Story #223 - Closing Time (2011)

Sarah -

Well, that was fun.

Harry -

Rewatching this felt like rediscovering a forgotten gem. Maybe because it was buried deep down the schedule right before the season finale, maybe because it was a “Ponds Lite” story, maybe because it was a different kind of one-off. Whatever the reason it was nice to see this one again.

Sarah -

It’s lovely to see the Ponds but it's heartbreaking when the Doctor has to stay away from them.

Harry -

Good to see that had the Doctor never returned, the Ponds would have done well.

I also remember back when this one was first broadcast, the excitement to see a Cybermat again. Although the Cybermats of the 60s did not have biological mouths and fangs, which was new.

Sarah -

Cybermats are cool!

Matt Smith and James Corden have great chemistry. I love that the Doctor and Craig get to have another adventure and this time with a baby! Alfie, aka Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, is adorable and an excellent addition to the team.

Harry -

From the awkward social calls to solving the Cyber-mystery, it was a neat little adventure. Meeting Stormageddon seemed to put the Doctor into an introspective mood. Thinking about his age and the passage of time, and the coming silence that is to fall. Matt Smith did "tired" very well.

Sarah - 

I appreciate that the Doctor talks to kids like adults and adults like kids. 

Harry -

So many times we've seen someone's life thrown into chaos or worse when they meet the Doctor. Craig's was certainly thrown into chaos, but he came out of it stronger for it, and with Stormy's newfound approval.

Sarah - 

Babies know what’s what. I’m glad the lads have a deeper understanding after this event. 

Harry -

The coda of the story reminds us that the Doctor's fate is about to finally collide with that of Melody Pond/River Song. The season-long story arc is about to conclude.

Best Line - "I speak baby." An iconic line for sure.

Favourite Moment - The Doctor and Craig investigating at the shoppe.

Lasting Image - Stormageddon!

8/10

Sarah -

Best Line: 

DOCTOR: See, I do come back.

CRAIG: How did you?

DOCTOR: Time machine. But even with time travel, getting glaziers on a Sunday. Tricky.

Favorite Moment: The Doctor in the toys department

Lasting Image: adorbs Stormageddon!

8/10

Our marathon continues with Story #224: The Wedding of River Song...

Story #218 - A Good Man Goes to War (2011)

Harry -

There's a line in this story that captures how I feel about this particular episode, and some of the New Who era in general. It's when River Song describes the Doctor's actions at the battle of Demon's Run:

"He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further."

First, the rising part. "A Good Man Goes to War" is Doctor Who if it was done as a Star Wars space opera. It is massive. The huge cast features multiple heroes, villains, a space militia, a mysterious dark order and a colourful assortment of aliens and robots. There are explosions in space. There is a battle in a Star Warsy hangar. Betrayals, revenge, loss and hope. At the centre of it all is the Doctor, who is so powerful that the mention of his name sends enemies to flight.

To me, this story is Doctor Who fallen so far from what it should be.

In a way, I get it. When Star Wars first appeared on the scene with its big budget effects, casting, music and universe-building, Doctor Who suddenly looked like a shabby small screen cousin. I wonder if part of the new era's aggrandization of the Doctor and his aura is a reflection of the first two showrunners wanting to show that, yes, Doctor Who can be just as big and overwhelmingly Hollywood as any movie franchise.

I'm sure a lot of people liked this story and this direction for the show, but I didn't. I prefer the wandering madman in a box, exploring the universe and righting wrongs on a smaller scale, with one or two companions along for the adventure. Doctor Who as overblown space opera doesn't turn my crank.

Sarah - 

I’m with you Harry. I was looking forward to rewatching "A Good Man Goes to War" for the first time since it aired in 2011. I remembered it being a very busy story that wasn’t very satisfying for me. The big reveal that River is Melody Pond wasn’t much of a surprise by the time it happened. 

This episode is too much like the Doctor as a Jesus figure in the Tennant Era. All three showrunners have dabbled with the Doctor being the most important person in the universe. It’s just not interesting. 

Harry -

It's not interesting no matter which showrunner wants it to be.

Sarah -

I don’t have much else to say. Let’s go kill Hitler, or whatever.

Harry -

I'm of the let's-get-it-over-with mind there.

Sarah - 

Best Line: “He's the last of his kind. He looks young, but he's lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. And wherever they take you, Melody, however scared you are, I promise you, you will never be alone. Because this man is your father.”

Favorite Moment: Amy and Rory discussing Melody’s naming.

