2x05 Rise of the Cybermen and 2x06 The Age of Steel
2x05 - “Rise of the Cybermen”
Grade: B
Yeah, no clever quote or text. I just think Rose looks adorable in this picture.
Lol. Cybermen. The only Classic Who story that I’ve seen with the Cybermen is one with Seven and Ace. That one starts in the present day and then there is some time travel to the Elizabethan era involved… and an arrow or something? It was pretty cracktastic and I think involved a magic tape deck that Ace had. Haha. Anyway, I thought this was an interesting way to bring Cybermen back to the new series, making the creations of a parallel Earth instead of creation of a planet that was… Earth’s twin? But like beyond Pluto? I think that’s where they came from in the old series.
Lumig makes for a not thoroughly original, but still moderately interesting villain. The idea of a man being ill, using science to try and keep on living, but then going evil and crazy scientist isn’t exactly unheard of, but it wasn’t bad as far as plot goes. Also, this episode made me wary of Bluetooth devices.
The most important thing in this episode is the introduction of the Alternate Universe, henceforth to be known as Pete’s Word. It was somewhat interesting to explore a world that is like our own, but a little bit different. I like the idea of Zeppelins just chilling over London. But Alt!Jackie makes me sad. I mean it’s totally probably exactly what Jackie would have become if didn’t have to struggle raising Rose on her own and instead lived in luxury. But it’s still sad and makes me appreciate our Jackie all the more.
What I really love about this episode is that we get to see a lot more of Mickey. I keep saying it, but it’s so true. He is one of my all time favorite secondary characters from New Who. After being forgotten about in “The Girl in the Fireplace”, I love that we really get an exploration of Mickey and the Mickey/Rose/Doctor dynamic. The fact that the Doctor forgets about having told Mickey to press a button speaks volumes. Poor Mickey. I think the Doctor is genuinely fond of him… he just kind of forgets about him.
The Doctor: [Rose has run off] I told you to keep an eye on her!
Mickey Smith: She's all right...
The Doctor: She goes wandering off! Parallel world; it's like a gingerbread house! All those temptations calling her.
Mickey Smith: Oh, so it's just Rose then? Nothing out there to tempt me?
The Doctor: Well I dunno, I can't worry about everything! If I could just get this thing to...
[he kicks the TARDIS. Hard]
Mickey Smith: Did that help?
The Doctor: Yes.
Mickey Smith: Did that hurt?
The Doctor: Yes.
[Clutches foot]
The Doctor: Ow!
I think that interaction completely captures Mickey and the Doctor’s relationship. The Doctor hasn’t bothered to find out about Mickey’s life. But at the same time, they have a nice bit of camaraderie, and I think their genuine affection for each other is clear.
Meeting Mickey’s gran gives us some nice back story. We find out that he was pretty much alone in the world. In light of the information we learn here, his decision in the next episode really make sense. Why would he go back to the other world where he’d really just be a side kick and a third wheel? In Pete’s World he could be a hero in his own right plus he could be with his gran again.
Rose’s actions here make perfect sense. Just like in “Father’s Day”, I can completely understand why she would want to go see her parents, especially her dad.
Rose: I’ve got to go see him.
The Doctor: You can’t.
Rose: I just want to see him!
The Doctor: I can’t let you!
Rose: You just said 24 hours!
The Doctor: You can’t become their daughter. That’s not the way it works! Mickey, tell her!
Mickey: Twenty-four hours, yeah?
The Doctor: Where are you going?
Mickey [walking away]: I can do what I want.
Rose [also walking away]: I’ve got the address and everything.
The Doctor: Stay where you are. Both of you! Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here! Right now!
Rose: I just want to see him!
Mickey: I’ve got things to see and all.
The Doctor: Like what?!
Mickey: You don’t know anything about me, do ya? It’s always about Rose. I’m just the spare part.
Rose: I’m sorry. I’ve gotta go.
Mickey: Go on then. You can only chase after one of us, and it’s never going to be me, is it?
