As excitement continues to build about the debut of the 13th Doctor this fall, BBC America took Doctor Who fans on a trip to the past by airing, Shada, the long-"lost" adventure from the 1970-1980 season.  The story features the Doctor and Romana visiting the eccentric Professor Chronotis, who is much more than he appears to be at first glance.  Professor Chronotis is somehow tied to the forgotten Time Lord prison called "Shada," and it appears he needs the Doctor's help.

Shada was written by Douglas Adams, who also the terrific Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.    Filming was halted on the story due to a labor strike at the BBC, but it was eventually completed in multiple forms over later years.  We read the novelization by Gareth Roberts a few years ago, which we highly recommend, but we've never seen it on TV until now.

Why does Professor Chronotis need the Doctor's help?  (pic via syfy.com)

Observations (Warning: spoilers ahead.)

• There's nothing like "classic" Doctor Who footage.  All of the visuals and sound effects are basic in the extreme, but they add another level of charm to the show.  These sets and models are tremendous, and the music is a perfect compliment.

• The 4th Doctor's original opening credits formed our immediate opinion of the show back in the day:  creepy and exciting. 

• We're not production experts, but this footage looks like it's been "cleaned up" in some fashion.  Actually, this is the nicest-looking classic adventure we've ever seen.

• The TARDIS is quietly sitting in the corner of Professor Chronotis' office, and it's deja vu all over again, because we're having flashbacks to the 12th Doctor keeping the TARDIS in his office at St. Luke's University in Season 10. 

• Side note:  While a reboot of the TARDIS interior is always mentioned ("You've redecorated!  I don't like it!"), has it ever been pointed out when the TARDIS occasionally cleans up her outer shell?

• There's the Doctor and Romana punting.  The only time we've ever seen this scene before this was that brief clip in The Five Doctors that explained Tom Baker's absence from the special.

• Still wondering which version of Shada this is...oh, there's the linking animation (instead of live-action Tom Baker doing the work.)  You certainly wouldn't want this to be a regular thing, but it sort of adds a surrealness to this that we don't mind.

• Hey!  One of the books Chris Parsons borrowed from Professor Chronotis is called, "My Stories" by Zaphod.  That's got to be Zaphod Beeblebrox, thus confirming that Doctor Who exists in the same universe as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which makes us feel better about all things.

• Tom Baker just comes across as such an alien, it's easy to believe he's a Time Lord.  Everything about his presence yells, "not from this planet!"  You couldn't have asked for better casting.

• Much more of Shada was filmed than we realized.  We thought there would be about 10 minutes of live action and 80 minutes of animation, but it's closer to the reverse.  We're also reminded that TV programs don't generally film in order, since the missing scenes are scattered throughout the story.

• All of this verbal humor yells, "Douglas Adams," and we are loving it.

• Watching this show reminds you how much more relaxed the pacing used to be in the old format.  The conversations are longer, and the scenes have more of a chance to breathe than they do today.  The opposing argument is that today's programs are much tighter and more efficient, so it's really about what style appeals to you more.

• There's a lot of running around outside which is probably supposed to be dramatic, but it all feels like some Fawlty Towers outtakes.

• We're trying to understand why the Doctor runs by the world's most random a capella group.  Did Adams bet someone he could find a way to work them into the story?  Were the singers friends of his?

• K-9 is on the scene!  Whose voice is that?  It's certainly not John Leeson.  Hold on - apparently it's David Bierley.  Don't remember him at all, but it's great to see our favorite mechanical dog again.

• Wait a second, the Doctor is guarding one of the most important books in the universe, and there seems to be no acknowledgement that he lost it while he was trying to escape from the big grey sphere. 

• The voice of Skagra's ship feels like the Doctor Who equivalent of Marvin from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and we have no problem with that.

• It's too bad that the scenes inside the TARDIS are animated.  It would have been nice to see the round things again.

• Not too be too crass, but let's be honest:  K-9 is holding a monster back by firing at his private parts.  That seems rude.

• Hmm, the Doctor really should have picked up on Clare Keightley knowing what Shada was.

• Shouldn't there have been a problem with a TARDIS being inside a TARDIS? 

• Oh!  We do get a brief look at the inside of the TARDIS!  Hello, round things!  That's a proper ending to this story.

Final Thoughts:

This was a treat.  It's not necessarily the strongest plot of all-time.  You can tell that it was a last-minute product from Adams, but it is clever and funny in spots, and really, you can never go wrong with the 4th Doctor on the screen.  If you haven't seen it, we strongly recommend you find a copy and enjoy.

Correction:  An earlier version of this post said Adams wrote Shada before The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.