Lasting Image: The Doctor bringing the wooden cot from the TARDIS.

5/10

Harry -

Best Line: "I speak baby."

Favourite Moment: the Doctor's silly reaction to River's reveal.

Lasting Image: the hangar battle.

2/10

Our marathon continues with Story #219: Let's Kill Hitler...

Story #212 - The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang (2010)

Harry -

Steven Moffat brings the Eleventh Doctor's first series to a close with a fantastic two-parter. Right on the heels of "The Lodger", the Doctor, Amy and River investigate another mystery that gets teased out all the way to the part one cliffhanger.

Sarah -

I love "The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang" so much. I can’t think of any NuWho finale that is as fun as this one – and everyone lives!

Harry -

I can't remember a wilder pre-titles sequence than River escaping space prison and traversing time and space to summon the Doctor. It had almost nothing to do with the plot of the ensuring story, but it was quality River time. 

And off they go to Roman Britain.

From there, the story takes its time revealing the mystery at Stonehenge, or rather the Underhenge. Filming there must have been a blast for everyone except the anxious preservationists at English Heritage. Anyway, inside the Underhenge is the Pandorica -- a myth, a legend, a large black square that is slowly coming alive.

As the Pandorica prepares to reveal its secrets, so too does the TARDIS. It takes River back to Amy's house. There, she sees that the Roman Britain that she just left behind was peopled with centurions from a book. The whole scene, in fact, seems to have been assembled from Amy's memories.

Sarah -

Amy’s memories are fueling everything but she still can’t remember Rory. Amy staring at her ring in confusion is heartbreaking.

Harry -

I really liked the slow buildup in part one. Moff took his time peeling back the layers of mystery and yet the episode bounced along quickly. That is not easy to do.

Sarah -

"The Pandorica Opens" is a wild ride – and it’s just getting started. Vincent, Churchill and Bracewell, and Liz 10 all make appearances, but the story is focused on the core characters.

And that includes Rory, making one of the most spectacular returns in Doctor Who history! It’s not really a surprise, but it’s still surprising – if you know what I mean.

Harry -

Rory the Roman was a fantastic reveal. And then the twist: he's actually Rory the Auton. I still remember the moment of horror when his hand popped open. All hell broke loose at once, with the alliance of universal supervillians all ganging up on the Doctor, the TARDIS exploding with River inside, and Amy being shot. Moffat saved it all for the final moments.

Sarah - 

So much happens in such a short time. This is the story where Rory becomes a mythic hero, not just another Mickey. He's a full member of the team from here on out. 

Harry - 

After the Pandorica was sealed with the Doctor inside, it reopens 1,894 years later... with grown up Amy inside. And off we go again as part two gives us a Night at the Museum-style romp. This was so good. All the timey-wimey vortex manipulation that the Doctor did in order to be there for the end of the universe was classic Moffat. 

Normally these "end of the universe" dilemmas have an oversimplified, unsatisfactory resolution, but I was quite satisfied with the simple use of residue from the Pandorica to reboot everything. The Doctor even gives a nice little speech about the power of memory. Sure why not, this story was so much fun I don't dare criticize a thing.

Sarah - 

I could watch the romp over and over! It's so good to see Amelia Pond again. This is early enough in the Matt Smith era that we're not yet over the "I am the Doctor" speeches. 

And we get a wedding surprise when Raggedy Man turns up with his blue box. Amy and Rory spend their wedding night on the TARDIS, which leads to...SPOILERS!

Harry - 

Best Line - I didn't jot one down but honestly everything River says is quotable. She's amazing.

Favourite Moment - Rory revealed as an Auton, it was so mind-blowing.

Lasting Image - River zapping the Doctor's fez.

8/10

Sarah - 

Best Line: "Right then, I have questions, but number one is this. What in the name of sanity have you got on your head?"

Favorite Moment: The epic romp is more than a moment, but I love it so.

Lasting Image: River shooting the fez, for sure!

9/10

Our marathon continues with Story #213: A Christmas Carol...

Story #199 - The Next Doctor (2008)

Harry -
The mind plays tricks, as Jackson Lake would attest.

It was surprising that we are got to this story so late in the Tennant era. It feels like it came much sooner, perhaps before we'd even met Donna Noble. But here it is, part of that handful of specials that mark the extra "half-season" that Tennant hung around for. Interested in other projects, but not quite ready to relinquish his hold on the sonic screwdriver, Tennant worked out a reduced load of stories with RTD so that they could enjoy one more year as Doctor Who's star and showrunner.

