Douglas Adams Written Dr. Who Episode Goes Into Production
Posted by
chrisd
on from the let-go-of-my-coat-tegan dept.
oddsheep writes "The BBC have announced they will be showing a new version of an episode originally written by Douglas Adams and that was never shown after industrial action halted the original production in 1979." "Shada" will star Paul McGann as the Doctor.
There is already a Tom Baker version of Shada. It's a 2 tape set and I can get it at my local video store. The back of the slick makes reference to production hassles but I've never hired it because I've found that re-watching Dr Who (Blake's 7, Battle of the Planets, etc..) is an effective way of exterminating any sense of fond nostalgia.
--
--- Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
I hate the way the BBC pumps my license fee into projects that are completely worthless (fame acadamy, eastenders). Fortunatly the BBC exists for the minority of the population. If we relyed on tabloid "mob rule", we'd have back to back football and big brother on TV, back to back Justin Timberlake on radio, and stupid flash and "Free Tonez" on bbci.
Back in the day when BBC pumped money into 625line TV, and then Color, and Teletext, and Nicam, it was exactly the same. Not everyone have Teletext, why should they have to subsidise teletext people? Why does the BBC maintain a website and broadcast radio online for people in america and beyond, that dont pay a license fee? They had a website back in the days when there was 30,000,000 internet users worldwide
Everything starts off as a minority, specialist, service. Then the mainstream get it.
Besides, I'd think the 5 million DST, 2 1/2 million DTT and 2 1/2 million cable subscribers is a large chunk of the license fee payers. More people can techincally receive BBC Four and Choice then can receive BBC Two on analog. A second hand digibox and dish from ebay - £100. Someone to install it - £50. That gives access to 50 channels with no subscription, anywhere in the UK (unless you cant put a dish up because of conservation issues). For the 50,000 people that cant have a dish, DTT and cable will cover about 90% of them. The rest are unlikely to receive a full analog signal anyway - the highlands of scotland viewers that cant receive BBC2 dont get a rebate on their license fee.
Why Not Use Tom ?
by
NexusTw1n
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
Surely if it's audio only, why use Paul McGann and not the incredible Tom Baker ?
It's a story from his regeneration, his snow white hair doesn't matter with no pictures.
I like McGann, but Tom was the definitive Who.
-- It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.
--Albert Einstein
This is frightening
by
yroJJory
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
After seeing how Fox destroyed my favorite series with that attrocious movie in 1996 (starring Paul McGann), I suppose the BBC won't do worse.
Still, I hope they don't kill it with high production values and lots of orchestrated scores. Perhaps they'll be smart enough to hire the same composers who worked at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop back in the 70's, or, failing that, get Wendy Carlos to use her Moog goodness!
Part of the great thing about Doctor Who is how innovative the production designers were without having a budget to support them properly.
While the scripts are key, and Douglas Adams' have proved to be particularly good (i.e. "The Pirate Planet" is classic Adams), the cheesy production values are still key.
Please, BBC, don't let us down!
-- Jory
Re:Webcast
by
glesga_kiss
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
Besides, in a few years, when the old analogue system is switched off, you'll have to have this equipment. Why wait?
Romana /= Ramona
by
doubleyou
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
Her name is Romana, not Ramona.
Apologies for nitpicking on your mis-spelling of her name, but you were doing it consistently.
Not that it matters much, since her full name is Romanadvoratrelundar anyway.
Slashdot Mirror
There is already a Tom Baker version of Shada. It's a 2 tape set and I can get it at my local video store. The back of the slick makes reference to production hassles but I've never hired it because I've found that re-watching Dr Who (Blake's 7, Battle of the Planets, etc..) is an effective way of exterminating any sense of fond nostalgia.
---
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
I hate the way the BBC pumps my license fee into projects that are completely worthless (fame acadamy, eastenders). Fortunatly the BBC exists for the minority of the population. If we relyed on tabloid "mob rule", we'd have back to back football and big brother on TV, back to back Justin Timberlake on radio, and stupid flash and "Free Tonez" on bbci.
Back in the day when BBC pumped money into 625line TV, and then Color, and Teletext, and Nicam, it was exactly the same. Not everyone have Teletext, why should they have to subsidise teletext people? Why does the BBC maintain a website and broadcast radio online for people in america and beyond, that dont pay a license fee? They had a website back in the days when there was 30,000,000 internet users worldwide
Everything starts off as a minority, specialist, service. Then the mainstream get it.
Besides, I'd think the 5 million DST, 2 1/2 million DTT and 2 1/2 million cable subscribers is a large chunk of the license fee payers. More people can techincally receive BBC Four and Choice then can receive BBC Two on analog. A second hand digibox and dish from ebay - £100. Someone to install it - £50. That gives access to 50 channels with no subscription, anywhere in the UK (unless you cant put a dish up because of conservation issues). For the 50,000 people that cant have a dish, DTT and cable will cover about 90% of them. The rest are unlikely to receive a full analog signal anyway - the highlands of scotland viewers that cant receive BBC2 dont get a rebate on their license fee.
Surely if it's audio only, why use Paul McGann and not the incredible Tom Baker ?
It's a story from his regeneration, his snow white hair doesn't matter with no pictures.
I like McGann, but Tom was the definitive Who.
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. --Albert Einstein
After seeing how Fox destroyed my favorite series with that attrocious movie in 1996 (starring Paul McGann), I suppose the BBC won't do worse.
Still, I hope they don't kill it with high production values and lots of orchestrated scores. Perhaps they'll be smart enough to hire the same composers who worked at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop back in the 70's, or, failing that, get Wendy Carlos to use her Moog goodness!
Part of the great thing about Doctor Who is how innovative the production designers were without having a budget to support them properly.
While the scripts are key, and Douglas Adams' have proved to be particularly good (i.e. "The Pirate Planet" is classic Adams), the cheesy production values are still key.
Please, BBC, don't let us down!
Jory
Besides, in a few years, when the old analogue system is switched off, you'll have to have this equipment. Why wait?
Her name is Romana, not Ramona.
Apologies for nitpicking on your mis-spelling of her name, but you were doing it consistently.
Not that it matters much, since her full name is Romanadvoratrelundar anyway.