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138 - Attack of the Cybermen
Doctor Who serial
The Sixth Doctor battling against Cybermen
Doctor	Colin Baker (Sixth Doctor)
Companion	Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown)
Writer	"Paula Moore" (Paula Woolsey)
Director	Matthew Robinson
Script editor	Eric Saward
Producer	John Nathan-Turner
Executive producer(s)	None
Production code	6T
Series	Season 22
Length	2 episodes, 45 mins each
Originally broadcast	January 5–January 12, 1985
Chronology
← Preceded by	Followed by →
The Twin Dilemma	Vengeance on Varos

Attack of the Cybermen is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from January 5 to January 12, 1985. It opened Season 22 of the series. Beginning with this serial and continuing for the remainder of Season 22, episodes were 45 minutes in length (as opposed to previous episodes which were 25 minutes long); for syndication, in some markets, this serial is re-edited into four, 25-minute segments. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... This article is about the television series. ... Image File history File links Attack_of_the_Cybermen. ... The Sixth Doctor is the name given to the sixth incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... The Cybermen - 1966 vintage (from The Moonbase). ... For the Wales international football player see Colin Baker (Welsh footballer) Colin Baker (born London, June 8, 1943) is an English actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986. ... The Sixth Doctor is the name given to the sixth incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Companion, in the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, is a term used to describe a character who travels with and shares the adventures of the Doctor. ... Nicola Bryant (publicity portrait). ... Peri Brown, full name Perpugilliam Brown, is a fictional character played by Nicola Bryant in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Paula Woolsey was the former partner of Eric Saward amd contributed a draft of the story Attack of the Cybermen to Saward during his time as script editor on Doctor Who. ... For the track star, see Matthew Robinson (athlete). ... Eric Saward (pronounced SAY-ward) was born in December 1944 and became a script writer and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986. ... John Nathan-Turner. ... Doctor Who episodes redirects here. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... The Twin Dilemma is is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from March 22 to March 30, 1984, the first to star Colin Baker in the title role. ... Vengeance on Varos is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from January 19 to January 26, 1985. ... Doctor Who episodes redirects here. ... A broadcast of the long-running and popular British science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... This article is about the television series. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

Synopsis

The Sixth Doctor and Peri encounter the mercenary Lytton, stranded on planet Earth and in the employ of the Cybermen. A plot is being hatched that aims to change the history of Earth in favour of the Cyber-race, and the Doctor finds himself on an alien planet he has visited before as he tries to defeat his enemies and work out who he can trust to help him. The Sixth Doctor is the name given to the sixth incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Peri Brown, full name Perpugilliam Brown, is a fictional character played by Nicola Bryant in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... The War Chief redirects here. ... The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. ... Geological time put in a diagram called a geological clock, showing the relative lengths of the eons of the Earths history. ...

Plot

In the London sewer system, two sewer workers called Bill and David are discussing that even though they have both worked down there for years, everything looks as though it has been shuffled around overnight. As Bill is speaking, he notices that David has disappeared without a trace. Calling after his friend, he finds himself accosted by a tall creature, who effortlessly and efficiently beats him to death... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

The Doctor is repairing circuitry in the TARDIS's roundels, using his new sonic lance. After he undergoes several technical difficulties, Peri enters after putting on a new outfit (apple in hand) and wonders what he is doing; the Doctor is finally repairing the chameleon circuit - a task he wonders why he never found the time to do before. Peri inquires why he is suddenly so energetic and affirmative in his actions - after all, he has recently regenerated, and he has proven since then to have a penchant for unstable behaviour. The Doctor seems genuinely hurt by this, but he assures her that he is as stable as he could ever hope to be, and he would never dream of hurting her. The current TARDIS prop. ... This is a list of items from the BBC television series Doctor Who. ... Peri Brown, full name Perpugilliam Brown, is a fictional character played by Nicola Bryant in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... This article is about the fruit. ... The Caves of Androzani is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from March 8 to March 16, 1984. ...

