Written By: Neil Gaiman
Directed By: Stephen Woolfenden
The Story: The Doctor takes Clara, Angie & Artie to Hedgewick’s World of Wonders: the perfect theme park day out, only to find himself in a deadly battle against an army of Cybermen and himself!
The Verdict: Superstar author Neil Gaiman takes his second stab at DOCTOR WHO this week, after his perfect debut back in 2011 with THE DOCTOR’S WIFE, and this time he’s been given some bigger toys to play with – the Cybermen! It’s a match made in heaven, and Gaiman wastes no time in having some nasty fun with the classic foes, upgrading them into the perfect unstoppable and emotionless killers, a role they’ve not quite been since their return to WHO in 2006.
Sadly though, NIGHTMARE IN SILVER isn’t the perfect episode it should be. Too many dark elements are played for laughs, negating much of the threat level. The presence of Angie and Artie is unbearably annoying from the get-go, though thankfully Gaiman, clearly lumbered with them, writes them out the plot after ten minutes (shame they couldn’t do an Adric though), whilst elsewhere the plot regarding the missing emperor is a tad predictable.
What saves the episode from mediocrity though is the presence of the retooled Cybermen. Moffat & Gaiman succeed in finally doing something different with the metal monsters, unlocking their potential and literally upgrading them into unstoppable killers, which makes a nice change after the easily defeatable cannon fodder Cybermen from THE NEXT DOCTOR (2008) and CLOSING TIME (2012). The new powers and upgrading abilities they’ve been given help make them all the more fearsome, leading to some great action set pieces, and a brilliantly choreographed battle scene in the latter half of the episode.
The chess scenes between the Doctor and the Cyber-Doctor are enjoyable enough as well, though Smith does occasionally come across a bit too emotional and camp when he should be the exact opposite. Still, it’s a minor gripe, as the performance from Smith is one of the best this season (see below).
All in all though, it’s a fun and enjoyable episode that does what it sets out to do – restore the Cybermen and make them an enemy to fear again. It may occasionally go too light for its own good, but its still one of the better Cybermen stories we’ve had in ages, largely due to the genius known as Neil Gaiman.
Best Bit: The Cyberman stepping into the electrified moat, only to instantly upgrade and start walking through it. That’s how you make the Cybermen scary again! That and having them kill people with their detached hands.
Did You Spot? The blowfish alien from TORCHWOOD makes a brief appearance here in close-up. Blink and you’ll miss him though.
Worst Performance: I’m sorry, but Eve de Leon Allen as Angie and Kassius Carey Johnson as Artie are just awful! I’m not against having child actors in DOCTOR WHO (after all, it is a family programme, kids should feature occasionally), but I do have a problem with bad child actors, and these two are just that. It doesn’t help matters that they’re dialogue consists of them constantly moaning and little else, making their characters very hard to like or care about.
Star Performance: Guest stars Jason Watkins (BEING HUMAN), Tamzin Outhwaite (EASTENDERS) and Warwick Davis (WILLOW, LIFE’S TOO SHORT) each give some great performances this week, but it’s Matt Smith who delivers, especially in the scenes which require him to switch between the Doctor and the Cyber-Controller-Doctor in the blink of an eye. Perhaps he’s a bit too camp for a Cyber-Controller, but nevertheless it’s a marvellous performance.
Best Line(s):
Clara: “Do you think I’m pretty?”
The Doctor: “No. Your too short and bossy and your nose is all funny”.
THN’s Doctor Who Series Blog returns next Saturday.
Dan B
May 11, 2013 at 8:51 pm
I only think the Emperor one would be predictable if you’re an adult. 😉 Because it’s very obviously set up but I really liked this one and I just went back through Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead…it all makes sense now but I’m excited!