Doctor Who (TV Series) The Invasion: Episode Two (1968) User Reviews

Welcome back Lethbridge Stewart.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 17 October 2019]

The Doctor finds help from the past, when Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart explains his new role in UNIT.

More intrigue and mystery, as we see Vaughn talking to an alien being on that strange contraption, as a viewer we are left baffled as to who is on the other side of it.

There is a little bit of a noob, when Lethbridge Stewart refers to Sergeant Benson.

Favourite scene, where Zoe destroys the computer, showing off her great intelligence.

It's an incredibly engaging, entertaining episode. It really deserves the title of classic Who. All the elements are there, great villain, companion in peril, and an unknown villain in waiting. Classic. 9/10

Invasion of an old enemy in a story of the very highest standard .

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 18 September 2014]

Review for all 8 episodes:

This is a truly classic story of the Cybermen invading Earth with the help of megalomaniac businessman Tobias Vaughn played brilliantly by Kevin Stoney. The villainous Vaughn is a superb character, performed to perfection and is actually the main adversary for The Doctor with the Cybermen very much in the background. This is not a bad thing as the Cybermen when they do appear have more impact and do their job as a 'monster' perfectly (especially in iconic scenes rising from the sewers to be seen starting to position themselves at locations such as St. Paul's Cathedral). Menacing, exciting and entertaining. Meanwhile Vaughn does his job perfectly, intellectually and verbally jousting with The Doctor better than any Cyberman really could.

To keep such quality up over 8 episodes is very impressive and it does so with cleverness and style. This is an all time classic, one of the greatest. It is a wonderful blend of great acting by regular cast and guest cast, characterisation, dialogue and direction (by Douglas Camfield). It has a good helping of action, tension, an intelligent script and is top notch storytelling from writers Sherwin and Pedler. Great stuff! All 8 episodes 10/10.

A rather bland continuation

[MaxBorg89 · 6/10 · 8 December 2007]

After seeing the animated first part (the original broadcast is no longer available), Episode 2 of The Invasion is kind of shocking: for one thing, the live-action footage doesn't always look good (if people are willing to spend time and money restoring classic films for DVD reissues, why not do the same thing with TV shows?); secondly, the opening chapter was sort of slowed down by the not-so-state-of-the-art animation, while this follow-up is astonishingly slow on its own.

Expanding on the closing "cliffhanger" of Ep. 1, we learn that the mysterious Tobias Vaughn possesses an extraterrestrial device (which looks quite shoddy, courtesy of the low budget), confirming the Doctor's suspicions. Unfortunately, he isn't aware of this, as he and Jamie have left the building to continue their quest for the missing Professor Watkins. Zoe, on the other hand, is having lots of fun with Watkins' niece Isobel (much better in the flesh), although she soon gets tired and decides to look for her friends.

It is this whole "everyone looking for everyone" gimmick that annoyed me the most: although intriguing at first, it very quickly becomes repetitive, a notion that's made even sadder by the absence of relevant plot points (the title sequence is more exciting than the story). The series' trademark humor is also inexplicably gone, save for a brief, acceptably entertaining reunion between the Doctor and former General (currently Brigadier) Gordon Alistair Lethbridge Stewart (Nicholas Courtney), which also has the function of introducing UNIT (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce) to the show. Apart from that, though, The Invasion: Episode 2 has very little to offer.

The first existing episode for The Invasion.

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 15 August 2007]

Doctor Who: The Invasion: Episode 2 starts as the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) & Jamie (Frazer Hines) realise they are being followed by a couple of guy's in a Jag, eventually they are cornered & surrender. The men are part of UNIT, the United Nations Intelligence Task Force & the Doctor & Jamie are taken to their headquarters in a Hercules plane. UNIT are run by Brigadier Gordon Alistair Lethbridge Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) who informs the Doctor that they have been watching the London headquarters of the sinister International Electromatic because of the disappearance of several high profile scientists & ministers, managing director Tobias Vaughn (Kevin Stoney) has friends in high places preventing the Brigadier & UNIT raiding the place so the Doctor & Jamie are on their own as they also learn that Zoe (Wendy Padbury) & Isobel (Sally Faulkner) entered the building but haven't come back out...

Episode 12 from season 6 this Doctor Who adventure was originally aired here in the UK during November 1968, directed by Douglas Camfield this is the first live action action episode of The Invasion that exists & I have to confess some disappointment with it. The script by Derrick Sherwin from a story by Kit Pedler has slowed right down from Episode 1, in fact this episode feels like padding as it has the Doctor & Jamie going backwards & forwards looking for Zoe & Isobel & to be brutally honest not that much actually happens in this episode & is largely forgettable. I really like the main villain in this Tobias Vaughn but there hasn't been a Cyberman in sight so far & not even a mention of them either. This episode also sees the first official appearance of UNIT & Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart after being promoted from Colonel when he was last seen in the Yeti story The Web of Fear from season 5. It's an OK watch I suppose but I didn't think it was anything special or memorable & I'm still worried that it has six episodes left to fill out...

While Episode 1 was stylishly computer animated Episode 2 is live action & isn't anything to shout about, there are some silly bits caused by the low budget like the electronic wall panel that Vaughn opens as the sound effect of it opening just seems to randomly stop halfway through on one occasion & the music is odd too & very inappropriate sounding during certain scenes. The robotic thing that Vaughn speaks to looks a bit uninspiring & seems little more than a wire frame & various flashing light bulbs, it just doesn't look that good. I did like the secretive UNIT headquarters inside the plane though & thought it was a nice idea. In this episode when Zoe & Isobel are caught by the three guards inside International Electromatic if you look closely enough you can see a brief shot of Zoe's knickers as she struggles!

The Invasion: Episode 2 isn't anything special & seemed very padded to me, I just would have preferred a slightly quicker pace & actually get to see some Cybermen, I mean is that too much to ask for?