Lytton is organising what he claims is a £10 million diamond heist on the Bank of England. He explains the plan: his merry band of four shall go into the sewers, and use plastic explosives to blow a hole in the wall of the vault, escaping with the diamonds, and no-one (in theory) should get hurt. Down they go into the sewers, with Payne agreeing to stand on lookout by the manhole. As the others move away, no-one notices the tall, black figure silently advancing behind Payne... The War Chief redirects here. ... GBP redirects here. ... This article is about the mineral. ... Headquarters Coordinates , , Governor Mervyn King Central Bank of United Kingdom Currency Pound sterling ISO 4217 Code GBP Base borrowing rate 5. ... A C-4 plastic explosive. ...

The Doctor says he is taking Peri somewhere nice and peaceful, to treat her after the awful time they both had on Jaconda. After a very difficult trip through the Time Vortex, he shows Halley's Comet to her, inadvertently revealing that he plans to take her to Earth. It is soon clear that being so close to the comet upsets her (as does, undoubtedly, the fact that they nearly crash into it), so he steers away from it. The TARDIS then picks up a distress signal coming from London, in 1985; they both agree that they have to investigate this. This is a list of planets, fictional or otherwise, that are mentioned in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... The TARDIS in the vortex, from the 2005 title sequence. ... This article is about the comet. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Comet Hale-Bopp Comet West For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ... This article is about the year. ...

The TARDIS lands in 76 Totter's Lane, London, a scrapyard that the Doctor finds oddly familiar. As he and Peri begin to leave the scrapyard the chameleon circuit turns the time machine into a stove with an attractive (or cloying) floral pattern (much to Peri's mirth). The Doctor, slightly defensive, says that the TARDIS is slightly out of practice when it comes to choosing new forms. (They both fail to notice two policemen, who are walking past them.) As the pair move through the streets, the Doctor scanning for this signal, Peri reveals how worried she is for him: his memory is in pieces, and he keeps calling her the names of his previous companions. He assures her he is fine. After tracing the signal to an abandoned warehouse that does not contain anyone; he remarks how foolish he was for not realising what has happened. After dashing back to the scrapyard, they eventually find a door in the TARDIS's new form and take off. An Unearthly Child (also known as 100,000 BC, among other titles, see below) is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 23 November to 14 December 1963. ... Categories: Stub | Waste ... Time travel is a concept that has long fascinated humanity—whether it is Merlin experiencing time backwards, or religious traditions like Mohammeds trip to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven, returning before a glass knocked over had spilt its contents. ...

Meanwhile, Lytton's group are not faring well in the sewer: Russell has cold feet, and Griffith is doing all of the wall-demolishing single-handedly (much to his annoyance). Lytton does not seem to be noticing these things, and seems almost to be waiting for someone.

Onboard the TARDIS, the Doctor explains that the alien has put relays around the city, making it hard for them to trace his signal (and thus help him). Peri points out a vital clue: such an extraterrestrial would surely leave a time trace; the Doctor starts tracking down that very thing.

The TARDIS then lands, disguised as a pipe organ, in the garage containing the manhole Lytton's crew have descended. There, the two policemen seen earlier accost them, but the Doctor (unseen) knocks one of them out in the sewer, and Peri handcuffs the other to a railing and takes his gun. They then descend the manhole. The baroque organ in Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by forcing pressurized air (referred to as wind) through a series of pipes. ...

In the sewer, Lytton's trio discover a tall, black figure advancing towards them. Although Lytton insists that all is fine, Griffith panics and shoots his (previously unseen) gun at the tall figure; prompting Lytton to take out his own firearm and threaten Griffith, in order to stop him firing at the figure. Suddenly, the wall behind them slides open and an entire army of silver giants is revealed. Then Lytton offers their Leader his weapon, saying that he offers his life to the Cybermen. The Cyber Leader effortlessly crushes Lytton's gun, eliciting a scream from Griffith...