The Doctor [to Mickey as he turns to go after Rose]: Back here! Twenty-four hours!
Mickey [to himself]: Yeah… if I haven’t found something better.
Mickey’s line “It’s never going to be me, is it?” is a pretty obvious reference to his line in “Boomtown” when he is talking to Rose about the Doctor and says that she's always going to choose him, "it's never going to be me". Rose is always going to choose the Doctor and the Doctor is always going to choose Rose.
The way in which Rose interacts with both of her alt!parents is interesting to watch. Of COURSE she would try to repair their relationship when she finds out that they’re separated. What kid growing up without a dad wouldn’t want their parents to be together? That scene with Rose and alt!Jackie is a little bit heartbreaking. Rose thinks she’s forming a connection and maybe can help get her parents back together, but the Jackie just shuts her down because she’s the help.
The Doctor and Rose have some interactions here that are worth talking about. The episode opens with the Doctor and Rose having a laugh about some inside joke or another. I mean I love the Doctor and Rose’s relationship, but they tend to be a bit exclusive. They get so wrapped up in their own nonsense that they forget about other people sometimes.
I also like that the Doctor just can’t say no to her. It’s kind of cute. She just gives him that look and he melts.
Another great moment is when the Doctor and Rose find out that Alt!Jackie has a dog named Rose. The Doctor can’t help but laugh and Rose just gives him a *look* that shuts him right up.
2x06 - “The Age of Steel”
Grade: B-
I feel like this episode is a bit anti-climatic when compared to the set up of the first episode. The pacing just feels weird or something. Idk. It just doesn’t do much for me. It DOES, however, feature David Tennant in a tux for the majority of the episode, so that’s something. I do like the plot bit about the emotional inhibitor and that the Doctor basically saves the day by forcing the Cybermen to feel the pain and torture of being made into Cybermen. Not exactly a happy way of saving the day, but I kind of like that. It’s interesting and different.
Sidenote: I like that Rose recognizes the Cybermen from VanStatten’s museum. Rose IS observant, afterall.
Since I didn’t talk about the Preachers in the previous episode, I might as well talk about them here. Mrs. Moore is another great female RTD-era character. No, RTD didn’t write her, but he does rewrite scripts like a madman. Lol. I’m not giving him credit for her, but the character was written during his reign. But really I like all of the Preachers. Rickey, Mrs. Moore and Jake are all awesome and we get a feel for their individual characteristics in spite of limited screen time. Rickey is London’s most wanted - for parking tickets. Mrs. Moore is a self-taught techie who left her family when she realized she would be a target for Cybus Industries, andJake is a loyal friend. I love them, fighting bad guys with their limited resources, trying to find out the truth. I like that Mrs. Moore is characterized well enough and we get to know her enough, so that we actually feel a little sad when she dies. That’s good writing and acting, if you ask me.
Something I’d like to address briefly is the fandom meme that series 2 Rose is clingy. WAT? Rose decides that she’s going to go with off on her own with Pete to try to save Jackie. Rose is clearly not attached to the Doctor’s hip. Sure, they love being together, but they’re not so connected that they can’t bear to ever be apart.
Rose: Doctor, I’m going with him and that’s that.
The Doctor: No stopping you is there? [tosses Rose the ear buds]
Rose: Nope.
[…]
Mickey: What about me?
Doctor: Mickey… you can um…
Mickey: What? Stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog? No. Those days are over. I’m going with Jake.
Jake: I don’t need you, idiot.
Mickey: I’m not an idiot! You got that? I’m offering to help.
Jake: Whatever.
Doctor [to Mickey and Jake as they walk away]: Mickey! Good luck.
Mickey: Yeah, you too. Rose, I’ll see you later.
Rose: Yeah, you’d better.
Doctor: If we survive this, I’ll see you back at the Tardis.
Mickey: That’s a promise.
[Mickey walks away, but looks back in time to see the Doctor and Rose exchange farewell hugs]
Not only does that scene show Rose’s independence and initiative, it also gets at the root of Mickey’s discontent. He’s tired of being the afterthought. He’s ready to be a hero on his own.
