Previously on Doctor Who...
The Doctor & Jamie have said goodbye to their friend Victoria Waterfield.
Chris@KosmicKris Fury from the Deep was harrowing! I like how they accept there is a bond between the crew and address it.
Jamie couldn't care less where they land next. He might regret saying that...
It's not long before they're headed for new adventures, but something's wrong with the TARDIS...
There's a flash & the console is all aflame. the Doctor has to pull out the time vector generator.
Chris@KosmicKris Always intrigued by this scene - wondered how it would have looked on screen.
They've landed somehwhere with artificial gravity. They need to track down some mercury.
Chris@KosmicKris you’d have thought after fluidlinkgate that Doctor Who would have been all over the Mercury situationTaking things as seriously as usual, the Doctor offers Jamie a sherbert lemon.
They follow an oily track that leads them to a computer room.
Jamie and the Doctor explore the deserted spacecraft, but they're observed by a robot!
The ship should have a 4 man crew, but is drifting in space, deserted.
Jamie wants the Doctor to stick his rod back in.
Just so you know it's a David Whitaker script, they find a food dispensing machine.
Jamie is unimpressed with what the machine purports is Roast Beef, Potatoes, Cabbage and Fruit Salad.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly 2nd Doc and Jamie love to show up and start snacking. A couple of amiable space bums.
They're a bit like Scooby & Shaggy; they just want to make a giant sandwich but a monster always turns up to spoil their fun.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly One of the reasons they're my favourite Doc/Companion. No Oncoming Storm crap. Just a couple of swells out for a free meal.
Jamie wonders what Victoria is doing now; the Doctor tells him she should be safe in a relatively stable time period.
Chris@KosmicKris a quick chat over futuristic lunch and then a nap - what else would you do on an abandoned space ship.The servo robot is still hunting for the intruders its' sensors have detected...
Troughton once again uses his recorder as a telescope.
This seems to be far more of a 'thing' than people are generally aware. If his stories weren't missing, it'd be mentioned the same way as Tom with the Jelly Babies.
As the craft lurches into action...
...the Doctor gets a bump on the head.
When they reach a wheel-like space station, a hatch opens & the shuttle dispatches a series of white pods...
Chris@KosmicKris this is a tough sequence for the narration - difficult to capture exactly what’s happening.Yes - it's one of those tough episode 1s that's mostly the regulars exploring - and therefore highly visual.
As Jamie tries to signal to the space station using the time vector generator, the robot menaces the Doctor.
As the Doctor slips into unconsciousness in the bunk, Jamie keeps guard, the robot having been seen off for now.
Aboard the Wheel, the crew speculate how the Silver Carrier can have drifted here.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Oh look, a base of some sort with a grumpy commander. I hope they don't become under seige or anything.
I'm certain the commander will be stable and will want to listen to what the Doctor has to say.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Mild mannered, reasonable and not in the least but likely to be prone to paranoia.
The "Silver Carrier". Heh, subtle.
The white pods are absorbed into the Wheel... somehow.
The Wheel's commander, Jarvis, decides to destroy the Silver Carrier with their X-Ray laser! Watch out, Doctor!
As Jarvis prepares to destroy the Silver Carrier, Gemma urges caution.
Leo & Tanya disagree about Jarvis' command style.
Something going on with these two, I reckon...
At the last minute, Jamie is able to use the time vector generator to send a signal to the Wheel.
A rescue party board the Silver Carrier and make contact with Jamie and the prone the Doctor.
Leo & Tanya speculate about their mystery visitors as technicians investigate the Wheel's gremlins.
More white spheres "violate" the outer skin of the Wheel. Pretty sure that's Rover.
Jamie is only too keen to prove how fit he is to Gemma.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Jamie's keen for every woman he meets. Randy wee begger.
When Gemma won't accept "the Doctor" as a name, Jamie christens him "John Smith".
Gemma sends Jamie to the Parapsychology Library then calls Astrophysicist Zoe Herriot.
Chris@KosmicKris Hurrah for Zoe :)
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Yay, Zoe! My favourite TARDIS Team are nearly together.
