Doctor Who: Shada (1992) (V)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Pennant Roberts

Writer:

Douglas Adams (written by)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

This unfinished story from the television series "Doctor Who" (1963) was released on video with linking material from Tom Baker...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Tom Baker	...	The Doctor / Narrator
Lalla Ward	...	Romana
Christopher Neame	...	Skagra
Denis Carey	...	Professor Chronotis
Daniel Hill	...	Chris Parsons
Victoria Burgoyne	...	Clare Keightley
David Brierly	...	K9 (voice)
Gerald Campion	...	Porter (Wilkins)
Shirley Dixon	...	Voice of Skagra's Ship
James Coombes	...	Voice of Krargs
Derek Pollitt	...	Professor Caldera (episode 4)
John Hallet	...	Police Constable (episode 6)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:U

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Never broadcast as part of "Doctor Who" (1963) because a strike interrupted production and it was never completed. Two short clips from the unfinished episode were used in the 1983 special episode "The Five Doctors". Years later, all available video footage was combined together for this special video release.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the scene where Skagra attaches the sphere to Professor Chronotis' head, the professor's eyeglasses are off his head during a close-up, then on again after a couple of camera shot changes that return to a close-up, all while his hands are empty and his arms are flailing about.

Quotes:

Romana: I told you you've got the time wrong, Doctor.
The Doctor: Yes, but you're always saying that.
Romana: You're always getting the time wrong.

Movie Connections:

Edited from "Doctor Who" (1963)

Even incomplete, this may well be the greatest who story ever.

Whether you regard this story as the greatest is a matter of opinion. This is definitely one of the two most humorous stories ever made for Who (The other being City of Death). The non-completion of this story is tragic. A superb cast of actors were assembled for a magnificent Douglas Adams story.

One of Douglas Adams' greatest strengths as an author was that he could present a technical storyline not only as comprehendible but as magnificently fun. Add to this Tom Baker at his madcap best, Lalla Ward matching him perfectly, Denis Carey superbly cast as the incredibly vague and doddering retired Time Lord, and the magnificent Christopher Neame as Skagra, a man with a very credible plot to take over the universe.

This is a prime example of Science Fiction - It takes an entirely original premise of a threat and creates an adventure of the first order with top humour to boot.