What I remember most about "The Next Doctor" is that from the moment this special's title was announced, speculation was rife that we'd catch a glimpse of Tennant's successor, and maybe even see a regeneration take place. After all, it had been one whole episode since the last time we'd been teased with a regeneration. Snark aside, there's not much else that stands out for me in rewatching this story. What were your memories going in, Sarah?


Sarah -
I definitely remember the chaos unleashed when David Morrissey turned up in the trailer for "The Next Doctor". The title was a clever ploy on RTD’s part. I imagine ratings for the Christmas special would have been higher than usual that year. 

I think the concept of having the Doctor’s memories imprinted on Jackson Lake’s brain is brilliant. It’s clever to have the Doctor think he’s meeting his successor when he’s not.


Harry -
As mindbenders go, it was positively Moffatesque.


Sarah -
In retrospect, I think it would have been a more interesting episode if the truth about Jackson Lake had been revealed later. The Cyberking nonsense is nowhere as compelling as the mystery of the Next Doctor.


Harry -
Oof!  The Cyberking.  I guess it was meant to shakeup a bog standard Cybermen-invade-Earth story.  In this case, the reveal came way too late.  Mercy Hartigan was totally forgettable as the villain-slash-human stooge.  Neither her backstory nor her motivation to conspire with the Cybermen was given much thought, making her one of the worst adversaries in the Tennant era.  Naturally, she got her just desserts in the end and the Cyberking got zapped out of existence.  I really would have liked to see the Cyberking in a different setting, maybe somewhere rural where you could really play up the wicker man folk horror aspects.  Cybermen feeding terrified peasants straight into the belly of the monster.  That sort of thing.  Hopefully somewhere out there is a fan fiction along those lines.

Anyway, it's all over, hurrah and happy Christmas.


Sarah -
I usually cut Christmas stories a lot of slack and try to just enjoy the episode, but this is the beginning of the Tennant lap of honour year so it’s bound to be more than a little annoying. I don’t really have much else to say.


Harry -
Same here.  Not much note taking took place during this rewatch.  Happy to move on.


Sarah -
Best Line:  If you could stand back, sir. This is a job for a Time Lord.

Favorite Moment: The Doctor’s confusion when he meets Jackson

Lasting Image: For better or worse, the massive Cyberman stomping around London 

4/10


Harry -
Best Line: I'm the Doctor. Simply, the Doctor. The one, the only and the best.  [loved the delivery, such oomph!]

Favourite Moment: Jackson unveiling his TARDIS.

Lasting Image: Terrified peasants being fed to my alternate-universe rural Cyberking.

5/10

Our marathon continues with Story #200: Planet of the Dead...

Story #177 - Army of Ghosts / Doomsday (2006)

Harry -
One of the unmistakable features of the RTD era of Doctor Who is the blockbuster season finale. It started with "Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways", a story that set the bar high with the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack defeating an armada of Daleks deep in space. This time around, it's double the menace as the Daleks and the Cybermen both launch invasions of Earth.


Sarah -
Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long to get the Daleks and Cybermen into one story.


Harry -
The Cybermen-Nazis crossover in "Silver Nemesis" was kind of close.


Sarah -
Please don’t remind me of that.


Harry -
Righto.  This one begins with a hard dose of melodrama, as Rose provides a voiceover for flashback scenes of her life with the Doctor, ending by telling us that "This is the story of how I died."


Sarah -
I remember how shocking that pronouncement was the first time I watched the episodes. I thought it was going to be an Adric situation all over again. This time out, my daughter, who was watching it for the first first time, kept asking, “Is Rose really dead?” I, of course, responded, “Spoilers!”


Harry -
After the opening titles, RTD dials it back down to a benign scene of the TARDIS returning to the Powell Estate. Rose and the Doctor, back at Jackie's flat for a happy reunion. Jackie is delighted to see them and share the news that Rose's grandad is about to pay a visit. Rose's face drops and she suspects her mum has lost it because her grandad has been dead for 10 years.


Sarah -
I’m not sure I understand how people came to think the ghosts were loved ones. Jackie mentions that grandad’s ghost smells like his tobacco, but that seems awfully tenuous.


Harry -
The Doctor wrote it off to people sensing what they wanted to believe was there. It did seem slightly bonkers that society would embrace these entities and make them part of everyday pop culture. Where were the skeptics? Where were the scientists?


