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The Invasion

Video review by Simon Granville

The story was quite entertaining. Although the main monsters don't appear until late, I enjoyed the Doctor and company's escapades in and around the International Electromatics building. The Cyber-Coordinator is an interesting character despite being agreeable towards Vaughn. The Cybermen themselves are unfortunately absent until episode five but from then on are ruthless murderers. Listen carefully when they do speak as their voices are almost nasal in quality - I didn't know Cybermen had noses!

Jamie and the Doctor are a terrific team, squeezing in and out of the most difficult situations as they chase after Zoe and Isobel. Zoe is absent from much of the action but by episode seven she is giving invaluable help to UNIT as they battle the Cyber-fleet. Isobel and Professor Watkins are fitting replacements for the Travers family: The problems of Isobel the careless liberated photographer and Professor Watkins the concerned genius make an interesting sub-plot. UNIT generally stays out of sight, but John Levene and Robert Sideaway put up good performances as Benton and Turner respectively. The Brigadier is patronising, commanding and hilariously narrow-minded; good ol' Brig! Vaughn, the chief villain of the story, is a smug self-centered man who appears throughout. He is a typical Machiavellian megalomaniac who thinks he's superior to everything. I was unsatisfied with his death though - he had the body of a Cyberman and was only shot once in the chest after surviving three bullets in his chest at point-blank range!

This is a terrific Troughton tale with some of the show's most successful monsters and a very good plot. If you have buying a video in mind, The Invasion is one of the best stories ever released. Granville's Grading: 9/10.

This item appeared in TSV 38 (March 1994).

Index nodes: The Invasion