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{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{ImageLinkTV}}
{{ImageLinkTV}}
{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|novelisation          = Attack of the Cybermen (novelisation)
|novelisation          = Attack of the Cybermen (novelisation)
|image                  = AOTC.JPG
|image                  = AOTC.JPG
|series                = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|series                = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|season number          = Season 22
|season number          = Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|
|season serial number  = 1
|season serial number  = 1
|story number          = 137
|story number          = 137
|doctor                = Sixth Doctor
|doctor                = Sixth Doctor
|companions            = [[Peri Brown|Peri]]
|companions            = [[Peri Brown|Peri]]
|enemy                  = [[Cyber-Controller (The Tomb of the Cybermen)|Cyber-Controller]]
|featuring              = [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]]
|featuring              = [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]]
|enemy                  = The [[Cyber-Controller (The Tomb of the Cybermen)|CyberTelosian-Controller]]
|setting                = {{il|[[London]], [[1985]]|[[Telos]]}}
|setting                = {{il|[[London]], [[1985]]|[[Telos]]}}
|writer                = "[[Paula Moore]]"
|writer                = Paula Moore
|director              = [[Matthew Robinson]]
|director              = [[Matthew Robinson]]
|producer              = [[John Nathan-Turner]]
|producer              = [[John Nathan-Turner]]
|epcount                = 2
|epcount                = 2
|broadcast date        = [[5 January (releases)|5]] - [[12 January (releases)|12 January]] [[1985 (releases)|1985]]
|broadcast date        = 5 - 12 January 1985
|network                = [[BBC1]]
|network                = BBC1
|format                = 2x45-minute episodes
|format                = 2x45-minute episodes
|serial production code = [[List of production codes|6T]]
|serial production code = [[List of production codes|6T]]
|prev                  = The Twin Dilemma (TV story)
|prev                  = The Twin Dilemma (TV story)
|next                  = Vengeance on Varos (TV story)
|next                  = Vengeance on Varos (TV story)
|thwr=173|thwr2=190}}
|thwr = 173
'''''Attack of the Cybermen''''' was the first serial of [[season 22]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''.
|thwr2 = 190
}}
'''''Attack of the Cybermen''''' was the first serial of [[Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|season 22]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''.


The story features the return of [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]], last seen in ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks (TV story)|Resurrection of the Daleks]]''. It was the first ''Doctor Who'' story to be produced in forty-five-minute episodes, and the first since ''Resurrection of the Daleks'' to be aired in the format. Both methods would see their end in the 1963 series with ''[[Revelation of the Daleks (TV story)|Revelation of the Daleks]]''; 45-minute episodes would not reappear until ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', the first episode of the show's 2005 revival. From that point on, the 45-minute format would become the norm for ''Doctor Who''.
The story features the return of [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]], last seen in ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks (TV story)|Resurrection of the Daleks]]''. It was the first ''Doctor Who'' story to be produced in forty-five-minute episodes, and the first since ''Resurrection of the Daleks'' to be aired in the format. Both methods would see their end in the 1963 series with ''[[Revelation of the Daleks (TV story)|Revelation of the Daleks]]''; 45-minute episodes would not reappear until ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', the first episode of the show's 2005 revival. From that point on, the 45-minute format would become the norm for ''Doctor Who''.


The story also returned to [[Telos]], the setting of the [[Second Doctor]] TV story ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]'', also reintroducing its [[Cyber-Controller (The Tomb of the Cybermen)|Cyber-Controller]], albeit redesigned to fit with the [[CyberNeomorph|then-current Cyberman design]]. In the process, ''Attack of the Cybermen'' attempted to reconcile Telos's depiction as the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]]'s homeworld in ''Tomb of the Cybermen'' with the claim in [[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'' that the Cyberman homeworld was [[Mondas]]. In this case, Telos was redefined as a planet temporarily colonised by the Mondasian Cybermen, with a new native Telosian race, the [[Cryon]]s, being introduced. Ironically, [[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Cybermen (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Cybermen]]'' had earlier posited the opposite explanation, purporting that Telos was the original Cyberman homeworld and that Mondas has been the first of their colony-planets. [[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'' would later posit yet a third incompatible explanation, alleging that Cybermen evolved separately on Mondas ''and'' Telos through [[parallel evolution]].
The story also returned to [[Telos]], the setting of the [[Second Doctor]] TV story ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]'', also reintroducing its [[Cyber-Controller (The Tomb of the Cybermen)|Cyber-Controller]], albeit redesigned to fit with the [[CyberNeomorph|then-current Cyberman design]]. In the process, ''Attack of the Cybermen'' attempted to reconcile Telos's depiction as the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]]'s homeworld in ''Tomb of the Cybermen'' with the claim in [[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'' that the Cyberman homeworld was [[Mondas]]. In this case, Telos was redefined as a planet temporarily colonised by the Mondasian Cybermen, with a new native Telosian race, the [[Cryon]]s, being introduced. Ironically, [[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Cybermen (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Cybermen]]'' had earlier posited the opposite explanation, purporting that Telos was the original Cyberman homeworld and that Mondas has been the first of their colony-planets. [[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'' would later posit yet a third incompatible explanation, alleging that Cybermen evolved separately on Mondas ''and'' Telos through [[parallel evolution]].


This episode is also notable for featuring the first televised instance where the [[chameleon circuit]] within [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] is shown operational - since [[An Unearthly Child (episode)|the very first episode]] of the series, it was known to have suffered from a fault that left it in the shape of a police box. Now temporarily repaired, the outer shell of the TARDIS is witnessed changing shape for the first time on-screen. However, the repairs are imperfect and the TARDIS assumes random forms against the Doctor's will, some of which do not blend well with the places it lands and make it hard to tell where to re-enter the machine. The chameleon circuit soon breaks down and the TARDIS becomes locked in its police box form once again.
This episode is also notable for featuring the first televised instance where the [[chameleon circuit]] within [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] is shown operational - since [[An Unearthly Child (episode)|the very first episode]] of the series, it was known to have suffered from a fault that left it in the shape of a police box. Now temporarily repaired, the outer shell of the TARDIS is witnessed changing shape for the first time on-screen. However, the repairs are imperfect and the TARDIS assumes random forms against the Doctor's will, some of which do not blend well with the places it lands and make it hard to tell where to re-enter the machine. The chameleon circuit soon breaks down and the TARDIS becomes locked in its police box form once again.
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Two workmen are inspecting a [[London sewers|London sewer]]. They find a new brick wall where none should be. One of them wanders off and vanishes, while his colleague is attacked by an unseen assailant.
Two workmen are inspecting a [[London sewers|London sewer]]. They find a new brick wall where none should be. One of them wanders off and vanishes, while his colleague is attacked by an unseen assailant.


The [[Sixth Doctor]] is performing repairs to [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]]' [[chameleon circuit]], something he has meant to do for years, but [[Peri Brown|Peri]] is worried that he is over-exerting himself following his recent [[regeneration]]. She suggests he get some rest. He responds that she could also use some relaxation and steers the TARDIS towards [[Earth]]. Something begins to draw them off course.
The [[Sixth Doctor]] is performing repairs to [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]]'s [[chameleon circuit]], something he has meant to do for years, but [[Peri Brown|Peri]] is worried that he is over-exerting himself following his recent [[regeneration]]. She suggests he get some rest. He responds that she could also use some relaxation and steers the TARDIS towards [[Earth]]. Something begins to draw them off course.


Back in London, the stranded [[mercenary]] [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]] now leads a small gang of criminals. They are planning their next job, a [[diamond]] heist. One man, [[Vincent Russell|Russell]], is sent to procure explosives, but instead phones someone to tell them what Lytton is planning.
Back in London, the stranded [[mercenary]] [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]] now leads a small gang of criminals. They are planning their next job, a [[diamond]] heist. One man, [[Russell (Attack of the Cybermen)|Russell]], is sent to procure explosives, but instead phones someone to tell them what Lytton is planning.


