I have seen this episode a few months ago, as it is one of the few complete Troughton episodes. Seeing it again in context this time [I just watched it randomly before], explained a lot more. For instance when Victoria was talking about her father, I cared more because I had just seen the previous episode. When the Cybermen mentioned why they tried to take over the moon base, I understood what they were talking about. Why they finally got around to explaining their presence on the moon is strange. Nothing like tying up the loose plot ends. Though you know I was loudly complaining that the Cybermen's plot was merely to take over Earth and what a stupid plot that was, so I'm sorry I complained so loudly. Next time I'll try to keep it down.
Every group has to have a leader. The Daleks had the Emperor but he didn't last long. This Cyberman is called The Controller. What's strange is that he doesn't have the box in front. I thought the Cybermen were dependent on those. He does have a really large brain, though.
You can tell Jamie and the 2nd Doctor get along very well. They often exchange sly little jokes, with elbows in the ribs and little giggles in this one. Off screen, the two actors got along very well together. Victoria has a razor sharp tongue about her, which is different from the usual. She isn't exactly growing on me yet, but I did appreciate her character in this plot. I believe she held it up rather well. She seemed to have a flirtatious liking for the one American in the episode. Or maybe she is really that sarcastic.
We were wondering if this is the first time in which the Doctor can return to the TARDIS but chooses not to do so. Usually the TARDIS is gone, one of the companions is missing, or he's getting beaten up. Please correct us if we are wrong.
There are a few crazy people in this episode. They think they can order the Cybermen about, and that they will do their bidding. Didn't they read up on their Cybermen history? Like the Daleks, the Cybermen are notorious for doing their own thing and conquering the world for no particular reasons. That's just the way they are. The Cybermen recognize the Doctor, and aren't really fazed by his presence.
The plot revolves around the Cybermen who have kept themselves in a tomb for years and years. They have put themselves in this tomb, awaiting for humans to come along and release them, either intentionally or unintentionally. This is a bit goofy. They were content just to wait for someone to come along and release them. These are the least pro-active aliens I've ever seen. The Daleks are a tad more proactive. They travel through space and time to hunt down their prey. The Cybermen just put themselves to sleep and bide their time. They're pulling a Hartnell on us.
Cybermats! Those are cute little things. None of them were successful, though. They were supposed to mind control the humans, but that wasn't going to happen. Someone went to a lot of effort to build them. Now that I think about it, they look a lot like scrub brushes.
The Doctor acts strangely in this episode. He seems almost gleeful that the scientists want to unearth the Cybermen. He doesn't really mention, "Oh hey, that might not be such a good idea." He seems to get a thrill out of defeating the Cybermen all over again and he definitely has an obsession for danger. While things just sort of happened around Hartnell, it seems that Troughton causes things to happen.
The Cybermen say, "Resistance is futile." Borg complex. Or do the Borg have a Cybermen complex?
You think this the end of the Cybermen, but one of the cybermats gets away, so maybe we're not going to be so lucky. Plus, the Doctor seems to think this is not the end of his enemies. Such cynicism.
Next Up: The Abominable Snowman
There's rumors that some of the episodes in reconstructions have been recovered from various strange places. I've been asked if I will go back and watch these recovered episodes, should they be found. I will say, "Yes" because I want to see if I will like them better if they were not reconstructions. Although, the idea of having to re-watch say, The Smugglers or The Massacre, does make me falter a bit.
No comments:
Post a Comment