Lytton's two policemen comrades - as well as the two sewer workers we saw at the beginning - are being converted into Cybermen. Lytton manages to talk his way out of the same procedure, explaining that he detected the Cybermen's transmissions and deliberately contacted them, bringing along humans for them to convert as a sign of goodwill. He identifies himself as a warrior mercenary from Riften V and points out that he could easily have alerted Earth authorities to the Cybermen's presence but chose not to. The Cyber Leader accepts the logic of his argument and decides to report to the Controller on Telos. This is a list of planets, fictional or otherwise, that are mentioned in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ...

On Telos, a work party of slaves plants explosives in the ground. Three of them make a break for it, but one is killed and the decapitated Cyber-head, which they require for the next stage of the escape, is destroyed. The two survivors, Bates and Stratton, hide nearby, but without a third pilot and a Cyber-head, they're still as good as prisoners. The other slaves' spirits have been completely crushed; nobody else has tried to escape. In Cyber Control, the Controller receives a report of the escape attempt, and decides to analyse Bates and Stratton's behaviour as they attempt to survive and escape.

The Doctor and Peri are captured by Russell, who frisks the Doctor and finds Payne's gun. The Doctor manages to surprise and overpower Russell, who eventually admits that he's an undercover policeman who infiltrated Lytton's gang to find out who he was. After a raid on an electronics warehouse -- which the Doctor and Peri realize supplied Lytton with the parts he needed for his intergalactic transmitter -- the police heard Lytton's name whispered on the streets, but could find no records of his existence at all. It was as if he'd just arrived from another planet. The Doctor warns Russell that this is exactly what he did -- and he's a ruthless, professional killer...

Bates and Stratton use their mining tools to destroy and decapitate a Cyberman sent out to recapture them. Bates intends to clean out the head so Stratton can use it as a disguise; as prisoner and escort they stand a better chance of getting into Cyber Control. But the destruction of the scout is detected, and the Controller decides that Bates and Stratton are too resourceful and must be destroyed.

Back on Earth, the Cybermen detect temporal distortion nearby, and send scouts to investigate. The Doctor, Peri and Russell encounter one, and the Doctor destroys it by plunging his sonic lance into its chest unit. The Cybermen detect this, and the Leader decides to close down this base and send the partially converted humans to their mothership. The Leader himself takes a squad out to investigate the scout's destruction, and when they find an alien artefact was responsible Lytton soon guesses who the "alien" is. He's surprised to learn that the Cybermen already know of the Doctor. The Cyber Leader decides to alter his plans and capture the Doctor and his TARDIS.

The Doctor, Peri and Russell emerge from the sewers, closely followed by the Cybermen. But the Doctor has accidentally left the TARDIS doors open and Cybermen have already entered the ship. Russell destroys one by shooting it through the weak point in its mouth panel, and shoots another with the first Cyberman's gun. But before Peri can shut the doors the Cyber Leader and his patrol arrive, and while Russell is distracted a third Cyberman emerges from the corridors and strikes him upon his neck, killing him instantly. Peri approaches Russell and the Cybermen then close in on Peri...

The Doctor threatens to destroy the TARDIS unless the Cyber Leader agrees to spare Peri's life. He does so, giving the word of the Cyber Controller that she will not be harmed -- and the Doctor realizes that, by implication, not only did the Controller survive their last meeting but these Cybermen have somehow travelled through Time. He sets the co-ordinates for Telos, and he, Peri, Griffiths and Lytton are locked up in a nearby storeroom. Lytton returns the Doctor's sonic lance so he can sabotage the navigational controls and shift the TARDIS slightly off course, and reveals that the Cybermen haven't developed their own theories of Time travel; they simply stole a ship which was forced down on Telos for repairs. The Doctor, attempting to explain the history of the Cybermen to Griffiths and Peri, is forced to admit that their home world Mondas was destroyed while attacking Earth -- in 1986, which in their terms is next year. The Doctor assures them that Earth survived with minimal damage; the surviving Cybermen evacuated to Telos, wiped out the indigenous Cryons and transformed their refrigerated cities into cryogenic tombs in which to hibernate and recover their strength. Bates and Stratton continue to approach Cyber Control despite Stratton's conviction that the plan will never work. The reactivation of dormant Cybermen is halted when too many are found damaged or dead; some are going rogue in the tombs and destroying everything they encounter.

