Here come the Cybermen!
- Thread starter Morrus
- Start date
Brakkart
First Post
Doctor Who 28x05 Rise of the Cybermen
I just loved this episode. Daleks may have scared some as kids, but it was always the Cybermen who used to freak me out. The whole bit about them being human and making themselves (or getting made by force) into these soulless creatures, used to give me the chills.
I like how the earpieces on Jackie formed the classic 'handlebars' and how when the Doctor saw the image of that on the screen he knew what he was dealing with.
Ohh and the rotten BBC didn't put a tralier for next weeks episode at the end of this weeks one, so no clues as to how the cliffhanger is resolved! Grrr
I just loved this episode. Daleks may have scared some as kids, but it was always the Cybermen who used to freak me out. The whole bit about them being human and making themselves (or getting made by force) into these soulless creatures, used to give me the chills.
I like how the earpieces on Jackie formed the classic 'handlebars' and how when the Doctor saw the image of that on the screen he knew what he was dealing with.
Ohh and the rotten BBC didn't put a tralier for next weeks episode at the end of this weeks one, so no clues as to how the cliffhanger is resolved! Grrr
Flexor the Mighty!
18/100 Strength!
I thought this one was pretty horrible. Why did they blow the suspense of the damaged Tardis so fast? The acting of the main bad guy was too overboard. Mickey is horrible as usual, Rose is annoying and stupid, and the Doctor is relegated to a support role. Hopefully they salvage it next week.
Cthulhudrew
First Post
I had been anticipating this one eagerly, as the Cybermen were always one of my favorite villains from Doctor Who. They were always really creepy, and I liked them at least as much as the Daleks, if not more.
That being said, I was kind of disappointed with this episode. Coming off of what was (to me) the strongest episode of the season so far (Girl in the Fireplace), this one fell a bit flat. The beginning was somewhat disjointed- with Mickey feeling completely left out, and the Doctor and Rose being all chummy again despite their fall out last episode (which, as I understand it, had more to do with the writing of the episodes being done sort of in a vacuum; Stefan Moffat had stated that he didn't realize that events of School Reunion were going on that would have affected his episode, and I assume that held true with this one as well). In any event, it made for a choppy beginning, and the episode really started out kind of slow in any case. I think, knowing that it would be a two-parter, the writers really tried to slow the pace down and set things up, but it just felt slow and dull to me. The two two-parters from last season managed to keep both episodes in the arc fast-paced and exciting, but not here.
The villain of the piece, John Lumic, just doesn't resonate with me. Like Flexor, I felt he was too hammy and one-dimensional, all "deep, dark voice" and no pathos. Add to that, his appearance and motivation makes him, basically, Davros Jr. That, plus the addition of the "delete, delete" phrase to the Cybermen lexicon makes these villains little more than Dalek Lite. The Cybermen worked much better when they were free-thinking and more puppet master type of villains rather than endless and mindless marching armies of tin men with shocking grasp hands- (which, it was pointed out to me, they actually used to have, though I'd forgotten). In any case, their origins are also seemingly being rewritten as having originated on Earth for some reason.
This episode had some good bits- the Rose/Pete exchange was really well done (and those two have some pretty good chemistry, as first seen in Father's Day; it's really too bad that Pete died and Jackie lived- I'd much rather have him as a recurring character in the series). The part with Mickey and his grandmother was very well done, and its bits like that that make me like Mickey's character. Mickey's sad hound dog routine with the Doctor and "who are you going to follow?" bit was sort of over the top for the character I thought; I know he's been well established as feeling like the forgotten sidekick- the dog- but since when does he care what the Doctor thinks about him? He doesn't even really like the Doctor.
I hope that next week's episode picks the pace up and does something more to make the Cybermen a credible and interesting threat again, but I have to say I'm a bit skeptical at the moment.
(One other thing that is kind of bugging me- I really enjoyed all the "Bad Wolf" references last season, and trying to find them in each episode, but they are really being less than subtle with Torchwood this season- as subtle as a sledge hammer. Seems like there are at least two references each episode, and pretty blatant.)
That being said, I was kind of disappointed with this episode. Coming off of what was (to me) the strongest episode of the season so far (Girl in the Fireplace), this one fell a bit flat. The beginning was somewhat disjointed- with Mickey feeling completely left out, and the Doctor and Rose being all chummy again despite their fall out last episode (which, as I understand it, had more to do with the writing of the episodes being done sort of in a vacuum; Stefan Moffat had stated that he didn't realize that events of School Reunion were going on that would have affected his episode, and I assume that held true with this one as well). In any event, it made for a choppy beginning, and the episode really started out kind of slow in any case. I think, knowing that it would be a two-parter, the writers really tried to slow the pace down and set things up, but it just felt slow and dull to me. The two two-parters from last season managed to keep both episodes in the arc fast-paced and exciting, but not here.
The villain of the piece, John Lumic, just doesn't resonate with me. Like Flexor, I felt he was too hammy and one-dimensional, all "deep, dark voice" and no pathos. Add to that, his appearance and motivation makes him, basically, Davros Jr. That, plus the addition of the "delete, delete" phrase to the Cybermen lexicon makes these villains little more than Dalek Lite. The Cybermen worked much better when they were free-thinking and more puppet master type of villains rather than endless and mindless marching armies of tin men with shocking grasp hands- (which, it was pointed out to me, they actually used to have, though I'd forgotten). In any case, their origins are also seemingly being rewritten as having originated on Earth for some reason.
This episode had some good bits- the Rose/Pete exchange was really well done (and those two have some pretty good chemistry, as first seen in Father's Day; it's really too bad that Pete died and Jackie lived- I'd much rather have him as a recurring character in the series). The part with Mickey and his grandmother was very well done, and its bits like that that make me like Mickey's character. Mickey's sad hound dog routine with the Doctor and "who are you going to follow?" bit was sort of over the top for the character I thought; I know he's been well established as feeling like the forgotten sidekick- the dog- but since when does he care what the Doctor thinks about him? He doesn't even really like the Doctor.
I hope that next week's episode picks the pace up and does something more to make the Cybermen a credible and interesting threat again, but I have to say I'm a bit skeptical at the moment.
(One other thing that is kind of bugging me- I really enjoyed all the "Bad Wolf" references last season, and trying to find them in each episode, but they are really being less than subtle with Torchwood this season- as subtle as a sledge hammer. Seems like there are at least two references each episode, and pretty blatant.)
Last edited:
Cthulhudrew
First Post
Interesting, I just found out something I'd missed. Apparently, the episode makes mention of "International Electromatics" a couple of times- that was the company that was involved in a Cyberman invasion of Earth in "The Invasion" episode with the second Doctor.
I guess that explains where Lumic got his Cybermen technology. (Still not terribly happy with the episode, but I do like this easter egg.)
I guess that explains where Lumic got his Cybermen technology. (Still not terribly happy with the episode, but I do like this easter egg.)
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