Cup of tea, Old Boy?
Harry -
A milk and six sugars if you're making one, ta lovey. And Happy New Year. The back of the sofa is littered with empties. We should do some tidying before getting back at it.
Sarah -
Happy New Year. I'll tidy up the bottles in a bit, but first let's have a biscuit and a chat about "Shada."
Harry -
Yes, this is the next item on our marathon. "Shada" is an odd thing -- only partially filmed, never broadcast, not an officially numbered Doctor Who story, but released in a variety of formats over the years. Off the top of my head:
- a VHS version featuring the original footage, with Tom Baker offering connecting dialogue whilst creeping around a Doctor Who exhibition
- a Big Finish audio version featuring Paul McGann's Doctor
- a novelization of Douglas Adams' original scripts by Gareth Roberts
- there is an animated version floating around online, and also a fan edit that ties the whole story together in less than an hour, using the original footage
Sarah -
I watched the first half of the Baker VHS version and the fan edit. Perhaps I'll get around to the novelization someday.
It was fun to finally see the filmed footage, besides the punting scene that was recycled for "The Five Doctors".
Harry -
I also watched the first episode of the VHS, and the fan edit. It was nice to see something other than the punting scene. All this time, the delightful Professor Chronotis was unknown to us. Denis Carey was lovely as the old Time Lord living out a kind of semi-retirement at Cambridge, surrounded by walls of books and barrels of tea. Very cosy.
Sarah -
How lovely was he?
Harry -
Very.
Of course, it wouldn't be Doctor Who if a bunch of things didn't all happen at once. In this case, Chronotis receives a series of visits from student Chris Parsons, the Doctor and Romana, the villainous Skagra and Clare Keightley, another student. All the enters and exeunts revolve around a book that was in the professor's possession: The Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey. It's rather important.
Sarah -
Terribly important. You'd think he might keep better track of it. Still, the centuries do slide by.
My favorite thing in the entire stash of footage is the ensemble Skagra dons to visit Professor Chronotis in Cambridge. I imagine his research on appropriate clothing for 1979 was focused on disco-fabulous drug lord cabaret dancers. Can go wrong with that look.
Harry -
Oh my word, it's Skagra Stardust and the Krargs from Mars!
Skagra's first ensemble was the highlight of the story. It's pure Bowie. The white spacesuit with silver cape, the high-heeled boots, the big floppy hat. Strolling around Cambridge like he doesn't care. It was hugely disappointing when he returned to his invisible ship to change into more mundane Earth attire.
Sarah -
That's about the point my interest started flagging.
Harry -
In his second, bland ensemble, Skagra confronts the Doctor, demanding the book and setting his scary sphere against our hero. The Doctor flees on bicycle. Was this the first and only bicycle chase in Doctor Who?
Sarah -
It's the first I recall. So high-speed and exciting! Well, exciting in a lost-footage, Cambridge-y sort of way.
Harry -
So many sharp corners!
The story gets a bit sliced and diced after that, as scenes start to go missing and the remaining footage gets stitched together by the fan editor(s). I'm not sure where Chris went, and suddenly Clare comes to Chronotis' assistance after he sort-of-died-but-returned-to-action. I'm not sure where Romana went, either.
Sarah -
Things happen, problem solved, la la la, let's have tea! It's all very Douglas Adamsish and lovely at the end.
I don't believe we can provide our usual wrap up to this story, but I'm fairly certain we can agree on our lasting image!
Harry -
Oh yes!
I don't know what those Krargs were, mind -- some kind of fire monsters at Skagra's command? Anyway, they seemed to bring some menace before our heroes prevailed and everyone headed back to Chronotis' place. I guess we have to leave it at that. Incomplete review for an incomplete story. Maybe we'll jointly read the novelization, or track down the McGann audio someday.
Best Line - Eh, I'm sure the Doctor and Romana exchanged witticisms at some point.
Favourite Moment - Skagra strolling around Cambridge in full space villain regalia.
Lasting Image - Oh yes!
Rating incomplete.
Sarah -
You know what this means -- we're about to move into Tom Baker's final season.
Harry -
They say things took a turn here...
Sarah -
Shall we meet up at The Leisure Hive?
Harry -
As soon as I've carried out these empties.
Our marathon resumes with Story #109 - The Leisure Hive...
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