Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
  • Nu-Who
    • Ncuti Gatwa
    • Jodie Whittaker
    • Peter Capaldi
    • Matt Smith
    • David Tennant
    • Christopher Eccleston
  • Tweeners
    • John Hurt
    • Paul McGann
    • The Master List
    • Regeneration X
    • The Mystery Guest
    • The Hand of Fear
  • Colo(u)r
    • Sylvester McCoy
    • Colin Baker
    • Peter Davison
    • Tom Baker
    • Jon Pertwee
  • Monochrome
    • Patrick Troughton
    • William Hartnell
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day
    • The House of Holmes
    • 50 for 50
    • The Randomizer
    • THT Rand-o-pix of the Day
    • The Feast of Steven
    • Tour Notz
    • The Watcher
    • Contact the Tour
X (Twitter) Instagram Tumblr RSS
Doctor Who's Tragical History Tour
X (Twitter) Instagram Tumblr RSS
  • Nu-Who
    1. Ncuti Gatwa
    2. Jodie Whittaker
    3. Peter Capaldi
    4. Matt Smith
    5. David Tennant
    6. Christopher Eccleston
    7. View All

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    The Next-iest of Doctors

    May 29, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    B-Bye Bradley

    October 6, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Now You Sea Devil, No You Don’t

    April 24, 2022

    E-Spaced

    August 4, 2023

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    Bad Hair Month

    September 9, 2021

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    E-Spaced

    August 4, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    The Wedding of SMW

    August 27, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    The Next-iest of Doctors

    May 29, 2022

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Ten Days Till the Tenthiversary of the Tenting of the Tenth

    December 22, 2019

    The Last ‘Last Christmas’ Specials Rankings #3

    December 24, 2018

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Tweeners
    1. John Hurt
    2. Paul McGann
    3. The Master List
    4. Regeneration X
    5. The Mystery Guest
    6. The Hand of Fear
    7. View All

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Ten’ll Get You Five

    September 4, 2020

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023

    Ghost Re-Write

    November 16, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Dup-topia

    January 29, 2020

    The Glue Guy

    June 24, 2018

    Doctor on Doctor ACTION!

    November 19, 2017

    The Wheel in Cheese

    August 10, 2014

    The Hurt Locker

    May 25, 2013

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Colo(u)r
    1. Sylvester McCoy
    2. Colin Baker
    3. Peter Davison
    4. Tom Baker
    5. Jon Pertwee
    6. View All

    A Studio Film (or rather a film in the studio)

    June 9, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    Roomba With a Prenumbra

    March 1, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    B-Bye Bradley

    October 6, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    The Inevitable Adric

    July 14, 2023

    The Box(ing) Day of Delights

    December 26, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    Destiny of the Costume Closet

    September 1, 2023

    The Inevitable Adric

    July 14, 2023

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    The Warrior Before Time

    May 19, 2023

    Purple Shag Carpet

    May 11, 2023

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Monochrome
    1. Patrick Troughton
    2. William Hartnell
    3. View All

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    When Patrick (almost) Met Ian

    August 25, 2023

    When Patrick Met Verity

    August 11, 2023

    More For Letts

    July 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    When Patrick Met Verity

    August 11, 2023

    The TARDIS whirled on it’s way again…

    December 23, 2022

    Invasion of The Invasion

    December 17, 2022

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day
    • The House of Holmes
    • 50 for 50
    • The Randomizer
    • THT Rand-o-pix of the Day
    • The Feast of Steven
    • Tour Notz
    • The Watcher
    • Contact the Tour
Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
Tour Updates

The Shada Proclamation

By -- DSWFebruary 24, 201802 Mins Read
Share
Twitter Tumblr

A small confessional is in order.  The Tour is a bit stiff and sore this time around as we exercised some muscles which hadn’t been used for quite a long time, but the release on blu-ray of Shada got us intrigued.

How well would a traditional classic Doctor Who story, with the mix of filmed external shooting and studio videotape look when scaled up to HD specs?  Film always looks better for the simple reason that it contains much more information per frame than videotape, especially from 40 or more years ago, did.

Happily we’re able to report that the results are much better than we expected, owing to whatever successive ‘vidfire’ technology was employed on Shada, and so much so that we re-capped Shada for the second time.

As for Shada, it’s the great disappearing story in all of Doctor Who.  The industrial dispute which took out two of three studio sessions means episodes 4, 5, and 6 are significantly incomplete.  When the story was first released (on VHS no less) the gaps were filled with Tom Baker talking from a studio chair.  Now animation, which is enjoyable but not within the purview of the Tour, takes its place.

Nearly forty years on, Shada can and has been re-molded multiple times into different formulations ranging from Paul McGann stepping in for Tom Baker on Big Finish, to Douglas Adams reusing the basic precepts (despite saying he wasn’t happy with the Shada shooting script) for his own work in Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.

If for nothing else, Shada on blu-ray might be worth a look if for no other reason than the coda scene featuring the octagenarian scarf-laden Baker smiling into the camera in an official capacity one last time.

New quasi-HD caps for Shada are now online.

Short Hops:
  • The Most Magnificent Caps in the History of History Itself
    The Most Magnificent Caps in the History of History Itself
  • A Studio Film (or rather a film in the studio)
    A Studio Film (or rather a film in the studio)
  • Ball 1, Strike 1, Yer'Out
    Ball 1, Strike 1, Yer'Out
Classic Capitology Tour Updates Tom Baker Paul McGann Shada HD Re-classic-ation
Share. Twitter Tumblr
Previous ArticleThe ‘Original’ Fabulous Miss ‘M’
Next Article Watch Wendy Wash (Wednes)Day
Countdown to the 60th
THT Rand-o-Pix of the Day
Gallery Gateway

The Peter Capaldi Galleries

The William Hartnell Galleries

The Matt Smith Galleries

The Sylvester McCoy Galleries

The Paul McGann Galleries

John Hurt -- Who Not Who!

The Christopher Eccleston Galleries

The Colin Baker Galleries

The Tom Baker Galleries

The Patrick Troughton Galleries

Who is The Mystery Guest?

Ncuti Gatwa -- Who Not Who!

The Peter Davison Galleries

The Jodie Whittaker Galleries

The David Tennant Galleries

The Jon Pertwee Galleries

Last Ten Updated Galleries
  1. → Flux - Chapter 5: Survivors of the Flux
  2. → An Adventure in Space and Time
  3. → Smith and Jones
  4. → The Long Game
  5. → Genesis of the Daleks
  6. → Time-Flight
  7. → The Time Warrior
  8. → The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
  9. → Anthony Ainley -- Who Not Who!
  10. → Lalla Ward -- Who Not Who!
THT on Instagram
Tour Categories
  • Series 14 (1)
  • Tour Updates (442)
  • New Who for You (167)
  • Roundel Roundabouts (224)
  • Tangential Tardis (43)
  • HD Re-classic-ation (31)
  • Modern Recap-itulation (42)
  • Classic Capitology (101)
  • Who Not Who! (31)
  • Xmas Marks the Spot (83)
  • 60 for 60 (3)
  • 50 for 50 (58)
  • Off the Reservation (16)
  • Ncuti Gatwa (3)
  • Jodie Whittaker (45)
  • Peter Capaldi (86)
  • Matt Smith (117)
  • David Tennant (112)
  • Christopher Eccleston (36)
  • John Hurt (14)
  • Paul McGann (27)
  • Sylvester McCoy (39)
  • Colin Baker (37)
  • Peter Davison (62)
  • Tom Baker (96)
  • Jon Pertwee (63)
  • Patrick Troughton (64)
  • William Hartnell (76)
  • Richard E Grant (7)
  • Jo Martin (3)
  • Series 13 (16)
  • Series 12 (13)
  • Series 11 (9)
  • Series 10 (21)
  • Series 9 (17)
  • Series 8 (25)
  • Series 7 (17)
  • Series 6 (20)
  • Series 5 (14)
  • Series 4 (25)
  • Series 3 (9)
  • Series 2 (15)
  • Series 1 (19)
On This Day in Doctor Who History
  • September 24
    • 1977: The Horror of Fang Rock [4]
    • 1966: The Smugglers [3]
    • 2011: Closing Time
  • September 25
    • 1976: The Masque of Mandragora [4]
    • 1965: Galaxy 4 [3-- [Air Lock]
  • September 26
    • 2015: The Witch's Familiar
  • September 27
    • 2014: The Caretaker
    • 1975: Planet of Evil [1]
    • 1980: Meglos [1]
    • 1986: The Mysterious Planet [4]
    • 1989: Battlefield [4]
  • September 28
    • 1968: The Mind Robber [3]
    • 1987: Time and the Rani [4]
  • September 29
    • 1979: City of Death [1]
    • 2012: The Angels Take Manhattan
  • September 30
    • 1978: The Pirate Planet [1]

Random Thoughts
5/1/2002 – Version 3.0
By -- DSWMay 1, 2002 Roundel Roundabouts 2 Mins Read
If You’ve Gaunt It, Flaunt It?
By -- DSWSeptember 19, 2020 Tour Updates 2 Mins Read
Five for Tuesday
By -- DSWMarch 7, 2021 Tour Updates 2 Mins Read

  • x
  • instagram
  • tumblr
  • rss

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.