Zoe thinks Jamie is a Scandinavian Kiltie...
"Just you watch your lip or I'll put you across my knee and larrup you!" Jamie turns on the charm.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Oh, this is going to be fun!" Blimey, Zoe's a goer!
Zoe wants to meet the Doctor & learn if he's a physicist, biochemist, astronomer, butcher, baker, candlestickmaker?
Gemma reports to Jarvis that Jamie's lying about what happened on the Silver Carrier.
Jarvis leaps to the conclusion that Jamie & the Doctor murdered the crew of the Silver Carrier. Oh dear.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Sabotage?" I hate the mistaken-for-saboteur/spy plot. "You're this!" "No, we're not!" "Well, I think you are!"
Most Classic stories would lose anywhere between 2 and 4 episodes if they'd had the psychic paper back then!
The crew of the Wheel get to work, detecting meteor showers nearby.
Tanya's suspicious nose is twitching.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Auditioning for Bewitched.
In the cargo bay of the Silver Carrier, one of the spheres suddenly draws energy, revealing a figure within...
The sphere is cracked open by a three fingered silver hand...
Tanya's nose never lets her down.
Leo takes this as an invitation to flirt.
Jamie knackers the laser to stop Jarvis destroying the Silver Carrier (and more importantly the TARDIS!)
Bill Duggan confirms the laser is inoperable, leaving them vulnerable to incoming meteorites.
The crew of the Wheel listen as Jarvis breaks the bad news.
Cybermats are launched. (Phase 1, tick) They're undetected. (Phase 2, tick)
Phase 3 ready... Call us back when you've actually done something.
Not now, Zoe.
Jarvis is horrified to learn that repairs to the laser could take a week...
...and suspects that Jamie is "one of those 'Pull back to Earth' manicacs"!
Jamie does his cause no good by keeping tight-lipped about his true motivation.
Once Jamie's been hauled off, Bill Duggan gets to work, and soon spots a rather large silverfish which he names "Billy Bug"...
The Doctor isn't so pleased that Jamie's dropped him right in it.
His earlier bump on the head means he can't remember what he saw aboard the Silver Carrier...
The Cybermen knock it up a notch to Phase Four.
The crew try to think of some other way to avoid the meteorite strike.
Zoe's cold calculations get up Leo's nose, to the point where he calls her a robot, "all brain and no heart!"
Bill Duggan finds "Billy Bug" has chomped through their store of Bernalium rods.
He sends Rudkin to check supplies, cursing his new pet's diet of choice.
The Doctor is quite amused by Gemma's verdict that he and Jamie are "healthy specimens"...
...but denies they're saboteurs when she gives him a light grilling.
"John Smith" is introduced to Zoe.
Zoe is a "right wee Space Detective"!
"Logic, my dear Zoe, merely enables one to be wrong with authority."
The Cybermen's plan is working - the crew of the Wheel will have to come aboard the rocket for more Bernalium.
Technician Rudkin is beset by Cybermats when he tries to repair the laser.
His attempts to fend them off with quick set plastic prove futile...
...as strength in numbers sees them first paralyse his arms and then overpower him.
Zoe takes in an interest in the only thing found at the scene of the death...
Zoe thinks the quick set plastic is impenetrable but the Doctor sidesteps her logical straitjacket: they can use the X-ray!
Bill is kicking himself for not reporting Billy Bug sooner.
As they all have to pull an extra shift, Leo is alarmed at the thought that Tanya might find someone else to amuse her...
Jarvis accuses Gemma of always seeing patterns in things that aren't there... but they are.
The Doctor & Jamie recognise what the X-ray shows straight away: a Cybermat!
Aboard the rocket, the men sent to collect the Bernalium are overcome by the waiting Cybermen...
"You will take us to the Wheel."
"Obey. Inside the Wheel, you will help us. You will obey."
As Episode 4 begins, the Cybermen have upgraded their voices...
Jarvis refuses to believe the Cybermen are at large & calls the X-Ray fake.
Under the direction of the Cybermen, Laleham and Vallance pack up the Bernalium...
Jarvis is not only losing his grip on command, but reality too...
