{"id":9804,"date":"2006-10-31T07:12:43","date_gmt":"2006-10-31T14:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/2006\/10\/31\/doctor-who-the-rise-of-the-cybermen.html"},"modified":"2006-10-31T07:12:43","modified_gmt":"2006-10-31T14:12:43","slug":"doctor_who_the_rise_of_th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2006\/10\/31\/doctor_who_the_rise_of_th.html","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who:<\/i> “The Rise of the Cybermen”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/div>\n

Sat down and watched last Friday’s DW. I’m beginning to get a feel for what I do and don’t like about this particular series (vs. Series 1).<\/p>\n

The episode, the first of a two-parter, reintroduces the classic Doctor villains, the Cybermen<\/a>. The show tries to play it somewhat coy, not showing the critters or naming them until close to the end — though obviously classic Doctor fans were likely to recognize them in advance, and the title was, well, sort of a give-away. <\/p>\n

Since the Cybermen on our Earth were all defeated (multiple times) some number of Doctors ago (we actually saw one of their heads<\/a> in Henry Van Statten’s collection in “Dalek,” Series 1), Series 2 gets around this by dropping the TARDIS and Co. into a parallel world London. That also lets them update the Cyberman look<\/a> (which has upgraded over
\nthe years<\/a>, anyway) into something … well, honestly, something a bit more Cylonesque.<\/p>\n

It also provides for some ample B-plotting, as both Rose and Mickey deal with the differences between their home Earth and this. Which of them has the roughest time with the divergent paths is open to debate, but, as usual, Rose is played for pathos, Mickey for laughs. Well, kind of — there’s some teary bits for him, too, but there’s way too much of the classic “I’m Mickey and I’m so scared and excited I’m peeing my pants” stuff, too. Rose, meanwhile, is still tied up in emotional melodrama
\nwe’ve already seen her go through, and spends more of the episode moping and looking lost and hurt than actually doing<\/em> something.<\/p>\n

The Doctor, meanwhile, once he gets the TARDIS back repairing itself, just sort of hangs, chiding Rose (again) and blowing off Mickey (again), but also generally enjoying himself until the Cybermen start up. And that’s where I realized what I’m just not getting from David Tennant, as the Doctor. He’s just too bloody light-hearted most of the time. Too glib. Too laughing. Too light-weight<\/em>. And that’s not just a comparison to Eccleston, but to Baker and Pertwee, too.
\nThe only moments in the episode where I really got any oomph from his performance was when he was shouting at the Cybermen. The rest of the time, and in most of the previous episodes this season, he’s just been — well, a clever, jolly fellow, young and slight and a bit callow and just plain old along for a jolly ride. There’s all too little gravitas, mystery, or emotion.<\/p>\n

Though the reading glasses are an interesting touch.<\/p>\n

So the problem I’m seeing in Series 2 (all 6 of its 14 eps) is this: the cast just isn’t jelling (or the stories aren’t jelling around them). Rose alternates between being irresponsible and angsty, Mickey alternates between being excited and terrified, and the Doctor — who ought to be their focus, and the show’s — just sort of grins along, stumbles across the mystery, comes up with a brilliant idea, and solves it, and on to the next destination, tra-la. There’s little relationship
\nbetween him and Rose — certainly none of the romantic tension and mystery of Series 1, and little of the Partners Journeying Into Wonder, either. I’d criticize his treatment of Mickey (why is he along, anyway?), except that (a) Mickey’s a flake and deserves it, and (b) it’s strangely toned down from last year.<\/p>\n

Regardless, it’s just missing on that human, relationship, character<\/em> level — which is where DW needs to go (since Alien Of The Week schtick doesn’t really cut it these days). It’s better than 95% of what else is out there, but it’s not as good or as fun or as moving as Series 1 was, or this series promised to be.<\/p>\n

