Top 250 Tv Shows Like Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide

A list of the best tv shows similar to Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide. If you liked Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide then you may also like: Access Hollywood, All Creatures Great and Small, Bugs, Call the Midwife, Celebrity Name Game and many more great tv shows featured on this list.

The Ultimate Guide was a documentary made by BBC Events Production in London which aired on BBC Three in the run-up to the 50th anniversary of the Doctor Who. It gave a broad overview of the show's history, and interviewed many people involved in its production over the years, including five of the actors who portrayed the Doctor: Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann and David Tennant — as well as the current executive producer and head writer Steven Moffat.

Access Hollywood

Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and later Christopher A. Berry directed the program. Access Hollywood primarily focuses on news in the music, television, and film industries. The United States version began broadcasting on September 9, 1996, and is nationally syndicated in the United States. In 2003, a British version of the show began production and in an Irish version began in 2006 airing on the now defunct Channel 6, now known as 3e. In Canada, CTV Two has aired the program since September 5, 2011.

All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small is a British television series, based on the books of the British veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot. Ninety episodes were aired over two three-year runs. The first run was based directly on Herriot's books; the second was filmed with original scripts.

Bugs

Bugs was a British television drama series which ran for four series from April 1995 to August 1999. The programme, a mixture of action/adventure and science-fiction, involved a team of specialist independent crime-fighting technology experts, who faced a variety of threats based around computers and other modern technology. It was originally broadcast on Saturday evenings on BBC One, and was produced for the BBC by the independent production company Carnival Films.

Call the Midwife

Drama following the lives of a group of midwives working in the poverty-stricken East End of London during the 1950s, based on the best-selling memoirs of Jennifer Worth.

Celebrity Name Game

Celebrity Name Game is an American syndicated game show which premiered on September 22, 2014. Based on the board game Identity Crisis (created by Laura Robinson and Richard Gerrits), the series was developed by Courteney Cox and David Arquette's Coquette Productions, and was originally pitched as a primetime series for CBS with Craig Ferguson as host. The series was later picked up by FremantleMedia and Debmar-Mercury as a syndicated series for 2014 with Ferguson, who left The Late Late Show on December 19, 2014, remaining as host as well as an executive producer. The series marks Coquette's first foray into game shows. The show was subsequently renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 21, 2015.

Class

Coal Hill School has been a feature of Doctor Who since the first episode, but now we get to see the day-to-day adventures of the students coping with intrusions from space and time.

Exit 57

Exit 57 was a 30-minute sketch comedy series that aired on the American television channel Comedy Central from 1995 to 1996; its cast was composed of comedians Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, Jodi Lennon, and Mitch Rouse, all of whom had previously studied improv at The Second City in Chicago. In 1999 Sedaris, Dinello, Colbert and Rouse would also create the Comedy Central show "Strangers with Candy". Humorist David Sedaris also served as an additional writer for the series, sharing a single onscreen credit with his sister as "The Talent Family". The show's producer, Joe Forristal, had also served as executive producer for The Kids in the Hall. All of the sketches in the series are implied to take place in the fictional suburban setting of the Quad Cities. During the show's memorably cryptic opening sequence, the cast members are seen standing next to a broken down car on the highway. Soon they are picked up by a passing driver, who changes the radio station at the mention of a serial killer, and takes Polaroid pictures of his increasingly uncomfortable passengers. Growing suspicious, the cast demands to be let out. The car is then seen pulling off the highway at Exit 57.

The Family-Ness

The Family-Ness is a British cartoon series produced in 1983. It was first broadcast on BBC One from 5 October 1984 to 5 April 1985, and it was created by Peter Maddocks of Maddocks Cartoon Productions. Maddocks later went on to produce Penny Crayon and Jimbo and the Jet Set in a similar style. Family-Ness was about the adventures of a family of Loch Ness Monsters and the MacTout family, particularly siblings Elspeth and Angus. The 'Nessies' could be called from the loch by the two children by means of their "thistle whistles". The series was followed with a large collection of merchandising including annuals, story books, character models and even a record. The single "You'll Never Find a Nessie in the Zoo" was written by Roger and Gavin Greenaway, but never made it into the Top 40.

Late Show with David Letterman

Late Show with David Letterman is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated and CBS Television Studios. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is Paul Shaffer. The head writer is Matt Roberts and the announcer is Alan Kalter. Of the major U.S. late-night programs, Late Show ranks second in cumulative average viewers over time and third in number of episodes over time. The show leads other late night shows in ad revenue with $271 million in 2009. In most U.S. markets the show airs at 11:35 p.m. Eastern/Pacific time, but is recorded Monday through Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m and 6:00 p.m. The second Thursday episode usually airs on Friday of that week. In 2002, Late Show with David Letterman was ranked No. 7 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. CBS has a contract with Worldwide Pants to continue the show through 2014; by then, Letterman will surpass Johnny Carson as the longest tenured late-night talk show host.