The crew of the Wheel get to work, detecting meteor showers nearby.
Tanya's suspicious nose is twitching.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Auditioning for Bewitched.
In the cargo bay of the Silver Carrier, one of the spheres suddenly draws energy, revealing a figure within...
The sphere is cracked open by a three fingered silver hand...
Tanya's nose never lets her down.
Leo takes this as an invitation to flirt.
Jamie knackers the laser to stop Jarvis destroying the Silver Carrier (and more importantly the TARDIS!)
Bill Duggan confirms the laser is inoperable, leaving them vulnerable to incoming meteorites.
The crew of the Wheel listen as Jarvis breaks the bad news.
On the rocket, the Cybermen report their progress. "Phase One is complete."
Cybermats are launched. (Phase 1, tick) They're undetected. (Phase 2, tick)
Phase 3 ready... Call us back when you've actually done something.
Not now, Zoe.
Jarvis is horrified to learn that repairs to the laser could take a week...
...and suspects that Jamie is "one of those 'Pull back to Earth' manicacs"!
Jamie does his cause no good by keeping tight-lipped about his true motivation.
Once Jamie's been hauled off, Bill Duggan gets to work, and soon spots a rather large silverfish which he names "Billy Bug"...
The Doctor isn't so pleased that Jamie's dropped him right in it.
His earlier bump on the head means he can't remember what he saw aboard the Silver Carrier...
The Cybermen knock it up a notch to Phase Four.
The crew try to think of some other way to avoid the meteorite strike.
Zoe's cold calculations get up Leo's nose, to the point where he calls her a robot, "all brain and no heart!"
Bill Duggan finds "Billy Bug" has chomped through their store of Bernalium rods.
He sends Rudkin to check supplies, cursing his new pet's diet of choice.
The Doctor is quite amused by Gemma's verdict that he and Jamie are "healthy specimens"...
...but denies they're saboteurs when she gives him a light grilling.
"John Smith" is introduced to Zoe.
Zoe is a "right wee Space Detective"!
The Cybermen's plan is working - the crew of the Wheel will have to come aboard the rocket for more Bernalium.
Technician Rudkin is beset by Cybermats when he tries to repair the laser.
His attempts to fend them off with quick set plastic prove futile...
...as strength in numbers sees them first paralyse his arms and then overpower him.
Zoe takes in an interest in the only thing found at the scene of the death...
Zoe thinks the quick set plastic is impenetrable but the Doctor sidesteps her logical straitjacket: they can use the X-ray!
Bill is kicking himself for not reporting Billy Bug sooner.
As they all have to pull an extra shift, Leo is alarmed at the thought that Tanya might find someone else to amuse her...
Jarvis accuses Gemma of always seeing patterns in things that aren't there... but they are.
The Doctor & Jamie recognise what the X-ray shows straight away: a Cybermat!
Aboard the rocket, the men sent to collect the Bernalium are overcome by the waiting Cybermen...
"You will take us to the Wheel."
"Obey. Inside the Wheel, you will help us. You will obey."
As Episode 4 begins, the Cybermen have upgraded their voices...
Jarvis refuses to believe the Cybermen are at large & calls the X-Ray fake.
Under the direction of the Cybermen, Laleham and Vallance pack up the Bernalium...
Jarvis is not only losing his grip on command, but reality too...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Oh, bog off Jarvis!
Jarvis did seem "pre-stressed" compared to other season 5 commanders who slipped into it.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly This formula is worn ragged by this point.
I find apart from the Cybermats (which you could replace) there's nothing distinctly "Cyberman" about this story.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly If they were Chumblies, then we'd have a story!
They could be e.g. Ice Warriors or Daleks or any other monster.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly It's far more interested in detailing the cod science and procedure of life in space.
I like the feel & atmosphere of it, the characters are likeable & the Cybermen *look* great, But the plot's nowt.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Pretty dull.
Is Jarvis the last of the insufferably obtuse commanders in this era? Seeds of Death chap was more reasonable.
Gemma is far more level-headed and decides to quiz Bill about his "Billy Bug"s.
