The Tomb of the Cybermen

The Tomb of the Cybermen
by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis
Originally Broadcasted: September 2nd-23rd, 1967

The Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria land on the planet Telos and come across an archeological expedition from the planet Earth. They are on Telos to discover the tomb of the Cybermen. Little do they know, one amongst them plans to bring the Cybermen back to life to aid in his play to rule the galaxy. The Cybermen are awakened, but aren't so keen on working with humans...

The Tomb of the Cybermen is one of the most well-known, classic episodes of Doctor Who from the show's history. It always seems to be at the top of fan's lists. Even current Doctor Matt Smith calls The Tomb of the Cybermen his favorite Doctor Who story. It's clear to see why this is a fan favorite. It features great mystery, a great set of supporting characters, a popular enemy, and one of the best Doctors, Patrick Troughton. Now I'll be honest, it's not my favorite Cybermen story. That honor has to go to Earthshock for me. But it is still a fabulous story. There is something about the older, and quite frankly, cheaper designs of the Cybermen that is actually more scary. In the Cybermen's one appearance in the 70s, they were portrayed as rather camp men in suits, and then in the 80s, they pretty much turned into Darth Vader. Here you just get a creepy electronic voice that matches the costumes perfectly. Every time a Cyberman would talk, chills would go down my spine, as if they were whispering in my ear. And of course, I have to mention the iconic moment from this story, where the tombs are unfrozen and hoards of Cybermen break out and climb down. One of the most iconic moments in the history of Doctor Who, aided wonderfully by the perfect choice of stock music. Introduced in this story are the Cybermats, little metallic rats that serve the Cybermen. They would only appear two more times, in Revenge of the Cybermen and Closing Time. Great chemistry is on display between The Doctor and Jamie, including a great comedic moment where he reaches for Jamie's hand, thinking it's Victoria's, and then they awkwardly take their hands away when they realize. Definitely one of the greatest Doctor-Companion pairings of all time. The Tomb of the Cybermen is a black and white story that still holds up to this day. WE WILL SURVIVE!

Luke's Rating: 7/10