rising," Davies said of the final episode. "And now we can all experience this devastating climax together, all at the same time, with a unique worldwide premiere. I can promise shocks, scares, and revelations off the scale. Come and have fun!”

Mention of things like "the Unholy Trinity" and the "Underverse" are new plot tidbits for fans to snack on, and although star Millie Gibson confirmed her return for the finale two-parter earlier this season, it's still nice to see Ruby's name mentioned. How does the constantly appearing Mrs. Flood factor into all this? Will Belinda ever get home? These are all questions that only the final story of the season can answer, but this careful coordination around its broadcast indicates that something big is headed our way. 

Of course, we've all seen the rumors: Doctor Who is going on hiatus, Gatwa's Doctor is regenerating, the show's wrapping it up for good after sixty-some years on air. It seems unlikely that the BBC, Bad Wolf, or any of the folks behind the show would spring that sort of info on viewers out of the blue (and after hyping up such a huge finale!), but I suppose anything is possible. At least we'll all (quite literally) be in it together.

"The Reality War" is written by Davies and directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai. It will transmit on Saturday, May 31 at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT on Disney+, and at 7 pm BST on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the U.K. Fans in the U.K. and Ireland will have an additional opportunity to come together to watch both halves of the epic two-part season finale in cinemas. (Penultimate episode "Wish World" will screen immediately prior.)

Doctor Who Season 2 is currently streaming on Disney+ and BBC iPlayer.