Zoe is trying to record her "Meteors & Maths" podcast, but Jamie ruins it.
The Doctor fox passes by not realising Gemma is a "Mrs." but her husband died, so it's back on.
He says the Cybermen "must colonize" because they "need the treasures of Earth"!
Jarvis is suddenly in the best of moods...
...sweetness & light, and friendly & positive to the Doctor.
This is why Jarvis is different to e.g. Robson; his "breakdown" isn't totally reactive to the crisis, he seems possibly bipolar already, though I doubt that was the intention.
Chris@KosmicKris they had to add a bit of conflict I suppose - and hyper-stressed commander is a good fall back.
Zoe is trying to record her "Meteors & Maths" podcast, but Jamie ruins it.
The Doctor fox passes by not realising Gemma is a "Mrs." but her husband died, so it's back on.
He says the Cybermen "must colonize" because they "need the treasures of Earth"!
Jarvis is suddenly in the best of moods...
...sweetness & light, and friendly & positive to the Doctor.
This is why Jarvis is different to e.g. Robson; his "breakdown" isn't totally reactive to the crisis, he seems possibly bipolar already, though I doubt that was the intention.
Chris@KosmicKris they had to add a bit of conflict I suppose - and hyper-stressed commander is a good fall back.John Mark Frankland@JMFrankland The S5 base-under-siege bosses, Jarvis, Clent & Robson are all desperately troubled men, held up by brave supportive women.It would make an excellent Gender Studies project. Also, Jarvis, Clent & Robson sounds like a firm of solicitors.
Very much so, it carries through to the Seeds of Death & the Space Pirates too in season 6.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Behind Every Hysterical Man is a Woman More Qualified to do the Job - Doctor Who 1966-69.
Laleham and Valance set about doing the Cybermen's bidding aboard the Wheel.
They let a Cyberman in, and he takes hypnotic control of Bill.
Zoe confides in Gemma that Leo's "all brains and no heart" diagnosis wounds her.
Zoe seems to yearn for experiences outside of academia...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "I want to feel things as well!" Zoe's a dirty cow.
Zoe is concerned that Jarvis brushed aside her calculations to knock out the meteorites.
The hypnotised Duggan smashes the Wheel's radio, dying from the electrical shock he receives.
As soon as he hears that the replacement Bernalium came from the rocket, the Doctor knows the Cybermen are aboard already.
"We're going hunting Jamie."
"You sure you know who's going to be hunted?"
"A very good question."
The Doctor & Jamie take cover behind a crate...
...and the Cyberman passes by. Phew!
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly These really are the Scooby-Doo years.
The Doctor fears the Cybermen are about to interfere with the Air Supply. Like all emotions, they're All Out of Love...
The Doctor & Jamie are rescued from the Cybermats when Enrico's able to transmit the right frequency radio signal.
With their captured Cybermat they have the proof they need.
The Cyber Planner realizes that one of the "humans" has knowledge of their methods.
Jarvis is almost completely withdrawn now, even saying it's "not true" with the Cybermat in front of him.
Gemma refuses to take command despite the Doctor's urgings.
Zoe again laments her lack of hands on experience with Jamie.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Blimey, Zoe gets some proper character development in this. Don't think we ever get anything like this again for her.
Her yearning for exciting experiences over these few episodes mirrors Victoria tiring of hers during Fury from the Deep. Neat!
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Makes her eventual memory wipe all the more tragic. "I thought I'd forgotten something important, but it's nothing."
Flannagan tries to put up a fight against the hypnotised Laleham & Valance.
Laleham is caught in the crossfire, but Flanagan succumbs to Cyber-hypnotism eventually.
The crew begin to blast the meteor storm heading their way; can they stay safe?
Chris@KosmicKris this is where we should have been in episode 3!!None of them seem to contemplate that the original crew of the Silver Carrier are probably Cybermen now.
The Time Vector Generator must have been left on the rocket - Jamie will have to go and retrieve it!
The Doctor seems perfectly happy to send Jamie & Zoe pn a space walk in the middle of a meteor storm. What a git!
As the crew continue blasting the meteors, Jarvis grows agitated.
