After four episodes of little relevance, The Invasion finally gets going with the fifth chapter which, while not perfect, does a decent job when it comes to setting the tone for the last three parts of the story.
Starting where Ep. 4 ended, we now know Tobias Vaughn has been helping the Cybermen plan an invasion of Earth, his factories serving as entrance points to the sewers, where the villainous robots are hiding. Incidentally, the sinister businessman also happens to control one of the big shots at UNIT, thus preventing Brigadier Lethebridge-Stewart from taking any action (not that he would do it anyway: who would believe him?). As usual, the Doctor and his friends seem to be the only people capable of finding a solution.
And that is where the real problem of this episode lies: despite a juicy premise, the good guys have very little to do except listen to Troughton's witticisms (always a pleasure), leaving half of the show floating in the air. As is often the case of genre films and serials, then, it's up to the baddies to save the day, and save it they do: Kevin Stoney uses his entire range of menacing subtlety to steal every scene he is in, as Vaughn's real agenda is revealed, while the Cybermen, though scarcely used, come off as genuinely terrifying, providing some much needed suspense.
Ultimately, good to watch once, but hardly anything special.
Starting where Ep. 4 ended, we now know Tobias Vaughn has been helping the Cybermen plan an invasion of Earth, his factories serving as entrance points to the sewers, where the villainous robots are hiding. Incidentally, the sinister businessman also happens to control one of the big shots at UNIT, thus preventing Brigadier Lethebridge-Stewart from taking any action (not that he would do it anyway: who would believe him?). As usual, the Doctor and his friends seem to be the only people capable of finding a solution.
And that is where the real problem of this episode lies: despite a juicy premise, the good guys have very little to do except listen to Troughton's witticisms (always a pleasure), leaving half of the show floating in the air. As is often the case of genre films and serials, then, it's up to the baddies to save the day, and save it they do: Kevin Stoney uses his entire range of menacing subtlety to steal every scene he is in, as Vaughn's real agenda is revealed, while the Cybermen, though scarcely used, come off as genuinely terrifying, providing some much needed suspense.
Ultimately, good to watch once, but hardly anything special.
