Doctor Who - The Talons of Weng-Chiang (Revisited again!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK, as we are now into July, its high time I did another post and this will be yet another revisitation of a Doctor Who story (which was also a revisit!). And the story is hailed as one of the all time classics of the original show which is The Talons of Weng-Chiang from the Tom Baker era. 

So, I will add a few bits and bobs to the sections to expand on them a little although they are quite well expanded as it is. 

So, with that said, let's take another look at this story and see if it still is a classic. 

STORY

So, the story begins with the TARDIS landing in London back in the Victorian times, as the Doctor and Leela (Louise Jameson) emerge wearing Victorian clothes.  The Doctor and Leela while they look around the local area, they hear a scream and they find a group of Chinese coolies who are attacking a cab driver.  The Doctor and Leela fight them off, as they hear the sound of a police whistle they flee, and the Doctor trips up one of them, just in time for a Sergeant (David McKail) to find them and he asks them to come to the station.

Meanwhile at the Palace theatre, a famous Chinese magician, Li H'sen Chang (John Bennett) is performing an extended run at the theatre, much to the delight of the owner, Henry Gordon Jago (Christopher Benjamin).  Chang however was accosted by the cab driver earlier on and he accused  him of putting his wife into some weird trance and since then she has disappeared.  After this Chang is called to the police station where he is asked to be an interpreter for the coolie, the Doctor and Leela caught.  Chang unbeknownst to the Doctor and Leela discretely gives the coolie a scorpion venom pill, which kills the coolie instantly.  Chang denies that he did anything and wishes them good night, but on examining the dead coolie's hand, the Doctor sees a tatoo of the Tong of the Black Scorpion, who were a dangerous political organisation who worshipped the ancient god, Weng-Chiang.

The Doctor and Leela then head to the mortuary where they find where they speak to Professot Litefoot (Trevor Litefoot) who is examining the bodies and tells the Doctor that the cab driver, was a man named Joseph Buller, who was the husband of one of the missing girls, Emma Buller that went missing in mysterious circumstances.  The Doctor finds rat hairs on Buller's body, which suggests to him that he was killed by a large rat, and that the god Weng Chaing, was the master of abundance who could make things grow.  On this hunch, the Doctor checks the sewers with Leela and they find a large rat, which advances on them, but they manage to escape just in time.

In the meantime we find out that Chang is actually a servant of the so called God, Weng-Chiang, who is in fact a war criminal from the 51st Century, Magnus Greel (Michael Spice) who is stranded in this time, and he is desperately looking for the time cabinet he travelled in.  However as a result of having used the time cabinet, which is based on an unstable form called Zygma energy, Greel is left hideously deformed and has to wear mask to hide his true features.

It also is revealed that the girls who disappeared have in fact been captured by Chang and taken to Greel, who uses a distillation chamber to drain their life energies into his own body, in order to revitilise himself, as he dying from the effects of his time travel.  Chang also in his task of trying to find the time cabinet is aided by a the small waxwork doll, Mr Sin (Roy Deep) which is in fact a homunculus (small robotic human) who came from the future with Greel.

And as things progress the Doctor and Leela eventually cross paths with Greel, as well as meeting up with Jago and Litefoot, who all pull their resources together to try and defeat the evil villain from the future, who if he finds the time cabinet again, it could have disastrous consequences for them all...

THOUGHTS 

The Talons of Weng-Chiang is without a doubt one of the real highlights of the Tom Baker era, the scripts, sets and performances are all excellent.  Robert Holmes, who was the script editor during the Philip Hinchcliffe tenure, and also wrote the story, has crafted a terrific adventure, which is creepy, menacing as well as very entertaining.

