It looks like I got my wish. Here are four surviving episodes in a row to start me off on the next season. Actually, as of the moment there are only 25 more episodes of recons left in this marathon of mine, which is weird to think about. Seasons Three and Four were undoubtedly the "most missing" of this era, so in a sense I am now over the hump.
Is The Tomb of the Cybermen a worthy serial to have survive in its entirety? I think so. Although it's not the best of the Troughton era so far (not even close, really) it is still a solid set of episodes which I enjoyed quite a bit. I'll concede that the magic of the moving picture might have seduced me to this conclusion, but there are still more than a few marvelous moments in this one.
To wit, basically any moment where the new TARDIS crew interacts is just great. The soft reintroduction to the show at the beginning is a charming bit, and the Doctor's talk with Victoria during Episode Three is very lovely. There is immediately a strong dynamic between the Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria, which makes everything feel quite fresh. Victoria, I thought, was well served on her first outing, proving to be sassy and resourceful in the face of trouble. We'll be watching her career with great interest. The Doctor gets many memorable lines and moments, of course. I had a healthy laugh when he dismisses Klieg, "Well now I know you're mad. I just wanted to make sure."
Most of the supporting cast is fine, though I got my share of chuckles out of Hopper's accent. I thought that the strongest performance out of them was that of George Pastell as Klieg. For all that Klieg's and Kaftan's portrayal have some unfortunate implications, it's clear that Pastell plays the part with relish, and it's certainly a memorable one. Yet again I brandish the stick of shame against this story for Toberman's portrayal as a mostly mute strongman without any agency of his own. Why on earth did they do this two serials in a row with actors of color? It's depressing.
The Cybermen themselves are properly cold and inhuman, although they don't get to do very much. The scene where they emerge from their tombs is justifiably famous, but Cybermats just don't have quite the same menace. They prove to be a little creepy at times, but nothing that wags its tail can really be considered scary. I can't look at them without thinking of the Silverfish from Minecraft. (Nasty things.)
Generally, it's well-directed, and the soundtrack (from the BBC library, no doubt) is certainly memorable. It is a story with some considerable faults (aforementioned character issues, and an underwhelming turnout from the titular baddies themselves) but overall solid, and a good start to the season.
Be sure to bundle up, because The Abominable Snowmen is next.
(Modified from the original posted at Gallifrey Base on 6 March 2021.)
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