The TARDIS is undamaged and now following [[Halley's Comet]] towards Earth in [[1985]]. The Doctor decides to investigate what affected their flight, despite Peri's misgivings about the comet's reputation as a signal of impending doom. Lytton's gang enters the sewers via a prepared entrance concealed beneath a garage, planning to blow their way into the diamond vault from below. Before he joins them, Lytton adjusts a piece of advanced technology, while his two police allies patrol the street.
The TARDIS is undamaged and now following [[Halley's Comet]] towards Earth in [[1985]]. The Doctor decides to investigate what affected their flight, despite Peri's misgivings about the comet's reputation as a signal of impending doom. Lytton's gang enters the sewers via a prepared entrance concealed beneath a garage, planning to blow their way into the diamond vault from below. Before he joins them, Lytton adjusts a piece of advanced technology, while his two police allies patrol the street.
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[[File:Delight.jpg|thumb|The Doctor is delighted to find himself back at [[76 Totter's Lane]].]]
[[File:Delight.jpg|thumb|The Doctor is delighted to find himself back at [[76 Totter's Lane]].]]
In the sewers, Russell hears someone following the four thieves. Lytton orders [[Payne (Attack of the Cybermen)|Payne]] to remain behind to "deal" with whoever is following them while he, Russell and [[Griffiths]] proceed into the dark tunnels. Payne is attacked and killed by the shadowy assailant. When he realises the distress signal is relayed via multiple points in the city, the Doctor decides someone must be observing the transmitter to determine when help arrives. The TARDIS, now a pipe organ, materialises at the garage. When he sees the absurd form his TARDIS has assumed, the frustrated Doctor remarks, "This is getting ridiculous". In a moment of whimsy, he plays the opening notes of J. S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor", before Peri puts him back on task. The Doctor and Peri find the sewer entrance and the armed policemen, whom they overcome before venturing into the sewers. In the dark, they soon find Payne's body.
In the sewers, Russell hears someone following the four thieves. Lytton orders [[Joe Payne|Payne]] to remain behind to "deal" with whoever is following them while he, Russell and [[Charles Griffiths|Griffiths]] proceed into the dark tunnels. Payne is attacked and killed by the shadowy assailant. When he realises the distress signal is relayed via multiple points in the city, the Doctor decides someone must be observing the transmitter to determine when help arrives. The TARDIS, now a pipe organ, materialises at the garage. When he sees the absurd form his TARDIS has assumed, the frustrated Doctor remarks, "This is getting ridiculous". In a moment of whimsy, he plays the opening notes of J. S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor", before Peri puts him back on task. The Doctor and Peri find the sewer entrance and the armed policemen, whom they overcome before venturing into the sewers. In the dark, they soon find Payne's body.


When Lytton's gang reach the newly built wall, Griffiths begins to knock down some of the old brickwork to reach the vault. When the black figure appears in the tunnel, Russell flees while Griffiths shoots at it. Lytton forces Griffiths not to panic as the new wall slides back to reveal [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] in a hidden command centre. Lytton surrenders. He explains his [[Alien|extra-terrestrial]] nature to the [[Cyber-Leader (Mondas)|Cyber-Leader]] and offers to serve the Cyber race. The leader states the [[Cyber-Controller]] on [[Telos]] will determine their fate.
When Lytton's gang reach the newly built wall, Griffiths begins to knock down some of the old brickwork to reach the vault. When the black figure appears in the tunnel, Russell flees while Griffiths shoots at it. Lytton forces Griffiths not to panic as the new wall slides back to reveal [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] in a hidden command centre. Lytton surrenders. He explains his [[Alien|extra-terrestrial]] nature to the [[Cyber-Leader]] and offers to serve the Cyber race. The leader states the [[Cyber-Controller]] on [[Telos]] will determine their fate.


[[File:Attack_3.jpg|thumb|left|Prisoners and guards.]]
[[File:Attack_3.jpg|thumb|left|Prisoners and guards.]]
On Telos, a group of partially [[Cyber-conversion|cyber-converted]] prisoners toil in a [[quarry]] under Cyberman guards. Three of the prisoners attempt an escape, killing a Cyberman in the process. Only two make it out alive. The men, [[Bates (Attack of the Cybermen)|Bates]] and [[Stratton]], need a third to operate the ship they plan to leave Telos in. Despite this setback, they continue with their plan and head for the [[Cyber-Control (Mondas)|Cyber-control]] building. They accost a [[Cyber-Scout|Cyber-scout]] on the way and decapitate him, planning to hollow out his head for a disguise.
On Telos, a group of partially [[Cyber-conversion|cyber-converted]] prisoners toil in a [[quarry]] under Cyberman guards. Three of the prisoners attempt an escape, killing a Cyberman in the process. Only two make it out alive. The men, [[Bates (Attack of the Cybermen)|Bates]] and [[Stratton]], need a third to operate the ship they plan to leave Telos in. Despite this setback, they continue with their plan and head for the [[Cyber-Control (Telos)|Cyber-control]] building. They accost a [[Cyber-Scout|Cyber-scout]] on the way and decapitate him, planning to hollow out his head for a disguise.


Russell finds the Doctor and Peri. He reveals he is an undercover [[police officer]]. The Doctor disarms him and learns he was investigating Lytton, who appeared suddenly a year earlier and committed several daring crimes with great skill to build his transmitter and who the Doctor had dealt with before during an incident with the Daleks. They return to the TARDIS, disabling the black Cyber-scout with a [[sonic lance]] on the way. However, some Cybermen are already inside the TARDIS and kill Russell. The leader, flanked by several other Cybermen, herds Lytton and Griffiths in the ship. The leader orders one of the Cybermen to destroy Peri at once...
Russell finds the Doctor and Peri. He reveals he is an undercover [[police officer]]. The Doctor disarms him and learns he was investigating Lytton, who appeared suddenly a year earlier and committed several daring crimes with great skill to build his transmitter and who the Doctor had dealt with before during an incident with the Daleks. They return to the TARDIS, disabling the black Cyber-scout with a [[sonic lance]] on the way. However, some Cybermen are already inside the TARDIS and kill Russell. The leader, flanked by several other Cybermen, herds Lytton and Griffiths in the ship. The leader orders one of the Cybermen to destroy Peri at once...
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* [[Peri Brown|Peri]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
* [[Peri Brown|Peri]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
* [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]] - [[Maurice Colbourne]]
* [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]] - [[Maurice Colbourne]]
* [[Griffiths]] - [[Brian Glover]]
* [[Charles Griffiths|Griffiths]] - [[Brian Glover]]
* [[Vincent Russell|Russell]] - [[Terry Molloy]]
* [[Russell (Attack of the Cybermen)|Russell]] - [[Terry Molloy]]
* [[Payne (Attack of the Cybermen)|Payne]] - [[James Beckett]]
* [[Joe Payne|Payne]] - [[James Beckett]]
* [[Cyber-Leader (Attack of the Cybermen)|Cyber Leader]] - [[David Banks]]
* [[Cyber-Leader (Attack of the Cybermen)|Cyber Leader]] - [[David Banks]]
* [[Cyber-Controller]] - [[Michael Kilgarriff]]
* [[Cyber-Controller]] - [[Michael Kilgarriff]]
* [[Flast]] - [[Faith Brown]]
* [[Flast]] - [[Faith Brown]]
* [[Varne]] - [[Sarah Greene]]
* [[Varne]] - [[Sarah Greene]]
* [[Bates (Attack of the Cybermen)|Bates]] - [[Michael Attwell]]
* [[Eregous Bates|Bates]] - [[Michael Attwell]]
* [[Stratton]] - [[Jonathan David]]
* [[Lintus Stratton|Stratton]] - [[Jonathan David]]
* [[Cyber-Lieutenant (Attack of the Cybermen)|Cyber-Lieutenant]] - [[Brian Orrell]]
* [[Cyber-Lieutenant (Attack of the Cybermen)|Cyber-Lieutenant]] - [[Brian Orrell]]
* [[Cyberman (Mondas)|Cyberman]] - [[John Ainley]]
* [[Cyberman]] - [[John Ainley]]
* [[Bill (Attack of the Cybermen)|Bill]] - [[Stephen Churchett]]
* [[Bill (Attack of the Cybermen)|Bill]] - [[Stephen Churchett]]
* [[David (Attack of the Cybermen)|David]] - [[Stephen Wale]]
* [[David (Attack of the Cybermen)|David]] - [[Stephen Wale]]
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=== Uncredited cast ===
=== Uncredited cast ===
* Policemen - [[Michael Jefferies]], [[Mike Braben]]
* Cybermen - [[Ian Marshall-Fisher]], [[Roger Pope]], [[Thomas Lucy]]
* Rogue Cyberman/Cyberman/Worker - [[Pat Gorman]]
* Rogue Cyberman/Cyberman/Worker - [[Pat Gorman]]
* Stunt Cyberman - [[Ken Barker]] (both [[DWM 207]])
* Stunt Cyberman - [[Ken Barker]] (all [[DWM 207]])


