#8 (5.1 - 5.4): The Tomb of the Cybermen.

The Doctor is trapped by the Cybermen!

4 episodes Approx. 97 minutes. Written by: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis. Produced by: Peter Bryant. Directed by: Morris Barry.


THE PLOT

THe TARDIS arrives on the planet Telos just in time for the Doctor to witness an archaeological team uncover the entrance to the Tomb of the Cybermen. Professor Parry (Aubrey Richards), the expedition's leader, explains that they have come to find out why the Cybermen died out. But the Doctor worries that the tomb is a little too accessible, and that the entire edifice is an elaborate trap.

Inside, they discover a control room but no Cybermen. They do find a hatch to an area below, which logicians Eric Klieg (George Pastell) and Kaftan (Shirley Cooklin), who funded the expedition, believe must lead to the actual tomb. With a nudge or two from the Doctor, they are able to open it, and the group makes its way underground.

Where they find the Cybermen waiting in stasis - Dormant, but very much alive. Which is exactly what someone in their ranks was hoping for...


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: From the moment the Doctor hears the word "Cybermen," he decides he has to stay until he is able to make sure they will not reawaken. He's shrewd in how he goes about this. He doesn't step forward and take charge - Instead, he nudges the egotistical Klieg into figuring out how to turn on the power to the complex, then surreptitiously opens the hatch leading to the tomb. There's also a wonderful scene, a quiet character moment in the second half, in which the Doctor talks to Victoria about her father's death. He tells her that the pain will fade, and talks briefly about his own family and how he can let them sleep in his mind except when he actually wants to remember them.

Victoria: Her first proper story as a companion. Though Victoria's reputation in fan circles is very much that of a "screamer," she does show intelligence. When held at gunpoint in Episode Three, for example, Victoria glances at a dormant Cybermat and screams - distracting her assailant's attention long enough for Capt. Hopper (George Roubicek) to disarm her. Later, when most of the party has been locked in another room, Victoria is able to bluff her captors into believing that it's at least possible that the others may have a Cyber-weapon at their disposal. Deborah Watling is appealing throughout, able to sell that she's a character from a 19th century background even while taking part in this futuristic adventure.

Jamie: Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines put in some wonderful bits of business that make their interaction special. When first entering the tomb, the Doctor and Jamie catch themselves holding hands and, in mutual surprise, all but throw their hands away from each other. At the start of Episode Two, when the Doctor is testing a control sequence that has just killed one member of the party, he advises that anyone who wishes to leave may. He then immediately adds, "Not you, Jamie," as the Scotsman prepares to make his exit. The result of these throwaway moments is a relationship that feels authentic, which I suspect is why this particular team is so well remembered a good 50 years after the fact.

Cybermen: "We will survive..." The early Cybermen stories work in a way that later ones often didn't, precisely because their goal is as simple as survival. Humanity is simultaneously a threat to their existence and a potential farm for them to create new Cybermen. Their attacks on humanity are motivated by their own urge to survive and reproduce - which ultimately amounts to the same thing. The story pauses to weave the Season Four Cybermen stories together, creating cohesive links between The Tenth Planet, The Moonbase, and this. The result is that, at this point in the series run, the Cybermen have a coherent, cohesive mythology... Though that wouldn't last for much longer!


THOUGHTS

For a long time, The Tomb of the Cybermen was among the many missing stories of the Second Doctor's era. The BBC even prepared an audio release, with narration by Jon Pertwee - a release that was rendered instantly obsolete by the 1991 recovery of a complete copy. Until the 2013 recovery of The Enemy of the World, it was the only complete serial from Season Five; it remains the earliest complete story of Patrick Troughton's era.

Bizarrely, its recovery led to a negative re-evaluation. During the time it was lost, the reputation of its visual element - particularly the scene in which the Cybermen break free of their tombs - was magnified to the point that many (rather unreasonably) expected it to have the production values of a feature film. When it was discovered that the serial had the usual hallmarks of the series' low budget, including a wobbly tomb door and a visible wire on a man meant to be held in mid-air by a Cyberman, some fans griped that being found was the worst thing that could have happened.