Sarah -
Right? Were the scientist and skeptics taken in, as well? Where was Neil deGrasse Tyson when the Earth needed him?  Speaking of scientists, after a season of breadcrumbs, we finally see Torchwood, which seems to have something to do with the ghosts. Located in Torchwood Tower in Canary Wharf, the Torchwood Institute is led by Yvonne Hartman, who is delighted to have the Doctor turn up on her patch.


Harry -
After all this time I'm still not completely sure what to think of this Torchwood.


Sarah -
It’s a little disappointing after months of build-up, to be honest. And while I’m being picky, doesn’t it seem that the Doctor and Torchwood should have crossed paths before now? It’s been a while since Queen Victoria declared him an enemy of the Crown in 1879. That some slapdash retconning there, RTD.


Harry -
The explanation behind the building of Torchwood Tower was brilliant -- it envelops a dimensional hole 600 feet in the sky. Having used another complicated piece of equipment to study the "ghosts" (two stories in a row without having the plot move forward with the wave of a sonic!), the Doctor traces the energy peak to Torchwood Tower. With an "Allons-y!" the TARDIS takes off with the Doctor, Rose... and Jackie aboard.


Sarah -
Jackie’s not impressed: “If we end up on Mars, I’m gonna kill you.”


Harry -
The crew we meet at the tower seem very serious and dedicated, for a few seconds. Adeola and Gareth slip away for a snog while Yvonne leads a welcoming committee to greet the Doctor with rounds of applause. That clapping scene was rather silly. To that point, Torchwood has been working with the "ghost energy" episodes that have been bringing the shadowy visitors into view. Yvonne proudly takes the Doctor for a tour of Torchwood's storage rooms, where he's taken aback by the alien technology they have collected. One room contains a large, floating sphere that seems to be made of nothing. The Doctor identifies it as a void ship, something designed to slip between universes.


Sarah -
I kind of hate the Doctor in these scenes, with his stupid 3D glasses and Ghostbusters jokes.


Harry -
The Ghostbusters gags were so bad I didn't even want to talk about them.


Sarah -
My apologies for bringing it up. When Yvonne demands to meet his companion, the Doctor pulls Jackie out and introduces her as Rose -- and then proceeds to berate her:

“She's not the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that.” 

“And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty seven years. But she'll do.” 

“I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well, I say not bad. Anyway, lead on. Allons-y. But not too fast. Her ankle's going.”

What an asshole. He deserves everything coming his way.


Harry -
This is RTD's writing at its most obnoxious. Back upstairs, the romantic episode has ended in horror with Adeola and Gareth falling victim to Cybermen lurking in a construction area. Adeola begins picking off the rest of the staff, luring Matt to the Cybermen next, just before Yvonne and the Doctor return.


Sarah -
I totally forgot Freema Agyeman was in this story. I now recall Martha will mention that her cousin died at Canary Wharf, but she didn’t mention it was her twin cousin.


Harry -
Twin cousins, how rare is that!


Sarah -
It was surprisingly common in American sitcoms of the 1960s and 70s, but not usually so much in Doctor Who.


Harry -
Hah!


Sarah -
I was excited to see Martha -- or her twin cousin, or whatever -- and then angry all over again in anticipation of the Doctor being a complete dick to her in series 3. Just when I thought we were almost into the frying pan, we go straight into the fire!

Did you bring any gin? I need to calm my nerves.


Harry -
Steady on, Sarah, we haven't finished with Rose yet.


Sarah -
Not yet, but soon, my friend, soon.


Harry -
Separated from the Doctor and Jackie, Rose winds her way to the room with the void ship. There, a happy reunion awaits because what's an RTD blockbuster without happy reunions?


Sarah -
Mickey Smith, defending the Earth! I was so happy to see him after all this time. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but it felt so much longer.


Harry -
I totally forgot he was in this one so it was a great surprise when he revealed himself in the room with the void sphere.


Sarah -
Mickey explains that the Cybermen were nearly beaten in his adopted parallel Earth but they managed to escape to Rose’s Earth. Rose reminds him that the Doctor says it was impossible, to which Mickey replies, “Yeah, it's not the first time he's been wrong.” That’s right, Mickey, tell it like it is!

Now, really, where’s the gin?


Harry -
We should pause to enjoy a few sips now, because the story is about to go turbo wild.


Sarah -
Brace yourself!