== Crew ==
== Crew ==
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* [[Floor assistant|Floor Assistant]] - [[Lynda Pannett]] ([[INFO]]: ''Attack of the Cybermen'')
* [[Floor assistant|Floor Assistant]] - [[Lynda Pannett]] ([[INFO]]: ''Attack of the Cybermen'')


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Individuals ===
=== Individuals ===
* [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]] says that he comes from a satellite of [[Vita 15]] ([[Riften 5]]) in the [[star system 690]].
* [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]] says that he comes from a satellite of [[Vita 15]] ([[Riften 5]]) in the [[star system 690]].
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* The Doctor plays the opening of J. S. Bach's "[[Toccata and Fugue in D minor]]" on the TARDIS "organ".
* The Doctor plays the opening of J. S. Bach's "[[Toccata and Fugue in D minor]]" on the TARDIS "organ".
* Peri tells the Doctor he doesn't have to play the [[Lone Ranger]].
* Peri tells the Doctor he doesn't have to play the [[Lone Ranger]].
*[[Peri Brown|Peri]] finds her and the [[Sixth Doctor]]'s [[destination]] of [[London]] to be an [[anticlimax]].
* [[Peri Brown|Peri]] finds her and the [[Sixth Doctor]]'s [[destination]] of [[London]] to be an [[anticlimax]].