The Doctor is forced to switch off the distress call he'd surreptitiously activated, but thanks to his earlier sabotage the TARDIS (in the form of a set of iron gates) materializes in the tombs rather than in Cyber Control. While the Cyber Leader reports for further instructions, the Doctor notices a stench of decay in the air -- and realizes that Lytton knows more about it than he's saying. A rogue Cyberman suddenly bursts out of a tomb and attacks them, and in the confusion Peri, Lytton and Griffiths escape. Peri, separated from the others, is attacked by yet another rogue Cyberman -- and is rescued by two Cryons...

Griffiths and Lytton hide in the tunnels outside the tombs, where they are contacted by a Cryon named Threst -- who welcomes Lytton by name. Lytton admits that he's been working for the Cryons all along; it was they who picked up his distress call from Earth, and on their behalf he intends to steal the Cybermen's time machine. Since the Cryons can only survive in sub-zero temperatures they will be unable to help, and Lytton thus brought Griffiths along to act as his bodyguard, in return for which the Cryons will pay him the equivalent of two million British pounds in uncut diamonds. Griffiths is reluctant to risk his life, but Lytton points out that his only two alternatives if captured are death -- or conversion into a Cyberman.

The Doctor is locked up in a storeroom with a Cryon prisoner, Flast, and upon learning that some Cryons survived the Cybermen's attempt at genocide he also realizes that they must be responsible for the damage to the Cybermen in the tombs. He's less pleased by Flast's revelation of the Cybermen's plans -- since they stole their time machine they don't fully understand the principles of Time, and intend to change history by preventing Mondas from being destroyed...

Lytton and Griffiths emerge onto the surface of Telos, where Bates and Stratton confront them. Griffiths is shocked to learn that Bates and Stratton are partially cybernetic; they were sent to the work parties when the conversion process failed. Lytton points out that the time vessel requires a crew of three and suggests that they join forces. Meanwhile, Peri is held in the Cryon base by Rost and Varne, who are unable to help her rescue the Doctor as they would perish in the heat of Cyber Control. They tell Peri she will need to run fast in the near future, they roll up Peri's trouser legs and her High Heels then fall off her feet, Peri sees them fall on the floor and then disappear. They admit that Lytton is working for them to prevent the Cybermen from leaving Telos -- upon abandoning the planet the Cybermen intend to destroy it to observe the effect on its atmosphere. High-heeled shoes are shoes where the heel of the wearers foot is raised to be significantly higher than their toes. ...

Flast explains to the Doctor that the Cybermen intend to divert the course of Halley's Comet, causing it to collide with Earth. The Doctor suddenly realizes that the Time Lords have once again manipulated him into this situation so he can clean it up for them. Flast points out a potential weapon; the storeroom contains canisters of vastial, an unstable mineral which explodes upon reaching fifteen degrees above zero, and she's managed to open one. The Doctor uses his sonic lance to pick the lock of the storeroom door, and uses a small amount of vastial to destroy the guard outside. Flast takes the sonic lance, turns it on and buries it in the open canister of vastial, hoping to spark an explosion which will destroy Cyber Control. She is unable to leave the sub-zero storeroom but urges the Doctor to escape without her.

