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Jack Graham

Jack Graham writes and podcasts about culture and politics from a Gothic Marxist-Humanist perspective. He co-hosts the I Don't Speak German podcast with Daniel Harper. Support Jack on Patreon.

9 Comments

  1. Everythingisgold
    April 9, 2011 @ 7:33 am

    Thank you for writing this. It's rare that I find anything that I agree with completely, but this article I do. More importantly, I've learned even more than I knew about the subject already.

    This is a wonderfully written commentary on the episode.

    EIG.

    Reply

  2. Richard Pilbeam
    April 10, 2011 @ 2:38 am

    This was the exact point I stopped caring about Season 5. Then I watched the Angels two-parter and actively gave up on it.

    The thing is, in addition to everything you've mentioned, the story doesn't even work as a narrative. Making a deal with the devil only has impact if the character knows what they're doing, but Churchill thinks the Daleks were created by Bracewell specifically to win the war, so… why shouldn't he keep them around?

    And why did any of this need to take place during the Blitz at all?

    Reply

  3. Jack Graham
    April 10, 2011 @ 4:04 am

    It's the icon thing again. It HAS to be during the Blitz. It HAS to feature spitfires. It HAS to have plummy RAF guys saying "Broadsword to Dannyboy…" Of course, another word for 'icon', in this instance, would be 'cliche'.

    Reply

  4. Richard Pilbeam
    April 10, 2011 @ 9:34 pm

    And Season 6 is debuting with an "American" story, so it has to have stetson hats, Monument Valley, six shooters, greys, the White House and aliens making an alliance with the officially-sanctioned "bad" President.

    Reply

  5. Lucy McGough
    March 11, 2012 @ 3:32 am

    Just read this. Definitely food for thought. I didn't know any of this stuff.

    No wonder the Iranians hate us.

    Reply

  6. Jack Graham
    March 11, 2012 @ 4:06 am

    The question is, why do 'we' hate them?

    Reply

  7. Lucy McGough
    March 11, 2012 @ 6:57 am

    We're scared they might bomb us?

    Reply

  8. Jack Graham
    March 11, 2012 @ 8:31 am

    Which is pretty irrational of us, considering that they've shown no indication that they're able or seriously inclined to bomb anyone. They don't have nukes, as far as we know. And we'd almost certainly know if they did. They have a nuclear programme, but it's supervised and – as far as we know – conforms to the strictures of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Indeed, Iran seems much more compliant with the terms of the IAEA than many of our allies, including the US. Speaking of our allies, how about Israel? Nuked-up to the hilt and, unlike Iran, with a proven track record of violent aggression. Israel is currently occupying other people's land and subjecting them to apartheid and slow torture. Iran couldn't hope to get away with bombing another country in the consequence-free way that Israel stomps around. Attacking the West or Western allies would, in any case, be akin to national suicide. 'We', on the other hand, bomb who we like without comeback.

    Reply

  9. Crispin Wah
    September 10, 2014 @ 6:19 am

    The only downside of this marvellous treatise is that it took me so long to read it. Perfectly summarises the reasons behind the unease-turning-to-anger i felt during the initial viewing of the episode. Have never watched it since for fear of smashing the TV in and hating all of Doctor Who as though it were tainted by association with this… thing. And all the majority of people who complain about this ep can bitch about is the colour and design of the fucking DALEKS?!? Imbeciles.

    I look forward to Moffat's next Xmas special, where the Doctor helps organise the King David Hotel bombing, before having afternoon tea with Rumsfeld, Dubya and Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

    Reply

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