Synopsis: In the 25th century, an Earth colony is facing dire times. Their food won’t grow, they’re being attacked by lizards, and worries of Earth miners plague their thoughts.
Oh hi! It’s been a while. Sorry.
Apparently I misunderstood some of the events of “Claws of Axos” and The Doctor cannot leave Earth. The Time Lords, however, feel they need to use The Doctor as their pawn, so they allow him to visit an Earth colony facing crisis. After watching the first episode the bit that stands out most is the line, “There was no animal life, just birds and insects.” Aren’t birds and insects animal life? Then later the same person talks to the native aliens. Yeah, there’s these people, but they don’t count as animals, do they? I still don’t like Jo.
This story shows the worst side of Doctor Who‘s Britishness. They discuss the “Primitives” in a way that shows their ignorance, and their colonial attitudes. It’s obvious the writers display a thought of British colonization is the the past and the future, that the reality of the sun setting on the British Empire is just a minor setback. As someone from one of those colonies, the damage of British superiority is very obvious in many ways. We could discuss the Harper government’s dismissals of the plague of missing Aboriginal women, the reverse course on Aboriginal issues after apologizing for tragic history of residential schools. Yet here we see a group dubbed “the Primitives” who are obviously intelligent. They communicate with a species from another planet without any help, and yet the British colonists talk down to them as if they’re three years old. Even The Doctor is condescending to the “Primitives” who performs magic to distract a guard and escape. Only problem is… MAGIC DOESN’T WORK IF THEY CAN READ YOUR MIND.
The Master shows up in part four. Not surprising as he’s quite popular lately. The trial is somehow reminding me of the trial of Louis Riel. Now there’s a good subject to be the basis of a Doctor Who episode.
THERE’S A MUD WRESTLING SCENE IN EPISODE SIX! Sorry.