The Ultimate Guide (2010 documentary)

The Ultimate Guide
Subject:	introducing Doctor Who to an American audience
Broadcast on:	BBC America
Broadcast with:	The Eleventh Hour
Broadcast date:	17 April 2010
Runtime:	45 minutes
Key crew
Interviewees:	Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, Karen Gillan, Steven Moffat, Matt Smith, David Tennant, Piers Wenger
Producers:	Michiko Byers, Andrew Jackson, Vicky Lemont, Tracy Comer
Executive producers:	Garth Ancier, Andrew Jackson, Richard De Croce, Chris Carr
BBC America Documentaries
Next →	Doctor Who: Rewind

You may wish to consult The Ultimate Guide for other, similarly-named pages.

The Ultimate Guide was a documentary produced by BBC America, BBC Worldwide and BBC Wales. It was primarily used to introduce North American audiences to the BBC Wales version of Doctor Who. Consequently, it debuted on BBCA and was swiftly picked up by Space as well. On both networks, it was originally seen prior to the broadcast of The Eleventh Hour.

It opened with an overview of the RTD era, then spent the bulk of its runtime teasing elements of the then-unbroadcast series 5. It also provided background on notable enemies (the Daleks, Cybermen, and Weeping Angels) as well as companions (Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, and Amy Pond). The same production crew came together the following year to make Doctor Who: Rewind, a similar show that reviewed the events of series 5 just prior to the broadcast of series 6.

BBC America synopsis

Just in time for the U.S. premiere of Doctor Who, journey into the Doctor Who universe with BBC AMERICA's original program, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide. The program is an original, all-access look inside the world's biggest, most successful sci-fi television program.

Topics covered

The programme was split into the following titled segments:

• A Series Regenerated 2005
• Who is the Doctor?
• Renegade Traveller
• The TARDIS
• Sonic Screwdriver
• An Unconventional Hero
• The Human Race
• The Daleks
• The Cybermen
• Weeping Angels
• Companions
• Rose Tyler
• Martha Jones
• Donna Noble
• Amy Pond
• The New Season

People interviewed

• Karen Gillan, Amy Pond
• Steven Moffat, Lead Writer/Executive Producer 2010
• Matt Smith, The Doctor 2010
• Julie Gardner, Executive Producer 2005-2009
• Russell T Davies, Lead Writer/Executive Producer 2005-2009
• David Tennant, The Doctor 2006-2009
• Piers Wenger, Executive Producer 2010

Crew

BBC America Team

• Executive Producers - Garth Ancier, Andrew Jackson, Richard De Croce, Chris Carr
• Producers - Michiko Byers, Andrew Jackson, Vicky Lemont
• Written by - Michiko Byers, Andrew Jackson
• Editors - Michiko Byers, David Nathan, Scott Saunders
• Graphic Design - Azin Shamma

BBC Wales Team

• Brand Manager - Ian Grutchfield
• Assistant Producer - Tracy Comer
• Post-Production Team - Chris Blatchford, Ceres Doyle, Rhodri James
• Special Thanks to - Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger, Beth Willis, Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, David Tennant, Michael Zansitis, Erika Gesue, Brandon Cuicci
• Doctor Who Music by - Murray Gold
• Additional Music - APM Music
• Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide is a production of - BBC America, BBC Wales, BBC Worldwide

Notes

• The opening titles use the Doctor Who closing theme music from Series 2 and 3, whilst throughout the rest of the programme the Series 5 theme music is used.

Home video releases

As of November 2020 this programme is not available commercially.

External links

• Official site
• Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide at the Internet Movie Database