Mickey is the one to save the day in this story, hacking into Lumig’s computer system and getting the Doctor the code for the emotional inhibitor. And then Mickey refuses to leave Rose and the Doctor behind. Jake wants to leave so that they don’t take a chance of the Zeppelin igniting, but Mickey insists on staying to save his friends. He really has become a hero.
Also, poor Rose. She tries to reach out to her alt!dad, but Pete can’t handle it. Understandable since he just lost his wife and it’s a lot to handle, but I also get why Rose did it. It must have hurt to first be rejected by your alt!mom, have your alt!mom die, and then get rejected by your alt!dad. Ouch. And then directly afterwards, Mickey, her friend from all the way back when they were kids, leaves her for good.
Mickey: [My old gran] needs me.
Rose: What about me? What if I need you?
Mickey: Yeah, but Rose, you don’t. It’s just you and him, isn’t it? We had something a long time ago, but not anymore.
Rose: Well we’ll come back. We can travel anywhere. We’ll come a see you, yeah?
The Doctor: We can’t. I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident; we fell through a crack in time. When we leave, I’ve got to close it. We can’t ever return.
Mickey [sticking his hand out to shake the Doctor’s]: Doctor.
The Doctor: Take Rose’s phone. It’s got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories. Good luck, Mickey the Idiot. [the Doctor playfully swats Mickey’s face]
Mickey [smiling]: Watch it.
[The Doctor goes into the Tardis and Mickey turns to Rose.]
Mickey: Thanks. We’ve had a laugh though, haven’t we? Seen it all, been there and back. Who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the stars?
Rose: All those years just sittin’ there, imagining what we’d do one day… We never saw this, did we?
[Mickey and Rose hug as Rose tries to control her tears]
Mickey: Go on then, don’t miss your flight.
Mickey has left the Doctor and now he’s going to be a hero in his own right. Who would have thought that this is the same man from “Rose”? Rose once told Mickey there was nothing left for her in her old life, and now we see that the same is true for Mickey. He’s got a whole new life to lead, and it is going to be fantastic.
Mickey Smith: Let's go and liberate Paris.
Jake Simmonds: What, you and me? In a van?
Mickey Smith: Nothing wrong with a van. I once saved the universe with a big yellow truck.
Finally, I just love that moment at the end where the Doctor takes Rose home to Jackie. Sometimes even grown women just want to hug their mum. (… or maybe that’s just me, lol.)
Grade: B
Yeah, no clever quote or text. I just think Rose looks adorable in this picture.
Lol. Cybermen. The only Classic Who story that I’ve seen with the Cybermen is one with Seven and Ace. That one starts in the present day and then there is some time travel to the Elizabethan era involved… and an arrow or something? It was pretty cracktastic and I think involved a magic tape deck that Ace had. Haha. Anyway, I thought this was an interesting way to bring Cybermen back to the new series, making the creations of a parallel Earth instead of creation of a planet that was… Earth’s twin? But like beyond Pluto? I think that’s where they came from in the old series.
Lumig makes for a not thoroughly original, but still moderately interesting villain. The idea of a man being ill, using science to try and keep on living, but then going evil and crazy scientist isn’t exactly unheard of, but it wasn’t bad as far as plot goes. Also, this episode made me wary of Bluetooth devices.
The most important thing in this episode is the introduction of the Alternate Universe, henceforth to be known as Pete’s Word. It was somewhat interesting to explore a world that is like our own, but a little bit different. I like the idea of Zeppelins just chilling over London. But Alt!Jackie makes me sad. I mean it’s totally probably exactly what Jackie would have become if didn’t have to struggle raising Rose on her own and instead lived in luxury. But it’s still sad and makes me appreciate our Jackie all the more.
