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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Lost: One Story; Found: Plenty of Narration, December 15, 2000
Among Whovians, 'Shada' has achieved a deservedly legendary status (written by bestselling author Douglas Adams, and starring arguably the most popular actor to play the Doctor, Tom Baker). The story seemed forever lost down a video black hole, as it was only partially completed in 1979 when a BBC strike shut down production. When the strike ended, the completed footage was shelved, and Adams wouldn't allow the story to be novelized. It was a story no one had seen, from a script almost no one had read. Hence, a legend was born. And like many legends, the reality of this one doesn't live up to the hype. This video attempts to reconstruct the original story, with the BBC footage bridged by scenes of Tom Baker (recorded in a Doctor Who display), telling us what takes place between the surviving scenes. Adams' complicated plot doesn't get the support it needs from the plentiful narration, and the story gets muddled along the way. Also, as many of the pivotal scenes were never shot, too much was left to our imaginations for the story to hold together. The only redeeming quality the video has are some delightful scenes between The Doctor, his companion Romana (played by Lalla Ward, then Baker's so-to-be-wife), and the eccentric retired Time Lord at the heart of the story, Prof. Chronotis. These scenes are almost worth sitting through the seemingly endless narrations, and trying to follow the wayward plot. The British edition of this video contained a paperback reprinting the original shooting script, and it wasn't until I read it that I was trully able to enjoy the story. (Which, it turns out, wasn't Adams at his best.) 'Shada' is a video for the devout Whovian and the devoutly curious.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Incomplete Triumph, November 23, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Doctor Who: Shada [VHS] (VHS Tape)
"Shada" was a 6 part 4th Doctor, 2nd Romana story that was never finished due to a union strike. The video uses the footage that was shot along with footage of Tom Baker (the 4th Doctor) narating the missing scenes in a museum. The story itself is definately one of the more interesting stories and it is sad that it was never finished, especialy when Baker describes the climax and you're sitting there going "Damnit! Couldn't you guys have shot it for the video? We wouldn't have cared about how much people have aged or replaced due to death." The Doctor is called to Cambridge, 1979, by retired Timelord Profesor Chronotis to take back a very dangerous book back to Galifrey. Unfortunately, An Alumnus of Cambridge had unwittingly barrowed the book from the Profesor and they need to retrieve it from him post-haste. To make matters worse, Skagra, a man with poor fashion sense and the ability to steal peoples minds. He intends to use the book to take the mind of a great criminal Timelord. The Doctor finds himself in a race against time to keep Skagra from succeding in his evil, nasty, and slightly naughty plan. The stary includes an invisable space ship, two (maybe three) TARDISES (or is it TARDISI?), and one evil billiard ball. A kick a** story, this video is well worth the $$$.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Lost Episode, January 7, 2000
This review is from: Doctor Who: Shada [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A production strike halted work on this the final episode of the Baker's penultimate season as Doctor Who. For years, fans only caught glimpses of the production at conventions. Now producer John Nathan Turner has taken the material and completed the needed special effects and music and along with Tom Baker as narrator to bridge the missing scenes, completes the story, making it available on home video. It's regrettable that the original story could not have been completed as it would have been interesting to compare the two. What works in this video is Tom Baker's narration, the return of David Brierley (sp?) as K9 and the scene of the Doctor biking down the street while the barshop singers chant Chattanooga Choo Choo. What doesn't work is the more modern day effects, the modern day style music and the story itself. Adams has always been one to forego plot elements in favor of a funny scene. Elements are tossed about throughout the story and are only picked up in the end as an afterthought to offer resolution. The video is an interesting piece of Who history, but not one of the better stories.
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