The story also succeeds in bringing together another partnership, with Henry Gordon Jago and Professor Litefoot, who in the story make an unlikely duo, but they ultimately help each other and the Doctor in their fight against Greel.  In fact in a way it seems like there is a peculiar trio here, a la Sherlock Homes style (which this story pays more than a close homage to) with the Doctor being Sherlock Holmes and Professor Litefoot being John Watson.  As for the gothic themes that were seen to be running now and then through the Hinchcliffe era, they really come to the fore here, and in this story Holmes and Hinchcliffe find the perfect balance of drama and fun and it was a great swansong for their tenure on the show.

PERFORMANCES (Warning: this section may contain spoilers!) 

In terms of the performances there is much to enjoy here as the cast are all on top form.

Starting Tom Baker who is great once again as the Fourth Doctor, and he provides his usual commanding, enigmatic and humorous qualities. 

And Tom has his share of good scenes such as the one where Doctor goes to the police station not long after he and Leela are attacked by some coolies. So, the Doctor in the scene is asked by Sergeant Kyle at the station some questions and he asks the Doctor if and Leela have an address, so the Doctor tells him "No, sergeant, we're travellers". So, Kyle says "I see. Persons of no fixed abode" and the Doctor corrects him "No, no. We have an abode but its not fixed!" and Kyle says to the Doctor "I can give you and the girl a fixed abode quite easily, sir" and the Doctor says under his breath "Flat-footed imbecile!" and Kyle asks "What was that, sir?" and the Doctor irritably says "It was nothing complimentary, get on with it, Sergeant!".

So, as Kyle says they have their hands full with all the missing persons inquiries, the Doctor impatiently tells him "Sergeant, that is all irrelevant. I have come here to lay evidence!". Kyle however says "We'll come to that in good time, sir" and the Doctor shouts " We'll come to that now, Sergeant. We've just prevented a kidnapping, a robbery or even a murder. My friend here caught one of the attackers. Let's come to it now, shall we?!".

Then there is the scene where Chang arrives at the police station where Kyle asks him to question the Chinese coolie. However, Chang in the scene quietly slips a poison pill to the coolie, who takes it and as the Doctor finally works out who Chang is, he announces "Got it! Li H'sen Chang! The master of magic mesmerism! Show us a trick!" and suddenly the coolie gives a cry and collapses dead over the table. So, the Doctor examines the coolie and says "Scorpion venom!" and Kyle asks "Scorpion venom?" and the Doctor says "Highly concentrated scorpion venom. It killed him almost instantly". 

So, Chang then denies any knowledge of what just happened and leaves the station and the Doctor having examined the coolie and identified a tattoo belonging to a criminal group known as the Tong of the black scorpion, he says to Kyle "If the tong of the Black scorpion is here in London you're going to need all the help you can get, now cut along and do what I say now!". And the Doctor's authority is so  strong, Kyle is compelled to obey him and says "Yes, sir" and he walks off.

And there is the moment where the Doctor chases Greel around the Palace theatre late at night and he finds Jago later on the floor unconscious and brings him round. So, as Greel escapes, the Doctor tends to Jago, who asks "Shouldn't we go to the police?" and the Doctor says "Oh, Henry Gordon Jago, then our reclusive phantom would simply vanish.  Poof!" and as Jago asks him what he will do the Doctor replies "Think.  Then have some supper!".       

And there is also the scene where the Doctor traverses the Thames in a small boat as he holds an old rifle in his hands and he says to Litefoot, who is with him "My dear Litefoot, I've got a lantern, a pair of waders, and possibly the most feared piece of hand artillery in all of England!  What could possibly go wrong??".  And as Litefoot says "Well that for a start, it hasn't been used for 50 years, if you try and use it, it might explode in your face!" and the Doctor replies "Explode??  Unthinkable!  It was made in Birmingham!".

There is also another amusing scene when the Doctor looks at Leela's transformation when she puts on a beautiful Victorian era dress. So, the Doctor says to Leela "I'll be proud to take you to the theatre lookign like that" and Leela excitedly asks "We're going to the theatre?" and the Doctor with a grin  says to her "I have an appointment at the Palace Theatre tonight, and if you are very good, I'll buy you an orange".

