“You can't use that thing — it's obscene!”
After the complete disaster that was 'The Twin Dilemma' you would think that the only way was up for the Sixth Doctor era. You'd be mistaken.
I’m trying, I really am, but I just can’t think of many nice things to say about ‘Attack of the Cybermen’. It's rubbish and not very lovable rubbish at that. Performance wise, Colin Baker continues to ham his way through a role that is now being written with all the thought and care of the Trump administration. Yeah, I got slightly political there. Deal with it. The writers and producers didn't seem to have any idea who they wanted the Sixth Doctor to be so they just threw everything at screen and hoped something would stick. Too bad they couldn't find anything corrosive to throw at that ghastly costume. And as for Peri, she continues to do exactly what she was hired to do: look sexy and complain a lot. You really have to feel for Nicola Bryant.
The writing of this story was notoriously a fucking fiasco. Debate still rages over who actually wrote it, although considering the final product I'm surprised anyone would want to claim responsibility for this turd. Not only is the plot a total mess, but you need at least a master's degree in Cyber-History to understand even half of what’s going on. Casual viewers need not apply.
For some reason, Maurice Colbourne's conniving mercenary Lytton, who first showed up wearing some seriously dodgy looking headgear in 'Resurrection of the Daleks', has been brought back for an encore. I can image this was because Eric Saward knew, having wrote 'Earthshock', what a bunch of monotoned dullards the Cybermen are and wanted someone around with at least a glimmer of charisma. Too bad Saward couldn't think of anything for him to actually do, besides meet a very bloody end.
The Sixth Doctor era has become infamous for its graphic violence, all of it unnecessary and completely gratuitous. Did we really need to see the Cybermen crush Lytton's hands to a bloody pulp? No, we didn't because it added nothing to the story whatsoever. Doctor Who should be scary, not needlessly gruesome.
Notes and Quotes
--This season saw the show undergo a minor format change. Story arcs were now two episodes long with each episode 45 minutes,
--Terry Molloy makes a rare non-Davros appearance as Russell.
--The Doctor actually manages to repair the TARDIS' chameleon circuit, allowing it to take the shape of a decorated stove, a pipe organ, and an ornamental gateway.
--It turns out it was the Cyber-Controller who ate all the pies (sorry, couldn’t resist).
The Doctor: "A little gratitude wouldn't irretrievably damage my ego."
The Doctor: "The TARDIS, when working properly, is capable of many amazing things. Not unlike myself."
Peri: "I only hope it believes you."
The Doctor: "Well if it doesn't, I shall beat it into submission... with my charm."
--Charm?
Russell: "Who are you?"
The Doctor: "I've already told you. I am known as the Doctor. I'm also a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous."
Russell: "You're bonkers."
The Doctor: "That's debatable."
Peri: "What is that terrible smell?"
Lytton: "Death."
Griffiths: "Trust him to cheer everyone up."
Peri: "What do you mean, death?"
Lytton: "The sour, rank odour of death is unmistakable."
One out of four fat controllers.
--
Mark Greig is walking on sunshine (Wow!) and don't it feel good. More Mark Greig
This one is pretty bad too, although I'd argue that it did indeed have more care applied towards its writing than the abysmal Trump 'administration'!
ReplyDeleteThe only part I really liked is when the Doctor was trying to fix the chameleon circuit and it was organ at one point. It didn't last of course, but that was a rather fun bit.
Lytton could have been so much more interesting as I found him one of the best aspects of this story and of Resurrection, but as you say, he's underused and the hand crushing helped nothing.
Sadly, this is slightly above average for the 6th Doctor's stories. Which considering that it's not good is a testament to how poor things had gotten.
A good concept and the fifty minute episode arc was one of the better decisions the production team made with season 22 . However the direction is far superior then the writing and more deserving then what this ham ball of a script deserves . I'm guessing with the high body count it was scrip doctored and re written by Saward. Lytton is given high cannon status in the whoniversse through out the 100 minutes , though it never seems to ring true given that Lytton and the Doctor only had brief exchanges in Resurrection of The Daleks . We also never get a satisfactory explanation as to why Lytton deserves a sudden level of audience empathy once it transpires that he's working for the Crayons presumably he was doing it for their Diamonds and neither did we get to find out why Lytton allowed the others into the time machine . As he was the least expandable of the four men and evidently the brainiest . Seems the A to B nature of Dr Who sunk all great ideas in the scrip and things just needed to be wrapped up at a certain point and the closing scene between the Peri and the Doctor seems like it was written by a child . I would have thought the Doctor would have had something to say about all of the carnage and destruction over all through another encounter with the Cyberman . Seems Sarward really liked Lytton and the use of Lytton another case of Sarward forcing his characters to fit into show they don't really gel well into . Like that space ship commander in Earth Shock and the women was of Button Moon but the audience was supposed to accept her as some tough space commander . Although in AC Colburn does as much as he can with a terrible script and uninspired witing . The death scene for Lytton was shocking when I first saw it but I do believe Dr Who should be gory at times otherwise it's just a pantomime all it has been since Dr Who and the Daleks so it's good that they have a few scenes that let us know just how deadly and evil the Doctors enemies are . Colin Baker is a fine actor and more then capable of subtle delivery just watch his performance in the Brothers . Like all the fine actors who appeared during this era of the series and lets be honest most eras of Who including the new one . They were sold short. I suppose it's not known whether Baker was directed by the production team to over state the Sixth Doctors unstable personality and act as if he was acting for a room full of children . I think it's more probable that Baker was failed by hastily commissioned scripts and JNT's excessive zeal . Colin Baker gave a great performance in the Brothers as a subtle villian and never once over acted .
ReplyDeletePeri is fine a great relief after season 21 and whinging Tegan . Peri is a return to the sweet nativity , not seen since the days of Ms Grant /
Her lighter presence helps to cut down the spice and bite of the Baker era with it's grim and cynical ambiance . The more adult nature of Bakers era could have been a great opportunity but because who is a formulaic tv series . The BBC probably curtailed the creators from streaching to format into new wider directions and would often ended up on the screen through out this season and all the seasons till season 26 was failed effort that often got reduced to pantomime . So it could fit into Saturday prime time or at least the BBC's paternalistic dogma of what that should be .