Doctor Who: A guide to the seasons (and series) numbering of the time-travel show

Are you ready to start (or continue) watching Doctor Who? Are you finding the season (and series) numbering system incredibly confusing? Well, you're not alone, and it's also unfortunately about to get even more confusing.

But no worries, if you're lost, you can follow along with our guide below.

Classic Era Doctor Who (Season numbering)

Doctor Who first hit airwaves in 1963 with William Hartnell as the First Doctor. The fact that the Doctor "regenerates" into another body (read: another actor) is a big driver behind how the show has run for decades and many, many seasons.

Here is the first chunk of Doctor Who out there and how the seasons are numbered:

New era Doctor Who (Series numbering)

Doctor Who didn't air from 1989 until its revival in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston playing the Ninth Doctor. With this revival also came a new numbering system, starting with a brand-new Series 1.

Here is how the revival series are numbered:

Global era Doctor Who (Season numbering)

Russell T. Davies has just confirmed that Ncuti Gatwa's new season of Doctor Who will be renumbered as Doctor Who season 1, perhaps in a way to capture a more global audience. So that means that there will be two season 1s of Doctor Who, along with a series 1.

Here is how what we're calling the Global era of Doctor Who is numbered:

Doctor Who: How and where to watch the wibbly wobbly, timey wimey show