Doctor Who opening story An Unearthly Child is available to watch in a few places…
It’s the story that started 60 years of adventures through time and space.
Doctor Who began in 1963 with the unforgettable opener An Unearthly Child which followed two teachers Ian Chesterton (William Russell) and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) as they were puzzled by the rather enigmatic and confounding new pupil at their school: Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford).
As they sought to discover more about Susan’s background, Ian and Barbara’s investigations led them to her grandfather, The Doctor (William Hartnell) and his malfunctioning time-travelling spacecraft, the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space).
Thus this quartet were thrown together and they found themselves heading off on their first adventure to the Stone Age.
However, considering the importance of this story to Doctor Who history, just where can you watch An Unearthly Child?
How to watch Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child in the UK
There are a number of places to watch the opening Doctor Who story An Unearthly Child.
Is Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child available on DVD and Blu-ray?

An Unearthly Child is available in a DVD format but is currently not available for purchase on Amazon as an individual DVD.
However, the story is available within a DVD boxset trilogy of the first three Doctor Who stories – An Unearthly Child, The Daleks, and The Edge of Destruction.
There is currently a 1 to 4-week wait for the dispatching of the boxset which is currently a best seller on the store and is available on Amazon UK.
An Unearthly Child is not available on Blu-ray as the first season of Doctor Who has yet to be released in this format.
Is Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child available on BBC iPlayer?
An Unearthly Child is not currently available to watch on BBC iPlayer and it is currently unconfirmed whether it will be included in the line-up of Doctor Who content due to be added to the platform in November 2023.
Is Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child available on BritBox?

Yes, An Unearthly Child is available in its entirety on BritBox and via the plug-in to the service on ITVX.
The unaired pilot recording of the first episode is also available on the platform.
Is Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child available on the Apple Store?
Yes, An Unearthly Child is currently available to purchase as individual episodes on the Apple Store.
Each episode is available to purchase for £1.89 each on the store. The parts available are:
- An Unearthly Child
- The Cave of Skulls
- The Forest of Fear
- The Firemaker
Is Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child available on Prime Video?
Yes, An Unearthly Child is currently available to purchase as individual episodes and as a season on Amazon’s Prime Video service.
Each episode is available to purchase for £1.89 each on the store or as a full season for £5.99. The parts available are:
- An Unearthly Child
- The Cave of Skulls
- The Forest of Fear
- The Firemaker
Is Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child available on Netflix?
No, An Unearthly Child is not available to stream on Netflix.
In fact, no Doctor Who content is currently available on the platform.
Read More
- Doctor Who boss reveals number of episodes in Ncuti Gatwa’s second season
- Doctor Who exec gives update on how many new episodes have been shot
- Russell T Davies: “Keep LGBTQ+ representation at heart of the narrative”
- Doctor Who’s Katy Manning remembers “closest friend” Jon Pertwee
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Episodes of the classic series can be streamed on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.