Review of The Talons of Weng-Chiang: SE (#91)

DVD Release Date:  11 Oct 11
Original Air Date:  26 Feb – 02 Apr 1977
Doctor/Companion:  Four, Leela
Stars:  Tom Baker, Louise Jameson
Preceding Story:  The Robots of Death (Four, Leela)
Succeeding Story:  Horror of Fang Rock (Four, Leela)

This release is unusual for me in that it involves a story I’d already watched (albeit only once). It was interesting to go through it again with not only much more experience of the Whoniverse but also a memory of both the storyline and my initial reactions. With a bit more perspective, I came away with a new appreciation for Talons and an understanding of the fondness so many Long Term Fans have for it.

For anyone new to the story, let me just throw out the one thing that really bothered me on first viewing: the main Chinese character (Li H’sen Chang) is played by a (Caucasian) British actor (John Bennett). That and the fact that the titular deity (who was, by the by, actually a god of culture and literature) was pronounced “weng chai-ang” – like a coffeehouse drink – rather than a more nearly correct “wen ch[ah]ng” – with an [ah] as in “father” – very much rubbed me the wrong way when I first saw Talons three or so years ago. This time, I was able to take it all with a grain of salt, and let me tell you – it was much more palatable this time.

The story is pretty much a love letter to Victorian-era literature. It has elements of Sherlock Holmes, Pygmalion (or My Fair Lady, if you prefer the musical version), Phantom of the Opera, and various Fu Manchu stories that fed into the stereotype of the Limehouse (Chinatown) area of Victorian London, not to mention a bit of Jack the Ripper. Taken as a nod to all these rolled into one, it’s quite charming.

As with all pre-Hiatus (and post-Hiatus, for that matter) serials, there are ups and downs. Two of the most egregious downs have already been mentioned, though the giant rat must be added to the list (effects fail). I also had to snort at the Doctor’s “Chinese.” I know practically no Mandarin, but even I know that when the Doctor bursts into the room shouting, “Ni hao, ma!” [Hello/How are you?] to surprise potential Chinese occupants, he sounds ridiculous. Aside from these details (and a couple of really poorly staged fights, including one purportedly using martial arts), however, there’s not much here to bring Talons down.

There’s a great set-up, including a wonderfully creepy ventriloquist’s dummy (or not dummy – you decide!), a “time cabinet” that’s involved in a suitably science fiction-y plot point (I love the offhand comment about how even though the Doctor shows interest in the cabinet, he can’t be a Time Agent – it feeds into post-Hiatus storylines!), the Doctor in a deerstalker, Leela being “savage” and out-of-time, and one of the most popular supporting character pairings in the Whoniverse. I am, of course, talking about Jago & Litefoot, the theater owner-cum-citizen investigator and the medical examiner who team up to help the Doctor. Though it was noised about for a while, nothing further came of that pairing until 2009, when Big Finish began production on a new Jago and Litefoot series of audio dramas. It’s not actually until episode 5 (of six) that the two characters meet up in Talons, but it’s easy to see why they became fan favorites.

Another feature that makes this such a wonderful release is that the extras (and there are a lot; it’s a 3-disc set, including one disc containing the extras from the 2003 release) really help one put perspective on the material. You get a historical context – not only of the plot elements themselves, but of making the show. For example, I was gratified to hear John Bennett mention in the first episode’s commentary track that today he would never have gotten the part of Li H’sen Chang, but in 1977 people didn’t really think about it. It helped me take a step back and take it for what it is, rather than what I’d have liked it to be if it were made today.

DVD Extras (highlights)

The Last Hurrah

One of the more uncommon elements in Talon‘s making-of documentary is the presence of Tom Baker (Four) himself. He sits down with producer Philip Hinchcliffe to reminisce a bit about this story and working with Louise Jameson (Leela). Famously, the two actors did not get on at the time – Baker seemed not really to want anything to do with Jameson – which made things on set rather tense at times. I found it great fun to hear not only the usual details of script writing, production, and cast and crew experiences, but also a from-the-horses’-mouths account of the Baker/Jameson relationship both then and now. For me, that was the highlight of the piece.

Moving On

The producer/script editor team of Philip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes (also the writer of Talons, among others) made an indelible mark on the Whoniverse, not least in the way the brought a Hammer Horror feel to many of their serials. Talons marked the end of the 13th season of Who, and the end of their joint tenure on the show. This interview with Hinchcliffe explores some of the ideas they’d had for the following season, if they’d stayed on.

Victoriana and Chinoiserie

I mentioned above some of the literary influences on Talons. This piece explores those influences in depth, including how Leela is depicted as a “new lady,” the references to Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone, and a real “Chinese” illusionist who made the rounds performing at such establishments. Aside from the “making of,” this is the Must See Extra of the set.

Music Hall

Henry Gordon Jago’s establishment in the story is a sort of classic music hall. Interviews with those keeping the tradition alive give us a look at this part of British culture, including its history and development.

Limehouse – A Victorian Chinatown

The area of London that’s often dramatized as the home of myriad opium dens and a large (and somehow frightening) population of Chinese people, Limehouse was actually quite different in reality. Historians give some background on where the “Darkest England” style of slum fiction originated.

Whose Doctor Who (2003 release)

Produced and aired at the time Talons was broadcast (1977), this hour-long piece gives fan and “expert” reactions to what Doctor Who means to children and families. I found the comments of the child psychiatrist particularly interesting, as he did his part to debunk the idea that the show itself could really cause nightmares out of brand new ideas.

Blue Peter clips (2003 release)

If you’re someone who has any crafty tendencies at all, this will be fun for you to watch. True to Blue Peter style, the hosts show kids (and now you) how to create a puppet theater – complete with velvet curtain, scenery and sound effects – out of a cardboard box and other household items. It’s actually quite impressive.

Ignore the production issues – the giant rat, the casting choices, the inelegant fights. Embrace the rather frolicsome take on Victorian London and the popular myths that have sprung up around it. Gear up for a classic time-travel element to get thrown into the mix. Then, sit back and enjoy. It’s a sure recipe for fun.