Doc's Girls

[Carvill, John]

Already been said Department: Both Penny & Shasta are very lightly sketched characters, both romantic interests of Doc's, both (seemingly) on the cusp of transitioning from one side of the 'flatland' fence to the other: Shasta is going (or has gone) from being a hippy to being straight, Penny appears to be sometimes wavering in the other direction. Both women are elusive, both sound pretty sexy and both have great big question marks over their heads, particularly in terms of how much they can be trusted by Doc. Both women have significant names: whatever Shasta may represent (love? Betrayal? The Sixties?), her name ties her in with Bigfoot, the Wolf Man[n], California folklore, etc.; and when you think of the song Doc uses to taunt Shasta - 'Can't Buy Me Love', his new love, Penny, has a pretty appropriate name too, eh?