In the penultimate episode of The Invasion, things go quite bad: the Cybermen, having realized Tobias Vaughn is about to betray them, double-cross him by announcing they will destroy the Earth. UNIT isn't in any better condition, as the Brigadier has sent some men to Russia, where a missile will be launched in order to destroy the mental control device the Cybermen have planted on the moon. Even the Doctor is having a hard time, as he has to convince Vaughn the best thing for him to do is saving our planet.
One more episode to go, and it is only now that the real danger is introduced: it was obvious the invasion would be prevented, so here comes the bomb threat to provide an extra dose of suspense before the whole story ends. The crazy thing is, the gimmick actually works: this is by far the tensest and most satisfying chapter of The Invasion, filled with good dialogue and smart twists. The highlight is of course the confrontation between Vaughn and the Doctor: Kevin Stoney has always been the best thing in this batch of episodes, and Troughton, after doing pretty much nothing so far, is finally given the opportunity to fully employ all the tics, wisecracks and snide remarks that come with his role. On the downside, there is no sign whatsoever of the Cybermen in this episode: the threat itself is pretty terrifying, sure, but a little extra presence to add to the dread would have been nice.
Overall, pretty damn good. No real villains (except for Vaughn), but their absence is compensated by true tension and the protagonist's newfound energy.
7,5/10
One more episode to go, and it is only now that the real danger is introduced: it was obvious the invasion would be prevented, so here comes the bomb threat to provide an extra dose of suspense before the whole story ends. The crazy thing is, the gimmick actually works: this is by far the tensest and most satisfying chapter of The Invasion, filled with good dialogue and smart twists. The highlight is of course the confrontation between Vaughn and the Doctor: Kevin Stoney has always been the best thing in this batch of episodes, and Troughton, after doing pretty much nothing so far, is finally given the opportunity to fully employ all the tics, wisecracks and snide remarks that come with his role. On the downside, there is no sign whatsoever of the Cybermen in this episode: the threat itself is pretty terrifying, sure, but a little extra presence to add to the dread would have been nice.
Overall, pretty damn good. No real villains (except for Vaughn), but their absence is compensated by true tension and the protagonist's newfound energy.
7,5/10