The episode as a whole, given that, was pretty good, taking plenty of time (maybe even a bit too much) to set itself up for the climax and this week’s ep. The fx are good (the original reveal as to how this London isn’t really theirs is a nice one), the villain suitably and predictably villainous, the supporting cast solid (well, the resistance fighters are a bit lame). And I’ll certainly be back next week, to see how it wraps up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sat down and watched last Friday’s DW. I’m beginning to get a feel for what I do and don’t like about this particular series (vs. Series 1). The episode,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-media-tv-doctor-who"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27728,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2012\/05\/03\/always-amusing-when-actors-cross-paths-in-different-places.html","url_meta":{"origin":9804,"position":0},"title":"Always amusing when actors cross paths in different places","author":"***Dave","date":"Thu 3-May-12 12:00pm","format":false,"excerpt":"We watched the Cybermen two-parter from Series 2 of Doctor Who last night, and were trying to remember where we'd seen the actor playing John Lumic, the mad creator of those cyborg menaces. Knew we'd seen him before, but couldn't remember where.And it was only today, tracking him (Roger Lloyd\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":137478,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2018\/12\/11\/looking-forward-to-jodie-whittaker-returning-next-season-on-doctor-who.html","url_meta":{"origin":9804,"position":1},"title":"Looking forward to Jodie Whittaker returning next season on "Doctor Who"","author":"***Dave","date":"Tue 11-Dec-18 6:57pm","format":false,"excerpt":"Overall I've been pleased with how the current series of Doctor Who has gone. I'm really enjoying Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor and her sense of wonder and compassion, and while I'd like to learn still more about the three Companions (whatever we're calling them now), I like what we have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9781,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2006\/11\/04\/doctor_who_the_age_of_ste.html","url_meta":{"origin":9804,"position":2},"title":"Doctor Who: “The Age of Steel”","author":"***Dave","date":"Sat 4-Nov-06 4:35pm","format":false,"excerpt":"The second half of the episode which started with \"Rise of the Cybermen\" sees the battle to stop John Lumic's creations from taking over the yadda-yadda-yadda ... I mean,...","rel":"","context":"In "Doctor Who"","block_context":{"text":"Doctor Who","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/media\/franchises\/media-tv-doctor-who"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/images\/tardis.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":127659,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2015\/08\/23\/oh-its-gin-gin-gin-that-makes-us-want-to-sin.html","url_meta":{"origin":9804,"position":3},"title":"Oh, it's gin, gin, gin, that makes us want to sin","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 23-Aug-15 10:14pm","format":false,"excerpt":"While I appreciate the Home Made Gin kit, what's more fascinating is the (likely inadvertent) visual idea that the Cybermen are, in fact, Gin Craze Victims, dulling their emotions for more efficient operation.#doctorwho \u00a0 View on Google+","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/IMG_20150823_205217270.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/IMG_20150823_205217270.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/IMG_20150823_205217270.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33844,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2013\/05\/16\/doctor-who-and-impressions-of-nightmare-in-silver.html","url_meta":{"origin":9804,"position":4},"title":"Doctor Who and Impressions of "Nightmare in Silver"","author":"***Dave","date":"Thu 16-May-13 8:53pm","format":false,"excerpt":"1. Warwick Davis rocks.2. I'm not sure a Cybermen episode was the most positive venue for iRobot commercials. Or Roomba commercials with people doing \"The Robot\".3. If I were Clara and serving as a nanny for those kids, I'd run away with a madman in a blue box, too. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47452,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2014\/11\/09\/a-season-of-twelve.html","url_meta":{"origin":9804,"position":5},"title":"A Season of Twelve","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 9-Nov-14 11:00pm","format":false,"excerpt":"We managed to watch the season\/series finale for \"Doctor Who\" tonight and ...[SPOILERS, obviously]........... okay, so I feel more than a bit mixed about the finale. Which I've felt about this season as a whole, so that's not surprising.The final two eps felt the most Doctor-like, in terms of acknowledging\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/doctor-who-series-8-finale-01-e1415533119215%5B1%5D.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/doctor-who-series-8-finale-01-e1415533119215%5B1%5D.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/doctor-who-series-8-finale-01-e1415533119215%5B1%5D.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9804"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9804\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}