Another great scene is where Greel turns up at Lightfoot's place to take the time key for the cabinet from the Doctor.  So in the scene, Greel grows tired of the Doctor's flipancy and he shouts "The time key, Doctor!" and the Doctor says "Oh the time key!  Heavens to Betsy!  I'm always putting things down and wondering where I put them!". So, Greel warns the Doctor "I will give you three seconds to produce the time key or I will kill the girl...one...two...three...kill her!" but then the Doctor suddenly produces the key and Greel shouts "Stop!". So, as Greel urgently shouts "Give it to me!" the Doctor jumps back and says "Careful! I might have dropped it!" and Greel says to the Doctor of Leela "Give me that key and I'll spare her life!" and the Doctor tells him "Never trust a man with dirty fingernails!".

So, the Doctor insists that he will only give Greel the key if he takes him to the House of the Dragon and he releases Jago and Litefoot. So, the Doctor tells Greel "Tell you what, I'll give you the trionic lattice when we get to the House of the Dragon" and Greel asks him "What trickery is this?!" and the Doctor says "No trickery. You're holding two of my friends there. I want them released". Greel then asks "Two blundering dolts?! Why?!" and the Doctor tells him "I doubt you could understand that but that's the condition" so Greel agrees to. So, before they go, Greel tells them to bring the girl but the Doctor says "No! The girl stays" and Greel warns the Doctor "You would be wise not to press me too far!" and the Doctor commandingly says to him "Just lead on".

WARNING BIG SPOILER COMING UP IN THIS PARAGRAPH!

And last of all is the scene where the Doctor and the others are caught up in a fight with Greel at the House of the Dragon where Mr Sin has the Doctor and his friends caught in the cross-hairs of a dragon laser gun. So, the Doctor pleads with Greel not to use the time cabinet or there will be disaster "Greel, listen, if you activate the Zigma beam, it will be certain death for all of us!" and Greel weakly says "Lies, Doctor!". However the Doctor continues to plead with Greel "Listen, Greel! GREEL, LISTEN! The Zigma beam is at full stretch. If you trigger it again, it'll mean certain collapse. You know what that means?!". Greel however weakly says "You can't fool me!" and the Doctor shouts "There'll be a huge implosion, Greel, and you'll be at the centre of it. The zigma experiments were a disaster!"

So, after the Doctor finally defeats Greel by pushing him into the distillation chamber, it disintegrates Greel's body. So, Jago asks "But where was he from? Where did he go?" and the Doctor tells him "He was a foe from the future, Henry". Then suddenly Mr Sin jumps down and attacks Leela and then the Doctor, who wrestles with Sin and throws him to the floor and he pulls out the chip that controls him and he takes the trionic lattice and places it on the ground and says to the others "I'm bringing the Zigma experiments to an end". So, the Doctor crushes the lattice with his foot and then we hear a call in the distance of muffins and the Doctor says to the other "Its the muffin man. Come on. I'll buy you some muffins!". 

Louise Jameson is also fine as Leela, and yep she does look pretty fine in that Victorian dress (although I miss her sexy leather skins!).

And Louise has quite a few highlights in the story that include the scene where the Doctor and Leela are taken to the police station just after the coolies attacked them. So, in the scene the Doctor tells Leela to tell Sergeant Kyle what they saw and she tells Kyle "The man they were carrying was dead. They stabbed him through the heart!". Kyle however skeptically asks Leela "Really, Miss and how can you be sure of that?" and Leela firmly tells Kyle "I am a warrior of the Sevateem. I know the different sounds of death. Now put our prisoner to the torture!".

There is also the scene where Leela is interested in Litefoot's pathology examination of the cabbie who was killed and she says "You say you can tell the height of the attacker by the way the blade was thrust?  But when aiming for the heart, we were always told to strike under the breastbone!". Litefoot then looks stunned at Leela's statement and the Doctor grins and tells him "Savage! Found floating down the Amazon in a hotbox!".  