Harry -
The newly-cyberized staff override the safety mechanisms and send Torchwood into the ultimate ghost shift, bringing millions of Cybermen through to this Earth. Meanwhile, the void sphere suddenly activates of its own accord. Watching on camera, the Doctor wonders what the Cybermen are about to hatch, but the Cyberleader informs him that the sphere is not of their design. They merely followed it to this world. At that moment, the sphere opens and from within it emerge...Daleks! Kolossal! It's the ultimate invasion, and an amazing cliffhanger.

Got to hand it to RTD, he does a good blockbuster.


Sarah -
He had to outdo last season, and more than met the challenge.


Harry -
Unlike the swarms of Cybermen who have arrived on Earth, the sphere contained only four Daleks. They are a unique group who have individual names and call themselves the Cult of Skaro. They have brought with them a device called a genesis ark, and with it a new mystery: who or what is inside?


Sarah -
I’m amused the Daleks have finally reached the appropriate level of development to begin forming cults. I guess it was inevitable.


Harry -
One of the most memorable scenes from this story is the glorious trash talking between Cybermen and Daleks. The relentless, dispassionate logic of the Cybermen crashing against the psychotic hate of the Daleks, it's mad fun.


Sarah -
It’s absolutely the best thing in the story.


Harry -
Well, it's fun to watch. For the Doctor and his friends it's the ultimate nightmare. The world is under siege, Torchwood is in chaos, and Yvonne and Jackie are marched off for cyber-conversion before the Doctor can save them.


Sarah -
Poor Jackie. Has she not endured enough? Now she faces being upgraded again? Yes, yes, I know that was alternate reality Jackie, but we had to live through it and that was more than enough.


Harry -
Did we mention this was a blockbuster? Because, zapping through the void, here comes Pete Tyler and the rest of parallel Earth's Scooby Gang! What a scene!


Sarah -
Jake and Pete arrive just in time to save the day...sort of.


Harry -
It's too late to save Yvonne, who goes forward to receive cyber-conversion while declaring that she did her duty for queen and country.


Sarah -
Poor Yvonne.


Harry -
We barely got to know her.  At least Big Finish has come through for her.  

For Jackie, it's a lucky escape. The Cybermen become distracted by the Daleks and she sneaks away down a stairwell.


Sarah -
Go, Jackie, Go!


Harry -
An epic battle ensues. Cybermen vs Daleks with all of humanity trapped in the middle. The Doctor eventually lets us all in on the business with the 3-D glasses. They reveal a kind of "void stuff" that the Doctor posits can be sucked back into the void. However, it means that after being reopened, the void and the gateway to parallel Earth will close forever. Rose is suddenly faced with a choice: join her Jackie and Mickey with parallel Pete on the other Earth, or stay with the Doctor, "forever". It never seemed to have sunk in with Rose that "forever" means two totally different things to Earthlings and Gallifreyans.


Sarah -
Despite the Doctor trying to explain it to her about five thousand times. Seriously, was he not clear enough or is she completely delusional? The swings between competent, empathic Rose and bat-shit crazy girlfriend Rose is frustrating.


Harry -
This gin is getting perilously low.

Having made her choice to stay with the Doctor, Rose bids tear-soaked farewells to her family and Mickey, who then zap away to parallel Earth.


Sarah -
They’re better off without her.


Harry -
The Doctor and Rose brace themselves, throw open the void and watch as the Cybermen pour back through. In a panic, the Daleks initiate emergency temporal shift and vanish as well. But disaster strikes when Rose is thrown into the void... and is rescued by Pete a split second before she would have died.


Sarah -
So much for being better off without her. I like that alternate reality Jackie and Pete decide to stick together. That’s very sweet. I want Jackie to have a happy ending.


Harry -
It was nice that Jackie was able to have everything in the end.  Typing out that rapid fire sequence gives a clear view of how everything unfolded, but in real time it happened so quickly. Everyone was stunned. Rose worst of all, as she collapses in tears.


Sarah -
I really am the worst person ever. I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes at the whole thing. Can you imagine having to live with her after all this?


Harry -
They couldn't even find some words to try and console her.  The RTD Doctor-companion-relationship experiment comes crashing to an end, in blockbuster style.

Having saved the world, once again, the Doctor is left alone, once again. For that segment of fandom for whom "shipping" the Doctor and Rose was a huge thing, this would have obviously been the show's darkest moment. The Doctor has lost so many friends over time, but RTD built this one up to be different, and way more emotional.