== Story notes ==
== Story notes ==
* This is the only Cybermen story of the 1980s to feature the word "Cybermen" in the title.
* There is some contention over who exactly wrote ''Attack of the Cybermen'' — it was written under the pseudonym [[Paula Moore]]. [[Paula Woolsey]] and [[Eric Saward]] apparently worked together to write the story, with contributions from [[Ian Levine]]. However, Levine claims that he wrote the narrative, which was then developed into a script by Saward. Saward denies this and affirms that he wrote the final script and the majority of the narrative, with contributions from Levine, and to a very minor extent, Woolsey. This is also the most recent story to be written under a pseudonym.
* There is some contention over who exactly wrote ''Attack of the Cybermen'' — it was written under the pseudonym [[Paula Moore]]. [[Paula Woolsey]] and [[Eric Saward]] apparently worked together to write the story, with contributions from [[Ian Levine]]. However, Levine claims that he wrote the narrative, which was then developed into a script by Saward. Saward denies this and affirms that he wrote the final script and the majority of the narrative, with contributions from Levine, and to a very minor extent, Woolsey. This is also the most recent story to be written under a pseudonym.
* ''Attack of the Cybermen'' was first broadcast in two weekly parts; beginning with this serial and continuing for the remainder of Season 22, episodes were forty-five minutes in length (as opposed to previous episodes which were twenty-five minutes long) for syndication. In some markets, this serial was re-edited into four twenty-five-minute segments. The cliffhangers to parts one and three are the emergence of the Cybermen from sewer control and Flast's revelation that the Cybermen intend to prevent Mondas' destruction, respectively.
* ''Attack of the Cybermen'' was first broadcast in two weekly parts; beginning with this serial and continuing for the remainder of Season 22, episodes were forty-five minutes in length (as opposed to previous episodes which were twenty-five minutes long) for syndication. In some markets, this serial was re-edited into four twenty-five-minute segments. The cliffhangers to parts one and three are the emergence of the Cybermen from sewer control and Flast's revelation that the Cybermen intend to prevent Mondas' destruction, respectively.
* Atypically for the title sequence used from [[Season 18|Seasons 18]] through [[Season 23|23]], the story title and author credit are rendered in all capital letters.
* Atypically for the title sequence used from [[Season 18 (Doctor Who 1963)|Seasons 18]] through [[Season 23 (Doctor Who 1963)|23]], the story title and author credit are rendered in all capital letters.
* Working tiles for this story included ''Return to Telos'' and ''The Cold War''.
* Working tiles for this story included ''Return to Telos'' and ''The Cold War''.
* This is [[Terry Molloy]]'s only on-screen appearance in ''Doctor Who'' playing a character other than [[Davros]].
* This is [[Terry Molloy]]'s only on-screen appearance in ''Doctor Who'' playing a character other than [[Davros]].
* The ''[[Radio Times]]'' programme listing for part one was accompanied by a black and white photograph of a Cyberman, plus a full-length black-and-white photographic cut-out image of the Doctor, topped with the neon ''Doctor Who'' logo, with the accompanying caption "A sinister subterranean encounter in the sewers of London between the Doctor and his old adversaries, the Cybermen / BBC1, 5.20 p.m. Doctor Who".
* The ''[[Radio Times]]'' programme listing for part one was accompanied by a black and white photograph of a Cyberman, plus a full-length black-and-white photographic cut-out image of the Doctor, topped with the neon ''Doctor Who'' logo, with the accompanying caption "A sinister subterranean encounter in the sewers of London between the Doctor and his old adversaries, the Cybermen / BBC1, 5.20 p.m. Doctor Who". ''(original published text)''
* This story reuses some incidental music from ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]] ''to establish the presence of the Cybermen.
* This story reuses some incidental music from ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]] ''to establish the presence of the Cybermen.
* This story introduced the [[Sixth Doctor]]'s spiritual equivalent of the [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]], a portable [[sonic lance]], after the screwdriver had been written out in [[TV]]: ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]''.
* This story introduced the [[Sixth Doctor]]'s spiritual equivalent of the [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]], a portable [[sonic lance]], after the screwdriver had been written out in [[TV]]: ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]''.
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* When the TARDIS lands in the junkyard, the music playing is a distorted version of the theme music to {{wi|Steptoe and Son}} (1962-1974), a BBC sitcom about a father and son rag-and-bone business. The original music was written by [[Ron Grainer]], who also wrote the ''Doctor Who'' theme.
* When the TARDIS lands in the junkyard, the music playing is a distorted version of the theme music to {{wi|Steptoe and Son}} (1962-1974), a BBC sitcom about a father and son rag-and-bone business. The original music was written by [[Ron Grainer]], who also wrote the ''Doctor Who'' theme.
* This story was chosen by fans to represent the Colin Baker era by fans to be rebroadcast for [[Doctor Who @40]].
* This story was chosen by fans to represent the Colin Baker era by fans to be rebroadcast for [[Doctor Who @40]].
* In ''[[A History of the Universe]]'' and the first two editions of ''[[aHistory]]'', the scenes set on Telos are arbitrarily dated to [[2530]], as it is set after ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]''. The third edition redates it to circa [[2495]], based on evidence from the ''[[Cyberman (audio series)|Cyberman]]'' audio series.
* In ''[[A History of the Universe (reference book)|A History of the Universe]]'' and the first two editions of ''[[aHistory]]'', the scenes set on Telos are arbitrarily dated to [[2530]], as it is set after ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]''. The third edition redates it to circa [[2495]], based on evidence from the ''[[Cyberman (audio series)|Cyberman]]'' audio series.
* The rasping, heard by Payne, in the sewers is a unique addition to the Cybermen on television who are noticeably silent. However, Ian Marter's ''[[Earthshock (novelisation)|Earthshock]]'' novelisation made frequent use of the quirk, making this the first of a handful of allusions to the [[Target Books]] adaptations. Others include rectifying the conflicting information surrounding the Cybermen's home planet and the Doctor's initial confusion over whether or not [[Second Doctor|his second self]] had a flute or a recorder in ''[[The Two Doctors (TV story)|The Two Doctors]]'' (a misapprehension inherited from Terrance Dicks's ''[[The Three Doctors (novelisation)|The Three Doctors]]'').
* Though he went uncredited, this is [[Pat Gorman]]'s last performance in ''Doctor Who''.
* Though he went uncredited, this is [[Pat Gorman]]'s last performance in ''Doctor Who''.
* This story was rated "M 15+" in Australia for low level violence.
* This story was rated "M 15+" in Australia for low level violence.
* The role of Griffiths was written as a Cockney, but had to be rewritten when Yorkshireman [[Brian Glover]] was cast.
* The role of Griffiths was written as a [[Cockney]], but had to be rewritten when Yorkshireman [[Brian Glover]] was cast.
* Brian Glover was considered for Russell before being cast as Griffiths.
* [[Brian Glover]] was considered for Russell before being cast as Griffiths.
* The regular Cyber Lieutenant actor, [[Mark Hardy]], was unavailable for this story and was replaced by [[Brian Orrell]].
* The regular Cyber Lieutenant actor, [[Mark Hardy]], was unavailable for this story and was replaced by [[Brian Orrell]].
* [[Koo Stark]] was supposed to play the Cryon Varne and even appeared in publicity stills with [[Colin Baker]], but backed out when the scope of the costume and makeup came to light.
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koo_Stark Koo Stark] was originally cast as Varne, after having originally been offered the role of Rost. She even appeared in a photocall with [[Colin Baker]] and [[Faith Brown]]. Two days later, she was fired due to a contract dispute and issues with her costume. She was replaced by [[Sarah Greene]], a friend of [[Matthew Robinson]]'s.
* In the original script, it was revealed that a colony of Cryons is living inside Halley's Comet. Lytton's job was to convince the Cybermen to use the comet as the agent of the Earth's destruction in order to lure the Cyber Controller there, where he would be ambushed by the Cryons. This scheme is uncovered by the Cybermen, who then turn against Lytton.
* In the original script, it was revealed that a colony of Cryons is living inside Halley's Comet. Lytton's job was to convince the Cybermen to use the comet as the agent of the Earth's destruction in order to lure the Cyber Controller there, where he would be ambushed by the Cryons. This scheme is uncovered by the Cybermen, who then turn against Lytton.
* Griffiths was initially killed at the closing minutes of this serial but an under-running part two meant his character was not killed and expanded.
* Griffiths was initially killed at the closing minutes of this serial but an under-running part two meant his character was not killed and expanded.
* [[Nicola Bryant]] recalled being uncomfortable wearing a skimpy outfit in November in Britain. [[John Nathan-Turner]] claimed that her nipples had to be taped down, as "they were obscene".
* [[Nicola Bryant]] recalled being uncomfortable wearing a skimpy outfit in November in Britain. [[John Nathan-Turner]] claimed that her nipples had to be taped down, as "they were obscene".
* [[Brian Blessed]], [[Ralph Bates]], [[Bernard Hill]] and [[Edward Woodward]] were considered for Russell.
* [[Brian Blessed]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Bates Ralph Bates], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Hill Bernard Hill] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Woodward Edward Woodward] were considered for Russell.
* [[Donald Pleasence]] turned down the role of Griffiths.
* [[Donald Pleasence]] turned down the role of Griffiths.
* It was planned that the Cybermen on Telos would be dressed in blue overalls and globular helmets, to imply the hostile nature of the planet's surface. However, it was found that these additions made the monsters look ridiculous, and they were dropped.
* It was planned that the Cybermen on Telos would be dressed in blue overalls and globular helmets, to imply the hostile nature of the planet's surface. However, it was found that these additions made the monsters look ridiculous, and they were dropped.
* The costume and make-up for the Cryons continued to evolve during this time; the silvery wisps of hair near the mouth were a particularly late addition, suggested by John Nathan-Turner to help conceal the join between the mask and the actor's skin.
* The costume and make-up for the Cryons continued to evolve during this time; the silvery wisps of hair near the mouth were a particularly late addition, suggested by [[John Nathan-Turner]] to help conceal the join between the mask and the actor's skin.
* Trevor Raymond was originally cast as Statton, but he suffered a broken arm and had to drop out of the production. He was replaced by [[Jonathan David]], who had been hired to play the Cyber Lieutenant. David, in turn, was replaced by Brian Orrell, while Orrell's original role as a Cyberman was taken by John Ainley.
* Trevor Raymond was originally cast as Statton, but he suffered a broken arm and had to drop out of the production. He was replaced by [[Jonathan David]], who had been hired to play the Cyber Lieutenant. David, in turn, was replaced by [[Brian Orrell]], while Orrell's original role as a Cyberman was taken by [[John Ainley]].
* For the tombs on Telos, the production returned to the same gravel quarry in Gerrards Cross where [[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|''The Tomb of the Cybermen'']]'' ''was filmed, at the insistence of Ian Levine. It looked suitably barren on the recce, but when it came to filming, all kinds of flora had sprouted up in the spring weather. As the story was missing from the archives at the time, Levine meticously researched the sets to get the details right and was disappointed that they weren't recreated.
* For the tombs on Telos, the production returned to the same gravel quarry in Gerrards Cross where ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]] ''was filmed, at the insistence of [[Ian Levine]]. It looked suitably barren on the recce, but when it came to filming, all kinds of flora had sprouted up in the spring weather. As the story was missing from the archives at the time, Levine meticously researched the sets to get the details right and was disappointed that they weren't recreated. [[Matthew Robinson]] was sympathetic to Levine's concerns, but [[John Nathan-Turner]] felt that so few viewers would be aware of the discrepancy, especially since ''The Tomb of the Cybermen'' was missing from the BBC Archives at the time, that he could not justify the added expense of replicating the earlier serial's design.
* [[Michael Kilgarriff]] reprised his role as the Cyber Controller from [[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|''The Tomb of the Cybermen'']]'', despite ''having gained a considerable amount of weight since then. [[Matthew Robinson]] said, "There wasn't enough silver foil in the world to disguise the girth".
* [[Michael Kilgarriff]] reprised his role as the Cyber Controller from ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]''',''' ''despite having gained a considerable amount of weight since then. [[Matthew Robinson]] said, "There wasn't enough silver foil in the world to disguise the girth".
* Michael Kilgarriff was confused by the plot and worried about the violence.
* [[Michael Kilgarriff]] was confused by the plot and worried about the violence.
* According to Patrick Mulkern of ''Radio Times'', [[Matthew Robinson]] "fought the lighting crew to keep the sewer scenes dark and effectively creepy" and had the idea of changing the Cryons from male to female.
* According to Patrick Mulkern of ''[[Radio Times]]'', [[Matthew Robinson]] "fought the lighting crew to keep the sewer scenes dark and effectively creepy" and had the idea of changing the Cryons from male to female.
* The repair to the Chameleon Circuit was in part a publicity effort by John Nathan-Turner to drum up more interest in the series. He hinted publicly that it might be a permanent development, but never pursued the idea beyond this story.
* The repair to the chameleon circuit was in part a publicity effort by [[John Nathan-Turner]] to drum up more interest in the series. He hinted publicly that it might be a permanent development, but never pursued the idea beyond this story.
* [[Eric Saward]] tried to define the Cryons as individuals by giving them distinct character traits, rather than attributing monolithic personalities.
* [[Pennant Roberts]] was originally supposed to direct, but was unavailable.
* It was initially planned that all of the Telos material would be recorded in the studio. However, late in the day, additional money was made available for location filming. This prompted [[Eric Saward]] to introduce Stratton and Bates, bringing Telos into the plot in Episode One, rather than deferring the setting to Episode Two.
* [[Matthew Robinson]] was concerned about the lack of female characters, and decided that all of the Cryons should be women; Varne and Flast were initially male.
* [[Matthew Robinson]] originally offered [[David Banks]] the role of the Cyber Controller, but he declined in favour of returning as the Cyber Leader. [[Ian Levine]] convinced Robinson to get [[Michael Kilgarriff]] to reprise his role from [[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|''The Tomb of the Cybermen'']].
* [[John Ainley]] was cast at the recommendation of his uncle [[Anthony Ainley]].
* The silvery wisps of hair near the Cryon's mouths were a particularly late addition, suggested by [[John Nathan-Turner]] to help conceal the join between the mask and the actor's skin.
* For a time, it was thought that [[Cyber Module|the Cyber Director]] from ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'' would be included in the sequences set on Earth.
* In the original script, the Doctor made a quip upon seeing the burnt-out remains of a Cyberman - "A blacked-up Cyberman. I wonder if he was planning to audition for a minstrel show?"
* [[Esther Freud]]'s husband [[David Morrissey]] would later face the Cybermen in ''[[The Next Doctor (TV story)|The Next Doctor]].''


