Michael Kilgarriff Movies

"Attack of the Cybermen," Doctor Who's 22nd-season opener, began its two-episode run on January 5, 1985. Having already captured a time vessel, the dreaded Cybermen also snatch the TARDIS. This action prevents the Doctor (Colin Baker) and his new allies, the alien Cryons, from thwarting the Cybermen's plans to harness the power of Halley's Comet to destroy the Earth. Once again, the sewers of London are turned into a battleground as the Doctor tries to square off against his perennial enemies. Written by Paula Woolsey, "Attack of the Cybermen" was originally telecast in two 45-minute installments; for American consumption, the adventure was re-edited as a four-part cliffhanger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "Frontier in Space," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning) are now aware that the Master (Roger Delgado) is using mass hypnosis to spark a devastating war between the planets Earth and Draconia in the year 2450 A.D. The problem now is to convince the Earthlings and Draconians that they've been hoodwinked. As the Doctor attempts this, Jo faces a whole new set of dangers. Written by Malcolm Hulke, "Frontier in Space, Episode 5" originally aired on March 24, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the final episode of Doctor Who's 11th season, the Doctor endured a crisis of conscience, one so profound that he was forced into another of his periodic regenerations. In this way, Jon Pertwee was able to leave the series, to make way for the Fourth Doctor, who in turn was unveiled in the 12th-season opener, episode one of "Robot" (which was also the first of the series' story continuities to be shot completely on videotape, with no filmed sequences). Tom Baker took over the role of the Doctor, spending the bulk of the episode getting accustomed to his new body. While resting from his labors, the new Doctor falls asleep for a few minutes -- just enough time for a robot to steal the plans for a valuable disintegrator gun, thereby setting the plot proper in motion. First telecast on December 28, 1974, the first episode of the four-part "Robot" was written by Terrance Dicks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the four-part story "Robot," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) has discovered that the robot which stole a new disintegrator gun had been programmed to do so by Hilda Winters (Patricia Maynard), director of the research organization Think Tank. It was the organization's intention to use the gun, and the robot, to start a nuclear war, and then emerge as conquerors of the devastated world. Will the Doctor be able to thwart this scheme -- and will Sarah be able to escape death at the hands of the robot? First telecast on January 11, 1975, "Robot, Episode 2" was written by Terrance Dicks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the four-part story "The Tomb of the Cybermen," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his friends have joined an archeological expedition on the planet Telos. Upon finding the ice tombs of the dreaded Cybermen, the Doctor also uncovers a horrible secret. Without giving the game away, it can be noted that there are at least three other members of the expedition who have their own agenda. Originally telecast September 9, 1967, Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen, Episode 2 was written by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Tomb of the Cybermen," the titular villains unleash their Cybermat army on the members of an expedition on the planet Telos. Among those threatened is the Doctor (Patrick Troughton), who fortunately has the wherewithal to destroy the Cybermen. Unfortunately, he is also armed with the knowledge that if the Cybermen are indeed wiped out, the consequences could be devastating. Originally telecast September 23, 1967, Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen, Episode 4 was written by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide