#mr sin

I rewatched this serial on 15 March 2023, which was first broadcast around this time in 1977. 

We begin in a Victorian music hall where Li H’sen Chang and Mr Sin, apparently a ventriloquist’s doll, come off stage from their act when they’re challenged by a cabbie looking for his wife. Mr Sin kills him. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Leela arrive, both wearing Victorian attire to blend in. They are set upon by a Chinese gang, and get wrapped up in a serial murder investigation. It’s not long before they discover other weird goings-on.

The tone of this serial is akin to the Sherlock Holmes stories, mixed with a bit of Jack the Ripper lore, far future stuff, hypnotism, holograms in the basement, giant animals, and more than a dash of racism. I won’t go into details about that but do be warned if you’ve not seen this one before. It’s aggravating because it didn’t need to be there (no, not “of it’s time”) and if excised then this serial would be one of Doctor Who’s greatest stories. Greel is an interesting character beyond the obvious — and it’s great how Leela sees right through him — and Mr Sin is a wonderful monster. In terms of support characters, Litefoot and Jago are fabulous.

You know, I think I did a pretty good job with this panel.