Lytton and his companions enter Cyber Control, but as Lytton is guarding their backs he is attacked and overpowered by Cybermen and the others have no choice but to carry on without him. Lytton is taken back to the control room and tortured, and when he refuses to speak he is taken to be converted into a Cyberman. Rost and Varne learn of Lytton's capture while taking Peri back to the TARDIS.

The Doctor returns to the TARDIS, where he finds two Cybermen on guard and is reunited with Peri. Rost and Varne help him break into a tomb which they have already sabotaged, and the Doctor activates the distress call in the dead Cyberman inside, luring the two guards away from the TARDIS and into a trap. In the ensuing battle, Varne is killed but both Cybermen are destroyed. As the Doctor prepares to leave, Peri insists that they rescue Lytton first, and the Doctor, who was fully prepared to leave Lytton to his fate, is startled to learn that he was working for the Cryons all along. He agrees to see what he can do.

Bates, Griffiths and Stratton finally reach the landing pad, but just as they're within sight of their goal Bates is killed by an electrified door -- which opens to reveal a Cyberman who guns down Griffiths and Stratton. Meanwhile, the Cybermen detect the Doctor's escape and question Flast; when she refuses to speak they fling her into the corridor, where her body boils away in the heat. As the Cybermen begin checking the vastial stores, the Cyber Controller learns that the TARDIS has been moved and returns to the control room. The sabotaged vastial container, hidden in the back of the storeroom, has begun to steam...

The TARDIS, once again in the form of a police box, materializes in the control room. The Doctor emerges to find Lytton partially converted, and as he tries to free him from the processing machine Lytton, drugged and partially converted, begs the Doctor to kill him. The Cyber Controller arrives, having guessed that the Doctor's emotional weaknesses would draw him back to rescue his friend. As the Controller approaches, however, Lytton attacks him, puncturing his hydraulic valves with the knife the Doctor was using to pry him free from the processing machines. The Controller strikes back, snapping Lytton's neck and killing him, while the Doctor grabs the Controller's gun and shoots the Cyber Leader, who staggers back into his Lieutenant, causing him to accidentally fire his gun at point-blank range, killing them both. The Doctor then shoots the Cyber Controller, destroying him once and for all. Peri emerges from the TARDIS and practically drags the Doctor away from Lytton's body.

As the TARDIS dematerializes, the sonic lance finally heats the vastial to ignition point, and the resulting chain reaction destroys all Cyber Control and the stolen time machine as well. The Earth is safe and the web of Time has been preserved... but at a great personal cost, as the Doctor blames himself for misjudging and failing to save Lytton.

Cast

• The Doctor — Colin Baker
• Peri — Nicola Bryant
• Lytton — Maurice Colbourne
• Griffiths —Brian Glover
• Russell — Terry Molloy
• Payne — James Beckett
• Stratton — Jonathan David
• Bates — Michael Attwell
• Bill — Stephen Churchett
• David — Stephen Wale
• Rost — Sarah Berger
• Threst — Esther Freud
• Varne — Sarah Greene
• Flast — Faith Brown
• Cyber Leader — David Banks
• Cyber Controller — Michael Kilgarriff
• Cyber Lieutenant — Brian Orrell
• Cyberman — John Ainley

This article is about the character of the Doctor. ... For the Wales international football player see Colin Baker (Welsh footballer) Colin Baker (born London, June 8, 1943) is an English actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986. ... Peri Brown, full name Perpugilliam Brown, is a fictional character played by Nicola Bryant in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Nicola Bryant (publicity portrait). ... Maurice Colbourne (September 24, 1939, Sheffield, England–August 4, 1989, Brittany) was a British stage and television actor. ... Brian Glover (April 2, 1934 - July 24, 1997) was a British actor. ... A fan with Terry Molloy at a Doctor Who convention in April 2006. ... Michael John Attwell (16 January 1943 in Watford, Hertfordshire - 18 March 2006 in London) was an English actor. ... Stephen Churchett is a British actor and writer, probably best known for playing Marcus Christie in EastEnders from 1990 to 2004. ... Esther Freud is a British novelist. ... Sarah, alongside her husband Mike Smith (left) and Michael Parkinson (right) on Ghostwatch Sarah Greene (born 24 October 1958, in London, England) is a British television presenter. ... Faith Brown (born 28 May 1944 in Liverpool, England) is a British actress, comedienne and impressionist noted for her extremely large bonanzas. ... David Banks David Banks (born 24 September 1951 in Hull, England) is a British actor. ... Michael Kilgarriff is a British actor, born 1937 in Brighton. ...

