Doctor Who: 9 Most Underrated Episodes Of The Revived Series
9 & 8. Rise Of The Cybermen & The Age Of Steel (Series 2)
Apart from the campier moments (FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE!), theres a great deal to enjoy in his epic two-parter. Most notably, it marked the first time in which the Cybermen appeared in NuWho, even if they weren't not the Mondas variant known and loved from the Classic Series. Their shiny design did a great deal to endear them to the new viewers who only joined the show with Chrisopher Eccleston and theyre arguably at their most threatening here (particularly more so than in their most recent escapade, Dark Water/Death in Heaven, in which they're really nothing more than Missy's zombie pawns). The Cybusmen even retain a lot more of the original body horror and techno-paranoia elements than they are given credit for. The scenes in which the Doctor and Mrs Moore break the emotional inhibitor on a Cyberman and have to talk it through dying, and Rose and Pete discovering the Cyberman that was Jackie, really enforce that these metallic monsters were once people like us. Coupled with some shots of the Cyber-conversion process accompanied with haunting screams, theres a good case to be made that this is the scariest fans have ever seen the Cybermen in the new series. And it all comes out of the wearable technology with the earpieces that everyone in the alternate dimension seems to being using, something that is oddly prescient and uncomfortable given the ongoing technological developments of today. Furthermore, fans got to see some great character moments in this story, too. Theres the conclusion to Mickeys arc of no longer being the tin dog, the Doctor was challenged by trying to look after his companions in the alternate universe as well as battling an enemy he was never prepared for, and Rose Tyler had to face the prospect of her family being together at last, but being ultimately excluded from it. All this allows for some enjoyable character drama over the storys combined 90 minute running time.
