RISE
OF THE CYBERMEN
First screened, Saturday, 13th May, 2006
7.23pm-7.08pm, on BBC
One*
The return of the Cybermen in 'Doctor
Who' saw the steel guys as scary as ever, and their
marching through the windows at a party was the
definition of gate-crashing!
David Tennant is certainly growing into his role as the
Doctor. That affected mockney chirpiness I thought might
grate after a few episodes (my pathological dislike of
the lamb killing J***e O****r is showing), but it's not
been overdone. Though he's not going to be too chirpy
when the Cybermen are threatening to delete him, of
course.
Rose (Billie Piper) as a waitress may be a male fantasy,
but it was an interesting idea, having her in a parallel
universe, and it bought a welcome return to 'Doctor Who'
for Rose's social climbing mum (Camille Coduri). With
this new incarnation of 'Doctor Who' there is a penchant
for moving touches, and Rose's father (Shaun Dingwall)
not quite recognising her was one such occasion.
Mickey's (Noel Clarke) doppelganger seems much
more interesting than Rose's boyfriend. Here being the
leader of a frighteningly miniscule freedom fighting
force.
Roger Lloyd Pack as the sinister creator of the Cybermen,
John Lumic, may have seen an unlikely casting choice, to
those of us familiar with his Trigger character from
'Only Fools And Horses', but he's up there with Anthony
Head for glowering malevolence. Pack said he played the
Lumic character with US Defense Secretary, Donald
Rumsfeld, in mind!
Don Warrington, as the UK President, seemed just as smug
as his 'Rising Damp' character. He really should have
taken the Doctor's advice!
The Cybermen themselves have evolved since the early days
of 'Doctor Who', but they're still as evil. The crunching
sound effects of the Cybermen marching were reminiscent
of Nazi stormtroopers, and that was the intention, I
suspect.
'Rise of the Cybermen' is certainly the most scary
'Doctor Who' episode since its re-emergence.
* Scheduled for
7.00pm, but was delayed due to that other great British
institution, the FA Cup Final, overrunning.
- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.
This article is copyright free, and can be
reproduced in other sources without permission, but
please add this source link: http://www.booksmusicfilmstv.com/SciFiFan/RiseOfTheCybermen.htm
Doctor
Who DVDs - Series 2 and 3
Doctor Who: Complete Series 2 - Limited
Edition 'Cyberman Head' DVD Box Set with Lenticular
Postcard (Exclusive to Amazon.co.uk) [2005]
|
