Rise of the Cybermen

I really think that Doctor Who needs more long form stories. I enjoyed the less frenetic pace of 'Rise of the Cybermen', which knew that it had another forty-five minutes in which its plotlines could be resolved.

Unlike some people, I've only been slightly bothered by the 'soap' elements of Russell T Davies's Who. I've appreciated Jackie, Mickey and Pete and this year have even wished we could return sooner to the Powell Estate. Then, I was raised on the Target novelisations of the Jon Pertwee era, with their mythologising of the UNIT family. The treatment of Pete and Jackie in this episode was in keeping with their earlier appearances despite Pete's greater business success; we are inevitably led to believe that they are more materially successful because they didn't have a daughter to unbalance their relationship, but that consequently they are less heroic. Pete is not the heroic businessman resisting the takeover approaches of Lumic, as might have been expected, but he's taken the money and, he thinks, a seat at the top table; but that means nothing in Lumic's Cyber-world.

These Cybermen are simpler than the old ones - the original Cybermen were clearly augmented human bodies whereas these parallel universe Cybermen are machines with human brains in them. Control of the brain is an issue - it's Jackie's earpods, sprouting proto-Cyber-handles, which betray the Tyler's guests, the elite of the British Republic, to John Lumic.

Unlike some online critics, I enjoyed Roger Lloyd-Pack's performance as Lumic - he seemed a man dehumanised by power, an obsession with technology, and a fear of death. Lloyd-Pack is a specialist in grotesques, and I think Lumic called for such a performance. I took him seriously, and found him really frightening. His reference to the Cybermen as his children is splendidly, chillingly ironic.

Great performances from the regulars, particularly Noel Clarke in his dual role; Billie's best episode of the season since 'New Earth', and a generally less manic David. I'm looking forward to next week.