Inconsistently modernised Cybermen and a wax statue of Matthew Broderick
Doc ditches the fam at the end of the Cyber Wars and Irish Moses grows up to be the village super cop
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The Cyberwars have taken quite a toll on mankind and only seven humans remain on this side of the universe. Those who haven’t already been killed or assimilated, so legend says, have escaped by portaling from a distant MacGuffin planet to an even more distant utopian galaxy. The no-longer-Lone Cyberman, Ashad, won’t stand for even one human surviving, and is personally overseeing the last volley of executions. Unlucky for him, The Thirteenth Doctor and her companions are on the case, and about to cock up their rescue mission and obviously get split up in the process.
Meanwhile, sometime, before maybe, a baby boy named Brendan is Moses’ing in the middle of the road and adopted by loving parents. Eventually he grows up to join the local police force, get shot, fall off a cliff and somehow survive unscathed. Pretty typical olde worlde coming-of-age stuff, really, but are his parents really that loving? Is there something Twilight Zoney going on here? Wait, why isn’t his dad ageing?! The point is, electroconvulsive therapy is a pretty quirky way to celebrate one’s retirement.
Hi folks
Nice opening shot of track into the cyberhead’s eye and the titles beginning. And interesting narration from Ashad.
Oh, here’s Chibnall writing Irish Born and Bred. Well, yes. I suppose there’s more to say about that next week. Though that said, the mind wipe scene is fairly creepy. Something about a retro setting always helps I think. And I suppose Ireland is new for the show with it being the first time it is used as a setting in the show.
What exactly is Ashad doing when he is ‘torturing’ the other cybermen? Presumably he is doing something actually constructive but I don’t think they ever explain what that is (Ed-ah next time I think). Oh, and those drone heads are dumb, almost as bad as the cybershades from that rubbish Christmas special.
I suppose this is a build up episode and as such is a fairly good one though there isn’t a lot else to it in terms of story. Several action scenes, creeping around the cybership. Reminiscent of Earthshock I suppose, even some of the music isn’t too far off. The human survivors are the usual mix of characters that we get in this sort of thing, only Ko Sharmus is something a little different but even not that much for a lone gateway guardian.
I dunno about this one really, like there’s nothing bad per se but nothing really stands out to me so I don’t think I can give that high a score 3.5/5?
Cheers
Kieren
Hello everyone,
Here is my mini review for “ Ascension of the Cybermen”
Well the cold open was great here, and promised so much, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed by this episode
It might sound nitpicky, but there’s just too many things wrong.
Cyber head drones? Is that the best they can do? Even a flying Cybermat would’ve been better.
Cybermen can’t shoot for sh*t…..like so many aliens, missing almost point blank. At this point it’s childish and embarrassing to watch.
Ryan is so badly written…again.
At least Graham was good, he had some great lines, and he helps lift this episode to above average.
By the way, haven’t we been to the future before and there was plenty of humans? Make up your mind Dr Who! Please clarify the time line
it’s very confusing
I liked it better when there was just one Cyberman, it was far more threatening, and proves you don’t need hordes
of the enemy to make a scary, exciting episode.
Classic Dr Who’s limited budget actually made their Cybermen episodes better.
I liked the Masters brief appearance, and again this promises so much……what a pity we all know what’s in store… 🙁
Pretty meh,
Rating 2.7 Pieces of Cyber Junk floating uselessly around space
Cheers
GP Haynes