She also has an amusing scene where she eats with Litefoot at his house, but rather than use a plate, she sticks a carving knife into a cut of meat and she weighs the knife in her hand and tells Litefoot "Its a good knife!". So, as Leela starts eating it with her hands, Litefoot looks on awkwardly and Leela asks "Aren't you going to eat?" and Litefoot smiles a little and says "Yes, just going to eat" and he picks up a chicken wing and starts to eat it aswell. 

Jameson also has quite a few impressive dramatic moments such as the one where Leela is tied and placed in Greel's distillation chamber and she says "I will not plead, but know this: when we are both in the great hereafter I will hunt you down, BENT FACE and put you through my agony a THOUSAND TIMES!".

And clearly Leela struggles with the customs and social etiquette of the Victorian era more than Eliza Doolittle ever did!  And this brings to mind the story's last scene where Litefoot tries to train up Leela on the social etiquette during tea and Litefoot says "I would say "one lump or two, Miss Leela".  To which you will reply "one will suffice, thank you".  And Leela asks "Suppose I want two" and Litefoot firmly says "Oh no, no, no, no.  One lump for ladies" and Leela says "Then why do you ask me?!".      

Christopher Benjamin as Henry Gordon Jago, the pompous theatre owner, who has a large vocabulary and likes to act big, but at the same time he's a coward, who would flee at any sign of danger, but towards the end he plays his part in fighting the baddies.

Benjamin naturally has some great scenes in the story that include the one where Jago speaks to his stagehand, Casey, and says to him "I will look over those lugubrious lineaments at the crepuscular hour!" and Casey says "Eh???" to which Jago replies "See you in the morning!".

Another good scene from Benjamin is when the Doctor meets with Jago at the theatre and pretends to audition for him and Jago is very unimpressed by the Doctor tricks "Auditions start on Saturday morning, ten o'clock sharp!" and the Doctor continues to show some more and Jago continues to be unimpressed and says "Is that all?" and the Doctor says "No, dramatic recitations, tap dancing.  I can play the trumpet in a bowl of live goldfish!" and Jago wearily says "Don't bother coming back on Saturday!".

Another good scene is when Jago first pays a visit to Litefoot and he mistakes him to be Litefoot's butler (as Litefoot is wearing an apron at the time) and Jago arrogantly says to him "Kindly tell your master that Henry Gordon Jago wishes to see him!" and Litefoot protests and Jago says "Confound your insolence, sir, and announce yourself!" and Litefoot snaps back at him telling him he is Litefoot and Jago changes tack quickly saying "Why dash me optics!  I should have realised.  That brow, those hands.  England's peerless premier professor of pathology!" then he doffs his hat at him "Henry Gordon Jago are your service!".    

And lastly there is the scene where Litefoot and Jago are being held captive by Greel and Jago admits that he isn't brave when it comes to it. So, Jago admits "Well, I'm not so bally brave when it comes to it. I try to be but I'm not..." and Litefoot says "Well when it comes to it...I don't suppose anybody is" and Jago says "Well just thought I would let you know, in case I let the side down" and Litefoot smiles and reassures Jago "You won't, Henry. I know you won't".

Trevor Baxter is also excellent Professor Litefoot, as he plays Litefoot as a plucky character, who will stand up for a fight, and his scenes with Christopher Benjamin are great, and some of the highlights of the story.

Baxter also has some great scenes that include the one where Litefoot get's ready to finish up his shift are his autopsy on the body of the dead cab driver. So, Litefoot says to the Doctor "They were both poisoned, of course. One orally, the other intravenously. I understand you suggested scorpion venom?" and the Doctor says "Yes, in concentrated form". Litefoot asks the Doctor "I'd like to hear more about that. You're in this line, I take it?" and the Doctor tells him "I dabble a bit. Dilettante" and Litefoot says "Surely more than that. I got a zoologist colleague to look at our last cadaver. It seems he thinks it's the work of a rat, too. What an amazing night it's been!" and Leela says to him "Its not over yet".

