Doctor Who-Delta And The Bannermen

          One of the things that tends to be a debate among Whovians is the witty humor of Doctor Who. It was always a show that never took itself 100% seriously. There are many episodes throughout the series that are created largely for comedic purposes. Some of them are revered as some of the best episodes of the series. Others are seen as embarrassments of the highest order. It depends a lot on the part of the popularity of the series at any given time. Or the popularity of the doctor. With both of those things said,this serial never had much of a chance to go over well with much of anyone because of it's timing.

          The last survivor of the Chimeron,Queen Delta escapes from her peoples massacre by the ruthless Bannermen. She encounters Mel who,along with the doctor travelling along with the TARDIS is on route to 1950's Earth on the shape shifting Navirino race,who have as huge a fascination with 20'th century American nostalgia as Mel. While at first the journey is a fun romp in time the Doctor and Mel are soon menaced by the Bannermen,who have followed everyone back in time to find Queen Delta and her special cargo-an egg that is about to hatch into the last surviving member of her species. With the help of the period couple,Mel and the Doctor are able to catch the Bannerman and therefore save the Chimeron race.

            This episode has a minor story of genocide wrapped into what is largely a light hearted context. The idea that a non humanoid alien race would find 1950's America to be one of the greatest moments in history is a superb satire on the "traditional values" attitudes of period political leaders. One thing this character does is more heavily develop the seventh doctors strong sense of morality. He makes a strong point of the Bannerman's completely self centered attitude towards exterminating the Chimeron. Even though it sadly remains the butt of a lot of jokes even among some of the hardest core Whovians it's one of the wittiest and most entertaining stories from Sylvester McCoy's first series as the doctor.