Episode #137 : Attack of the Cybermen

"The TARDIS, when working properly, is capable of many amazing things. Not unlike myself."

Episode 137:   Attack of the Cybermen.
Companions:   6th Doctor and Peri.
Air Date:         5th to 12th January 1985.

The TARDIS is lured to Earth in 1985 by a distress call sent by Lytton, who has made contact with a group of Cybermen based in London's sewers. The Doctor and Peri are then captured and forced to take Lytton and the Cybermen in the TARDIS to the Cybermen's home planet Telos. The Cybermen have stolen a time vessel from another race and plan to change history by crashing Halley's Comet into Earth and obliterating it before it can bring about the demise of their original home world, Mondas, in 1986.

Contary to popular opinion, there is a lot to like about Attack of the Cybermen especially if you are a fan of the classic show. This story acts as a sort of prequel and sequel to the 2nd Doctor adventure Tomb of the Cybermen and the 1st Doctor's final adventure; The Tenth Planet, and carries lots of references to enhance the story. Some feel that that is a bad thing but for me the continuity (such as it is) is what makes this story something more than your typical Doctor Who adventure. Attack of the Cybermen explains more about the tombs discovered on Telos, has the return of Lytton and the Cyber-Controller. It also sees the return, albeit brief, of the TARDIS with a functioning chameleon circuit and Totter's junkyard where everything first started.

The Doctor has come a ways since we last saw him. No more psychotic, a little more sedate and back to being a personality that we can relate to as the Doctor. There is a little violence that wouldn't normally be there such beating up one of Lytton's fake police and blasting some Cybermen, but you get the sense this is part of who this personality is now. It doesn't bother me and makes a change.

These Cybermen seem a bit weaker than what we are used to as well. Some seem to die easily to bullets and others have their heads knocked off rather literally. Oddly, the Cyber-Controller has put on a few pounds since we last saw him and it looks a bit odd. There is also the incidents of mouldy, insane Cybermen on Telos which are never explained as far as I could see.

There is much more to this story than most fans see I think, and with the intervening years this one is quite a gem. Just ignore any small plot holes and enjoy.

Episode #133 : Resurrection of the Daleks

"Once the Doctor has been exterminated, I should build a new race of Daleks. They will be even more deadly! And I Davros, shall be their leader! This time we shall triumph! The Daleks shall once more become the supreme beings!!!"

Episode 133:    Resurrection of the Daleks.
Companions:   5th Doctor, Tegan and Turlough.
Air Date:         8th to 15th February 1984.

The TARDIS becomes caught in a time corridor but the Doctor manages to free it and it then materialises in present day London within sight of Tower Bridge. Investigating some nearby warehouses, the travellers stumble into a trap that the Daleks have set for them. The Daleks also attack a space station orbiting Earth in the future. Their aim is to rescue their creator, Davros, who has been held there in suspended animation since his capture by humanity. They want him to help them find an antidote to an anti-Dalek virus created by the Movellans. In addition, the Daleks have constructed android duplicates and installed some of them in key positions of authority on Earth. They now intend to send duplicates of the Doctor and his companions to Gallifrey in order to assassinate the High Council of the Time Lords.

The Daleks return again and this time they plan on rescuing their creator in order to save their race from a Movellan virus. It suggests that the Movellons have been defeated but that the Daleks have no cure for this virus afflicting them. Davros uses this opportunity to turn some of the Daleks into loyal followers thus setting up the start if the Dalek civil war stories to come. For some reason though the Movellons hid their virus cannisters in 20th century London, which doesn't make a lot of sense.

This story also hints at being part of the Time War. The Daleks plan on replicating the Doctor and his companions, sending the replacements to Gallifrey to kill off the High Council. It would seem that in the background to the show the Daleks and the Time Lords are having a bit of a power struggle.

We are introduced to a new lesser villain in the role of Commander Lytton, a human mercenary serving the Daleks. He has brought with him the men under his command, Dalek Troopers, who look silly in Dalek style helmets. He manages to survive this adventure and reappear later on in an episode for the 6th Doctor. It seems odd that the Daleks would use human mercenaries but then it does fit since they need someone immune to the Movellon virus.

The Doctor gets somewhat trigger happy in this story, first by emptying an handgun into a Dalek mutant and then by having the intention of shooting Davros with a laser gun. We fans like to see the Doctor as a no gun sort of guy but the writers apparently forgot about that this time around. Speaking of guns there is an awful lot of gun related violence in this story for Doctor Who. Lytton's "police" guards shot anyone found around the 20th century end of the time corridor and it feels very out of place.

Having had enough of the darker side of adventures with the Doctor, Tegan has decided to leave and go back to her normal life. I'm going to miss her as she has been with the 5th Doctor since the start of his time. She may be the first companion to leave because of the unpleasantness that follows the Doctor.

Resurrection of the Daleks is an excellent sequel to Destiny of the Daleks and will continue in Revelation of the Daleks.