So, Litefoot continues "It's been jolly interesting, wouldn't you say? Most of the corpses around here are jolly dull. Now I've got a couple of inscrutable Chinks and a poor perisher who was chewed by a giant rat, having been stabbed by a midget!". The Doctor curious asks "A midget?" and Litefoot says "Angle of the wound. Oh, upon my soul. I'm sure we shouldn't be discussing such things in front of the fair sex. Forgive us, ma'am!". So, Leela a bit puzzled asks the Doctor "Does he mean me?" and the Doctor says "I don't think so".

Another scene is where the Doctor, Leela and Litefoot ride in a carriage and Leela questions what Litefoot is doing as he smokes his pipe. So, Leela asks "Why is there fire coming out of your mouth?" and Litefoot out of surprise says "Pon my soul, hasn't the girl ever seen a pipe before?" and the Doctor says "There's no tobacco where Leela comes from" and Litefoot says "Sounds healthy, but exceedingly dull!".   

Another good scene is when Jago goes around to Litefoot's home but is not aware of who he is and mistakes him as a servant and Jago says "Confound your insolence, sir, and just announce me!" and Litefoot says "Consider yourself announced, sir! I'M Litefoot!".  And in the scene Litefoot decides that he and Jago should try and locate Weng-Chiang themselves and he says to Jago "If you and I keep a discreet eye on the theatre we might nab this fellow, should he return.  We might be lucky, Mr Jago.  And if we are, I have a few lumps to repay!" (referencing the fact he had been knocked out twice already!).

John Bennett is also very good as Li H'sen Chang, the enigmatic and mysterious magician, who obeys Greel blindly at first, but realises altogether a bit too late that Greel later deserts him.  Bennett also has some excellent make-up to make look like a gent from the Orient, which looks very convincing (despite the fact he wouldn't be able to move his eyebrows!).

Bennet also has some good scenes which include the scene where he arrives at the police station to help the inspector with their enquiries and the Doctor asks him "Don't I know you?  Aren't you Chinese?" and Chang says "I understand we all look the same!". So, after Chang discreetly passes the coolie a poison pill, which the coolie takes and dies from, the Doctor asks Chang "What did you do?" and Chang says "Nothing. What are you suggesting?". The Doctor then examines a tattoo on the coolie's hand and he says "The tong of the black scoprion. One of the most dangerous politico-criminal organisations in the world. Wouldn't you agree, Li S'hen Chang?". However, Chang pleads ignorance and says "You seem remarkably well-informed, Doctor. Alas, I know nothing of these matters. Most regrettable incident. Goodnight, Sergeant". And before Chang goes he turns to Leela and says to her "I'm sure we shall meet again. Perhaps under more pleasant circumstances".

Then there is the scene where Chang uses his skill as a hypnotist (along with his heightened powers learned from Greel) to hypnotise to a couple of female workers to come with him, and one of them is substituted by Leela.  And as Chang returns for them he grabs them both and says "Come!  I said come!  You painted drabs!  My master must feed!".     

Another good scene for Bennett also comes when Chang performs his live act infront of a full house in the theatre and he asks for an assistant to help him with a trick as the Doctor comes on stage, he asks him to step into a cabinet, but the Doctor is seen going out the back door as the audience laughs, Chang says "The bird has flown, one of us is yellow!".

And last of all is the scene where Chang is found in the sewers not long after he was attacked by a giant rat and he smokes opium to kill the pain and he is found by the Doctor and Leela and he says to the Doctor "I singular sight I fear.  It is too late, Doctor, and I feel no pain.  The opium". So, Chang explains how was a former faithful servant to Greel before he was dismissed by him "I lay there, Doctor, and cursed Weng-Chiang, my benefactor, who had brought me to this fate. Hatred of him gave me the strength to drag myself away. The rats had gone. I came here to destroy the false god. The last act of the Great Chang!". Chang continues "I believed in him. For many years I believed in him" and the Doctor says "It was a good act, Chang" and Chang says "Until he shamed me. I lost face. The whole theatre saw my failure".

