The Invasion
Joe Siegler
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The Invasion
This Story: Series 6, Story 3. Production Code VV
Overall: Story 46, Episodes 220-227
Airdates: 2 Nov 1968 to 21 Dec 1968
Written by Derrick Sherwin. Directed by Douglas Camfield
Notes
- The last episode of The Mind Robber aired on 12 Oct. There was a two week break before the start of The Invasion due to BBC coverage of the Olympics at the time.
- This was the first official story with UNIT and the character of Sgt (then Corporal) Benton. Lethbridge-Stewart is now the Brigadier as well.
- This was also the first ever story with missing episodes that were animated for home media release in 2006. For my viewing, I will use the reconstruction for the two missing episodes, although I will include a couple of screen caps from the animation below.
Links
[ Wikipedia | Tardis Data Core | SPS Historium | Amazon US DVD | Amazon UK DVD ]#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 220 - The Invasion 1/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 2 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 25, 2022
Epic Cyberman story w/several firsts. First official UNIT story, first w/ Benton, first story to have its missing eps (1 & 4) animated. I will give the animation a miss and use the pic.twitter.com/XBYM9na8Py
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 220 - The Invasion 1/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 2 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 25, 2022
recon here. The animation is OK for first ever attempt, but has an odd look 10 yrs later. As this is an 8 ep story, this first ep is mostly setup where we meet several characters. pic.twitter.com/74DrHqGLH3
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 221 - The Invasion 2/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 9 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 27, 2022
For this being a Cyberman story, we don't actually see one until end of Ep4. The incidental music here is a different style than the recent episodes. Works well, I think. The Brig pic.twitter.com/poCNCVVDom
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 221 - The Invasion 2/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 9 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 27, 2022
finally makes his first formal UNIT appearance here. Vaughn doesn't do a lot here except posture in his office, and Jamie & The Doctor keep missing Zoe & Isabel. Still mostly setup. pic.twitter.com/HZWA2inytY
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 222 - The Invasion 3/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 16 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 28, 2022
Amusing that a character on screen says the Doctor & Zoe have been chasing each other's tails, which is what I said already! ?I also like the Brig in this - I know his stories from pic.twitter.com/zb4d2lcsVc
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 222 - The Invasion 3/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 16 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 28, 2022
other Doctors, but this is like new to me, as I don't recall it. Vaughn has orders from the Cybermen to kill the Doctor but wants to learn about the Tardis first. No Zoe in this ep. pic.twitter.com/zPRXn4ET3p
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 223 - The Invasion 4/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 23 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 29, 2022
The other missing ep. Zoe is back. The Doctor & UNIT set out to rescue Zoe & Isabel via helicopter, which prompts a battle by UNIT & Vaughn. Vaughn tries to get UNIT stopped by going pic.twitter.com/hPrvPz3lnn
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 223 - The Invasion 4/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 23 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 29, 2022
over their heads. The Doctor starts researching what Vaughn is doing, which leads him back to Vaughn. While there, they find out there are Cybermen in the crates. We finally see one. pic.twitter.com/FurXNqBXTh
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 224 - The Invasion 5/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 30 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 30, 2022
UNIT starts to move against Vaughn. Due to this, Vaughn moves up the plans for the Invasion, setting up a power struggle with the Cybermen, which will probably be his downfall. pic.twitter.com/RB5iWMPqAC
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 224 - The Invasion 5/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 30 Nov 1968. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 30, 2022
The kids try to go after the Cybermen themselves. Now that the Cybermen are active characters, the pace and feeling of the story has changed. Loved Kevin Stoney in this story. pic.twitter.com/Gg7U8UYJnL
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 225 - The Invasion 6/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 7 Dec 1968. #DoctorWho 1/3
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 31, 2022
They jacked with the Cybermen voices again, was hard to hear for me in places, wish they kept the 1966 original - still the best to this point. This is a more Cyberman heavy episode. pic.twitter.com/3e5rTsLBL8
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 225 - The Invasion 6/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 7 Dec 1968. #DoctorWho 2/3
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 31, 2022
The Tardis crew are mostly secondary characters this ep it felt like. UNIT rescues Watkins to help the Doctor with breaking into the Cyber/Vaughn tech. They figure out the Cyber plan. pic.twitter.com/QUmb7S7cU9
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 225 - The Invasion 6/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 7 Dec 1968. #DoctorWho 3/3
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) March 31, 2022
This ep has one of the best cliffhangers in show history; the Cyberman coming out of the sewers in front of St. Paul's Cathedral. This was replicated in the 2014 Episode "Dark Water". pic.twitter.com/Kcogd8dHt7
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 226 - The Invasion 7/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 14 Dec 1968. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) April 1, 2022
Vaughn starts trying to assert control over the Cybermen, which we know won't ultimately work. :) The Doctor & UNIT plot to launch a missile to destroy the Cyber control signal. pic.twitter.com/AsJtzWFFWf
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 226 - The Invasion 7/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 14 Dec 1968. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) April 1, 2022
The Doctor talks to Vaughn directly while Zoe has a fun moment outwitting UNIT and using their missiles to destroy Cyber ships. Zoe has her catsuit back again for no apparent reason. pic.twitter.com/usFYQnaGPm
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 227 - The Invasion 8/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 21 Dec 1968. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) April 2, 2022
The Cybermen abandon Vaughn, and try to destroy all life on the planet. Vaughn teams with the Doctor to fight them, but seems lost and confused by the Cybermen's betrayal of him. pic.twitter.com/YzyrVM6IYd
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 227 - The Invasion 8/8 (Serial VV, Story 46) - 21 Dec 1968. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) April 2, 2022
In the end, UNIT destroys Cyber radio control, and then blows up their ship defeating all the Cybermen. Was a good ep, lots of action and comedy - nice mix. Wish more were like this. pic.twitter.com/xcSBazrymq
