The Invasion - Episode 7

It's the penultimate episode of this story that has quickly got good and made up for the rather feeble 'The Wheel in Space'. At the end of the last episode the Cybermen were seen walking through the streets of London but whats rather curious is how that’s about all that we get. At least in this episode Patrick Troughton gets out of the lab set. Frazer Hines has a brief involvement in the episode as he is shot. He is due to have a holiday in the next episode (more of that in episode 8). From the next scene with the Doctor, Jamie is not seen so that means that Zoe gets more to do. She gets to use her intelligence by working how to destroy all the ships. It's the first time since her debut story that she gets to show us how brainy she is and it’s a very good moment though its sadly becoming a rare thing. 

 

I only noticed quite late in the episode that Isobel seems to have a bit of a disappearing act along with Jamie. The fact that it took me so long to notice her lack of presence shows just how ineffective the character has been. I might be being harsh on Sally Faulkner but its not her fault but more the writing as she's not been given much to do. 

 

We get another first in this episode as we get to see the Doctor driving a car. This would be the norm during the Pertwee era but this was something special at the time. Sadly despite the fact that this story is called The Invasion there isn't any sign of an invasion apart from the very beginning. The Cybermen don’t really have much of an impact in the episode and it feels like we've gone back a step and gone back to 'The Wheel in Space'. It's rather frustrating.  

 

It feels like the dynamic between Vaughn and Packer was starting to change. Vaughn does seem to be losing control as without Watkins, they cant make more machines to control the Cybermen. Packer seems to be more unsure about the plan. I think that its good how their relationship has developed and they have both been very good from their first appearances.  

 

I do like the Doctor/Vaughn scenes towards the end of the episode. It's always great when two fine actors are working in the same scene and it leads to the moment that Vaughn realizes that he's out of his depth and is reluctant to stop his plans after five years in the making. It makes for a great ending when the Doctor asks Vaughn if he wants to be ruler of a dead world and then there is a close up of Vaughns face. I did feel like there was a slight feel of padding in this episode but not as noticeable as the first four episodes. At least there was development as far as the Cyberman's plan was concerned and the final episode should have the fitting end that this story deserves.