Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paul Farquhar" data-source="post: 9246599" data-attributes="member: 6906155">The original brief for Doctor Who was that it should be educational, so they included a number of "pure historical" stories. These where not allowed to change history, or add science fiction elements. However, there are problems with getting the history wrong, as well as changing attitudes, white actors playing non-white characters, etc. The Romans doesn't stand up well for example. It's very pro-Roman, pro-Christian, and treats slavery and sexual assault very lightly.The Aztecs is perhaps a bit more interesting. One of the companions wants to end human sacrifice. Not just because they find it morally objectionable, but because they think that when the conquistadores arrive they won't exterminate them. It at least touches on some of the moral complexities of this situation.Doctor Who went to the Old West much earlier - in 1966, in The Gunfighters, based around the OK Corral. However, this gets recorded history very wrong, and was generally disliked. However, I think, viewed as a comedy story, it stands up fairly well in hindsight. Star Trek went to the OK Corral two years later.The last "pure historical" was The Highlanders in 1967.</blockquote>