And soon Chang begins to succumbs to his fatal wounds and says to the Doctor "Soon I shall join my ancestors. Already I can see them. They walk to greet me from the Palace of Jade. They are smiling and carry gifts of food and flowers. Now I cross the golden bridge of the gods!". The Doctor then tries to get Chang to tell where Greel's House of the Dragon is located but Chang dies before he can tell him. 

Roy Deep also makes a noteworthy appearnce as the creepy Mr Sin, the dimunitive waxwork doll, that does Greel's evil bidding.

And Roy doesn't have much dialogue except in the scene where Chang performs a magic trick on stage where he levitates a woman on stage. So, in the scene Mr Sin undermines Chang's tricks and says of the woman under his trance "She is asleep!" and Chang says "She it not asleep, Mr Sin!" and Mr Sin says "She smoked pipe of poppy!" which prompts laughter from the audience. And as Chang has two tables removed that appear to prop the woman up, Mr Sin says "She is lying on metal bar!" and Chang says "She doesn't lie on metal bar!". And as Chang levitates the woman into the air, Mr Sin says "She held up by wires!" and Chang then takes a sword and threatens Mr Sin by holding it close to him, prompting shock from the audience and Mr Sin shouts "Don't touch me! Help! Police! Murder!". So, Chang then stands back and sweeps the sword around the woman's body and says "You see no wires, Mr Sin!". 

And last of all is Michael Spice as the villainous Greel, who we never see his face until the climax at the end of episode five where Leela unmasks him, and we see his twisted features.  Spice plays a great villain, especially with his impressive booming voice and no doubt it would have scared many a kid back then. 

And Spice has his share of good scenes such as his first one where Chang meets with Greel in his lair underground. So, in the scene Greel is clearly weak as he coughs and moves slowly and he says to Chang "You are late!" and Chang warns him "We should not go tonight, Lord" but Greel insists "I must, every night until the time cabinet found!" and he coughs loudly. Greel then tells Chang "You must bring another linnet to my cage! The disease grows worse. Each distillation lasts less than the time before".

Chang warns Greel though as the girls keep disappearing there is the danger the police will get closer to them. So, Greel tells Chang "Bah. Those dumb-witted oxen. Chang, I have given you mental powers undreamt of in this century. You are thousands of years ahead of your time! What can you fear from these primitives?!". Chang then tells Greel about the Doctor but Greel dismisses the idea that he might be a possible time agent from the future "A time agent would not ask questions. A time agent would know!". Chang then tells Greel of the Doctor "If he troubles us further, I will deal with him personally" and Greel says "Very well. We're wasting time. Come!". 

And there is the scene where Chang brings two more girls to Greel's lair so he can drain their life essences to keep him alive. And Chang looks at the girls, one of which is Leela in disguise and Chang says "They're not the best but they will do. They're young. Their life essence is still strong" and he feels Leela's arms and exclaims in surprise "Oh, this one has muscles like a horse!". Chang says "I took what I could find, Lord" and Greel chastens Chang and says "I have given you knowledge. I have made you a leader among your fellows. All I have asked for in return is a few contemptible slatterns who will never be missed!". Greel then tells Chang to leave him to his work and after Chang leaves, Greel turns to Leela and says to her "I shall not keep you waiting long!". 

Then there is the scene where Greel activates the distillation chamber to drain the cleaning girl's life essence and Leela attacks Greel by surprise but is too late to save the girl. So, Leela manages to escape only to have Greel bang his gong to summon his large rats in the sewers and he yells "When my beauties find her, she will wish she died HERE!!".

Spice naturally has some good scenes in the story such as the scene where Jago and Litefoot stumble on his lair at the house of the dragon.  And he says to them when they arrive "So you choose to pry on the house of the dragon.  Unwise, very unwise!" and later he nearly chokes Jago to death in forcing him to try and tell him where the bag is with the time key for his time cabinet and then says "You will die later slowly!  It will give pleasure to my wolves!".