Thankfully, that balderdash has long since receded, and most seem to again recognize the story for the classic it is. Sure, it's low-budget. It is also imaginatively-produced and tightly-scripted - One of the Troughton era's highlights, and in my opinion the best Classic Series Cyberman story.

Though certainly exemplifying the "base-under-siege" format so popular in the Troughton era, it also anticipates the Hinchcliffe/Holmes formula. A team of archaeologists and their shady (conveniently foreign-accented) financial backers enter a booby-trapped tomb, only to be preyed upon by monsters... It's the Doctor Who version of The Mummy, and all the better for it.

Holding the Cybermen back until the midpoint of the story proves to be a good choice. The first two episodes build atmosphere and explore the tensions and mixed agendas among the group. Three members of the party die before the Cybermen awaken, two thanks to the various traps within the tomb, and one more thanks to treachery. The Cybermen themselves are viewed by the human villains as tools to be exploited - much the way the various human factions in Power of the Daleks viewed those creatures.  As was true of the Daleks in that story, the Cybermen here view the human villains no differently than the rest of the group, which reinforces how alien they are.

Contained to a briskly-paced four episodes, and peppered with effective suspense and good character bits, The Tomb of the Cybermen is one of the easiest Sixties stories to watch in a single sitting. Sure, its age and budget show - But it remains wonderfully entertaining, and is a story I have no hesitation dubbing a "must-see."


Overall Rating: 8/10.

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#4 (4.23 - 4.26): The Moonbase.

"There are some corners of the universe which have bred
the most terrible things... They must be fought!" 

4 episodes. Approx. 97 minutes. Written by: Kit Pedlar, Gerry Davis (uncredited). Directed by: Morris Barry. Produced by: Innes Lloyd.


THE PLOT

The Doctor's attempt to control the TARDIS goes awry, landing the time travelers on the moon in the late 21st century. Jamie is injured while exploring the lunar surface, but is rescued by workers at an international moonbase. The base, which uses a device called the Gravitron to control Earth's weather, is suffering from a mysterious plague. The disease first hit the base's doctor, then started spreading among the scientists, with seemingly no reason behind it.

Though the Doctor's too-timely arrival draws some suspicion from Hobson (Patrick Barr), the base commander, he is still allowed to investigate. What he discovers are contaminated food stores, spreading an artificial disease designed to leave the base vulnerable to infiltration. The Cybermen have returned, and they are determined to eliminate all threats to their survival - which includes all life on Earth!


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: The Moonbase is the story that finally figures out exactly who the Second Doctor is. Gone are the disguises and funny accents of the previous two serials. The humor is still there (as well it should be), but it's used as part of his characterization, rather than being a replacement for characterization. Once he sees the effects of the space plague, we see a seriousness of purpose. He essentially lays out the mission statement of the rest of the Troughton era, as he proclaims: "There are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible things, things which act against everything which we believe in. They must be fought!"  Troughton keeps his voice nicely quiet as he delivers it, underplaying against the aggressive nature of the lines.

Ben/Polly: One of the things making Ben and Polly such a good pairing is the way their personalities balance each other out. Ben is cynical, impatient, and aggressive. This can put him into a  leadership role when the Doctor's unable to take that role himself, as when he takes Polly's idea about acetone and turns it into a practical weapon against the Cybermen. But on his own, Ben's impatience would have led him to walk out as soon as Hobson voiced suspicions about the time travelers. Polly balances this out - though on her own, as we saw when she let Zaroff escape, her compassion can override common sense. Between the two of them, they make one fairly impressive human being - which combines with the chemistry between Michael Craze and Anneke Wills to channel a genuine "couples" vibe that hasn't been present in any TARDIS team since Ian and Barbara.

Jamie: While Ben and Polly are reasonably well-treated and the Second Doctor gets his first really good characterization since The Power of the Daleks, Jamie is even worse-used here than in the last story. The scripts having been written before his addition as a regular, script editor Gerry Davis opts to fit him in by knocking him out almost immediately and having him spend the first half of the story unconscious, occasionally waking up to blather about "the phantom piper." Episode Three attempts to create a vague rivalry with Ben for Polly's affections, but this doesn't go anywhere and so isn't particularly interesting on any kind of character level.

