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Doctor Who: The Talons of Weng-Chiang

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If you went through the 26 years of Doctor Who, the longest running sci-fi show in history and you needed to pick the top 5 or maybe even the top 3 adventures, I feel comfortable saying that 99% of the fans would easily place The Talons of Weng-Chiang" in that group. The show comes from the pen of Robert Holmes and was the final show under the helm of producer Phillip Hinchcliffe, who had produced the greatest group of adventures ever for the Doctor. This, combined with the most popular Doctor of them all, Tom Baker and a wildly popular companion, Leela, makes for a grand adventure.
Taking place in Victorian London, this is one of the richest adventures in the history of the show and one of the most well written with some fantastic characterization. Magnus Greel and the Homonculous creature as well as Li Sen Chang are magnificent villains in this thriller. Yes, the giant rat is cheesy but it's all part of the fun of '70's Doctor Who. I can't recommend the adventure highly enough and there are a lot of great extras as well. I think it's also a great homage to Robert Holmes that, of the Who adventures that are out on DVD or are about to come out, there are quite a few Holmes stories amongst the few out so far, including "Carnival of Monsters", "Spearhead from Space", "The Power of Kroll", "The Ribos Operation", "The Ark in Space", "The Two Doctors", "The Talons of Weng Chiang" and "The Caves of Andozani". So, in essence, of the 158 adventures in 26 years, so far, 23 have come out on DVD. Of those 23, 8 have been written by Robert Holmes! And I believe Pyramids of Mars is coming out next, also from Holmes. Can there be any doubt that this man has done some of if not THE best "Who"?

The DvD is great, but disc 2 has fantastic items on it. Documentary and Blue Peter and a nice 40th anniversary montage. This DvD also has an easter egg. They did this set of DvD's right, it is rich with details and great material. You will feel this was money well spent.

This episode of Doctor Who is seen by many Whovians as one of the best, and with good reason. The Doctor and Leela (wearing the most clothes for any time in the series) land in Victorian London in the midst of strange goings on at a Chinese Magician Show. As with all DW adventures, they quickly get drawn into these myterious shenanigans, are put in danger and escape by the skin of their teeth.

What makes this different is the characterisations of the supporting characters, especially Litefoot and Jago who both inject great humour into the story. The villains are very creepy, especially Mr Sin, truly a creature of children's nightmares. The giant rats are probably the only mistake in an otherwise flawless story.

You have to see this to understand why Tom Baker is probably the most loved of the Doctors and also to view the series at one of its peaks.

Out of the entire Dr. Who series, "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" remains one of my favorites -- it was one of the first serials I ever saw.

And it doesn't hurt that it's a ripping good yarn as well, with the Doctor and Leela going back into the Victorian era in time for Chinee cults, Jack The Ripper-style killings, and a deadly secret hidden underneath a theater. This is one of those Dr. Who stories that simply gets everything RIGHT, whether it's well-developed guest characters, humor, or even a semi-sympathetic villain.

The Doctor has decided to show Leela her heritage by taking her to Victorian London, where they attend a stage show starring the Chinese magician Li H'sen Chang. But their evening is ruined when they see a cabbie murdered by a gang of Chinese men, and find that the dead guy was searching for his wife -- who went mysteriously missing during Chang's show. And she wasn't the first disappearance.

With the help of Professor Litefoot (who is very smitten with Leela despite her odd behavior) and the bumbling theater owner, the Doctor sets out to discover who Chang is working for, and what this mysterious masked figure wants. However, nobody except the Doctor can recognize who this person really is -- and the horrors they can unleash all through history.

Giant rats, Chinese gods, a killer ventriloquist dummy and a serial killer in Victorian London -- "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" is just a deliciously pulpy story, but somehow it avoids falling into outright silliness. It's one of those episodes that is immensely fun to watch, but it is also a very well-written mystery (since we don't know who Weng-Chiang is) and sci-fi story.

But another great part of this story is the guest cast. Tom Baker and Louise Jameson are, as always, absolutely delightful as the Holmes-attired Doctor and the tomboyish Leela, but the writer and director also gave a lot of life to the supporting cast, like the professor (a pleasant open-minded sort who also holds a torch for Leela) and the bumbling but well-meaning Jago.

Even the villains are well-written -- Chang has genuine devotion to his "god," but is fearful of being discovered, and you really feel sorry for him when everything falls apart. And Greel is a pretty solid villain, deluded over his achievements and his importance, and willing to sacrifice everyone else to get what he wants.

This is also one of the few old Dr. Who episodes set in a non-1960s/1970s setting, and they do a pretty good job with the dank, slightly murky atmosphere of Victorian London. Lots of cozy drawing rooms, dark dockside alleys, and hearty men with muttonchops, although the "sinister foreigners" thing is.... um, one of the less nostalgia-inducing parts of the Victorian era.

