20 Doctor Who Moments We'll NEVER Forget

4. Cybermen At St. Paul's (The Invasion)

Doctor Who Sarah Jane School Reunion
BBC Studios

If we're honest, Doctor Who would never have taken off if it weren't for the monsters. Five weeks into its run, the Daleks breathed life into an occasionally stilted educational show for kids, and it never looked back.

One of the most iconic Doctor Who images is the Cybermen marching down the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the Patrick Troughton serial The Invasion. It's more iconic than the Daleks on Westminster Bridge because the Cybermen pose a serious threat to the safety of London, whereas the Daleks have already conquered the planet.

There's a reason that the image transcended the Doctor Who story from which it originated and adorned student bedrooms, postcards, and greetings cards. It's the perfect example of Doctor Who's USP – the clash of the alien with recognisable reality.

 
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Contributor

Citizen of the Universe, Film Programmer, Writer, Podcaster, Doctor Who fan and a gentleman to boot. As passionate about Chinese social-realist epics as I am about dumb popcorn movies.