Disney+'s 12-Episode Doctor Who Replacement Is Time Travel Done Right

Published Nov 9, 2026, 1:00 AM EST

Lewis is a Lead Writer for Screen Rant and has written for the site since 2022. This has allowed Lewis to explore a vast array of films, TV shows, books, comic books, and games from across the mainstream world of pop culture, reflecting his lifelong love of all media and typifying his experience in the world of fiction storytelling. To top this off, Lewis graduated from Northumbria University with First Class Honours in Film & TV Studies, truly exemplifying his experience in the medium.

Doctor Who may be one of the most influential sci-fi series ever made, but Disney+'s 12-episode replacement employed time travel much more neatly. Time travel TV shows are undoubtedly one of the most popular subgenres of science fiction. After all, there is a common rule among fanbases that, if a sci-fi TV show goes on long enough, it will attempt to tackle time travel in some capacity. This is why a lot of the most beloved sci-fi shows of all time feature time travel shenanigans, with Doctor Who exemplifying this better than most.

Although a new Doctor Who era is approaching after a period of relative uncertainty, the show remains one of the most iconic sci-fi productions in TV history. That said, there is no denying that its long history, multiple reboots, and more complex plots can make time travel more confusing. With this in mind, Disney+ has a tighter, more contained time travel story that lasted only 12 episodes, was revered among audiences and critics alike, and dealt with its central sci-fi theme in an easier-to-follow way.

The show in question is Loki, set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite being part of one of the biggest franchises in cinematic history, Loki was relatively self-contained. Yes, it established some important aspects for the rest of the franchise, but it focused on its titular character exploring the Time Variance Authority and all the time-traveling, multiversal storylines that came with the premise. As a result, the jumps around the timeline, time loops, and character arcs were all neatly packed into 12 episodes and a tight narrative, proving to be time-traveling done right.

Loki Replaces Doctor Who Better Than One Might Think

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While the two franchises are very different, Loki is as good a Doctor Who replacement as the MCU will ever get. Yes, the Marvel universe is based on superheroes, but there are elements that cross the sci-fi line. From the multiverse and alien races to different timelines and benevolent heroes, the broad strokes of the MCU are similar to those of Doctor Who. Where Loki specifically is concerned, though, the series' sci-fi roots make it even more like Doctor Who.

For a start, Loki introduces the Time Variance Authority, which polices timelines and keeps things in check to stave off the creation of a multiverse. While the Time Lords of Doctor Who are different, as they take an oath not to interfere with time, the concept of an organization of people above time is similar. In Doctor Who, a race named the Mouri was recently introduced, who live on the planet Time and keep watch over the eponymous state of existence.

The Mouri were created at the beginning of everything in that franchise, with the TVA, He Who Remains, and the Timekeepers being similar in Loki season 1. In the latter show, Loki rebels against the TVA and its leaders and becomes the sole keeper of time itself who watches over the multiverse he helped create. As we will see in Avengers: Doomsday, Loki will play an active role in helping universes that need it. The Doctor is somewhat similar, in that he is a rogue Time Lord who simply tries to help people he comes across on his travels.

Despite Being Crucial To The Multiverse Saga, Loki Is A Self-Contained Show

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When focusing just on Loki, the show works well as a time-travel story done right because it is primarily self-contained. Although it has natural shared universe elements such as being teased in prior stories and setting up the essential future of the Multiverse Saga, the core of Loki is easy to understand if one has never seen another MCU project. The show focuses on a central cast of characters, telling a tight narrative across two short seasons that gives each one their own arc.

There are many stories in the MCU that cannot be watched without first seeing others, but this is not the case with Loki as a result of its concise plot. Even the complex time travel elements are mostly self-contained, with any time loops, cause-and-effect elements, and alternate universe journeys being shown from the main characters' perspectives. The show is relatively unconcerned with throwing wider MCU characters into a time travel-based universe, making Loki a self-contained sci-fi show that anyone can enjoy.