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13TH MARCH 2009

(5-MINUTE COMIC RELIEF SPECIAL)

At first, I thought it odd that a predominantly serious science-fiction adventure show had been given a slot on Comic Relief, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Just look at the success of Steven Moffat’s Doctor Who spoof The Curse of Fatal Death, for example, not to mention the rather comical (and canonical) Time Crash. And with comedy legend Ronnie Corbett on board as a Raxacoricofallapatorian, I found myself with rather high hopes for this little sketch.

Regrettably though, I found Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman’s script embarrassing,

to say the least. Aside from the obvious hilarity to be found in the “two Ranis” pun (and the more subtle in-joke that the Whoniverse now has at least three Ranis in it...), I cringed all

my way through the “most bizarre five minutes” of Sarah Jane’s life, and had to endure the cruel jibes of my wife throughout.

To be fair though, I’m sure that the nation’s children will have lapped this skit up, fart jokes and all, just as I’m sure that even the most cynical of us cracked a smile when K-9 came to the rescue. Nevertheless, even when compared to Doctor Who’s much-maligned Children In Need offering Dimensions In Time, this mini-episode is distinctly cringeworthy. Still, as long as it raised a few quid, one can’t really complain…

Copyright © E.G. Wolverson 2009

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