Listen Up!

Listen Up! is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from September 20, 2004 until April 25, 2005. The sitcom was based loosely on the life and exploits of the popular sportswriter and sports-media personality Tony Kornheiser. Its principal executive producer was Jason Alexander, who was also the lead actor. Despite decent-to-good ratings, the show was canceled by CBS on May 18, 2005; "rising production costs" was the major reason officially given for the cancellation.

Omnibus

Omnibus was an arts-based BBC television documentary series, broadcast mainly on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. The programme was the successor to the long-running arts-based series 'Monitor'. It ran from 1967 until 2003, usually being transmitted on Sunday evenings. During its 35-year history, the programme won 12 Bafta awards. Among the series' best remembered documentaries are Cracked Actor, a profile of David Bowie, and Rene Magritte, a graduate film by David Wheatley, 'Madonna: Behind the American dream', a film produced by Nadia Hagger, and a profile of the British film director Ridley Scott. For a season in 1982, the series was in a magazine format presented by Barry Norman. The series was replaced by 'Imagine' hosted by Alan Yentob.

Sherlock

A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.

Soul Train

Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from 1971 to 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer. Production was suspended following the 2005–06 season, with a rerun package airing for two years after that. As a nod to Soul Train's longevity, the show's opening sequence contained a claim that it was the "longest-running first-run, nationally syndicated program in television history," with over 1,100 episodes produced from the show's debut through the 2005-06 season. Despite the production hiatus, Soul Train will continue to hold this honor until at least 2016, if and when its nearest competitor, Entertainment Tonight, completes its 35th season.

Takin' Over the Asylum

A salesman starts to run a hospital radio station inside a facility for people with mental heath needs.

You Can't Do That on Television

You Can't Do That on Television is a Canadian television program that first aired locally in 1979 before airing internationally in 1981. It featured pre-teen and teenaged actors in a sketch comedy format. Each episode had a theme. The show was notable for launching the careers of many performers, including Alanis Morissette, and writer Bill Prady, who would write and produce shows like The Big Bang Theory, Gilmore Girls and Dharma and Greg. The show was produced by and aired on Ottawa's CTV station CJOH-TV. After production ended in 1990, the show continued in reruns on Nickelodeon through 1994, when it was replaced with the similar All That. The show is synonymous with Nick, and was at that time extremely popular, with the highest ratings overall on the channel. The show is also well known for introducing the network's iconic slime. The program is the subject of the 2004 feature-length documentary, You Can't Do That on Film, directed by David Dillehunt.

Doctor Who

The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

Totally Doctor Who

A look at everything Doctor Who, with exclusive behind-the-scenes clips, interviews with the programme's stars and competitions.

How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? is an English reality television talent show that documented the search for an undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian stage production of The Sound of Music. The series was devised by executive producer Gigi Eligoloff, and was announced by the BBC in April 2006. BBC One broadcast the programme, which was hosted by Graham Norton, on Saturday evenings from 29 July through 16 September 2006. The title derives from the refrain of "Maria", a song from the first act of The Sound of Music.

Doctor Who Confidential

Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons. Described as focusing on the human element of the series, Confidential features behind-the-scenes footage on the making of Doctor Who through clips and interviews with the cast, production crew and other people, including those who have participated in the television series over the years of its existence. Each episode deals with a different topic, and in most cases refers to the Doctor Who episode that preceded it. There have also been two episodes of Doctor Who Confidential broadcast apart from the showing of Doctor Who episodes: in November 2006 an edition subtitled "Music and Monsters" was produced going behind the scenes of a televised concert of soundtrack music produced as part of that year's Children in Need appeal, and on 3 January 2009, a special edition was broadcast to announce the actor chosen to play the Eleventh Doctor.

Fear, Stress & Anger

Fear, Stress & Anger is a British sitcom that aired on BBC Two in 2007. Starring Peter Davison and Pippa Haywood, it was written by Michael Aitkens. There is no studio audience or laugh track.

Arena

Arena is a British television documentary series, made and broadcast by the BBC. Voted by leading TV executives in Broadcast as one of the top 50 most influential programmes of all time, it has run since 1 October 1975 with over five hundred episodes made, directed by the likes of Martin Scorsese, Alan Yentob, Roly Keating, Frederick Baker, Volker Schlondorff and Vikram Jayanti. Arena's subjects are a roll-call of the world's best known cultural figures from the 20th and 21st centuries, from singers Bob Dylan and Amy Winehouse to academics Edward Said and Eric Hobsbawm, from writers Jean Genet and V S Naipaul to artists Francis Bacon and Louise Bourgeois. The current series editor is Anthony Wall.

