Leela

[Clara Listensprechen]

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[Clara Listensprechen]

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[Graceful Leonard]

Well, I have finally begun to review the Leela era (Faces of Evil) and at the outset I do have to say that Leela does indeed reflect a significant role change in typical female casting. She not only reflects the then-new era of the miniskirt but also muscular strength absent in Sarah (noted the crossbow).

Thanks, Clara, interesting to read your thoughts on it. Yes, Leela was definitely more physical than any previous female companions...perhaps even more so than any of the male companions, too (Jamie might come a close second).

The Faces of Evil nonetheless is full of chuckles...

I must say, I do enjoy classic Dr Who for its unintentional laughs as well as the more serious elements!

Not squeamish about killing other people, either. Sarah, on the other hand would announce "You KILLED him! That's MURDER!" Quite a contrast, that. Not just between Sarah and Leela but quite an example of the contrast between what was regarded as proper for a young lady and the new (at the time) standards. In America, not as big deal as it must have been for prim and proper Britain. I mean, we're talking about a time when Beatle hair was highly controversial for proper young men. One of the things that was refreshing (and quite charming) about The Doctor was his lack of sense of protocol propriety.

I see what you mean about the shift in attitude between Sarah/Leela--i.e. your example of squeamishness. But I'm not sure we British are quite as prim and proper as we like to portray! Based on my own experiences, I think we're less conservative and certainly more secular than American society (in general). I don't think Leela caused too much of a stir over here, apart from perhaps with Mary Whitehouse. This was just about on the cusp of the punk era, when conventions were being torn down and 'outrage' caused on all sides.

The problem I have with the notion of Leela representing more enlightened attitudes towards women is that she is definitely more of a s3x object, at least until they covered her up a bit! We didn't get a more intelligent female companion until Romana.

[Clara Listensprechen]

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[Graceful Leonard]

Not to be nitpicky, but British commoners tend to be under the impression that they're not prim and proper (as well as more secular) as long as they keep their focus on the House of Commons; alas, more than half of the British government consists of very prim, very proper, and very singularly religious nobility and royalty.

It's certainly true that the British government does, and nearly always has, included a disproportionate number of people bred in the rarefied atmosphere of Eton and the like. They aren't at all representative of the population, and ordinary Brits are quite aware of this. It's a legacy of our class system. Taking the population as a whole, religion is on the decline over here; it's also telling how little reference is ever made to God or religion by the UK government now, even though many of them were raised in the thick of it. Voters don't like it. I'm not sure how people feel about that in the US.

But back to Leela

Yes, okay, I can see the reclaiming their sexuality thing. I hadn't thought about it that way.

[Clara Listensprechen]

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[Graceful Leonard]

I'm afraid I'm not as optimistic about Britain's religiosity, either...

Only time will tell. I detect considerable apathy towards both royalty and religion in younger generations. The next twenty years or so should prove very interesting.

[Clara Listensprechen]

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[Prydonian]

So do you consider Talons the definitive story to feature the Leela character? I do, although I appreciate what came afterwards as well. I do believe Leela was a sign of the times, so to speak, but do not choose to read too much into it as I do not know much of the behind closed doors BBC politics at that point in time.
Elisabeth Sladen was once quoted as saying they never mentioned the term 'womens' lib' to her and if they had she might not have done the role. I wonder if Louise (Leela) thought her traditional costume was a good thing or not? I am aware that she has said that when she would put it on on the set that the males would come running to get a look. Typical male behavior, that. I for one never saw it as sexual, I just thought she was as the Doctor described her-savage.

[Clara Listensprechen]

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