Doctor Who — The Crusade Episode 1 — The Lion — A Review

20th January, 2023: Episode 1 — The Lion.

Right … It’s officially Friday.

And … ?

Two things spring to mind.

First things first, an old friend — Graham — has a YouTube channel or two: the main ones are Postcards from a Wet Rock and PlaylisterC60.

He’s posted this, today: 

After asking me for a musical list.

I owe him a thank you.

~≈📺≈~

At any rate … ?

It’s Friday: and I’ve not been watching much in the way of TV shows, recently.

I have caught a film or two: including In the Earth, West Side Story and Nope.

And?   Even if West Side Story doesn’t have any Kubrick references, Spielberg did work with Kubrick.

Go read the reviews, that comment will make sense.

At ANY rate … ?   And at the risk of repeating myself?

I’m going to start watching some TV, tonight: making a start on classic Dr Who story, The Crusade.

I’ll be watching the first episode — The Lion — tonight: and the next three over the next three weeks.

I’ll have this written review up, tomorrow: along side its video equivalent.

I’ll see you then.

~≈📺≈~

21st January, 2023.

Episode 1 — The Lion — opens in a wooded area in what we later learn is the Holy Land.

Only to see a pair of European knights passing through: on their way to find the rest of their party.

Followed by a pair of Saracen soldiers: determined to attack the intruding Crusaders.

The senior of the pair — El Akir (Walter Randall) — is keen to follow the newcomers: he wants to see if they can lead them to the big prize.

That big prize?   Is none other than the Lionheart: King Richard (Julian Glover) himself.

The King?   Is taking time off from conducting his kingdom’s efforts in the Third Crusade: doing a little hawking with friends, and mildly worried.

His favourite belt has been broken, during the group’s activities.

Little does the King know: his belt is the least of his troubles.

Someone … is planning an ambush …

~≈📺≈~

There’s something else the Lionheart doesn’t know.

Just after his potential ambushers start following him … something materialises exactly where they were standing.

It’s the TARDIS: and the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his team — Ian, Barbara and Vicki (William Russell, Jacqueline Hill and Maureen O’Brian) — are keen to explore.

Vicki in particular: having seen Ancient Rome, she wants to see other parts of Earth history.

What none of the team expect … ?   Is landing in Jaffa, in the Holy Land, just at the height of the Third Crusade: and seeing Barbara kidnapped!

~≈📺≈~

Now … what did I make of The Lion: this first episode of The Crusade?

What did I think?   Are there issues?   Problems?   Funny bits?   Sounds effects?   Things you wouldn’t get today?   Actors we recognise?

Is this opening episode good, bad or indifferent?

First things first.

The episode itself looks and sounds good: I suspect that the team behind the season two box set have put in a lot of work, tightening things up.

The episode, itself?

Is a delight.

It’s an exciting, ripping yarn that makes a dashing central figure out of Glover’s King Richard: and a sympathetic antagonist out of Saladin (Bernard Kay).

That doesn’t mean it’s an episode — today — that doesn’t have issues.

From what I can see, the episode doesn’t name the Holy Land as ‘the Holy Land,’ ‘Palestine,’ or ‘Israel.’

If I’ve understood things, Palestine — or the Holy Land — would’ve been the preferred terms, during the Crusades.

Theses days, either term could start a potential argument: about everything from the legality of Israeli settlements to whether various Palestinian groups are terrorists or freedom fighters.

But the episode seems to avoid naming the country: and instead, talks of the area ‘around Jaffa’.

That’s possibly a good thing, if deliberate.

The other word I noticed … ?

Was Saracen.

Usually?   I hear the word ‘saracen’ and think of the Rugby Union team!

But … ?

I’m also aware it’s an old term for someone from the Middle East: which is the way it’s used in The Lion.

It’s also not a term I’m comfortable using, myself.

I think that meaning of the word as on a par with the word ‘negro’: an older — and at least mildly offensive — way of describing someone of African heritage.

So seeing it used here?

It’s not necessarily something I’m comfortable with, would possibly not use were I writing the story, today … but also aware it was a common term for 12th Century Europeans to use.

The other possible issue?

One that’s something that I raised in my reviews of The Abominable Snowmen?

Is good old fashion blackface!

I don’t know about you: but I’ve always found hiring white actors to play minority characters — complete with black face makeup — to be vaguely ridiculous.

Especially these days: when Britain’s acting pool is slowly diversifying.

Back in the 1960s?

The excuse was that there weren’t that many British-born or British resident, black, South Asian or East Asian actors to fill the needed roles.

So, in The Abominable Snowmen?

The show’s producers hired white actors and didn’t even. bother putting them in yellowface: something the team who made the animated version tried to correct by making the relevant characters look East Asian.

Something I felt was appropriate … at the time I watched the Troughton led story.

Last night … ?

Last night, I watched The Lion: and, as I’d expect from a ’60-era British TV show, most of the Middle Eastern characters were played by white actors in black face.

Something I’m forgiving of, knowing when the show was made.

But very aware wouldn’t — indeed, shouldn’t — be done, today.

I say that with a certain amount of irony: very aware there’s black extras, quite visible black extras, playing various spear carriers in The Lion.

Extras who may well have been playing leading parts, today.

When I spoke about the white actors in the animated The Abominable Snowmen being made to look Tibetan … I have to wonder if I was spoke out of turn.

Whether, effectively, if The Abominable Snowmen is a digital form of black face/yellowface.

It’s making white actors look Asian!

~≈📺≈~

But, to focus back on The Lion?

There’s possibly many other things to discuss.

Most of us?   At least those of us familiar with later versions of the TARDIS materialisation sound effect?

Will be surprised to hear the effect used in this episode: a drawn out ‘wooooooo’ noise used in place of the  more familiar effect.

Some of us … ?

Will be pleasantly surprised to see Tony Caunter in the minor role of Thatcher.

Yes: I know he was both in Enlightenment, and Colony in Space.

But I can still remember him as Roy, Pat’s lover, in EastEnders.

That voice is very distinctive.

Some … ?

Will be surprised to see the First Doctor — or, at least, a stunt man dressed up as the First Doctor — taking part in the sword fight that helps see off the ambushing Saracens.

Hartnell’s take on the character could be rough, sometimes!

~≈📺≈~

There’s a lot I could be saying.

The most I could say is that, yes: there’s a lot about this first episode that’s flawed.

Actors in black face is not something we would be using, today.

And I would fully expect Ncuti Gatwa, the 15th Doctor, to get mildly sarcastic were he to watch the episode!

Saying that?

I think the episode, itself, is a ripping good yarn: with enough excitement, adventure and sword fights to keep me occupied.

In the shape of The Lion?

The Crusade has opened very well.

I will be watching the second episode, The Knight of Jaffa, on Friday, 27th January, 2023.

I’ll have written and video review of it up on 28th January.

I’ll see you then!

The Crusade Episode 1 — The Lion.

★★★☆