Freak Show

Freak Show is an animated television series on Comedy Central created by H. Jon Benjamin and David Cross. The show chronicles a freak show, called the Freak Squad, which reluctantly moonlights as a group of second-rate superheroes employed by the US government. The first and only season, which consisted of seven episodes, premiered on October 4, 2006, and ended on November 16, 2006. Cross and Benjamin were executive producers in addition to voicing various characters. Radical Axis handled all aspects of production, from initial audio records and character design to final delivery of the master. The series was released on DVD on June 12, 2012.

World in Action

World in Action was a British investigative current affairs programme made by Granada Television from 1963 until 1998. Its campaigning journalism frequently had a major impact on events of the day. Its production teams often took audacious risks and gained a solid reputation for its often unorthodox, some said left-wing, approach. Cabinet ministers fell victim to its probings. Numerous innocent victims of the British criminal justice system, including the Birmingham Six, were released from jail. Honouring the programme in its fiftieth anniversary awards, the Political Studies Association, said: "World in Action thrived on unveiling corruption and highlighting underhand dealings. World in Action came to be seen as hard-hitting investigative journalism at its best." In its heyday World in Action drew audiences of up to 23 million in Britain alone, equivalent to almost half the population.

War and Peace

The classic BBC dramatisation of Tolstoy's epic story of love and loss set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Anthony Hopkins heads the cast as Pierre Bezuhov (a role for which he won the 1972 Best Actor BAFTA); Morag Hood is the impulsive and beautiful Natasha Rostova; Alan Dobie is the dour but heroic Andrei Bolkonsky; and David Swift is Napoleon, whose decision to invade Russia in 1812 has far-reaching consequences for Pierre and the Rostov and Bolkonsky families. The twenty-part serial was the vision of producer David Conroy whose principle aim was to transfer the rich characterisation and incident from Tolstoy's greatest novel to a television drama. Scripted by Jack Pulman and directed by John Davies, Conroy's War And Peace boasts superb acting, award-winning design (1972 Best Design BAFTA) and breathtaking battle sequences which were filmed in former Yugoslavia.

Ultimate Factories

Ultimate Factories also known as Megafactories is an American documentary television series that premiered in 2006 on the National Geographic Channel. The program explores the inner workings of factories worldwide. Each episode profiles the machinery and manpower behind each factory's main product, featuring close-ups, breakdowns, interviews, and side stories to show the sequence of events to produce the product in the factory. Hoff Productions was one of the principal producers of this highly successful series. It also airs in non-US markets as Megafactories.

Engineering an Empire

Engineering an Empire is a program on The History Channel that explores the engineering and/or architectural feats that were characteristic of some of the greatest societies on this planet. It is hosted by Peter Weller, famous for his acting role as RoboCop but also a lecturer at Syracuse University, where he completed his Master's in Roman and Renaissance Art. The executive producer is Delores Gavin. The show started as a documentary about the engineering feats of Ancient Rome and later evolved into a series. It originally ran for one full season of weekly episodes.

Casualty 1900s

Featuring true cases, characters and events taken from the London Hospital records, nurse's ward diaries and intimate memoirs, these gritty medical series show the lives – and forbidden romances – of pioneering doctors and nurses a hundred years ago.

Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial

Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial, is a BBC documentary film series consisting of three one-hour films that re-enact the Nuremberg War Trials of Albert Speer, Hermann Göring and Rudolf Hess. They were broadcast on BBC Two in 2006 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the trials.

Heroes and Villains

Heroes and Villains was a 2007-2008 BBC Television docudrama series looking at key moments in the lives and reputations of some of the greatest warriors of history. Each hour long episode featured a different historical figure, including Napoleon I of France, Attila the Hun, Spartacus, Hernán Cortés, Richard I of England, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. The statements at the beginning of each episode read: "This film depicts real events and real characters. It is based on the accounts of writers of the time. It has been written with the advice of modern historians." In the United States the show is aired on The Military Channel and was called "Warriors".

He Knew He Was Right

He Knew He Was Right was a 2004 BBC TV adaptation of the Anthony Trollope novel He Knew He Was Right. It was directed by Tom Vaughan.

People's Century

People's Century is a television documentary series examining the 20th century. It was a joint production of the BBC in the United Kingdom and PBS member station WGBH Boston in the United States. First shown on BBC in 1995, the 26 parts of one hour deal with the socio-economic, political, and cultural movements that shaped the 20th century. The documentary won an International Emmy Award, among others. A departure from other documentaries that observe history as the actions of great men, People's Century considers the Century from the view of common people. Most persons interviewed were ordinary men and women who closely witnessed various events and they give personal accounts how developments in the Twentieth Century affected their lives. The opening credits depict various images from the century, accompanied with a theme music score by Zbigniew Preisner. A very short introduction of the episode would then follow, often illustrated by a dramatic event that illustrates the episode's particular theme coming to the fore. The British version was narrated by Sean Barrett and Veronika Hyks, the American by actors John Forsythe and Alfre Woodard. People's Century was coproduced by the BBC and WGBH with executive producers Peter Pagnamenta and Zvi Dor-Ner, respectively; along with producer David Espar.

Dragons Alive

Dragons Alive is a television nature documentary series about reptiles co-produced by the BBC Natural History Unit and Animal Planet. The executive producer was Sara Ford, the narrator was Lloyd Owen and the music was composed by Elizabeth Parker. The series was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One beginning on 24 March 2004.

Trials of Life

A study in animal behaviour, it was the third in a trilogy of major series (beginning with Life on Earth) that took a broad overview of nature, rather than the more specialised surveys of Attenborough's later productions. Each of the twelve 50-minute episodes features a different aspect of the journey through life, from birth to adulthood and continuation of the species through reproduction. The series was produced in conjunction with the Australian Broadcasting Service and Turner Broadcasting System Inc. The executive producer was Peter Jones and the music was composed by George Fenton. Part of David Attenborough's 'Life' series, it was preceded by The Living Planet (1984) and followed by Life in the Freezer (1993).

Closer to Truth

Closer to Truth is a continuing television series on PBS & public television originally created, produced and hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn. The first premiere series aired in 2000 for 2 seasons, followed by a second series aired in 2003 for a single season. The current / third series of the program, Closer to Truth: Cosmos. Consciousness. God., launched in 2008, with 12 full seasons to date. Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the creator, executive producer, writer and presenter of the series. Peter Getzels is the co-creator and producer / director. The show is centered on on-camera conversations with leading scientists, philosophers, theologians, and scholars, covering a diverse range of topics or questions from the size and nature of the universe, to the existence and essence of God, to the mystery of consciousness and the notion of free will.

Coupling

The mating ritual can get messy. Let's see if we have this straight... Steve's with Jane but he's suddenly hot for Susan who met Steve through Jeff whom Susan used to go out with though she's just dumped Patrick despite the great sex so Patrick's asked Sally out which bugs Susan since Sally is her best friend... Based on the outrageous British hit series of the same name, Coupling concerns love and lust among six thirty- somethings who are either involved, formerly involved or looking to become intimately involved -- often with each other. The result, not surprisingly, is a very involving comedy filled with eye-popping situations and equally jaw-dropping one-liners.

New Scandinavian Cooking

New Scandinavian Cooking is a Scandinavian cooking show which, over the course of ten seasons, was hosted by Andreas Viestad, Tina Nordström and Claus Meyer, produced by the Norwegian production company Tellus Works in collaboration with American Public Television. A sequel series titled Perfect Day continued with the original hosts in rotation, with the cast addition of Sara La Fountain. It is also broadcast on channels such as AFC. Beginning in 2003, the show debuted on PBS in the United States. It has also been broadcast in more than 130 other countries, including the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Italy and France, according to the show's producers a viewership of 100 million per episode. The first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth seasons were hosted by Norwegian food writer Andreas Viestad, the third season by Swedish chef and television personality Tina Nordström, and the fifth season was hosted by Danish chef and cookbook author Claus Meyer. The sixth season, a sequel series Perfect Day rotated the original hosts Viestad, Nordström and Meyer, with the addition of Finnish TV chef Sara La Fountain. The seventh season was once again named New Scandinavian Cooking, and still rotated between the Nordic hosts. During the eight and ninth seasons Andreas continued the series on his own, with his passionate storytelling, fusing history, nature and cooking – seeking out the origins of the food with his mobile kitchen. Iceland will be introduced in the upcoming season ten.

The Littlest Hobo

The Littlest Hobo is a Canadian television series based upon a 1958 American film of the same name directed by Charles R. Rondeau. The series first aired from 1963 to 1965 in syndication, spanning six seasons and was revived for a popular second run on CTV from October 11, 1979 to March 7, 1985. It starred an ownerless dog. All three productions revolved around a stray German Shepherd, the titular Hobo, who wanders from town to town, helping people in need. Although the concept was perhaps similar to that of Lassie, the Littlest Hobo's destiny was to befriend those who apparently needed help. Despite the attempts of the many people whom he helped to adopt him, he appeared to prefer to be on his own, and would head off by himself at the end of each episode. Never actually named on-screen, the dog is often referred to by the name Hobo or by the names given by temporary human companions. Hobo's background is also unexplained on-screen. His origins, motivation and ultimate destination are also never explained. Although some characters appeared in more than one episode, the only constant was the Littlest Hobo himself.

Secret History

Secret History was a long-running British television documentary series. Shown on Channel 4, the Secret History brandname was used as a banner title in the UK, but many of the individual documentaries can still be found on US cable channels without the branding. It can be seen as Channel 4's answer to the BBC's Timewatch.

Sex Change Hospital

Sex Change Hospital is an American six-part documentary series following trans men and women having genital reassignment surgeries. Dr. Marci Bowers performs the surgeries and calls upon her own experiences as a transgender woman to guide her patients as they go through the ultimate life changing procedure.

Ghostly Encounters

Ghostly Encounters is a Canadian paranormal documentary television series that premiered on July 16, 2005 to January 19, 2011. on Viva/W Network. The program also airs on A&E's The Biography Channel in the United States. The show was created by executive producer Phyllis Platt, is produced by Brian Dennis, and is hosted by Lawrence Chau. The program uses a combination of interviews and dramatic recreations, examining the events that led its subjects to accept or reject occurrences as supernatural, and how the experience has helped or hindered them. Ghostly Encounters won a Gemini Award for best original score in 2007.

The West

The West, sometimes marketed as Ken Burns Presents: The West, is a documentary film about the American Old West. It was directed by Stephen Ives and the executive producer was Ken Burns. The film originally aired on PBS in September 1996.

Full Color Football: The History of the American Football League

Full Color Football celebrates the 50th season of the maverick American Football League, from its tumultuous beginnings to its unlikely merger with the rival NFL.

Forever Young

Forever Young is an American reality television series that premiered on TV Land on April 3, 2013 from Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg's Katalyst, and 3 Ball Productions headed by executive producers J. D. Roth and Todd A. Nelson.

Chiefs

Three different police chiefs in three different eras become involved in a growing mystery -- who is the mass murderer behind the killing of transient youths in and around the fictional southern town of Delano over a forty year period?

Sarah Jane's Alien Files

Sarah Jane's Alien Files is a BBC series based on The Sarah Jane Adventures. It features Sarah Jane Smith, Luke Smith, Clyde Langer and Rani Chandra entering data on aliens they have encountered during their adventures into Mr Smith, Sarah Jane's extraterrestrial computer, to benefit humanity in the event that Sarah Jane is no longer capable of defending the Earth against alien threats. Each episode is a clip show summarising the events of episodes in which the featured aliens appeared. The only new footage is the framing and narration, shot entirely on the series' standing attic set. Occasionally, brief clips from Doctor Who are included for context, such as in episode 6 when the Judoon are compared to the Cheetah People of Survival in that each humanoid species looks superficially like a non-humanoid terrestrial mammal. The series format was based upon the short "alien files" clips previously produced for the CBBC's The Sarah Jane Adventures website.

Edwardian Farm

Edwardian Farm is an historical documentary TV series in twelve parts, first shown on BBC Two from November 2010 to January 2011. It depicts a group of historians trying to run a farm like it was done during the Edwardian era. It was made for the BBC by independent production company Lion Television and filmed at Morwellham Quay, an historic quay in Devon. The farming team was historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn. The series was devised and produced by David Upshal and directed by Stuart Elliott. The series is a development from two previous series Victorian Farm and Victorian Pharmacy which were among BBC Two's biggest hits of 2009 and 2010, garnering audiences of up to 3.8 million per episode. The series was followed by Wartime Farm in September 2012, featuring the same team but this time in Hampshire on Manor Farm, living a full calendar year as wartime farmers. An associated book by Goodman, Langlands, and Ginn, also titled Edwardian Farm, was published in 2010 by BBC Books. The series was also published on DVD, available in various regional formats.

The Indian Doctor

The Indian Doctor is a British television drama set in the summer of 1963. Produced by Rondo Media and Avatar Productions, it was first broadcast on BBC One in 2010. The most recent series began on 27 February 2012 and concluded on 2 March. It is a period comedy drama starring Sanjeev Bhaskar as an Indian doctor who finds work in a South Wales mining village.

Racism: A History

Racism: A History is a three-part British documentary series originally broadcast on BBC Four in March 2007. It was part of the season of programmes broadcast on the BBC marking the 200th anniversary of the Slave Trade Act 1807, a landmark piece of legislation which abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. The series explores the impact of racism on a global scale and chronicles the shifts in the perception of race and the history of racism in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia. The series was narrated by Sophie Okonedo.

Silk

Silk is a British television drama series produced by the BBC and first shown in 2011. Written by Peter Moffat, the series follows a set of barristers, and what they do to attain the rank of Queen's Counsel, known as "taking silk."

Twenty Twelve

A mock-documentary following the challenges - both personal and professional - faced by the team responsible for delivering the biggest show on Earth: the 2012 Olympics. From getting a busload of non-English speaking Brazilians from A to B, who to appoint to run the Cultural Olympiad and what to do when the much-vaunted wind turbines won't turn because there's no wind, it's all in a day's work for the men and women whose job it is to stage the greatest sporting event in the world.

Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood

Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood is a 2011 BBC documentary series written, directed and presented by Paul Merton. The three-part series traces the rise of the American film-making industry in Hollywood through from the early years of film-making to the foundation of the major motion-picture studios and the new class of the film star.

The Queen

The Queen was a 2009 British drama-documentary showing Queen Elizabeth II at different points during her life. Broadcast on Channel 4 over five consecutive nights from 29 November 2009, the Queen was portrayed by a different actress in each episode. The Queen was portrayed by Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn and Diana Quick. Katie McGrath played Princess Margaret in the first episode and Lesley Manville played Margaret Thatcher in the third episode. The series was co-funded by the American Broadcasting Company, the network which aired the series in the US. This reunited Emilia Fox and Katie McGrath who had played sisters in BBC One's Merlin.

Baker Boys

Baker Boys is an English-language Welsh television drama series, produced by BBC Wales and broadcast on BBC One Wales. The series was written by Helen Raynor and Gary Owen. Torchwood creator Russell T Davies also had a role as creative consultant, which he fulfilled from Los Angeles. The first episode of the series was broadcast on 23 January 2011. The programme follows the workers of Valley Bara bakery which is the economic centre of Trefynydd, a small fictional village in South Wales. Generations of people had earned a living and formed a life at the bakery but this is thrown into jeopardy when recession bites and the bakery workers find themselves unemployed overnight. Writer Helen Raynor describes it as "a blue collar drama", explaining "we wanted to tell the story of a community, with a workplace at the centre of it, who suddenly fall on hard times".

Earthflight

Earthflight is a British nature documentary that shows a flight from the view of the wings of birds across six continents, showing some of the world's greatest natural spectacles from a bird's-eye view. it was created by the BBC and the first episode, narrated by David Tennant, aired on BBC One on 29 December 2011. A two-hour subset of Earthflight was aired in October 2012 by the Discovery Channel in the US as Winged Planet. The entire first series aired on PBS, beginning in September 2013, under the title Earthflight, A Nature Special Presentation.

The Tube

The Tube is a 2012 documentary television series produced by Blast! Films for the BBC. It follows the staff and passengers of the London Underground as it underwent the biggest upgrade in its history. It premiered on BBC Two on 20 February 2012 for a six-week run.

Privates

Privates is a 2013 BBC One drama television series set in 1960 which follows the stories of eight privates who are part of the last intake of National Service, and their relationships with their officers and non-commissioned officers, civilian staff and families. The series was written by Damian Wayling, directed by Bryn Higgins and produced by Nick Pitt. The setting is the fictional North Yorkshire Regiment, although for dramatic effect the characters are from a variety of backgrounds including London, Liverpool, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Filmed in Northern Ireland, extras were provided by soldiers, wives and families of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles. Locations were Ballykinler Army Base, Tyrella Beach, South Promenade Newcastle.

Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

From the pioneering work of Galen on Roman gladiators to the latest advances in plastic surgery, this five-part series illustrates the evolution of surgical techniques—a story as much of mishaps and misadventures as it is of successes and amazing advances. Filmed in America and Europe and presented by the charismatic and medically trained Michael J. Mosley. Contains surgical scenes of a graphic nature. A BBC Production. 5-part series.

Doctor Who Greatest Moments

Takes viewers on a journey through time and space to relive all the action from the sci-fi show, featuring exclusive interviews with key actors offering unique insights on the classic moments.

Andrew Marr's History of the World

Andrew Marr's History of the World is a 2012 BBC documentary television series presented by Andrew Marr that covers 70,000 years of world history from the beginning of human civilisation, as African nomadic peoples spread out around the world and settled down to become the first farmers, up to the twentieth century.

People Just Do Nothing

This mockumentary goes behind the microphone of Kurupt FM - the second most popular pirate radio station in West London, receiving up to eight texts per show and playing the finest in UK garage and drum 'n' bass. Co-founded by the MC Sniper and DJ Beats in 2002, the station has now built up a following of over a hundred people and has attracted the attention of the BBC who are making a documentary about the lives of those behind Kurupt FM

BBC Young Musician

BBC Young Musician (Young Musician of the Year) first appeared on our TV screens in 1978. The brainchild of BBC producers Humphrey Burton, Walter Todds and Roy Tipping, the biennial competition has developed an enviable reputation for finding superstar musicians including Nicola Benedetti, Mark Simpson and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.