Sarah -
The lonely God is alone again. While I don’t want the Doctor to react with, “Oh well, Adric’s dead, let’s move on, he wouldn’t want us to linger.” I could do with much less drama than we get here.


Harry -
Yes, we've yet to hit that sweet spot somewhere between "cold fish" and "emo tears".


Sarah -
This leads us to their final(ish) meeting at Bad Wolf Bay.


Harry -
Final(ish), damn you RTD!


Sarah -
Rose has a dream where she hears the Doctor calling, so Rose, Mickey, Jackie and Pete head off to Norway to follow the voice.


Harry -
As one is compelled to do from time to time.


Sarah -
The Doctor has found a way to transmit an image of himself to talk to Rose. We learn that Jackie is pregnant and Rose is working with parallel Torchwood. Rose learns that she’s officially listed among the dead from the Battle of Canary Wharf. 

We end with the Doctor telling Rose that they can’t see each other again. She tells him that she loves him and he responds with “Quite right, too. And I suppose, if it's one last chance to say it, Rose Tyler…” as he vanishes.


Harry -
So many shipping fantasies shattering into a million pieces.


Sarah -
OK, maybe I’m not completely heartless. It is a touching moment and all that, but what made me the most emotional is the sudden appearance of Donna Noble in the TARDIS!


Harry -
What an emotional swing!  I don't think we could have handled another minute of this blockbuster.  Our last bottle of gin certainly didn't.

Overall, RTD delivered a blockbuster for the ages.  I loved the war between the Daleks and Cybermen.  Torchwood got an appropriate introduction before essentially being destroyed.  It shall rise again in another place, at another time.  As for the shipping, I was done with it before I knew shipping was a thing.


Sarah -
Bring on the next adventure, Old Boy! I’m ready.


Harry -
Goin' to the chapel and we're... gonna get married!


Sarah -
Best Line: “This is not war. This is pest control.”

Favorite Moment: The Dalek-Cybermen trash talk.

Lasting Image: I want to say Donna, but that doesn’t seem sporting. I guess I’ll go with the beach scene as I’ll never be able to delete it from my brain. 

6/10


Harry -
Best Line: same!

Favourite Moment: same!

Lasting Image: the Doctor and his 3-D glasses.

7/10

Our marathon continues with Story #178: The Runaway Bride...

Story #172 - Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel (2006)

Harry -

I was not looking forward to rewatching this story, solely because of the opening moments in the TARDIS. The Doctor and Rose are so caught up in each other that Mickey is entirely forgotten, left pressing down a button on the console for half an hour. Then the smug chuckling between the two of them, like teenagers in the cafeteria. Wow, I hate this opening.

Sarah -

This is the era of peak smug. I want to smack them both upside their heads. Mickey should dump these two jerks.

Harry -

Nice foreshadowing.

The TARDIS seemed to hate what was going on too, flying right out of the time vortex and then shutting down, plunging everyone into darkness. I'd have done the same!

Sarah -

In my head canon, the TARDIS has always been fond of Mickey.

Harry -

They all pick themselves up, and the Doctor fears that they've gone through the void into nothingness. Mickey pops the door open and declares that this nothingness looks a lot like contemporary London.

Sarah -

London with zeppelins and a very alive Pete Tyler. Who doesn’t like a good parallel-world story? More to the point, who doesn’t like a good two-part, parallel-world story...directed by Graeme Harper! The first (and only) Doctor Who director to return to the series after its unfortunate sixteen-year hiatus. The director of "The Caves of Androzani", back in the TARDIS again!

Harry -

We are also treated to the return of an actor from the classic era: Colin Spaull, who played security guard Lilt in "Revelation of the Daleks". Here, he plays Mr. Crane, henchman to John Lumic, the genius head of Cybus Industries on parallel Earth.

Sarah -

Lumic is a bit of a cartoon baddie, with appropriate over-the-top megalomania. We know he’ll be hoisted by his own petard by the end of the story, even if he doesn’t see it coming.

Harry -

Lumic's vocal projections always sound odd, like he's barking even though he's speaking. It hints that he's not all there.

Lumic is the head of Cybus Industries, a corporation that has cornered the market on personal digital devices. Everyone in London wears Cybus earpods that feed information directly into the wearers' brains. A day's worth of news, sports, weather, lotto numbers and entertainment all downloaded in seconds. Makes cell phones look clumsy and obsolete.