=== Ratings ===
=== Ratings ===
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* The Doctor decides to find a pleasant destination as a break from "the bleakness of [[Jaconda]]." ([[TV]]: ''[[The Twin Dilemma (TV story)|The Twin Dilemma]]'')
* The Doctor decides to find a pleasant destination as a break from "the bleakness of [[Jaconda]]." ([[TV]]: ''[[The Twin Dilemma (TV story)|The Twin Dilemma]]'')
* Once the chameleon circuit begins functioning again, the TARDIS lands at [[76 Totter's Lane]], the location where its [[police box]] exterior was imprinted on it. ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'')
* Once the chameleon circuit begins functioning again, the TARDIS lands at [[76 Totter's Lane]], the location where its [[police box]] exterior was imprinted on it. ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'')
* The Doctor, still confused by his regeneration, has called Peri the names of his past companions: [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]], [[Zoe Heriot|Zoe]] and once even [[Jamie McCrimmon|Jaimie]]. When he notices the Totter's Lane sign, he calls Peri "[[Susan Foreman|Susan]]".
* Peri claims the Doctor accidentally referred to her as [[Terrible Zodin|Zodin]] at one point. The Doctor exclaims he hadn't thought about Zodin for years. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'')
* The Cybermen are [[CyberNeomorph]]s. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Ultimate Cybermen (audio story)|The Ultimate Cybermen]]'')
* The Cybermen are [[CyberNeomorph]]s. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Ultimate Cybermen (audio story)|The Ultimate Cybermen]]'')
* The Cybermen attempt to prevent the upcoming destruction of Mondas in [[December]] [[1986]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'')
* The Cybermen attempt to prevent the upcoming destruction of Mondas in [[December]] [[1986]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'')
Line 232: Line 252:
* The Cybermen have a spaceship on the dark side of [[the Moon]]. They previously had a base there. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'')
* The Cybermen have a spaceship on the dark side of [[the Moon]]. They previously had a base there. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'')
* Shortly afterwards, the Doctor and Peri would return to the London sewers as the Doctor detected a [[Time Wake]] in the [[Time Vortex]], which linked London in [[January]] [[1986]] to London in [[1720]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Time Wake (short story)|Time Wake]]'')
* Shortly afterwards, the Doctor and Peri would return to the London sewers as the Doctor detected a [[Time Wake]] in the [[Time Vortex]], which linked London in [[January]] [[1986]] to London in [[1720]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Time Wake (short story)|Time Wake]]'')
* Peri claims that this is her first visit to London, although she previously visited the city in the company of the [[Fifth Doctor]] and [[Erimem]] in both [[1597]] and [[1483]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Kingmaker (audio story)|The Kingmaker]]''). However, from Peri's point of view, it was the first time that she visited London in her own era.
* Peri claims that this is her first visit to London, although she previously visited the city in the company of the [[Fifth Doctor]] and [[Erimem]] in both [[1597]] and [[1483]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Kingmaker (audio story)|The Kingmaker]]'') However, from Peri's point of view, it was the first time that she visited London in her own era.
* The Doctor and Peri would later encounter time travelling Cybermen from the distant future at [[Fell's Point]], [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], [[United States of America|USA]] in [[September]] [[1984]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'')
* The Doctor and Peri would later encounter time travelling Cybermen from the distant future at [[Fell's Point]], [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], [[United States of America|USA]] in [[September]] [[1984]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'')
* The Doctor temporarily repairs the TARDIS' chameleon circuit. His [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]] considered the idea of his future self repairing it "vulgar", ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Light at the End (audio story)|The Light at the End]]'') though he would try to repair it himself close to the end of his life. ([[TV]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'')
* The Doctor temporarily repairs the TARDIS's chameleon circuit. His [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]] considered the idea of his future self repairing it "vulgar", ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Light at the End (audio story)|The Light at the End]]'') though he would try to repair it himself close to the end of his life. ([[TV]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'')
* The Doctor kept a Cryon pendant in his [[C chest]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Carrionite Curse (audio story)|The Carrionite Curse]]'')
* The Doctor kept a Cryon pendant in his [[C chest]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Carrionite Curse (audio story)|The Carrionite Curse]]'')
* Peri claims the Doctor accidentally referred to her as [[Terrible Zodin|Zodin]] at one point. The Doctor exclaims he hadn't thought about Zodin for years. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'')


== Home video releases ==
== Home video releases ==
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=== DVD release ===
=== DVD release ===
''Attack Of The Cybermen'' was released on DVD in the [[UK]] in March 2009.<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
''Attack Of The Cybermen'' was released on DVD in the [[UK]] in March 2009.
 
==== Special features ====
* Commentary by [[Colin Baker]] ([[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]]), [[Nicola Bryant]] ([[Peri Brown|Peri]]), [[Terry Molloy]] ([[Russell (Attack of the Cybermen)|Russell]]) and [[Sarah Berger]] ([[Rost]])
* ''[[The Cold War (documentary)|The Cold War]]'' - Cast and crew look back on the making of the story, featuring writer [[Eric Saward]], director [[Matthew Robinson]], continuity advisor [[Ian Levine]] and film cameraman [[Godfrey Johnson]]
* ''[[The Cyber Story (documentary)|The Cyber Story]]'' - A brief history of the [[Cybermen]] in the classic series
* ''[[Human Cyborg: The Cybernetic Experiments (documentary)|Human Cyborg]]'' - An interview with Professor [[Kevin Warwick]]
* ''The Cyber-Generations'' - A gallery of Cybermen throughout the history of the series
* PDF Materals - ''[[Radio Times]]'' listings for ''Attack of the Cybermen'' and ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'', plus a [[1969 (releases)|1969]] article from ''The Listener'' (PDF DVD-ROM)
* Isolated score
* Trails and Continuity
* Photo Gallery
* Production Information Subtitles
* Coming Soon Trailer - ''[[Image of the Fendahl (TV story)|Image of the Fendahl]]''
* [[Easter Egg]]: ''[[The Cybernetic Autonomous Dalek (documentary)|The Cybernetic Autonomous Dalek]]''. To access this hidden feature, press left at ''The Cyber-Generations'' on the Special Features menu to reveal a hidden ''[[Doctor Who]]'' logo.
 