W1A

The follow-up to 'Twenty Twelve' as Ian Fletcher takes up the position of 'Head of Values' at the BBC. His task is to clarify, define, or re-define the core purpose of the BBC across all its functions and to position it confidently for the future, in particular for Licence Fee Renegotiation and Charter Renewal in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The Real History of Science Fiction

The series heads to the very frontiers of space and science to produce the definitive television history of science fiction, told through its impact on cinema, television and literature, with the help of filmmakers, writers, actors, and graphic artists. Each episode will explore one of the enduring themes of science fiction: time travel; the exploration of space; robots and artificial intelligence; and aliens.

Dirt Every Day

Finally, a show for all you dirt heads out there! Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road Technical Editor Fred Williams introduces the new Dirt Every Day show with a brief overview of what it's all about and where it's headed. Check back in every other Thursday as Fred continues his crusade against asphalt.

Secrets of the Castle

How do you build a medieval castle from scratch? Domestic historian Ruth Goodman and archeologists Peter Ginn and Tom Pinfold make perhaps their most ambitious foray into the past as they head to France to take part in a build that has been underway since 1997. Our intrepid history adventurers join this magnificent construction at Guédelon Castle to recreate authentic medieval castle living from within its rising walls.

Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka

The Doctor, a time-traveling alien explorer, is sent by his people, the Time Lords, to liberate a small town in England from the tyrannical rule of a race of alien lava creatures called the Shalka.

David Suchet: In the Footsteps of St Peter

Actor David Suchet goes in search of one of the most puzzling characters in history - the man we know today as Saint Peter.

Cradle to Grave

It's 1974 and 15 year-old Danny is our guide through the ups and downs of life with the Baker family. With eldest daughter Sharon's wedding looming and the docks facing closure, times are challenging. So too are Danny's attempts to get closer to the opposite sex. A TV show showing the ups and downs of the well known Danny baker and his friends during childhood.

Cosmic Disclosure

For the first time ever, a 30-year insider has come forward to reveal over 70 years of humanity's hidden history in space. Corey Goode joins David Wilcock in this inaugural presentation of Cosmic Disclosure to offer an overview of the history and extent of humanity's celestial presence.

The American West

From the Executive Producer Robert Redford, THE AMERICAN WEST tells the story of the aftermath of the CIVIL WAR and how the United States transformed into the “land of opportunity" spanning the years 1865 to 1890. Transporting into the violent world of cowboys, Indians, outlaws and law men, the story chronicles the personal, little-known stories of Western legends such as Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. The series features exclusive interviews with notable names from classic Western films, including Robert Redford, James Caan, Burt Reynolds, Tom Selleck, Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Harmon, Ed Harris and more.

Grandstand

Grandstand was a British television sport programme. Broadcast between 1958 and 2007, it was one of the BBC's longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Its first presenter was Peter Dimmock. There were only four main presenters of the programme during its long history: David Coleman, Frank Bough, Des Lynam, and Steve Rider. Changes in the structure of the programme during its last few years, however, meant it did not have a regular main presenter during this time. Among the more occasional hosts were Alan Weeks, David Icke, Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine, Bob Wilson, David Vine, Barry Davies, Dougie Donnelly, Harry Carpenter, Harry Gration, John Inverdale, Tony Gubba, Helen Rollason, Ray Stubbs and Sue Barker. The last editions of Grandstand were broadcast over the weekend of 27–28 January 2007.

A Timewatch Guide

Series looking at how the BBC has revealed and interpreted monumental moments in our history. Using the BBC archive, the programmes examine changes in research covered in documentary television.

Queers.

A series of eight monologues set in the same pub over many years of gay history in response to the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act.

Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics

A six-part documentary series that takes a deeper look into the stories, people and events that have transformed the world of comic books.

Unapologetic with Aisha Tyler

Unlike a conventional after show confined to the companion series itself, Unapologetic will feature Aisha Tyler leading a topical discussion around the broader, female-centric issues and themes that Dietland explores. Tyler will be talking with celebrity fans, series actors and producers, as well as relevant journalists, writers, comedians and other tastemakers.

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited

As the Doctor's newest companion, Clara Oswald, steps into the TARDIS, take a look back at previous companions that have won over The Doctor's hearts in Doctor Who: The Companions. Along the way, companions past and present talk about how the show has changed their lives, and how they've never quite managed to leave the TARDIS behind.

