The Invasion

Video review by Jonathan Park

This was the one I was waiting for. I liked Nick Courtney's introduction and then it was into the action... what action? The action only really started in Episode Six. Some of the acting was very good, especially from Troughton, Hines and Padbury who were at their best. Kevin Stoney played Vaughn very convincingly and Isobel was also portrayed very well. The only characterisation I didn't like was Packer's. He should have been played by a much rougher man.

Some awful parts of the video included Packer's stupid communication device, which sounded like Alvin the Chipmunk was on the other end of the line, the bad rocket launches - obviously stock footage used over and over again - the emotion device made out of a stethoscope, and the model Cyber ships. These bad points were overridden by some amazingly good points which included the destruction of the Cyber Planner, the explosions that followed the Doctor in Episode Eight, the wonderful scene where Vaughan calls up Packer on the video link and a Cyberman appears, and the Cybermen breaking out of their cocoons.

Despite all its defects this video is a good buy and I enjoyed it immensely.