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Presented by Colin Baker.
Produced by John Nathan-Turner. |
A Review by Stuart Gutteridge 22/12/98
Presented by Colin Baker, Cybermen: The Early Years is basically a celebratory tale. To be fair, there isn`t anything on this tape that won`t have seen or heard before when it comes to the interviews. It would, however, appeal to new fans of the show and serve as some kind of basic introduction to the Cybermen.
It showcases a variety of clips and episodes from Doctor Who itself, starting with two clips from The Tenth Planet (which aren`t of the best quality). It seems surprising they didn`t use a full episode instead, given that this was their introductory story.
Instead they concentrate on the Troughton era (where the Cybermen episodes are in greater numbers anyway), starting with The Moonbase. It`s a pity the third episode is unavailable, as this is the best from the tale and does the story greater justice than the two existing parts.
The Wheel In Space parts three and six follow. This is the better of the two selected story`s episodes and is notable for the introduction of Zoe, who actually makes quite an effective debut here.
As mentioned above, the interview with Morris Barry doesn`t say anything new, but his fondness for the Cybermen remains evident. Roy Skelton`s only real contribtion is his recreation of a Cyberman voice from The Tenth Planet. Wendy Padbury offers the most, but again it`s all been heard before.
Cybermen: The Early Years isn`t the best compilation tape by any means, but it is worth it if only for the missing episodes.