Four, unconvincing primitive companion, and horrible racist stereotypes
A few months ago, I commented that I was snoring my way through Four. Well, I still am.
I'm less than halfway through Four's era, and struggling to maintain any level of interest at all. I'm still trying to remember why I liked him as a kid - though even then I never liked him as much as I did Three. I don't even know what it is about Four; it can't be his arrogance, as you'd be hard-pressed to find a more arrogant Doctor than Three, and I love him. The stories? There are fewer set on Earth, and I tend to prefer Earth-bound stories to endless quarries or corridors masquerading as alien planets, and cling-firm or papier maché dressed up as aliens.
Also, young Sarah Jane still don't impress me much. And now, unfortunately, nor does Leela. I find her completely unconvincing as a primitive, and personality-wise she seems about as rounded as a square piece piece of plywood. I won't be sorry to see her go.
And now, worst of all, I have come to The Talons of Weng Chiang. I'd heard a lot about this before going into it, but tried to keep an open mind. And, in the beginning, I even thought that perhaps I might like it. Earth setting, Victorian times - I like a good costume drama, so it looked promising.
And then I saw the portrayal of the Chinese variety performers. And then after that the apparent Chinese gang. And I was horrified.
I'm two episodes in, and have absolutely no enthusiasm for watching more. Yet I went into this intending to watch my way through the whole of Classic Who. Dilemma, dilemma...
Poll
I'm less than halfway through Four's era, and struggling to maintain any level of interest at all. I'm still trying to remember why I liked him as a kid - though even then I never liked him as much as I did Three. I don't even know what it is about Four; it can't be his arrogance, as you'd be hard-pressed to find a more arrogant Doctor than Three, and I love him. The stories? There are fewer set on Earth, and I tend to prefer Earth-bound stories to endless quarries or corridors masquerading as alien planets, and cling-firm or papier maché dressed up as aliens.
Also, young Sarah Jane still don't impress me much. And now, unfortunately, nor does Leela. I find her completely unconvincing as a primitive, and personality-wise she seems about as rounded as a square piece piece of plywood. I won't be sorry to see her go.
And now, worst of all, I have come to The Talons of Weng Chiang. I'd heard a lot about this before going into it, but tried to keep an open mind. And, in the beginning, I even thought that perhaps I might like it. Earth setting, Victorian times - I like a good costume drama, so it looked promising.
And then I saw the portrayal of the Chinese variety performers. And then after that the apparent Chinese gang. And I was horrified.
I'm two episodes in, and have absolutely no enthusiasm for watching more. Yet I went into this intending to watch my way through the whole of Classic Who. Dilemma, dilemma...
Poll