Is The Talons of Weng-Chiang Racist?

The Talons of Weng-Chiang is a much beloved serial of Classic Doctor Who, but it's also a bit of a contentious one. Why is this? Find out why here!

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Footage used from:
All footage attributed in the video (a first for me!)
Time tunnel asset in titles by ‪@lothahn8332‬

Music:
"Always In My Dreams" by A.L.I.S.O.N.
"Pandora" by Downtown Binary
"Resonance" and "Before the Night" by HOME

Bibliography:
“BritBox Adds Trigger Warnings to 1977 Doctor Who Episodes.” Radio Times, www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/britbox-adds-trigger-warnings-to-1977-doctor-who-episodes/ Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

“Doctor Who Gets Trigger Warnings Added on BritBox over Racially Insensitive Older Episodes.” Digital Spy, 15 Mar. 2020, www.digitalspy.com/tv/a31633239/doctor-who-trigger-warnings-britbox/ Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

“Chinese Object to Dr. Who.” Regina Leader-Post, 7 Nov. 1980, p. 12. Google News, news.google.com/newspapers?id=eYlVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lD8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1207%2C1942315 Accessed 28 Dec. 2023.

“The Talons of Weng-Chiang | a Brief History of Time (Travel).” Www.shannonsullivan.com, www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4s.html. Accessed 23 Dec. 2023

VICE. “How Britain Got China Hooked on Opium I Empires of Dirt.” YouTube, 28 Aug. 2020,    • How Britain Got China Hooked on Opium...  

“How Racist Was Fu Manchu and the Depiction of China?” The Independent, www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/fu-manchu-and-china-was-the-yellow-peril-incarnate-really-appallingly-racist-a6701766.html

Orman, Kate. “‘One Of Us Is Yellow’: Doctor Fu Manchu and The Talons of Weng Chiang.” Doctor Who and Race, edited by Lindy Orthia, www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/one-of-us-is-yellow-doctor-fu-manchu-and-the-talons-of-weng-chiang-guest-post-by-kate-orman Accessed 23 Dec. 2023.

Theme Song:
"Doctor Who Theme" by Ron Grainer (arr. David Arnold)

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:57 Synopsis
03:51 Important Context
07:50 "It Was A Different Time"
09:29 The Makeup Problem
16:02 You Can't Say That
22:03 Jago and Litefoot
27:58 Fu Manchu
34:27 Why Is This Important
44:26 Conclusion

Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.