Comic Relief: Doctor Who - The Curse of Fatal Death

Although not to be taken seriously, "Curse of the Fatal Death" is a labor of love. The script features a lot of fan-pleasing moments and references. Rowan Atkinson proves how good a Doctor he could've been by playing the character straight, and not primarily for laughs. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Jonathan Pryce, who is just as excellent as the Master, going waaaaaaaaay over the top. The best part of the sketch is the quick-change regenerations near the end where Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, and Joanna Lumley all play the Doctor in less than five minutes. Richard Grant is hilarious as the sex-fiend Doctor who has a good laugh over the Master's Dalek "bumps". Hugh Grant surprised me with his portrayal.

The video release also contains a "Making Of" special which may even be more funny than the sketch itself. Jonathan Pryce is the highlight of this section, proving how completely bonkers he really is. His interpretations of the Master's various laughs are hilarious.

Rowan Atkinson filled the role so well, there's some consideration that he will be picked for the new series... hey, he's got MY vote!

Excellent performances throughout - Jon Pryce was great as the pseudo-Master (and had a somewhat striking resemblance to Roger Delgado) - and it was a nice surprise to see Joanna Lumley again. (It's ALWAYS nice to see Joanna Lumley...)

If you got the video rather than just seeing it on the Beeb, you got to see the Lenny Henry sketch. I give that a thumbs-up as well, mainly because of Lenny Henry - his characterization reminded me of Gareth Blackstock (Chef!) and his delivery is flawless (of course, the parody script was quite goofy, but then it's supposed to be...)

Curse of Fatal Death is one of the best produced Doctor Who parodies I've ever seen. It has jokes not only poking fun at the show but jokes genuinely meant to appeal to fans of the series. Rowan Atkinson makes an excellent choice as the comic Doctor along with the various other surprising guest stars to play the role in this rapid regeneration riot.

Produced originally for Red Nose Day this will no doubt be a favorite of fans for years to come. Highly recommended to all Doctor Who fans!

I read the reviews. Most say it's brilliant. Some say it's terrible. I think it's just what you could ask for a parody. It can stand up on it's own, but if you are familiar with the series, it can be a lot of fun. Take Dr. Who, Steal a bit from "Bill and Ted", and add a twist of Blackadder and you get a suprisingly good story that's easy to follow and fun to watch. The multiple regenerations are quite silly, but what do you expect. Jonathan Pryce adds a touch of class as the Master in spite of everything. If you know anything about Dr. Who, you will probably enjoy it if you remember not to take it too seriously.

I grew up with Dr. Who, I enjoy the show, and I laughed my socks off during "The Curse of Fatal Death"

The piece tries to amuse both long-time fans of the show, and casual viewers who only know it 'that cheesy British sci-fi show', so it has a fair bit of juggling to do. However, the the comedy draws from both ends of the spectrum and, I think, can provoke laughter from anyone who has a passing familiarity with the original.

All of the actors (Atkinson, REG, Broadbent et al) manage to put their own mark on the character during their brief interlude as the Gallifreyan Timelord and seemed to have fun doing it. Pryce was clearly having far too much fun hamming it up as The Master. Pryce's comments about prepping for his role make watching the 'making-of' segment on the video worth the time, alone - and the rest of it is quite entertaining, too.

Granted, the humor can be a bit broad, but this isn't a subtle social satire, folks, it's a blatant parody and, as such, some silly things are going to happen. I've heard rumbling complaints from purists about CoFD being "disrespectful" or something and I think that mayhaps those fans are taking themselves too seriously. If you can't laugh at yourself, then it's probably too late for you...