The Invasion Episode Five

The one where the Brigadier's sexism shows through...

It's always a bit of a thrill to see what I've seen first in cartoon form (because the episode is missing) "recreated" as the live action original, and although Douglas Camfield's version isn't lit quite as beautifully by Robbie Robinson as it was by Cosgrove Hall's animators, it's still an effective sequence. It made me laugh when the Doctor said to Jamie: "Come on, let's go back to the canoe", as if it's the latest version of the TARDIS!

After the revivification of the Cyberman, I was kind of hoping that the silver giants would start to feature a bit more in the story, but in actual fact, they remain quite low key as they move inexorably toward the most tentative invasion of Earth ever staged. However, what we do see of them is very effective, especially the scene where Vaughan and Gregory use the cerebraton mentor to instill a sense of fear in the Cyberman, and it goes mad.

There's something deeply unsettling about a crazed Cyberman for me, and when it starts to flail around, arms outstretched like a silver Frankenstein's monster, moaning and screaming in that electronic voice, it gives me the shudders. And it is completely impervious to Packer's point-blank gunfire! The maddened Cyberman retreats down into the sewers of London, headed for a classic cliffhanger in which Jamie, Zoe and Isobel are cornered from both directions by the cybernetic creatures.

Using the sewer system is a very sudden development in Vaughan's plot, it must be said, so how can the Doctor suddenly know that they are part of the invasion plan? We go from one scene where Packer is leading the Cybermen down into the sewers (and isn't it sweet that one Cyberman gently helps his two buddies climb down into the shaft?), straight to the next where the Doctor is perusing a map of the sewers. There's no way the Doctor could have guessed that.

This is a strong episode for Isobel, who comes up with the perfect way of collecting evidence of the alien invasion to prove to the authorities that the Cybermen are real and pose a very serious threat to British liberty. Being a budding fashion photographer, she suggests that they photograph the Cybermen for evidence, using various lenses and film to get the shots they need in the darkness of the sewers. It's a moment of genius, but although the Brigadier leaps on it as the perfect solution, he slaps her back down by refusing to let Isobel take charge of the operation herself. In one of Doctor Who's most infamous sexist exchanges, the Brig says: "This is hardly a job for you... You're a young woman. This is a job for my men... This is not a job for a girl like you, now that's final!"

The Brigadier's attitude is unapologetically sexist, and Isobel gives him what-for. However, the Brig's caution is probably well-placed, even if he does express it in the worst terms. He decides to employ UNIT's own photographic section to capture the shots, which may well be more professional, as Isobel is no more than a keen civilian. Photographing aliens is dangerous work, so the military should probably take the lead.

Nevertheless, Isobel and Zoe (prompted by the latter, who you'd hope wouldn't be so experienced in sexism seeing as she's from the future when things are supposed to be more equal!) venture out onto the streets - and down the sewers - of London, with Jamie in tow, to get their own shots. Whilst down below, they encounter a bunch of stalking Cybermen, their chest units flashing in the gloom, and one poor policeman cops it in one of those glorious positive/ negative death rays so beloved of 60s Who. And when the Brig discovers what those "crazy kids" are up to, he sends Benton after them, while the Doctor scarpers back to Travers' house to use his lab equipment.

The Cybermen really need to get this invasion of theirs started. Vaughan and the Cyber-controller have been trailing this imminent invasion for several episodes, and Vaughan has even bought it forward by 24 hours, so it's time for the lid to come off the bottle and for the Cybermen to do their stuff. Enough waiting, we need action now!

On the subject of Vaughan, he insists that he avoids total cybernetic conversion. He doesn't mind having a cybernetic body, he says, but he wants to preserve his human mind. Maybe he should start by asking the Cybermen to fix that worsening ptosis of his.

First broadcast: November 30th, 1968

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: The crazed Cyberman is really creepy.
The Bad: We're five episodes in and the titular invasion still hasn't even started. Giddy-up, Sherwin!
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

NEXT TIME: Episode Six...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: Episode One; Episode Two; Episode Three; Episode Four; Episode Six; Episode Seven; Episode Eight

Find out birth/death dates, career information, and facts and trivia about this story's cast and crew at the Doctor Who Cast & Crew site: http://doctorwhocastandcrew.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-invasion.html

The Invasion is available on BBC DVD. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Invasion-Disc-Set/dp/B000GH2VOK.