"The Talons of Weng-Chiang" remains one of my favorite Dr. Who serials, with a mixture of nimble writing, well-rounded characters, and pulpy Victoriana. Absolutely brilliant.

Talons is a very well put together DVD, with a horde of extras, and a great restoration job. The story itself is one of the few six parters in Doctor Who that doesn't sag by the 4th or 5th episode, and is strong throughout, involving a large cast, some great set work, and Tom Baker at his best. The extra's for the most part are a good mix, featuring a documentary going behind the scenes of Talons, an interview with Peter Hinchcliffe, another Who related episode of Blue Peter, and a really cool 40th anniversary montage that has a really good orbital remix of the Who theme. All around well worth the money.

There are those who consider Doctor Who to be at its very best when the errant Time Lord is visiting Earth and dealing with alien threats that are Earthbound. Doctor #3 himself, the late Jon Pertwee, often stated this story genre to be his favorite, and judging by the number of Earthbound stories from the show's lengthy history, many agreed. The latest two releases on DVD from the BBC archives are united in their "Earth invasion" theme, but both have taken an interesting and indeed unique slant on the alien invasion of London twist.

The "Dalek invasion of Earth" was the last adventure made in the first season production block, way back in 1964, albeit held over and broadcast as the second story in season two. The adventure is significant for many reasons, mainly because it featured the departure of one of the original Tardis crew, and also because it was the first "sequel" to feature in the show, featuring the return of the enormously popular Daleks, created by Terry Nation. Set almost 200 years in the future, the adventure mainly takes place in central London, allowing for much location filming around familiar sights, which adds to the realism of the story. It was the first real use of extensive location filming in the show's history and was well worth the effort to take the show out of the studio and bring a more epic quality to the production. The closing sequence featuring the Doctor (as played by William Hartnell) bidding farewell to his granddaughter Susan, played by Carole Ann Ford, may also be one of the entire series most poignant scenes.

All six of the original black and white episodes have been painstakingly restored to almost their original broadcast quality, with many enhancements to some of the laughable special effects added as an option. Potentially, it's the other bonus material that may prove the most interesting to fans and casual viewers alike. The commentary from the surviving cast (Carole Ann Ford and William Russell) together with the producer and director is first class. The on-screen captions also go a long way to fleshing out the background to the production. Almost the entire guest cast appear in newly shot interviews airing their reminiscences, plus there are all sorts of behind the scenes programme's, trailers and other goodies gathered onto a 2nd disc.

The same is true of the companion release, "The Talons of Weng-Chiang." Made twelve years later, in glorious colour, this six part series took another twist on the Earth invader theme by taking the Doctor, this time played by Tom Baker, and his companion Leela back into Victorian London to deal with a sinister alien menace. For many, this story is often regarded as one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) story of the Doctor Who canon. And I'm not going to disagree. The production values alone would be enough to set it apart, but the wonderful script, incredible design and superlative acting by the entire cast adds a special magic to the show that few other Who adventures have ever matched. Like the earlier Dalek story, it also marks the end of an era, since this was the last adventure produced by Philip Hinchcliffe. Quite honestly - the show was never the same again!

Again, there are all sorts of goodies available on a 2nd disc to accompany the restored six-part adventure. A documentary on the history of Doctor Who televised at the conclusion of the serial is just one bonus worth having; the commentary from the cast and crew is another. It's great to hear Louise Jameson (Leela) making her DVD debut, and it's a real shame Tom Baker himself did not take part.

Both stories are excellent additions to the growing Doctor Who library, clearly demonstrating the changing production values and story making not only of this particular show, but also British TV drama in general. I'd highly recommend them and look forward to the next two releases in 2004.

The first two-thirds or so of this Doctor Who adventure are among the best Who episodes ever. The Doctor and Leila arrive, appropriately costumed, in Victorian London, and end up involved in a quick-paced adventure involving a master illusionist, Chinese assasins, a murderious puppet, giant rats, and a Phantom-of-the-Opera type bad guy who may or may not be Jack the Ripper. The plot moves along quickly, which is more than can be said for alot of Who episodes, the costumes and lighting are period looking, and the acting is mostly first rate. The last hour devolves into a lot of over-the-top "nyah, hah, hah, hah" stereo-typical villian-type laughter," inconceivable plot twists, and a midget dummy that makes the amusingly silly looking giant rats look postively convincing by comparison. Still... Tom Baker was at his best in these episodes and the supporting characters are excellent. Strong enough to overcome the weak ending.