Sarah -

Once again, Doctor Who made me afraid of technology. When this story came out, people were just starting to walk around with their bluetooth earbuds, which always made me uncomfortable. It was just weird to be talking to someone while their earbud flashed at you. The earpods in this story totally played into my techno-anxiety, which made it all the more effective.

Harry -

It's still jarring today to walk past someone having a conversation with themselves, only to notice something plugged into their ear after the fact. Anyway, it looks like Pete Tyler also cornered a market and is the face of a soft drinks empire. Get in Pete! Despite the Doctor's warnings, Rose is curious to find him and see what her parallel family might be like.

Sarah -

Have they not already learned this is a bad idea?

Harry -

Honestly, didn't we just go through this?

Since he's joined the team, Mickey also considers the possibility that his deceased grandmother might still be alive and well on this Earth. Before he can shut them down, the Doctor watches both of his friends shoot off in different directions. Ordering Mickey to meet back in 24 hours (long enough for the TARDIS to recharge for departure), he sets off behind Rose.

Sarah -

I love Mickey’s dismissal of the Doctor, “Well, you don't know anything about me, do you? It's always about Rose. I'm just a spare part.” First, well done, Mickey. Second, the line reminded me that Big Finish’s “Spare Parts” was the inspiration for this story. Praise the Compan...er, I mean Praise Big Finish!

Harry -

To Big Finish Be The Glory!

Sarah -

"The Sun Makers" really is the gift that just keeps giving.

Harry -

It's a timely arrival for the TARDIS crew, coinciding with Lumic's return to Great Britain. It appears he lives in a state of statelessness in his personal zeppelin. However, he has returned for a personal meeting with the British president (wew!), seeking approval to commence his massive scheme to "rescue" the human race. The plan involves uploading human brains into an artificial shell: "skin of metal, and a body that will never age or die." Lumic has created this parallel Earth's version of the Cybermen!

What did you think of the RTD-era Cybermen design, Sarah?

Sarah -

I know opinions run strong when it comes to Cyberman design. While I find the Tenth Planet Cybermen to be the scariest of them all, these Cybermen were effective. Other than their well-timed saunter in front of St. Paul’s, the Cybermen never seemed particularly coordinated. Their stompy en masse marching would have had me ducking behind the sofa if I’d seen them as a child. I’m dying to hear your take.

Harry -

I think they got the heads and torsos right, but the flared out arms and legs always looked like they'd been put on backwards. The resulting look always seemed, well, clunky. I admire the streamlined Moffat-era Cybermen design much more.

The stomping became inextricably linked to Nu Who Cybermen in very short order. I mean, this story had shots dedicated entirely to Cybermen stomping down a street. Multiple times! I'm not fussed by it, it makes sense when we're talking about uniform machinery moving in unison.

Sarah -

After a while, the stomping did feel a bit egregious; like they were showing off. Cybermen don’t usually show off, that’s what Daleks are for.

What did you think of the return of the teardrop?

Harry -

The teardrop is iconic, like the head-handles and silver paint jobs, so it all came together nicely. I was not as sold on RTD trying to make "Delete! Delete!" into a catchphrase for these monsters. Best to leave the evil exclamations to the Daleks as well.

My big creeped out moment was after Mr. Crane rounded up some homeless people and they were herded into a Cyber-conversion chamber. Covering up their death screams with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was really dark and twisted.

Sarah -With some bonus shots of Battersea, which felt like fan service directed right to you, Old Boy!

Harry -

One of my favourite buildings in London! Thankfully, on our Earth the building was just a power station and not a Cyber-abattoir.

Sarah -

As far as we know...

Harry -

Lumic is preparing to release his Cyber army upon the British president, dispatching a platoon to the Tyler mansion on the very night that Jackie and Pete are hosting a birthday bash.

Rose really can't say the Doctor didn't warn her. Instead of the mum she's grown up with, this Jackie is rich, spoiled and a bit nasty.

Sarah -

And Rose is a dog!

Rose’s attempt at a heart to heart with Jackie doesn’t go so well. Pete and Jackie have split up after 20 years and Jackie doesn’t appreciate advice from an uppity catering server. The Doctor’s undercover plan may not have put Rose in the best position to give advice.

Meanwhile, Mickey has made new friends. Left to his own devices, he decides to see if his grandmother is still alive in this alternate reality. When he finds her, she’s relieved to see him, but insists on calling him Ricky. Mickey’s willing to play along, until he’s grabbed off her doorstep and bundled into a van by people who also think he’s someone named Ricky. Mickey rolls with it, but things get awkward when comes face to face with the actual Ricky.

