Attack
of the Cybermen is a Rollercoaster of Blood
Colin
Baker's tenure as the Doctor had got off to an infamously shaky start (by shaky
I mean awful; The Twin Dilemma is universally regarded as the worst
introductory story of any Doctor) and then fans had another season to ...look
...forward ...to. Attack of the Cybermen at least boasted the return of
an iconic monster. The then newly-regenerated Sixth Doctor was still unstable
but now somewhat softened, but when people complained about the level of
violence in this era of Who, this is undoubtedly one of the serials they
mean. Looking back does Attack of the Cybermen redeem the Sixth Doctor
after the monstrosity that was The Twin Dilemma and does it stand up as
a Cyberman adventure?
Receiving
a mysterious distress call, the Doctor and Peri (Nicola Bryant) land in Totters
Lane, London, 1985. Nearby, Lytton (Maurice Colbourne), first seen in Resurrection
of the Daleks, appears to planning a diamond heist. Meanwhile sewer workers
are being picked off by an unseen force...
Something
you notice when looking back at eighties who is that the Cybermen seemed to
have individual personalities and were capable of differing opinions. This sort
of adds something, but at the same time doesn't ring true. The RTD resurrection
of the show took them back to being blank and emotionless as they were in the
1960s. For heaven's sake, in Tomb of the Cybermen only the Controller speaks!
Here you have a Cyber lieutenant who thinks he knows better than the Cyber
Leader! Oh but speaking of Tomb, Attack sees Michael Kilgarrif resume
his role as Cyber Controller, in case you didn't know.
Bates
and Stratton, two Cyber-rejects from Telos, add a great deal to this adventure.
There is something about each's delivery, as well as the chemistry between
Jonathon David and Michael Attwell. Their story is brutal in a way rare for
classic Doctor Who, at least in its presentation. You are outside of your
comfort zone here.
Equally
so with Flast (Faith Brown), former leader of the Cryons, imprisoned for years
and tortured by solitude. One might be out off by the Cryons' appearance, voice
and mannerisms, but seeing the character and feeling her journey and her pain
adds a great deal here.
This
two-parter is moody, violent and uncompromising, and Malcolm Clarke's score
compliments this perfectly, as it also does the still unstable temperament of
the newly regenerated Doctor. The
diamond
robbery story feels very rough and real, with Brian Glover and Terry Molloy
(better known to fans as Davros) playing accomplice to Lytton. But then we get
to Telos, and meet the Cryons, who were overly feminised to contrast with the
macho, Darth Vader Cybermen of the 1980s. TV presenter Sarah Green playing
Varne is an example of producer John Nathan Turner's famous tendency for stunt
casting, but not recognisable anyway. The Cryons are far from an iconic Doctor
Who race but there are still many scenes in episode two which are powerful and
effective.
Above
all Attack has a great second half, filled with action, and the ending
packs a great emotional punch. Overall a tad busy and crowded with characters,
but they are all very rounded and not one weak actor. Like a lot of Colin's era
it isn't really child friendly and one can see why the Beeb had concerns, but
it is however great for adults. And while not up to Caves of Androzani
standards (what is?) it is certainly a considerable marked improvement on Dilemma.
Actually, that's too faint a praise, it is leaps and bounds ahead! If you've
had a downer on the Sixth Doctor's era, or have never got into it, Attack of
the Cybermen is certainly one to try!
Attack
of the Cybermen
was written by Paula Jones and directed by Matthew Robinson.
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