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
Bbcdvd-attackofthecybermen.jpg|Region 2 cover
Bbcdvd-attackofthecybermen.jpg|Region 2 cover
Attack of the Cybermenaus.jpg|Region 4 cover
Attack of the Cybermen DVD Australian cover.jpg|Region 4 cover
Attack of the Cybermen US.jpg|Region 1 cover
Attack of the cybermen.jpg|Region 1 cover
</gallery>
</gallery>
==== Bonus features ====
* Audio commentary by actors [[Colin Baker]], [[Nicola Bryant]], [[Terry Molloy]] and [[Sarah Berger]]
* ''[[The Cold War (documentary)|The Cold War]]'' - The making of ''Attack of the Cybermen''
* ''[[The Cyber Story (documentary)|The Cyber Story]]'' - A brief history of the Cybermen in the classic series
* ''Human Cyborg'' - An interview with Professor [[Kevin Warwick]]
* ''The Cyber-Generations'' - A gallery of Cybermen throughout the series
* [[Radio Times|''Radio Times'']] listings for ''Attack of the Cybermen'' and ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'' (DVD-ROM)
* A [[1969 (releases)|1969]] article from The Listener (DVD-ROM)
* Isolated score
* Trails and continuity
* Photo gallery
* Coming soon - ''[[Image of the Fendahl (TV story)|Image of the Fendahl]]''
* Easter egg - On the second page of the Special Features menu, move down to "The Cyber-Generations" then hit left. The Doctor Who logo will appear on the screen, and clicking on this will take you into "The Cybernetic Autonomous Dalek", a short extra piece with Professor Kevin Warwick


=== Britbox ===
=== Britbox ===
* The story was made available on the UK version of the streaming service [[BritBox]] on [[26 December (releases)|Boxing Day]] [[2019 (releases)|2019]].
* The story was made available on the UK version of the streaming service [[BritBox]] on [[26 December (releases)|Boxing Day]] [[2019 (releases)|2019]].
=== Blu-Ray ===
The story was released on Blu-ray as part of [[The Collection]]: [[Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 22]] on [[20 June (releases)|20 June]] [[2022 (releases)|2022]]
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
Doctor Who The Collection Season 22.jpg|[[Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 22]]
</gallery>


== External links ==
== External links ==
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{{Cyberman stories}}
{{Cyberman stories}}
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{{TitleSort}}
[[de:Attack of the Cybermen]]
[[de:Attack of the Cybermen]]
[[es:Attack of the Cybermen]]
[[es:Attack of the Cybermen]]
[[Category:Articles that were originally Wikipedia forks]]
[[Category:Articles that were originally Wikipedia forks]]
[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
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[[Category:Two part serials]]
[[Category:Two part serials]]
[[Category:Cyberman television stories]]
[[Category:Cyberman television stories]]
[[Category:Television stories in which the Doctor is on a mission for the Time Lords]]

Latest revision as of 17:48, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

Attack of the Cybermen was the first serial of season 22 of Doctor Who.

The story features the return of Lytton, last seen in Resurrection of the Daleks. It was the first Doctor Who story to be produced in forty-five-minute episodes, and the first since Resurrection of the Daleks to be aired in the format. Both methods would see their end in the 1963 series with Revelation of the Daleks; 45-minute episodes would not reappear until Rose, the first episode of the show's 2005 revival. From that point on, the 45-minute format would become the norm for Doctor Who.

The story also returned to Telos, the setting of the Second Doctor TV story The Tomb of the Cybermen, also reintroducing its Cyber-Controller, albeit redesigned to fit with the then-current Cyberman design. In the process, Attack of the Cybermen attempted to reconcile Telos's depiction as the Cybermen's homeworld in Tomb of the Cybermen with the claim in TV: The Tenth Planet that the Cyberman homeworld was Mondas. In this case, Telos was redefined as a planet temporarily colonised by the Mondasian Cybermen, with a new native Telosian race, the Cryons, being introduced. Ironically, PROSE: Doctor Who and the Cybermen had earlier posited the opposite explanation, purporting that Telos was the original Cyberman homeworld and that Mondas has been the first of their colony-planets. TV: The Doctor Falls would later posit yet a third incompatible explanation, alleging that Cybermen evolved separately on Mondas and Telos through parallel evolution.

This episode is also notable for featuring the first televised instance where the chameleon circuit within the Doctor's TARDIS is shown operational - since the very first episode of the series, it was known to have suffered from a fault that left it in the shape of a police box. Now temporarily repaired, the outer shell of the TARDIS is witnessed changing shape for the first time on-screen. However, the repairs are imperfect and the TARDIS assumes random forms against the Doctor's will, some of which do not blend well with the places it lands and make it hard to tell where to re-enter the machine. The chameleon circuit soon breaks down and the TARDIS becomes locked in its police box form once again.

It was also a prime example of an occasion where the Doctor greatly misjudged someone's pure motives, namely he assumed that Lytton was working with the Cybermen instead of against them. His actions here indirectly led to Lytton's death, and the Doctor stated that he's never quite misjudged someone that badly before, and swore never to do so again.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

While trying to fix the TARDIS's chameleon circuit, the Sixth Doctor returns to Foreman's Yard on Totter's Lane in 1985, where he meets his old enemies the Cybermen. They have come from the future to change history by sending Halley's Comet crashing into Earth. Gustave Lytton, last seen working for the Daleks, is involved in the Cybermen's plot. Is Lytton working for the Cybermen, himself or someone else?

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

Two workmen are inspecting a London sewer. They find a new brick wall where none should be. One of them wanders off and vanishes, while his colleague is attacked by an unseen assailant.

The Sixth Doctor is performing repairs to the TARDIS's chameleon circuit, something he has meant to do for years, but Peri is worried that he is over-exerting himself following his recent regeneration. She suggests he get some rest. He responds that she could also use some relaxation and steers the TARDIS towards Earth. Something begins to draw them off course.

Back in London, the stranded mercenary Lytton now leads a small gang of criminals. They are planning their next job, a diamond heist. One man, Russell, is sent to procure explosives, but instead phones someone to tell them what Lytton is planning.

The TARDIS is undamaged and now following Halley's Comet towards Earth in 1985. The Doctor decides to investigate what affected their flight, despite Peri's misgivings about the comet's reputation as a signal of impending doom. Lytton's gang enters the sewers via a prepared entrance concealed beneath a garage, planning to blow their way into the diamond vault from below. Before he joins them, Lytton adjusts a piece of advanced technology, while his two police allies patrol the street.

The TARDIS lands in the scrapyard at 76 Totter's Lane, having tracked a distress signal nearby. To Peri's amusement, the chameleon circuit alters the appearance to a painted french dresser, inconsistent with a junkyard. As the Doctor and Peri search for the signal's source, they are silently stalked by the policemen.

The Doctor is delighted to find himself back at 76 Totter's Lane.

In the sewers, Russell hears someone following the four thieves. Lytton orders Payne to remain behind to "deal" with whoever is following them while he, Russell and Griffiths proceed into the dark tunnels. Payne is attacked and killed by the shadowy assailant. When he realises the distress signal is relayed via multiple points in the city, the Doctor decides someone must be observing the transmitter to determine when help arrives. The TARDIS, now a pipe organ, materialises at the garage. When he sees the absurd form his TARDIS has assumed, the frustrated Doctor remarks, "This is getting ridiculous". In a moment of whimsy, he plays the opening notes of J. S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor", before Peri puts him back on task. The Doctor and Peri find the sewer entrance and the armed policemen, whom they overcome before venturing into the sewers. In the dark, they soon find Payne's body.

