In a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right was doing, while the BBC was working to bring Doctor Who back with Russell T Davies, BBCi brought him back as an online cartoon. Written by Paul Cornell, The Scream of Shalka was considered - for all of five minutes - as the official continuation of the show with Richard E Grant enlisted as the official Ninth Doctor. Thank goodness, then, that the show was brought back and that its fans can consign the Shalka Doc to an alternative universe. Though Cornell's script is decent, has a retro UNIT feel and assembles a good cast, the animation is terrible and evokes comparison to South Park. Perhaps even worse, Grant turns up and gives the best 'can't be arsed' performance you're ever likely to hear. When your lead is obviously bored, why should the listener care? Funnily enough, Cornell's Doctor predicted the real Ninth by having him afflicted by some unspecified guilt after a great trauma. He also kept an android Master in the TARDIS voiced by Derek Jacobi. Seriously.
Writer of The Blog of Delights, a review site covering film, TV, cult TV, books and audio. Fan of Dr Who, Bond, X-Men and Marvel. Also the writer of e-book 'Fictional Legends: Doctor Who - the TV Adventures' for Collca.
