Directed by Morris Barry
Main Cast-
The Doctor - Patrick Troughton
Jamie - Frazer Hines
Victoria - Deborah Watling
Main Guest Cast-
Professor Parry - Aubrey Richards
Kaftan - Shirley Cooklin
Klieg - George Pastell
Toberman - Roy Stewart
Captain Hopper - George Roubicek
Synopsis-
The Tardis arrives on the planet Telos. An archaeological expedition led by Professor Parry has just found a hidden entrance into an underground complex. The expedition is hoping to find the remains of the Cybermen, who supposedly perished several centuries prior. The expedition is funded by Klieg and Kaftan, who have also brought their manservant Toberman along as well.
The Doctor tries to convince Parry and the others to leave well enough alone, and eventually convinces Parry that they should leave after the deaths of two members of their party, one of whom was killed at a testing range inside the complex. Klieg orders Toberman to sabotage their rocket ship, which now needs to be repaired before the expedition can leave the planet.
The expedition opens a hatch leading to the lower levels. The Doctor, Professor Parry, Jamie, Klieg proceed down into the lower levels while Kaftan and Victoria remain up on top. Kaftan drugs Victoria and seals the hatch shut. Klieg revives the Cybermen, hoping to use them to dominate humankind. The Cybermen, having been revived, have their own plans. The party has a timely rescue by Captain Hopper and the hatch is sealed, leaving the Cybermen trapped in the lower levels.
The Cybermen use Cybermats to attack the party, hoping to reopen the hatch. The Doctor is able to outwit the Cybermats. However, Klieg and Kaftan, who have been locked up in the testing range, obtain a Cybergun which they use the threaten the party. The Cyberman Controller, whose energy levels are low, agrees to Klieg's conditions in order that he may be "revitalized".
After being revitalized, the Cybermen Controller knocks out Klieg and takes his Cybergun. The Cybermen Controller kills Kaftan, but the Controller is then defeated by Toberman. The Doctor and Toberman venture down to the lower levels to seal the Cybermen back into their tomb. Klieg, having recovered from the Controller's attack, takes the Cyber gun and follows The Doctor and Toberman. Klieg now hopes to control the Cybermen now that their Controller is dead, but a Cybermen kills him.
The Doctor seals the Cybermen back in their tomb, and destroys the control panel. The Doctor and Toberman make their way back upstairs, only to find that the Controller has revived. The Doctor and what's left of the expedition leave the complex, and the doors are sealed by The Doctor and Toberman, though the effort to close the doors kills Toberman in the process. The Controller is now trapped inside the complex for eternity.
Review-
Klieg reminded me a great deal of Maxtible from Evil of the Daleks. In Evil, Maxtible was hoping to use the Daleks for his own ends. In Tomb, Klieg and his associate Kaftan were hoping to use the Cybermen for their own ends. In both cases, their characters are killed by the very creatures that they hoped to use.
Tomb does clear up some of the history of the Cybermen, who ventured to and conquered the planet Telos after the destruction of their first homeworld Mondas in The Tenth Planet and their subsequent defeat in The Moonbase.
Tomb moves along at a good clip and the wonderfully moody atmosphere helps get one in the mood. The three way battle between Parry, Klieg and The Doctor really pushes the story along and once the Cybermen arrive, it adds yet another dimension to the conflict.
Victoria holds her own as a companion, and proves a good foil against the other female in the story, Klieg's associate Kaftan.
To put it simply, Tomb of the Cybermen is simply one of the very best Doctor Who stories. Happily, unlike every other fifth series/season story, it survives intact. If you're a Doctor Who fan and have never seen this before, what exactly are you waiting for?