Another good scene from Spice comes when he finally has retrieved the time key and places it in his time cabinet, which runs on Zigma energy (which was said to be highly unstable and the result of Greel's deformity).So, Greel excitedly says "Perfect. Perfect! After all these years the function is unimpaired! Everything exactly as it was. The parallax synchrons fully charged, the strata tube set at maximum!". Greel then laughs maniacally and shouts "He was wrong! WRONG!! The Zigma experiment was a success!!!".

And last of all there is the classic line where Greel places Leela in his distilation chamber and says "Whatever it was there will be no escape for you.  Let the talons of Weng-Chiang shred your FLIIIIESSHHH!!".    

DIRECTOR AND MUSIC 

Moving onto the director, David Maloney does a great job here as he had already directed some of the show's most acclaimed serials such as The War Games and Genesis of the Daleks and he paces out the story very well here and keeps the action and story moving along nicely even for a six parter.  This was in actual fact the last Doctor Who story that Maloney would have directed, which was a pity given how great his serials were in the series. Maloney himself later died in 2006, aged 72. 

As for one amusing fact about the making of the show was that for one of the scenes show on the streets, there was one shot where a modern car was in shot.  However the production team where unable to contact the owner to have it moved, so they ended up covering it over with hay! You can spot it easily, as you see the shape of the car beneath!

As for the music score it is by Dudley Simpson, which is once again great, as Simpson, who by this time had been a real veteran score writer for the show virtually since it began (his first music score for the show was back in 1964 in the Hartnell era, Planet of Giants) and Simpson himself makes a cameo in the story as a conductor at the theatre.  Simpson's score has plenty of dramatic passages throughout and I really like the use of some of the organ music, especially when Chang is negotiating the bowels of the theatre to reach the sewer to meet with Greel.

FLAWS (Warning: this section may refer to spoilers!) 

As for Talons flaws???  Well its a great story but there are still the odd niggles here and there.

And the biggests flaws that can be levelled at the story is of course the inclusion of the giant rat, which is basically pretty silly, and is not menacing at all, as it just looks like a man in a mouse costume (which is pretty much what it is!).

I also felt that perhaps the story threatens choke itself on its own cleverness at times and the intellectual dialogue between Jago and Litefoot at times becomes a bit drawn out as they appear to try and outdo each other on who has larger vocabulary!  But that doesn't take away from the great chemistry they share as an unlikely duo involved in fighting crime. This is also in part probably due to the story writer, Robert Holmes, who collected dictionaries and loved to show off his flair for the language in his writing.

Another niggle probably comes from Greel's make-up when his face is revealed after Leela pulls off his mask as it might appear scary to young children (well maybe not today!) but it actually appears pretty silly for the most part, especially given that how can Greel speak so clearly given his twisted features! So, yeah I think the make-up is a bit inconsistent with how Greel could speak so freely given that his mouth is twisted out of shape but ah well. 

And as villain whilst Greel is quite effective, his ranting and raving does become a bit tiresome after a while especially as he keeps berating his coolies who are trying to do their best to find the bag holding the time key and he instead yells "You incompetent lice!  You mindless crawling dogs!".  But again these are fairly minor niggles and I'm maybe just nitpicking here (with the exception of giant rat of course!). 

Anyway that's it for the flaws. 

SUM UP 
 
So to sum up, The Talons of Weng Chiang remains one of the great classics of the original show, and one of Tom Baker's finest stories.  It was a shame that Philip Hinchcliffe decided to part company with the show at that point as his tenure on the series proved to be what quite a few fans called the Golden Age of the show.  And some might even say that Doctor Who was never the same again after that, which in a way it wasn't but then again, I guess the show had to be ready for a new tenure and new producer at some point. 

So, I will give The Talons of Weng-Chiang a rating of:

10 out of 10

So, that's it for now and I will be back soon with another post.

Till, then its bye for now!