Cybermen: The Cybermen's second appearance, after their very well-received debut in The Tenth Planet, and they've been significantly redesigned in the interim. I'm not sure I like all the changes. The sing-song voices of the Tenth Planet Cybermen were more eerie, as were the recognizably human bandaged faces. Here, they are recreated as strictly robots. However, they come across as more formidable here than in their first story, and there's a sense that they truly cannot be reasoned with. In any case, the Moonbase Cybermen work well within this story, but I can see why the design was further altered later.


THOUGHTS

The Moonbase would be an easy story to criticize. After all, just four serials after The Tenth Planet, here's a story that is in many ways a remake. But while the earlier story introduced both the Cybermen and the "base-under-siege" template, The Moonbase refines both. I might personally prefer the original Cybermen, but there's no question but that these are a more polished final product. As is the story, which offers stronger atmosphere and a more effective sense of both menace and claustrophobia.

The script, written by Kit Pedlar and given an extensive rewrite by story editor Gerry Davis, builds tension masterfully. The first two episodes see the Cybermen introduced gradually. The shadow of a Cyberman's head on a wall; a Cyberman's hand, within the Cyber-ship. Even when they are finally seen in Episode Two, Hobson refuses to believe it, insisting that they are all long dead... Right up until the cliffhanger reveal at the end of Episode Two. It's all quite well done, building the menace of the Cybermen in the background while letting the disease plot occupy center stage to keep the pace moving.

Though most of the base crew are one-dimensional, Patrick Barr's Hobson is one of the best-scripted "base commanders" of the Troughton era. In contrast to most of the series' authority figures, he is no imbecile. We see that he's under enormous stress, but he never comes across as unstable, and he clearly has the respect of his men. He maintains his dignity and authority even when his base is held hostage by the Cybermen, and he works well with his second in command, Benoit (Andre Maranne), and with the Doctor in fighting them. If this were rewritten to remove the Doctor Who elements, Hobson would make a pretty good lead for the story without any substantial change to his portrayal.

A comparison of this serial with The Underwater Menace is revealing. Both stories involve a threat to the planet Earth, as witnessed from two-and-a-half sets on a soundstage. Both stories have rather ridiculous elements. The Gravitron seems an outright liability to Earth, given that a few hours of issues with the machine apparently sends the entire Earth into chaos. But The Moonbase establishes an atmosphere of credibility, with the early episodes taking time to show the crew's regular routine. 

This presents a stark contrast to The Underwater Menace, with its generic high priests sacrificing the companions to generic gods, while generic cruel overseers force them to work in generic mines (mining what, exactly?), while a madman plots to destroy the Earth simply because he can. The Moonbase provides little details and tiny moments to make its setting feel somewhat authentic; The Underwater Menace... doesn't.

Lest my praise be too lavish, I should say that the serial's ending is deeply unsatisfying. The Cybermen are defeated at the end in a way that makes sense within the confines of the story, but which just feels like a complete anticlimax. All the tension built up over 3 1/2 episodes evaporates as a gizmo conveniently nullifies the threat. Still, a weak ending doesn't wipe away 3 1/2 episodes that are generally very good to excellent (nor is it the weakest ending to a Troughton Cyberman story). The Moonbase is a simple serial, but it is also an extremely well-executed one.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

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Next Story: The Macra Terror

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#2 (4.15 - 4.18): The Highlanders.

The Doctor, making new friends.

4 episodes. Approx. 97 minutes. Written by: Elwyn Jones, Gerry Davis. Directed by: Hugh David. Produced by: Innes Lloyd.


THE PLOT

The Doctor, Ben, and Polly find themselves in Scotland during the bloody aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. The Doctor and Ben are soon captured by British redcoats, along with an injured Scottish laird and his piper, Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines). Though initially marked for execution, they instead end up at the mercy of the self-serving Solicitor Grey (David Garth).

Grey has made arrangements with the evil Captain Trask (Dallas Cavell) to transport Scottish prisoners to the West Indies as slaves... which will ultimately mean a lingering death for the Scots. The Doctor uses his wits to escape and plot his next move. Meanwhile, Polly teams with Kirsty McLaren (Hannah Gordon), the Laird's daughter, to attempt a rescue - if her headstrong nature doesn't get them captured first!