Continuity

This story has been criticised for relying heavily on elements from Doctor Who's past, confusing all but hardcore fans of the series.^[1] Some references are:

• The scrapyard where the TARDIS arrives in London is supposed to be the same location from which the Doctor departed in the first Doctor Who story, An Unearthly Child. It is also featured in Remembrance of the Daleks.
• The TARDIS changes from its police box shape for the first time. It takes the shape of a decorated cupboard, a pipe organ, and an ornamental gateway.
• Peri claims that the Doctor has referred to her as "Zoe", "Tegan", "Susan", "Sarah Jane" and "Jamie", as well as the "Terrible Zodin". Zodin is a never-seen character first referenced in The Five Doctors and later mentioned in a Martha Jones blog entry labelled Infinty on the official Martha Jones Myspace site.
• This story has a scene where the Doctor shoots the Cyberleader with a laser rifle, a rare occasion in which the character has used a gun (although the Fifth Doctor struggles with a Cyberman in a similar scene in Earthshock).
• Other continuity references in this story include the Cybermen's first attempt at destroying the Earth in 1986 (although this story appears to take place in 1985) and the Second Doctor's earlier encounter on Telos.
• Mercenary Lytton, seen working for the Cybermen, has been in Doctor Who before. He appeared in the Fifth Doctor episode Resurrection Of The Daleks, where he was working for the Daleks in an attempt to find Davros.

An Unearthly Child (also known as 100,000 BC, among other titles, see below) is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 23 November to 14 December 1963. ... Remembrance of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from October 5 to October 26, 1988. ... A police box is a telephone kiosk or callbox for use by members of the police. ... Decorative crockery and bibelots in vitré armoire or vitrina A cupboard (IPA: ) is a type of cabinet, often made of wood, used indoors to store household objects such as food and crockery, and protect them from dust and dirt. ... The baroque organ in Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by forcing pressurized air (referred to as wind) through a series of pipes. ... Zoe Herriot, or simply Zoe, is a fictional character played by Wendy Padbury in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Tegan Jovanka is a fictional character played by Janet Fielding in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Susan Foreman is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its related spin-offs. ... James Robert McCrimmon, or simply Jamie, is a fictional character played by Frazer Hines in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... The Five Doctors was a special movie-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programmes twentieth anniversary. ... Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and will appear in its spin-off series, Torchwood. ... The Fifth Doctor is the name given to the fifth incarnation of the fictional character known as the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Earthshock is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from March 8 to March 16, 1982. ... The Tenth Planet is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from October 8 to October 29, 1966. ... The Second Doctor is the name given to the second incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... The Tomb of the Cybermen is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which originally aired in four weekly parts from September 2 to September 23, 1967. ...

Authorship

The serial is credited to "Paula Moore"; however, behind that name lies one of the most confused and controversial authorships in the entire series' history. Authorship copyright on the serial is divided between "Paula Moore" (real name Paula Woolsey) as the author; Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis as creators of the Cybermen; Eric Saward as the creator of Lytton and the BBC who hold the copyright on the series elements. Not to be confused with copywriting. ... Paula Woolsey was the former partner of Eric Saward amd contributed a draft of the story Attack of the Cybermen to Saward during his time as script editor on Doctor Who. ... Dr. Kit Pedler was the Head of the Electron Microscopy Department at the University of London. ... Gerry Davis was a British television writer, best known for his contributions to the science-fiction genre. ... Eric Saward (pronounced SAY-ward) was born in December 1944 and became a script writer and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

