The Beginner's Guide to Doctor Who

The Beginner's Guide to Doctor Who was a flash-based animated guide to the classic series on the Doctor Who website, targeted at fans of the new series who wanted to learn about the history of the show. It launched on 8 June 2006. It replaced the previous, simpler guide A Brief History of a Time Lord.

Loading page of The Beginner's Guide to Doctor Who.

Main page of The Beginner's Guide to Doctor Who.

It was split into five sections - The Doctor, The TARDIS, Companions, The Daleks and Monsters. Barring the TARDIS, which was represented by the TARDIS, the other four sections were accessible through silver Daleks on hoverbouts. Four of the sections were set out as an animated slide-show narrated by an unknown actress, with each slide having a title.

The other section, "Monsters" was set out like a carnival shooting gallery. Each monster was in silhouette unless you hovered the cursor over them, in which case the monster was revealed. The cursor was shaped like a crosshairs and clicking allowed users to "exterminate" each monster.

It was scored with various special sounds made by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop from the classic series.

Fresh from The Parting of the Ways, the Dalek Emperor structure was used as a frame for images.

The Doctor

First slide of The Doctor page.

The slides in this section were titled:

• The Tenth Doctor
• The Ninth Doctor
• The Eighth Doctor
• The Seventh Doctor
• The Sixth Doctor
• The Fifth Doctor
• The Fourth Doctor
• The Third Doctor
• The Second Doctor
• The First Doctor
• The Time Lords
• Rassilon
• President of Gallifrey

The TARDIS

First slide of The TARDIS page.

The slides in this section were titled:

• The TARDIS
• Console Room
• Other Rooms
• Dangers
• TARDIS History

Companions

First slide of Companions page.

The slides in this section were titled:

• Rose Tyler
• Sarah Jane Smith
• K9
• UNIT
• Susan

The Daleks

First slide of The Daleks page.

The slides in this section were titled:

• Skaro - Dalek Planet
• Dalek Creator - Davros
• Original Dalek Emperor
• Dalek Invasion of Earth
• The Mechonoids
• Dalek Master Plan
• The Movellans
• Return of Davros
• Dalek Civil War
• Special Weapons Dalek
• The Time War

Monsters

The following monsters were featured in this section:

• Auton Alien plastic lifeform
• Sontaran Clone warrior
• Haemovore Aquatic future vampire
• Axon Energy vampire
• Axon Energy vampire (true form)
• Cyberman Emotionless cyborg
• Daemon Azal; A forgotten god
• Silurian Early Earth inhabitant
• Sea Devil Early Earth inhabitant
• Sutekh The destroyer of Osiris
• Mummy Robotic Osiran slave
• Robotic Yeti Serves the Great Intelligence
• Zygon Master of the Loch Ness monster

Notes

• The de-complied file reveals that the audio used for website is close to 8 minutes, as it's used for all five sections and there are gaps of ambient music. Also, the audio goes in this order; Daleks, the Doctor, the TARDIS, music from The Krotons used for the Monsters section, and Companions.
  • The line where the narrator talks about the Daleks engaging in the Time War is recorded separately as the audio is in a different quality.

External links

• The Beginner's Guide to Doctor Who (archived from December 2008)