The classic story of The Beatles has returned with a brilliant new look. The Beatles Anthology, the famous documentary series that first told the band’s story in their own words, is back on Disney+. For its 30th anniversary, the series has been completely restored and given a brand-new final episode. Critics have responded with overwhelming praise, awarding the re-released series a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This unanimous acclaim highlights how the timeless tale of four lads from Liverpool continues to connect with audiences today, both old and new.
What Makes the 2025 Anthology Series New
This is not just a simple re-run of a old TV show. The team at Apple Corps, along with Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post, has given the entire series a major technical upgrade. They have worked frame by frame to improve the picture and sound quality, making decades-old footage look and sound clearer than ever before. The original eight episodes, which follow the band from Liverpool clubs to global fame and their 1970 breakup, have all been remastered.
The biggest addition is a completely new Episode 9. This extra hour acts as a fresh ending for the series. Instead of concluding with the band’s separation, it focuses on the 1990s, when Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr came back together to work on the original Anthology project. It shows them recording the new songs “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love,” and even briefly attempting the demo that would decades later become “Now and Then”.
Why Critics Are Giving the Series Perfect Reviews
The perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes is based on nine critic reviews, all of which are positive. Reviewers are impressed by both the quality of the restoration and the emotional impact of the new episode.
Critics note that the technical work brings the Beatles’ story to life in a new way. Stuart Heritage of The Guardian pointed out the dramatically improved audio quality compared to the original series. David Bianculli of NPR was satisfied with the expansion of the series through newly added footage and other elements. The restoration makes the historical footage feel immediate, even for viewers who never saw the 1995 version.
The new Episode 9 has received special attention. Jordan Bassett of NME praised it for adding valuable new context while staying true to the spirit of the original documentary. The episode’s director, Oliver Murray, explained his goal was to “humanize” the three musicians as they looked back on their legacy in the 1990s.
“It was an opportunity to lift the kind of heavy fog of what was going on at the very end in 1970 and finish it in a much more positive light,” Murray stated.
He described his mission as exploring “how it felt to be a Beatle,” using the new episode to show the rebuilding of friendship among the surviving members.
Inside the New Episode 9: Unseen Footage and Final Songs
Episode 9 serves as a captivating time capsule from the mid-1990s. It is constructed entirely from footage shot between 1994 and 1995, with no new modern interviews, to preserve the feeling of that specific moment in time. Director Oliver Murray had access to a treasure trove of material, with about half of the content being previously unseen by the public.
Fans are treated to intimate scenes, like the three Beatles playing ukuleles together on the lawn of George Harrison’s home, and a previously unseen group interview conducted in the famous Studio Two at Abbey Road. The episode also delves into the recording sessions for the Anthology singles. There is a powerful close-up of George Harrison crafting his distinctive guitar part for “Real Love,” and a moment where Paul McCartney admits they were “a bit terrified” to tackle the complex work needed on John Lennon’s “Now and Then” demo.
The episode weaves these threads together to show a band reconciling with its past. It captures the bittersweet reality of working without John Lennon, but also the clear joy and comfort McCartney, Harrison, and Starr found in each other’s company during the project. Murray sees the episode not as an ending, but as a “handover” of the Beatles’ story to new generations.
How and When to Watch the Series on Disney+
The remastered The Beatles Anthology is available to stream only on Disney+. The series was released in a special three-night event. The first three episodes arrived on Wednesday, November 26, followed by three more on Thursday, November 27. The final three episodes, including the new Episode 9, were released on Friday, November 28.
For those without a subscription, Disney offers several bundle options. One popular choice is the Disney+ and Hulu bundle with ads, which costs $12.99 per month. This release follows the successful 2021 Disney+ documentary The Beatles: Get Back, which was also worked on by Peter Jackson’s team.
The Sound Behind the Scenes with Giles Martin
A key part of the restoration is the new audio mixes created by Giles Martin, the son of the Beatles’ legendary producer George Martin. Martin has worked on numerous Beatles projects, including the recent Get Back documentary and the 2023 release of “Now and Then”. For the Anthology, he remixed much of the featured music to take full advantage of modern sound systems.
Martin approaches this work with a clear philosophy: to represent the music as truthfully as possible. He focuses on showcasing the Beatles as the cohesive four-piece band they were.
“My job is to represent as truthfully and as best I can what [the music] is. I never, ever wanted to change what the Beatles are playing. The heartbeat of the Beatles is always there,” Martin explained.
His work on the final Beatles song, “Now and Then,” is also featured in the new episode. Martin clarified that this track truly is the end of new Beatles music, as it is the last song to feature contributions from all four members.
“Why this song sounds like the Beatles is because it is the Beatles… this has to be the last Beatles song,” Martin stated.
The restored Anthology series and its new episode offer a complete and powerful look at the band’s journey. From the early days in Hamburg to their final studio work in the 1990s, the series provides the definitive account of how John, Paul, George, and Ringo changed music forever. The perfect critical score confirms that their story, told with this level of care and quality, remains as compelling as ever.
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