When Lytton's gang reach the newly built wall, Griffiths begins to knock down some of the old brickwork to reach the vault. When the black figure appears in the tunnel, Russell flees while Griffiths shoots at it. Lytton forces Griffiths not to panic as the new wall slides back to reveal Cybermen in a hidden command centre. Lytton surrenders. He explains his extra-terrestrial nature to the Cyber-Leader and offers to serve the Cyber race. The leader states the Cyber-Controller on Telos will determine their fate.

Prisoners and guards.

On Telos, a group of partially cyber-converted prisoners toil in a quarry under Cyberman guards. Three of the prisoners attempt an escape, killing a Cyberman in the process. Only two make it out alive. The men, Bates and Stratton, need a third to operate the ship they plan to leave Telos in. Despite this setback, they continue with their plan and head for the Cyber-control building. They accost a Cyber-scout on the way and decapitate him, planning to hollow out his head for a disguise.

Russell finds the Doctor and Peri. He reveals he is an undercover police officer. The Doctor disarms him and learns he was investigating Lytton, who appeared suddenly a year earlier and committed several daring crimes with great skill to build his transmitter and who the Doctor had dealt with before during an incident with the Daleks. They return to the TARDIS, disabling the black Cyber-scout with a sonic lance on the way. However, some Cybermen are already inside the TARDIS and kill Russell. The leader, flanked by several other Cybermen, herds Lytton and Griffiths in the ship. The leader orders one of the Cybermen to destroy Peri at once...

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor agrees to co-operate with the Cybermen if Peri is spared on the word of the leader and Cyber-Controller, whom the Doctor believed dead. He sets the TARDIS coordinates for Telos and is placed in another room with Peri, Griffiths and Lytton. Lytton explains that the Cybermen have captured a timeship that landed on Telos and have great plans for that ship and the TARDIS as well. The Doctor asks how Lytton knows so much about Telos and the Cybermen's plans, but he does not answer. The Doctor explains to Peri and Griffiths that the Cybermen came to Telos and annihilated the native Cryons to use their refrigerated cities to store cyber troops after the destruction of Mondas, partially at the Doctor's hand, in 1986.

The Doctor sabotages the navigational controls with the sonic lance, causing the TARDIS to land in the catacombs, rather than Cyber-control, whereupon it assumes the shape of a gateway. The Cybermen are attacked by a rogue Cyberman, one of many driven insane by faulty tombs. The distraction allows Peri, Lytton and Griffiths to escape. Peri is rescued by Cryon freedom fighters, more of whom find Lytton and Griffiths, explaining that they answered Lytton's distress call and he manipulated the Cybermen into bringing him to Telos. The Cryons have hired him to help them stop the Cybermen from destroying Telos when they have revived all their troops and left. Lytton's mission is to steal the time vessel to prevent the Controller's plan from succeeding. He, in turn, needs Griffiths to keep him alive long enough to make it to the ship, paying him with a fortune in diamonds, which are very common on Telos.

Meanwhile, the Doctor is confined in a cold storage room, where he meets a Cryon prisoner, Flast. Flast says a few Cryons survived the Cybermen purges. They are fighting a guerrilla war, sabotaging the tombs to delay the revivals. She outlines the Cybermen's plan to prevent Mondas' destruction by travelling back in the time vessel and diverting Halley's Comet into Earth before Mondas has absorbed too much energy.

Lytton and Griffiths track down the two escaped prisoners outside the city and convince the groups to ally themselves with each other to capture the time vessel, which needs at least three crewmen to operate. Lytton explains that the ship is their only hope and that it will arrive soon. They head into a hidden tunnel, which leads to Cyber-control. As they approach the landing pad, Lytton is captured by a Cyberman patrol while the others continue without him.

The Doctor is outraged at the Cybermen's plan. Saving Mondas would contravene the Laws of Time. He is surprised the Time Lords are not doing something to stop it. He realises it must have been his own people who sent the TARDIS off course and manipulated him into place to be their agent yet again. Flast shows the Doctor what is in the storeroom - boxes of vastial, a common Telosian mineral, highly volatile above freezing. The Doctor uses a small amount to escape the room and kill the guard, leaving his sonic lance with Flast. She cannot leave the room without being boiled alive by the above-zero temperatures in the corridor, but volunteers to use the lance to detonate the vastial and destroy cyber-control.

The Doctor activates a Cyberman's distress beacon.

Lytton is tortured by the Cyber-controller for information before being forced to undergo cyber-conversion. The Doctor and Peri make their way separately to the TARDIS where to lure the Cyberman guards out, the Doctor activates a distress beacon on the body of a dead Cyberman. Before being forced into the corridor and perishing, Flast hides the sonic lance in a box of vastial where it slowly warms up. When the time vessel lands at the platform, the would-be hijackers try to board it but are mercilessly cut down by the Cybermen inside. As the guards leave the TARDIS, the Cryons destroy them at the cost of their leader's life.

The new Cryon leader, Rost, urges the Doctor to leave before Flast's explosion is triggered. The Doctor prepares to go, but Peri urges him to go back and rescue Lytton who, for once, was helping the right side. The TARDIS materialises in the conversion centre, taking the form of a police box, but it is too late to save Lytton, who begs the Doctor to kill him. The Cyber-Controller arrives to stop the Doctor, who surreptitiously puts a scalpel in Lytton's hand. Lytton waits until the Controller is next to him and stabs him in the arm, which is the distraction the Doctor needs. He takes the Controller's weapon and kills the Leader, the Lieutenant and the Controller himself, but not before Lytton is killed. The TARDIS leaves moments before Cyber-control explodes, leaving the Doctor to reflect on his misjudgment of Lytton.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Species[[edit] | [edit source]]

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor almost fixes the TARDIS chameleon circuit. It becomes an ornamental wardrobe, a pipe organ, and a metal gateway.
  • The Cybermen still make use of 'tombs.'
  • When converting people, the Cybermen use a drug to affect the brain.

