This one seems to have enjoyed an outsized sort of popularity. Many of the marathons and other reviews of this era which I've read have talked about how much of the British general viewing public remembered The Moonbase. Mostly as "the one where they're on the Moon", but hey, that's still something, isn't it? Ben remarks in Episode One on having seen photos of the lunar surface, which had only existed for a few short years at the time. It's easy to see how an episode on the surface of the Moon would have captured the imagination at a time when the Apollo landings had not yet taken place, and the fact that the shots of the Cybermen striding through the lunar wastes are cut so strikingly no doubt played a role.
This is a good serial. The fact that the words "The Moonbase is now under siege" are uttered in the third episode tips us off to the fact that we are indeed deep within that genre at this point, but I don't feel that it's to this serial's detriment. The side characters are fairly likable, though not the best we've had so far, and I was entertained by the resolution to the mystery of what was spreading the disease on the base. Not everyone takes sugar with their coffee indeed. ("Would it make a difference?" the Seventh Doctor who lives in the back of my head says, making me chortle while watching.)
The Cyberman redesign deserves some praise. It's miles from the iconic Mondas design we saw before, but clearly sets the foundation for all the later appearances they'll wear. Talking of Mondas, it's not entirely clear from watching this just how the Cybermen survived The Tenth Planet, since they shrug off the question. They also seem to recognize the Second Doctor, interestingly enough, despite his recent face lift. I have to assume they're relying on historical records from The Invasion.
I was disappointed to find Jamie out of commission for most of the story, feeling that he has not yet had much of a chance to shine since he joined the crew. Ben and Polly were still as good as ever; I continue to find myself warming to them, and realized with a bit of disappointment that I'm now very close to saying goodbye to them. A lot has been made of the Doctor's suggestion that Polly make coffee, but as much as I feel it's a valid complaint, it didn't really make me flinch. Later on when Ben says something is "men's work", she flat out ignores him and comes along anyway, which I take as a sign that the writer thinks casual sexism is rubbish after all.
Troughton continues to be a charming Doctor, especially when we can actually see him in motion. I'm noticing that he has a lot of facial tics and uses his expressions to convey more than many of the other actors around him do, so it really is a crying shame that so much of his era is missing.
All in all, another solid adventure, but not an extraordinary one. I'm more excited for The Macra Terror, which is our next animated adventure...
(Modified from the original posted at Gallifrey Base on 26 September 2020.)
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