Intended as the first in a series of online animated dramas, Scream of the Shalka (2003) was the first attempt to redefine Doctor Who for the 21st century. Produced by BBCi and written by Doctor Who novelist (and later scriptwriter on the revived series) Paul Cornell, it maintains a traditional feel while rethinking the roles of Doctor, companion and villain.
Richard E GrantÕs Doctor is characterised as aristocratic and aloof, drawing on models from the past such as Jon PertweeÕs third Doctor, Sherlock Holmes and even Dracula. The story, in which the Doctor must accept military assistance to foil an alien invasion beginning in an isolated English village, adheres to a venerable formula. Nevertheless, Scream of the Shalka anticipates its successor in perceptive ways Ð featuring a Doctor who is Ôan emotional islandÕ numbed by recent trauma, a companion who must choose between a predictable life with her boyfriend and the joys and dangers of travel with the Doctor, and a Master humiliated by the DoctorÕs duty of care.
A victim of timing as much as of its own flaws, Scream of the Shalka remains a fascinating glimpse into an alternative vision for Doctor Who.
This Black Archive volume publishes for the first time the detailed episode breakdown for Simon ClarkÕs ÔBlood of the RobotsÕ, originally commissioned to follow Scream of the Shalka as the second in BBCiÕs Doctor Who webcast series.