Wheels

Based on the 1971 novel by Arthur Hailey, Wheels is about the automobile industry and the day-to-day pressures involved in its operation. The plot lines follow many of the topical issues of the day, including race relations, corporate politics, and business ethics. The auto company of the novel is a little-disguised Ford Motor Company and some of the characters are recognizable to company insiders.

The Troubles: A Secret History

In a landmark 7-part series, Spotlight - Northern Ireland’s leading team of investigative journalists - reveal important new discoveries about the conflict known as the Troubles, in the 50th anniversary of the deployment of British troops to Northern Ireland.

Des

The story of one of the most infamous cases in UK criminal history, that of serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Told through the prism of three men, the series explores the personal and professional consequences of coming into contact with a man like Nilsen.

Secrets of the Solar System

The ultimate guide to the Solar System, told by the dedicated people who sent spacecraft to explore the sun, the planets and much more.

Alan Bennett's Talking Heads

Widely celebrated as Alan Bennett's masterpieces, his multi-award-winning Talking Heads return to BBC One. Filmed during lockdown under social distancing guidelines, a new generation of Britain's finest actors star in 10 of Bennett's classic scripts, alongside two brand new Talking Heads penned by the acclaimed writer last year.

Staged

David Tennant and Michael Sheen (playing themselves) were due to star in a production of 'Six Characters in Search of an Author' in the West End. The pandemic has put an end to that, but their director (Simon Evans) is determined not to let the opportunity pass them by.

Red Dwarf: The First Three Million Years

The definitive overview of the adventures of the legendary Boys from the Dwarf. This three-part series charts the origins, production and legacy of everything associated with the sci-fi comedy.

Doctor Who: Fury from the Deep

Patrick Troughton's Doctor and his companions Victoria and Jamie investigate strange happenings at a gas refinery run by Chief Robson. Animated recreations of lost episodes help bring this 1960s adventures back to screens.

We Shall Remain

We Shall Remain is a five-part, 7.5 hour documentary series about the history of Native Americans spanning the 17th century to the 20th century. It was a collaborative effort with several different directors, writers and producers working on each episode, including directors Chris Eyre, Ric Burns and Stanley Nelson Jr. Actor Benjamin Bratt narrated the entire series. It is part of the American Experience series and premiered April 13, 2009.

Inside Man

A prisoner on death row in the US, a vicar in a quiet English town, and a maths teacher trapped in a cellar cross paths in the most unexpected way.

The Legend of the Lost Keys

The Legend of the lost keys is an educational BBC Look and Read production, which was first aired on BBC Two on 12 January 1998, and has been shown regularly ever since.

Doctor Who: Dreamland

While visiting a diner in Nevada in 1958, the Doctor finds an alien artifact and ends up on a mission to save the Rivesh Mantilax from the danger of the Viperox and the U.S. Military.

The U.S. and the Holocaust

Inspired in part by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibition and supported by its historical resources, this documentary series examines the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany in the context of global antisemitism and racism, the eugenics movement in the United States, and race laws in the American south.

How the BBC Began

The often-hilarious stories of the BBC's first 50 years. The corporation's pioneers describe its evolution – which was often by accident rather than design.

Windrush

Windrush is a 4-part series of one hour television documentaries originally broadcast on BBC2 in 1998 to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival in Britain of the Empire Windrush, the ship which brought the first wave of post-war West Indian immigrants

The Family Stallone

Follow legendary actor Sylvester Stallone with his wife and daughters in a direct access to their daily life.

Doctor Who: Unleashed

Following the same format of Doctor Who: Confidential, Steffan Powell takes audiences behind the scenes of each episode of BBC's Doctor Who.

Tales of the Tardis

Classic Doctor Who duos are reunited as they board a very special TARDIS on a nostalgic voyage through space and time.

Doctor Who

The Doctor and his companion travel across time and space encountering incredible friends and foes.

Jesus: The Evidence

1984 Channel 4 documentary series surveying the history of New Testament scholarship, giving an overview of the contemporary New Testament scholarship, and finally a tracing of the history of the development of Christianity.

Doctor Who: Real Time

The Doctor and his companion, Evelyn, investigate a series of mysterious disappearances on the planet Chronos.

We Are England

We Are England was a regional current affairs documentary programme shown on BBC One. The programme was made by six teams around England, based in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Newcastle and Norwich. It explored the issues people cared about, as told by them from across the country. It replaced the long running BBC programme "Inside Out".

An Optimist’s Guide to the Planet

Follow Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s search for the people, ideas, traditions, and attitudes – the solutions – which will transform fear of the future into hope, climate angst into optimism and human disconnection into engagement. In each of the six episodes, Nikolaj and his affable team criss-cross the globe exploring humanity, witnessing its power for good and learning about some of the remarkable solutions (both old and new) that inspire his optimism for the future.

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