The Invasion: Doctor Who: Season 6

Goldby

Grob

Long

Missing episodes 1 & 4

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The Invasion REVIEWS



Goldby

Hell the Troughton's are going by so quick you may almost miss them.

Not the first invasion modern day Earth has had. Is it the third? Pity the Invasion is missing two episodes but seeing as there's still 6, it's not much of a distraction, though heard from you guys that the animation is pretty good. Like this bunch of episodes has an epic feel about it thanks to the direction. The leads are all top notch, plus they've thrown in another bit of tottie to hang around with Zoe - good 'ol Isobel of the long and slender legs who is thankfully showing Zoe how to show off her wares. Oh yeah there was some story content as well wasn't there?

The second meeting of the Doctor and the Lethbridge Stewart although now he's a Brigadier and UNIT's dashing about the place and looking important and we get a precursor to the next five years of the show. The cybermen look the most threatening and robust we've seen them or will ever see them and look impressive in the St. Pauls catherdral location scenes and sewer set pieces, more iconic Dr who moments. It is almost good that they don't talk, sort of detracts from the concept of them when they do.

The battle with UNIT is good and of course special mention to 'ol dead eye himself, Tobias Vaughan who must go down as one of the most calculating (almost purely human) enemies of all. Can't buy his gibbering dumb henchman Packer though.Jeez yes there is a lot of hardware in The Invasion, helicopters, even lift shafts are designed for the set. This probably explains why the next few episodes look so cheap. However there is loads of location shooting and whole things done really well 9/10



Grob

Firstly the INvasion is Doctor Who's first (and only) eight part story. We have had one, two, three, four, five and six and seven parters - even a twelve parter - and later we will get a ten parter, and a really boring and badly acted fourteen parter. But what about this? Its introducing a lot such as UNIT, and the Brig, plus the down-to-Earth format that will come with Pertwee. And its got the cybermen in it as well. So yeah there is a lot to get through in story terms. Mostly the Invasion does a pretty good job thanks to Douglas Camfield's direction - at times looking like The Sweeny and other times Hammer Horror. Budget went a bit nuts here too with the blimp (I don't mean Colin Baker) and the helicopter (you can see up Isobel's skirt!) and the little boat scene. Plus there is the early Sunday morning scene of the cybermen flinging back sewer lids and going for a wander down St Paul's.

However, for all Camfield;s direction there are still some really naff bits that just bring the story down; Zoe and Isobel talking to the food machine that is supposed to be a super computer in Vaughn's front office and the mental cybermen in the sewers stalking the Scooby gang are two examples of just plain badness. The music is really off in The Invasion as well with all the whistles and picollos and other things you put your lips on and blow into. Cybermen-wise they are kept to a minimum for most of the story and only have one line but all that actually WORKS in their favour I think. There is very little you can do with the cybermen - once they burst in and are all strong and invincible there is fuck all else to go with them. Unless you blow them up or make them allergic to gold or put them in a Colin Baker story which just makes them look pants anyway.

The regulars are good and there is some nice comic business with the Doctor and Jamie. Zoe looks bloody hot and ready for some hershey highway action in her spangly catsuit again. Anyhoo - I'll go a 7/10. Hey; its more watchable and interesting than the Sensorites or the Dominators! The DVD is worth checking out for the animation of the missing episodes and the documentary. And the remastering again is great.



Long

The return of the sparkly cat suit... :) :) :)

I was really looking forward to the INvasion, and while it didn't disappoint, maybe 8 parts was a bit too long.

There are a lot of good things happening here though - our main 3 are excellent (hard to believe that this is only their 3rd story together), and watching the set up of UNIT (after having seen every other UNIT episode - OK, except Web of fear), is kind of, I don't know, satisfying!

A lot of the Invasion is kind of similar to Rise of the Cybermen and Age of Steel - where blue tooth headsets are replaced with transistor radios and an overacting power hungry fool, is replaced by a less overacting power hungry fool! Actually, some of Tobias' scenes are great - I love the first few interactions with mysterious voice (and then contraption) in the wall... really sets up the story well.

Even the escape in the helicopter is similar - although here it's in the middle of the story.

One thing I was a little disappointed with was the animation... I don't know why, because I reckon they should animate all of the missing stories with the existing sound... but I just dont really like the style of animation. I think I would have preferred if they were all Simpsonised!!

So yeah, definitely enjoyable, but probably a bit long.

7.5/10

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