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: Patrick Troughton's second story. After his phenomenal debut, you'd think that all the writers would need to do is maintain and fine-tune that characterization. Unfortunately, the script for The Highlanders doesn't seem to quite know what to do with him. There's an attempt to use Troughton's background as a character actor by having him don a series of comedy disguises. This results in one highly amusing scene in Episode Two, as he gets the better of Grey and his hapless clerk Perkins. But after that, the parade of outfits becomes increasingly tired.

Polly: Polly, however, gets probably her series-best showing, as she pushes Kirsty to action in rescuing the Doctor, Ben, and Jamie. After Kirsty begins to give up and sob early in Episode Two, Polly responds with disgust.  "Don't the girls of your time do anything but cry?" she demands. Her teasing relationship with Lt. Algernon Ffinch (Michael Elwyn) is a particular highlight, as she blackmails him into assisting her at several points throughout the story.

Ben: Plays the "action hero" role, using a Houdini-inspired trick to escape from Trask and then helping to lead the charge against Trask's men at the end. His role is the least interesting of the regulars, though he is proactive throughout and remains likable.

Jamie: Frazer Hines' Jamie wasn't really intended to become a regular when this story was scripted, and it shows. Though Hines is perfectly fine, Jamie isn't afforded much characterization beyond simple loyalty to his Laird. Hines does show some decent comic timing in some of Jamie's exchanges with the Doctor and Ben, though, and he plays well opposite Troughton and Craze, which is likely why his tenure was unexpectedly extended.


THOUGHTS

The Highlanders is a noteworthy story for the series for two reasons. It represents both a last and a first. It was the last historical story until Season 19's Black Orchid. With that one exception, every Dr. Who story after this one would feature some science fiction elements, occasionally to the stories' detriment.

The other item of note is the introduction of Frazer Hines as Jamie, the second doctor's definitive companion and (in terms of number of Doctor Who episodes) the longest-serving Who companion to date.

The story itself is largely unremarkable, and suffers from mining Robert Louis Stevenson territory so soon after The Smugglers (which was also, in my opinion, better). Still, there is plenty to like here. There's a real sense of danger as Polly and Kirsty first hide from the English soldiers, then push themselves to interact with them. No bones are made about the conduct of the English toward the Scottish rebels; despite a strong vein of humor running through the Doctor's disguises and Polly's scenes with Ffinch, the overall tone is effectively grim.

One thing this story does very well is to develop a steady theme of greed and corruption. Every representative of the British government seen in the story is corrupt to some extent. The British soldiers are combing the Scottish countryside, looking not just for wounded Jacobites to slaughter, but also for any plunder they can walk away with. Ffinch and his men are first seen complaining about how little the army has left for them to loot. When they capture the Doctor, Ben, and Jamie, their first expression is disgust at the slim pickings.

Even pettier are the soldiers working under Solicitor Grey, who eagerly extend their palms at virtually every interaction. Trask betrayed the Annabelle's true captain to seize the ship and use it for his own profit. But the ultimate face of corruption is that of Grey himself, who has sold out his office to cash in on the slave trade. Appropriately, it is the greed of Trask and Grey that the Doctor uses to create the opportunity for their undoing.

Guest performances are generally good, with Michael Elwyn's Ffinch and David Garth's Solictor Grey standing out. The script even gives some strong characterization to Willie Macay (Andrew Downey), a minor character who nevertheless gets an excellent scene in Episode Three as he talks to the other prisoners about the conditions in the West Indies plantations. Less good is Dallas Cavell, whose Trask is so overexaggerated that Capt. Jack Sparrow appears positively subdued by comparison.

The Highlanders is better than it probably should be. It's one pirate-themed story too many for Season Four, and the writers are visibly struggling with Patrick Troughton's Doctor. But if it's unremarkable, it at least deserves credit for being entertaining.


Rating: 6/10.

The Highlanders Missing Episode Notes

Previous Story: The Power of the Daleks
Next Story: The Underwater Menace

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