Several separate accounts offer wildly differing versions of who actually authored the story. Most accounts agree that series fan and continuity advisor Ian Levine suggested a number of plot elements. At the one extreme, it is suggested that the story was authored by series script editor Eric Saward, with or without substantial input by Levine, with Woolsey only acting as the story's author to prevent problems with the Writers' Guild, who objected to script editors editing their own scripts. At the other extreme, it is suggested that Woolsey originated the story, but Saward heavily rewrote it in his capacity as script editor. Levine himself claims that Saward wrote the dialogue to Levine's story and plot and that Woolsey "did not write one single word of that script". Saward has flatly denied this in an interview with Doctor Who Magazine. Record producer Ian Levine. ... Script Editor is a program included with Mac OS that allows AppleScripts to be written, debugged, and ran. ... Doctor Who Magazine (abbreviated as DWM) is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ...

In print

The Target novelisation by Eric Saward

A novelisation of this serial, written by Eric Saward, was published by Target Books in April 1989. by David Whitaker, published in 1964, was the very first Doctor Who novelisation. ... Eric Saward (pronounced SAY-ward) was born in December 1944 and became a script writer and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986. ... Eric Saward (pronounced SAY-ward) was born in December 1944 and became a script writer and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986. ... Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. ...

In 1995 the novel was also issued by BBC Audio as an audio book, read by Colin Baker. Since the 1970s, there have been many official and unofficial Doctor Who and related spin-offs released on audio, as LPs, audio cassettes, audio CDs and MP3 CDs. ...

Broadcast and home video release

• This story was released on VHS in November of 2000.
• A commentary featuring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Terry Molloy and Sarah Berger was recorded on June 26th 2007 for this story for a future, as yet unannounced DVD release.^[2]

Bottom view of VHS cassette with magnetic tape exposed Top view of VHS cassette with front casing removed The Video Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS, is a recording and playing standard. ... For the Wales international football player see Colin Baker (Welsh footballer) Colin Baker (born London, June 8, 1943) is an English actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986. ... Nicola Bryant (publicity portrait). ... A fan with Terry Molloy at a Doctor Who convention in April 2006. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Trivia

When the Cybermen are revealed to be inside the TARDIS, as the Cyber Leader orders Peri's destruction, a completely black Cyberman can be seen in the background. The reason for and purpose of this variant of Cyberman is unexplained. This same Cyberman is earlier seen in the sewers, the novelisation explains this, claiming it was for camouflage in the darkness.

References

David J. Howe is a British novelist, writer, journalist, publisher, and media historian. ... Stephen James Walker is a writer and editor most associated with his work relating to the BBC Television series Doctor Who, usually with co-editors David J. Howe and/or Mark Stammers. ... Chatham is an English town that developed around an important naval dockyard on the east bank of the River Medway to the east of London in the county of Kent. ... BBC Books is the book publishing division of BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... For the Wales international football player see Colin Baker (Welsh footballer) Colin Baker (born London, June 8, 1943) is an English actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

External links

• Attack of the Cybermen at bbc.co.uk
• Attack of the Cybermen at Doctor Who: A Brief History Of Time (Travel)
• Attack of the Cybermen at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• Attack of the Cybermen at Outpost Gallifrey

The domain name bbc. ... Outpost Gallifrey is a fan website for the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ...

Reviews

• Attack of the Cybermen reviews at Outpost Gallifrey
• Attack of the Cybermen reviews at The Doctor Who Ratings Guide
• The Whoniverse's review on Attack of the Cybermen

Outpost Gallifrey is a fan website for the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ...

Target novelisation

• Attack of the Cybermen (novelisation) reviews at Outpost Gallifrey
• On Target — Attack of the Cybermen