Episode 37 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang (with Kate Orman & Jon Blum)

"The Talons of Weng-Chiang" is still, by popular acclaim, one of the greatest "Doctor Who" stories of all time. It's still in the top-10 -- out of both Classic and New series -- in the year-2014 DWM survey, and is even top-5 among Classic stories on that list. "Talons" however also has major problems. One is the language; words that may (or may not) have been acceptable in 1977, are certainly not acceptable here in 2022. Two is the story's world-view, in which the immigrants (the Chinese, and other groups to be found in London's East End in the 1890s) are Other, alien, here solely to cause trouble -- described by various English characters within the story as "inscrutable", "pixilated", and "bloodsucker". "Doctor Who" -- both the TV show and the character -- has spent the better part of 60 years sticking up for the underdog, empowering the powerless and defending the oppressed. But for six weeks in the winter and early spring of 1977, the show took a break from that, and told a story instead about defending the Crown from... those other people. Of course, "Talons" is NOT the only "Doctor Who" story with indefensible language and beliefs -- not the only Classic Series story to do that, and certainly there are New Series stories which also have problems. Does loving "Doctor Who" mean we have to accept its baggage? Over the next two hours, join Jason -- and our first tandem guests, long-time Doctor Who novelists Kate Orman and Jon Blum -- as we take an unflinching look at this story, and then try to see if it's still possible to love this story in spite of its flaws, its many flaws. Please e-mail the pod at [email protected]. You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

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