Ricky, you will recall was what the Ninth Doctor used to “accidentally” call Mickey just, you know, to be a jerk.

I love that Mickey is finally getting his own story arc. Having been treated initially as comic relief, Mickey’s character developed very much in the background through Series 1. On this rewatch, I’ve found myself really appreciating Mickey’s loyalty and strength of character and most of the credit for that goes to Noel Clarke.

Harry -

Mickey is the star of this story. Throw in a parallel double and it's two times the Noel Clarke awesomeness.

Mickey and his new friends in the underground make their way to the Tyler estate just as Lumic's Cybermen storm the joint. I liked seeing the Scooby Gang forge an escape in their van.

The second part of the story sees Lumic ramping up his plan and activating everyone's earpods, sending everyone (including Jackie) marching towards Battersea for conversion. Crane decides this has gone too far, and attempts to kill Lumic. Crane is eliminated, but Lumic struggles to hold on to his life. His creations decide it is time for him to be uploaded.

Sarah -

Once again, a megalomaniac is hoisted by his own petard. Still, Lumic is hardly the most interesting person to have fallen victim to the Cybermen. Somewhere, Tobias Vaughn is rolling his eyes at the whole situation.

Harry -

The Scooby Gang splits up in order to assault the power station from three directions: from the roof (Mickey and Jake), ground level (Rose and Pete), and from beneath (The Doctor and Mrs. Moore).

Another horrible moment awaits Rose as she and Pete track down Jackie, only to find that she has been Cyber-converted. It's moments like these that elevate the Cybermen above all other monsters. There is a finality to Cyber-conversion that is more horrifying than being gunned down by Daleks or Sontarans. Just last season we saw Captain Jack Harkness cheat death by the Daleks. With the Cybers the process can never be reversed, making Jackie's death particularly devastating, even if it was a different Jackie.

Sarah -

Poor Jackie.

Harry -

Meanwhile, down below the powerplant of death, the Doctor discovers that a simple code can cancel the emotional inhibitors of the Cybermen. Sadly, Mrs. Moore is attacked and killed before they can escape. Seeing that the Doctor is not a human being and worthy of study, they march him up to face the Cyber Controller.

Sarah -

I quite liked Mrs. Moore. Her character reminded me of all the mature female guest stars who ended up paired with the Fifth Doctor. Her backstory of having worked for Cybus Industries and having to go on the run after reading a file that she was not supposed to read would be a great story on its own. The tragedy of her death is that her family thought she had died long ago. I salute you, Angela Price!

Harry -

The Doctor finds Rose and Pete already in Lumic's lair. Hoping that Mickey and Jake have been able to sneak into Lumic's zeppelin, the Doctor plays for time and coaches Mickey into hacking the inhibitors and triggering mayhem among Lumic's creations. Once again, master hacker Mickey comes through and all hell breaks loose.

Sarah -

Once again, Mickey saves the day!

Harry -

Our friends flee in the zeppelin and Lumic perishes as the building goes up in flames. Hell of a getaway!

It's not a clean ending though. Jake is the only one of Mickey's new friends to survive. Lumic's network remains scattered around the globe, and it needs shutting down. Mickey makes the biggest choice of his life and announces he wants to stay on the parallel Earth.

Sarah -

Good on Mickey! He gets to stay with his alternate-Earth grandmother and rid himself of the Doctor and Rose. It’s a win-win situation!

Harry -

I started this story hating it, but by the end the conclusion of Mickey's story redeemed the whole thing. RTD succeeded in making Mickey into a great side protagonist in the Whoniverse, and successfully brought back another classic monster. We'll be seeing (and hearing a lot more stomping from) the Cybers in the years to come.

Best line:

MICKEY: Let's go and liberate Paris.

JAKE: What, you and me, in a van?

MICKEY: There's nothing wrong with a van. I once saved the universe with a big yellow truck.

Favourite moment: the Scooby Gang escapes in their van.

Lasting image: CyberLumic plummeting into the flames of Battersea Power Station.

7/10

Sarah -

Best Line:

MICKEY: Thanks. We've had a laugh though, haven't we? Seen it all, been there and back. Who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the stars.

ROSE: All those years just sitting there, imagining what we'd do one day. We never saw this, did we?

Favorite Moment: Mickey deciding to stay behind.

Lasting image: The stompy Cybermen.

7/10

Our marathon continues with Story #173: The Idiot's Lantern...