References from the real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This is the only Cybermen story of the 1980s to feature the word "Cybermen" in the title.
  • There is some contention over who exactly wrote Attack of the Cybermen — it was written under the pseudonym Paula Moore. Paula Woolsey and Eric Saward apparently worked together to write the story, with contributions from Ian Levine. However, Levine claims that he wrote the narrative, which was then developed into a script by Saward. Saward denies this and affirms that he wrote the final script and the majority of the narrative, with contributions from Levine, and to a very minor extent, Woolsey. This is also the most recent story to be written under a pseudonym.
  • Attack of the Cybermen was first broadcast in two weekly parts; beginning with this serial and continuing for the remainder of Season 22, episodes were forty-five minutes in length (as opposed to previous episodes which were twenty-five minutes long) for syndication. In some markets, this serial was re-edited into four twenty-five-minute segments. The cliffhangers to parts one and three are the emergence of the Cybermen from sewer control and Flast's revelation that the Cybermen intend to prevent Mondas' destruction, respectively.
  • Atypically for the title sequence used from Seasons 18 through 23, the story title and author credit are rendered in all capital letters.
  • Working tiles for this story included Return to Telos and The Cold War.
  • This is Terry Molloy's only on-screen appearance in Doctor Who playing a character other than Davros.
  • The Radio Times programme listing for part one was accompanied by a black and white photograph of a Cyberman, plus a full-length black-and-white photographic cut-out image of the Doctor, topped with the neon Doctor Who logo, with the accompanying caption "A sinister subterranean encounter in the sewers of London between the Doctor and his old adversaries, the Cybermen / BBC1, 5.20 p.m. Doctor Who". (original published text)
  • This story reuses some incidental music from Earthshock to establish the presence of the Cybermen.
  • This story introduced the Sixth Doctor's spiritual equivalent of the sonic screwdriver, a portable sonic lance, after the screwdriver had been written out in TV: The Visitation.
  • When the Doctor and Peri observe Halley's Comet, the background music is Malcolm Clarke's music for the 1981 BBC documentary The Comet is Coming. The original music can be heard on the CD BBC Radiophonic Workshop – A Retrospective.
  • When the TARDIS lands in the junkyard, the music playing is a distorted version of the theme music to Steptoe and Son (1962-1974), a BBC sitcom about a father and son rag-and-bone business. The original music was written by Ron Grainer, who also wrote the Doctor Who theme.
  • This story was chosen by fans to represent the Colin Baker era by fans to be rebroadcast for Doctor Who @40.
  • In A History of the Universe and the first two editions of aHistory, the scenes set on Telos are arbitrarily dated to 2530, as it is set after The Tomb of the Cybermen. The third edition redates it to circa 2495, based on evidence from the Cyberman audio series.
  • The rasping, heard by Payne, in the sewers is a unique addition to the Cybermen on television who are noticeably silent. However, Ian Marter's Earthshock novelisation made frequent use of the quirk, making this the first of a handful of allusions to the Target Books adaptations. Others include rectifying the conflicting information surrounding the Cybermen's home planet and the Doctor's initial confusion over whether or not his second self had a flute or a recorder in The Two Doctors (a misapprehension inherited from Terrance Dicks's The Three Doctors).
  • Though he went uncredited, this is Pat Gorman's last performance in Doctor Who.
  • This story was rated "M 15+" in Australia for low level violence.
  • The role of Griffiths was written as a Cockney, but had to be rewritten when Yorkshireman Brian Glover was cast.
  • Brian Glover was considered for Russell before being cast as Griffiths.
  • The regular Cyber Lieutenant actor, Mark Hardy, was unavailable for this story and was replaced by Brian Orrell.
  • Koo Stark was originally cast as Varne, after having originally been offered the role of Rost. She even appeared in a photocall with Colin Baker and Faith Brown. Two days later, she was fired due to a contract dispute and issues with her costume. She was replaced by Sarah Greene, a friend of Matthew Robinson's.
  • In the original script, it was revealed that a colony of Cryons is living inside Halley's Comet. Lytton's job was to convince the Cybermen to use the comet as the agent of the Earth's destruction in order to lure the Cyber Controller there, where he would be ambushed by the Cryons. This scheme is uncovered by the Cybermen, who then turn against Lytton.
  • Griffiths was initially killed at the closing minutes of this serial but an under-running part two meant his character was not killed and expanded.
  • Nicola Bryant recalled being uncomfortable wearing a skimpy outfit in November in Britain. John Nathan-Turner claimed that her nipples had to be taped down, as "they were obscene".
  • Brian Blessed, Ralph Bates, Bernard Hill and Edward Woodward were considered for Russell.
  • Donald Pleasence turned down the role of Griffiths.
  • It was planned that the Cybermen on Telos would be dressed in blue overalls and globular helmets, to imply the hostile nature of the planet's surface. However, it was found that these additions made the monsters look ridiculous, and they were dropped.
  • The costume and make-up for the Cryons continued to evolve during this time; the silvery wisps of hair near the mouth were a particularly late addition, suggested by John Nathan-Turner to help conceal the join between the mask and the actor's skin.
  • Trevor Raymond was originally cast as Statton, but he suffered a broken arm and had to drop out of the production. He was replaced by Jonathan David, who had been hired to play the Cyber Lieutenant. David, in turn, was replaced by Brian Orrell, while Orrell's original role as a Cyberman was taken by John Ainley.
  • For the tombs on Telos, the production returned to the same gravel quarry in Gerrards Cross where The Tomb of the Cybermen was filmed, at the insistence of Ian Levine. It looked suitably barren on the recce, but when it came to filming, all kinds of flora had sprouted up in the spring weather. As the story was missing from the archives at the time, Levine meticously researched the sets to get the details right and was disappointed that they weren't recreated. Matthew Robinson was sympathetic to Levine's concerns, but John Nathan-Turner felt that so few viewers would be aware of the discrepancy, especially since The Tomb of the Cybermen was missing from the BBC Archives at the time, that he could not justify the added expense of replicating the earlier serial's design.
  • Michael Kilgarriff reprised his role as the Cyber Controller from The Tomb of the Cybermen, despite having gained a considerable amount of weight since then. Matthew Robinson said, "There wasn't enough silver foil in the world to disguise the girth".
  • Michael Kilgarriff was confused by the plot and worried about the violence.
  • According to Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times, Matthew Robinson "fought the lighting crew to keep the sewer scenes dark and effectively creepy" and had the idea of changing the Cryons from male to female.
  • The repair to the chameleon circuit was in part a publicity effort by John Nathan-Turner to drum up more interest in the series. He hinted publicly that it might be a permanent development, but never pursued the idea beyond this story.
  • Eric Saward tried to define the Cryons as individuals by giving them distinct character traits, rather than attributing monolithic personalities.
  • Pennant Roberts was originally supposed to direct, but was unavailable.
  • It was initially planned that all of the Telos material would be recorded in the studio. However, late in the day, additional money was made available for location filming. This prompted Eric Saward to introduce Stratton and Bates, bringing Telos into the plot in Episode One, rather than deferring the setting to Episode Two.
  • Matthew Robinson was concerned about the lack of female characters, and decided that all of the Cryons should be women; Varne and Flast were initially male.
  • Matthew Robinson originally offered David Banks the role of the Cyber Controller, but he declined in favour of returning as the Cyber Leader. Ian Levine convinced Robinson to get Michael Kilgarriff to reprise his role from The Tomb of the Cybermen.
  • John Ainley was cast at the recommendation of his uncle Anthony Ainley.
  • The silvery wisps of hair near the Cryon's mouths were a particularly late addition, suggested by John Nathan-Turner to help conceal the join between the mask and the actor's skin.
  • For a time, it was thought that the Cyber Director from The Invasion would be included in the sequences set on Earth.
  • In the original script, the Doctor made a quip upon seeing the burnt-out remains of a Cyberman - "A blacked-up Cyberman. I wonder if he was planning to audition for a minstrel show?"
  • Esther Freud's husband David Morrissey would later face the Cybermen in The Next Doctor.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Part one - 8.9 million viewers
  • Part two - 7.2 million viewers

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This story replaced one called The Opera of Doom, featuring Jago and Litefoot, Padmasambhava, Omega, the Master, the Rills and the Cybermen. (This was a rumour deliberately started by fans and printed as fact in the news magazine DWB.)

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Glenthorne Road (UCI House), Hammersmith, London
  • Davis Road, London, W3
  • Birkbeck Road, Acton
  • Becklow Road, London, W12
  • Gerrards Cross Sand and Gravel Quarry, Gerrards Cross
  • BBC Television Centre (TC6), Shepherd's Bush, London

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.
  • The scorch mark on the TARDIS wall, caused by Russell firing one of the Cybermen's weapons, is present several scenes before the actual event takes place.
  • When Flast is being dragged out of the refrigerated chamber, a couple of the floor crew can be seen kneeling behind some boxes on the right hand of the screen.
  • Near the end of part one, a Cyberman gets shot in the mouth by Russell. When the Cyberman falls, the back of the actor's head is clearly visible.
  • During the fight in Cyber-Control near the end of part two, the wires used to set off the explosive charges on both Michael Kilgarriff and David Banks are clearly visible throughout.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

VHS release[[edit] | [edit source]]

DVD release[[edit] | [edit source]]

Attack Of The Cybermen was released on DVD in the UK in March 2009.

Special features[[edit] | [edit source]]

Britbox[[edit] | [edit source]]

Blu-Ray[[edit] | [edit source]]

The story was released on Blu-ray as part of The Collection: Season 22 on 20 June 2022

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]