Gemma discovers the Cybermen are about to poison the air supply, but is killed before she can stop them...
Jamie & Zoe are right in the path of the meteors...
Leo says they'll have to take their chances that Zoe's calculations were correct...
Leo berates the Doctor for risking the lives of Jamie & Zoe.
The Doctor says they'll all be dead soon anyway unless they switch over to the sexual air supply...
Leo berates the Doctor for risking the lives of Jamie & Zoe.
He's forced to admit that Gemma has already given her life.
Jarvis slips away...
...to vainly attack the Cybermen himself, with predictable results.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Good. I'm rooting for the Cybermen.
The Cybermen's plan to poison the air supply has been foiled... for now.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I'm sure the lava lamps are essential to the running of the Wheel.
Jarvis slips away...
...to vainly attack the Cybermen himself, with predictable results.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Good. I'm rooting for the Cybermen.
The Cybermen's plan to poison the air supply has been foiled... for now.
The Cyber Planner decides to do an ID parade of crew for Valance to learn who's scuppering their plans.
Jamie & Zoe have made it aboard the rocket, and witness Valance's puzzlement.
When Valance can't identify the Doctor the Cyber Planner has its' suspect and orders him lured out.
When Valance can't identify the Doctor the Cyber Planner has its' suspect and orders him lured out.
The Doctor knows Flanagan is under the influence so sneaks through the service duct.
He finds some Mercury! Hurrah! Now make sure you don't run out again. Again.
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek To be fair, he never ran out the first time. He was faking.
True! He cried Wolf and it came true this time!
Jamie & Zoe make it back aboard to the awful discovery of Gemma's demise...
...but are met by Flanagan.
Valance and the Cyberman are not far behind.
Luckily for them Leo & Tanya overpower Flanagan when they reach the control room.
There's just time for Leo to warn the Doctor that he's about to have company.
Sure enough, the Cybermen arrive to confront him.
He guesses their plans, tacitly acknowledged with a creepy "You know our ways..."
But the Doctor is prepared...
...and has lashed up a forcefield to keep them back.
The surviving Cyberman warns him: "Others are coming, you will be destroyed..."
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly That's it, Doc, fry the sucker! Love the 2nd Doc's approach to monsters. Run away, build something, blow their brains out.
He finds some Mercury! Hurrah! Now make sure you don't run out again. Again.
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek To be fair, he never ran out the first time. He was faking.
True! He cried Wolf and it came true this time!
Jamie & Zoe make it back aboard to the awful discovery of Gemma's demise...
...but are met by Flanagan.
Valance and the Cyberman are not far behind.
Luckily for them Leo & Tanya overpower Flanagan when they reach the control room.
There's just time for Leo to warn the Doctor that he's about to have company.
Sure enough, the Cybermen arrive to confront him.
He guesses their plans, tacitly acknowledged with a creepy "You know our ways..."
But the Doctor is prepared...
...and has lashed up a forcefield to keep them back.
The surviving Cyberman warns him: "Others are coming, you will be destroyed..."
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly That's it, Doc, fry the sucker! Love the 2nd Doc's approach to monsters. Run away, build something, blow their brains out.
Leaving their rocket, the Cybermen begin to invade...
But the crew destroy their ship with the laser, and the Doctor fries the marauders.
With the TARDIS repaired, Jamie & the Doctor prepare to leave...
...with Leo in charge of the Wheel.
But Zoe has stowed away and wants to join their adventures!
To show her what she's in for, he treats her to a repeat of the Evil of the Daleks! Me too, please!
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly With a repeat of 'Evil', that makes 13 weeks of David Whitaker scripts. Is that a record?
With the TARDIS repaired, Jamie & the Doctor prepare to leave...
...with Leo in charge of the Wheel.
But Zoe has stowed away and wants to join their adventures!
To show her what she's in for, he treats her to a repeat of the Evil of the Daleks! Me too, please!
I guess it depends how much of Ambassadors you count as Mac Hulke - could be 14 over Silurians/Ambassadors.
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... Time Crash
Coming Soon... Time Crash
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