C091 The Talons of Weng-Chiang

A glorious melange of Sherlock Holmes, The Phantom of the Opera, Dr Fu Manchu and so much more, and one of the most controversial Classic Doctor Who stories ever * * * The Fourth Doctor brings his companion Leela to Victorian London to give her a taste of who her human ancestors once were. It’s foggy in the almost perpetual night of Londontown and they wish to blend in, so Doc dons his finest Holmesian getup, while his ex-warrior accomplice for once sheds her leather thong in favour of a less revealing, more contemporary, outfit herself. Women have been going missing in London, however, and at least one of them was a volunteer participant in the performance of one stage magician, Li H’sen Chang. Soon our protagonists are embroiled in a mystery involving a maniacal ventriloquist’s dummy, a time cabinet, a giant rat, two of the very best co-companions ever, and lots and lots of (not so) casual racism. * * * Check out WHOBACKWHEN.COM for more information, Doctor Who TV Serial and Audiobook reviews, ratings and ramblings, and loads more podcast episodes. WEB: WhoBackWhen.com FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/WhoBackWhen Instagram: Instagram.com/whobackwhen YOUTUBE: WhoBackWhen.com/YouTube TWITTER: @whobackwhen Toodle-Pip!