Regarded by fans as one of the best Doctor Who stories ever made, The Talons of Weng Chiang transports the Doctor and Leela to 19th Century Victorian London. A planned trip to the theater is interrupted when the duo come across a gang of Chinese Triads committing a murder on the foggy streets. As the body count increases, the Doctor teams up with Professor Litefoot, a police pathologist, in a desperate attempt to solve the mystery of the disappearing women. Eventually his investigations center around a particular theater house run by Henry Jago where he discovers that the star act, Li H'sen Chang, is supplying the ancient Chinese god Weng Chiang with fresh young bodies in order to complete his master's regeneration...

Top notch sets, an excellent script, sterling performances from the actors and a dark, sinister atmosphere reminiscent of the old Hammer Horror movies keeps the viewer glued to the screen through all 6 breathtaking episodes. Even after 16 years the story is as captivating as ever. Tom Baker is wonderful as The Doctor and this story was highly influential in casting him as Sherlock Holmes in a BBC TV series several years later.

Technical notes: The existing BBC recordings have been cleaned up for the DVD by the Dr Who Restoration Team who rebalanced the colour, removed scratches plus much more in order to give the fans the best possible viewing pleasure. A commentary track was recorded with original actors Louise Jameson, John Bennett and Chrisopher Benjamin, Director David Maloney and Producer Phillip Hinchcliffe. Also included is a BBC documentary, some clips from the childrens show "Blue Peter" including how to make a Dr Who puppet theater, an interview with Phillip Hinchcliffe, pop-up production notes and a photo gallery.

The Talons of Weng-Chiang is a six-part serial, and clearly much of this episode's budget went into authenticity of period costuming and set design. The hat-tips to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are frequent and blatant -from the Doctor's deerstalker cap to his groan-inducing use of the phrase "Elementary, my dear Lightfoot." However the backhanded compliments don't stop there --writers Robert Banks Stewart and Robert Holmes also managed to work in plenty of visual and spoken references to Phantom of the Opera, the old Fu Manchu serials, and even the legend of Jack the Ripper. In matters of totally pointless trivia, this was to be the last episode with which Philip Hinchcliffe would be associated. Additionally, series composer Dudley Simpson appears in a cameo as the theater orchestra conductor, and in a footnote only of interest to true Doctor Who fanatics, this was the very first episode that had John Nathan-Turner as a member of the production staff. The characters of Henry Jago (Christopher Benjamin) and Professor Litefoot (Trevor Baxter) are often cited as the best of Robert Holmes' famed "double acts", (although they do not actually meet until late in episode five). A spin-off series involving the two investigating mysteries in Victorian England was discussed, but ultimately went nowhere.

As with Robots of Death, it is the grander scope of the episode's backstory that elevates the plot: the Doctor's throwaway lines about "World War Six" and "The Battle of Reykjavik" provide a glimpse into the world from which Magnus Greel has escaped. Without these premises, Talons would be little more than a string of chase sequences connecting the monster-in-the-lair/giant rat/incompetent coolies scenes. As it is, there's some blatantly obvious script padding (notably Jago's and Litefoot's failed escape attempt via the dumbwaiter in Episode Five). Li H'Sen Chang (John Bennett) is a wonderful tragic figure in that he is not the ultimate villain of the story. We can see right from the first that Chang is up to something, just by the remarkably calm and unhurried way in which he comports himself -witness the way Jago and the police constables practically fall all over themselves to be polite. To the audience, the mystery of the story isn't so much in figuring out who the perpetrator is, but rather piecing together the backstory of the puppet master. The Doctor, in his usual distracted way, postulates who and what Mr. Sin really is, while Leela and Litefoot can only stare and nod blankly. Greel (Michael Spice)'s obsession with the time cabinet is established fairly early, but the real reason for it doesn't become clear until the final fifteen minutes of the story.

I must devote a couple of lines of praise for the character of Litefoot, "England's Premier Professor of Pathology." Here we have a respectable Victorian gentleman who, in spite of the weirdness going on around him, still remembers to be a gracious host. You might think that with a plot that involves Leela running around loose in Victorian London, there would be plenty of opportunity for awkwardness, but with Litefoot there is none. As soon as he understands Leela's preferred "table manners," he puts down his plate and silverware and starts tucking in to a joint of meat in the same way as his guest. There's a lot we can learn from that. Some "Eliza Doolittle" elements do creep into the story later on, as Litefoot gently nudges Leela down the path of "proper" behavior (for example, when to use a napkin, complimenting her dress, and how many lumps of sugar are acceptable).

In conclusion: my personal belief is that Season Fourteen is the golden age of Doctor Who, and is certainly the high point of Tom Baker's era --this excellent serial caps it off nicely.

The Doctor and Leela visit London. While in London, The Doctor discovers the chinese "god" is really a failed time traveler from the future. One of the best episodes of doctor who!