Doctor Who Reactions: "The Invasion" (SPOILERS)

[The Baron]

1)Episodes One and Four of this story were "lost". However, back in the 60's some fanboys taped the soundtrack off of the TV and kept the tape. Lo, these many years later, for the DVD release, the BBC hired an animation house to animate the lost episodes to go around with the soundtrack, so that one can now watch the "complete". Overall, I'd say the experiment was a success - I wouldn't mind seeing them do this with some of the other "lost" stories for which the soundtracks remain.  The animators did a good job matching the style and feel of the TV episodes, so that the transition is not especially jarring. Oddly enough, the two animated episodes are one sin which the Cybermen barely appear, so that to their chagrin, they didn't get to do alot of Cyber-animation! About the only noticeable ("noticeable" to we obsessive nut fanboys, that is) thing that I saw was that they had Zoe in the wrong costume at the stat of Episode One. It didn't stop me from enjoying the show.

 

2)This story was something of a transitional one - sort of a prototype for the UNIT era which was shortly to ensue.  Apparently, even if Troughton hadn't shortly left, the format of the program would've changed to mostly "Earth-based" stories, and "The Invasion" is a sample of what that might've been like. We first see Lethbridge-Stewart as a Brigadier here, and the debut of Corporal (soon to be Sergeant) Benton. Apparently, Isobel Watkins was given strong consideration as a regular for the new era, but wasn't kept on in the end.

 

3)Another re-desing for the Cybermen. It's really now that I've been sitting down to watch all of these in a row that I realize - the Second Doctor fought these guys alot, didn't he? This particular batch of Cybermen don't come across as especially formidable - they're largely beaten by Terrestrial weaponry properly applied, with an assist from Professor Kettlewell's Watkins' emotion machine.

 

4)Vaughn was one of the more noteworthy villains of this time period.  A stock Doctor Who character - the Human Who Thinks He Can Use the Alien Menace for His Own Purposes - but carried off quite well, here. His collapse at the end when the Doctor begins whittling away at his confidence was quite well-done.  Vaughn's relationship with Packer was well-done, too - Packer the bully being bullied in his turn.

 

5)Episode Notes:

Episode One: 

• We start out with the TARDIS re-assembling, following directly on from "The Mind Robber". Don't these people get a moment to breathe?
• "International Electromatics" - a name we'll see again many years later, in another universe.
• "Don't tell me you can read as well - what else do you do?"  Jamie dumps on Packer.
• Cliffhanger: Vaughn has alien technology hidden behind his office wall!

Episode Two:

• "If there's trouble to be found, the Doctor and Jamie can't miss it."
• "It's Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart!" "Brigadier, actually, I've gone up in the world."
• It's funny how primitive the "futuristic" computers look in this. And seeing Zoe talk one to death, like Jim Kirk.
• "They have been recognized from Planet Fourteen."  Wherever that is.
• "Look, Jamie, sandwiches!"  Again with the sandwiches! At least Troughton and Hines were well-fed.
• Cliffhanger: The Doctor and Jamie are captured!

Episode Three:

• The Doctor keeps having to restrain Jamie - it reminds me of the old gag about how if the Avengers' motto is "Avengers Assemble!", then the Fantastic Four's motto is "Johnny, wait!"
• I like how they justified Vaughn haivng a duplicate office, when really they just wanted to save the price of a set.
• Edward Burnham - your go-to guy for wacky scientists.
• Why do heels always give people an hour to think things over? They should know they're just going to use that time figuring out a way to escape.
• "You know something? You're a clever wee chappie."
• I gather they filmed the exteriors at a Guinness factory, and their hosts provided a "lunch" for Troughton and Hines - so when they're running around outside, they're a wee bit tipsy.
• Cliffhanger:  Something is moving in Jamie's crate!

Episode Four:

• You'd think super-villains would hire underlings that weren't such lousy shots.
• "Brigadier, you don't by any chance know where I can find a canoe?"  Don't get that question often.
• Cliffhanger: A Cyberman awakes!  (Cybermen sure rest alot.)

Episode Five:

• "I'm sorry, Doctor, but I'm afraid those meddling crazy kids have gone off to the sewers to get photographs of the Cybermen."
• Cliffhanger: The hysterical Cyberman closes in! (The hysterical Cyberman deserves his own spin-off series.)

Episode Six:

• "Of couse they're Cybermen - any fool can see that!" "Well, you do, MacCrimmon."
• The Cyberships look sort of like antique lamps.
• The shot of the Cybermen outside St. Paul's is considered soemwhat iconic, apparently.
• Cliffhanger: the Cybermen are on the march!

Episode Seven:

• Apparently they had Jamie shot so that Fraser Hines could have a week off.
• This episode marks the first time the Doctor was ever seen to drive a car.
• Cliffhanger: The Doctor harangues at Vaughn: "Is this what you wanted? To be the rule rof a dead world?"

Episode Eight:

• "Can't we keep her on, sir? She's much prettier than a computer."
• "That was just a dozen of them - I'd hate to have to meet a hundred."
• The Doctor does "comedy" running when he's on the lam from the Cybermen - like something out of a Warner Brothers cartoon.

 

Overall:  Not bad - a little overlong, as almost all eight-parters are.  Worth a look fo rthe first UNIT story and to see what they did with the animation.

 

[Part of list of Doctor Who episodes here.]

[Doctor Hmmm?]

• "They have been recognized from Planet Fourteen."  Wherever that is.

It's the one between ... nah, even I don't have the nerve to do that one.

Kevin Stoney -- as Vaughn and as Mavic Chen -- really did do two of the best Who villains ever.  I know he was in "Revenge of the Cybermen" too, but I can't say he made any impression on me in that one.  Admittedly, I saw that one long before I saw the others.  Maybe if I went back and watched it again, knowing who he is now, I'd have a different impression.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I didn’t really expect The Invasion to be included in the final boxed set of audio CDs of the missing episodes. For one thing, it’s not particularly “missing” (six of eight episodes still exist), and for another, the two actual missing episodes have been animated and released on DVD. For that reason (plus because I have previously listened to an audio version I acquired separately) I’m not going to listen to it again or review it in detail at this time, but because the new audio has an addition interview disc, I thought I’d mention it here. (If this thread hadn’t already existed, I wouldn’t have mentioned it.) There are still several existing episodes from other partially missing stories I’d like to see given “The Invasion” treatment.

“The Reign of Terror” – Two (of six) episodes missing
“The Tenth Planet” – One (of four) episodes missing
“The Ice Warriors” – Two (of six) episodes missing

There are also several stories entirely missing and several others released partially on the “Lost in Time” collection, but these three seem to me to be the most likely candidates for animation. Either that, or I’d like to see a second “Lost in Time” collection.

[John Moret]

At least one of your wishes may come true. If Wikipedia can be believed (and quite some time ago I saw an article in DWM so it might have some credence to it) The Reign of Terror is set for a February release with the missing episodes animated. I haven't heard any info on the other 2.

[Doctor Hmmm?]

Amazon has it up for pre-order. No info on animation. Maybe puppets or (dare we hope) Supermarionation?