What I really love about this episode is that we get to see a lot more of Mickey. I keep saying it, but it’s so true. He is one of my all time favorite secondary characters from New Who. After being forgotten about in “The Girl in the Fireplace”, I love that we really get an exploration of Mickey and the Mickey/Rose/Doctor dynamic. The fact that the Doctor forgets about having told Mickey to press a button speaks volumes. Poor Mickey. I think the Doctor is genuinely fond of him… he just kind of forgets about him.
The Doctor: [Rose has run off] I told you to keep an eye on her!
Mickey Smith: She's all right...
The Doctor: She goes wandering off! Parallel world; it's like a gingerbread house! All those temptations calling her.
Mickey Smith: Oh, so it's just Rose then? Nothing out there to tempt me?
The Doctor: Well I dunno, I can't worry about everything! If I could just get this thing to...
[he kicks the TARDIS. Hard]
Mickey Smith: Did that help?
The Doctor: Yes.
Mickey Smith: Did that hurt?
The Doctor: Yes.
[Clutches foot]
The Doctor: Ow!
I think that interaction completely captures Mickey and the Doctor’s relationship. The Doctor hasn’t bothered to find out about Mickey’s life. But at the same time, they have a nice bit of camaraderie, and I think their genuine affection for each other is clear.
Meeting Mickey’s gran gives us some nice back story. We find out that he was pretty much alone in the world. In light of the information we learn here, his decision in the next episode really make sense. Why would he go back to the other world where he’d really just be a side kick and a third wheel? In Pete’s World he could be a hero in his own right plus he could be with his gran again.
Rose’s actions here make perfect sense. Just like in “Father’s Day”, I can completely understand why she would want to go see her parents, especially her dad.
Rose: I’ve got to go see him.
The Doctor: You can’t.
Rose: I just want to see him!
The Doctor: I can’t let you!
Rose: You just said 24 hours!
The Doctor: You can’t become their daughter. That’s not the way it works! Mickey, tell her!
Mickey: Twenty-four hours, yeah?
The Doctor: Where are you going?
Mickey [walking away]: I can do what I want.
Rose [also walking away]: I’ve got the address and everything.
The Doctor: Stay where you are. Both of you! Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here! Right now!
Rose: I just want to see him!
Mickey: I’ve got things to see and all.
The Doctor: Like what?!
Mickey: You don’t know anything about me, do ya? It’s always about Rose. I’m just the spare part.
Rose: I’m sorry. I’ve gotta go.
Mickey: Go on then. You can only chase after one of us, and it’s never going to be me, is it?
The Doctor [to Mickey as he turns to go after Rose]: Back here! Twenty-four hours!
Mickey [to himself]: Yeah… if I haven’t found something better.
Mickey’s line “It’s never going to be me, is it?” is a pretty obvious reference to his line in “Boomtown” when he is talking to Rose about the Doctor and says that she's always going to choose him, "it's never going to be me". Rose is always going to choose the Doctor and the Doctor is always going to choose Rose.
The way in which Rose interacts with both of her alt!parents is interesting to watch. Of COURSE she would try to repair their relationship when she finds out that they’re separated. What kid growing up without a dad wouldn’t want their parents to be together? That scene with Rose and alt!Jackie is a little bit heartbreaking. Rose thinks she’s forming a connection and maybe can help get her parents back together, but the Jackie just shuts her down because she’s the help.
The Doctor and Rose have some interactions here that are worth talking about. The episode opens with the Doctor and Rose having a laugh about some inside joke or another. I mean I love the Doctor and Rose’s relationship, but they tend to be a bit exclusive. They get so wrapped up in their own nonsense that they forget about other people sometimes.
I also like that the Doctor just can’t say no to her. It’s kind of cute. She just gives him that look and he melts.
Another great moment is when the Doctor and Rose find out that Alt!Jackie has a dog named Rose. The Doctor can’t help but laugh and Rose just gives him a *look* that shuts him right up.
2x06 - “The Age of Steel”
Grade: B-
I feel like this episode is a bit anti-climatic when compared to the set up of the first episode. The pacing just feels weird or something. Idk. It just doesn’t do much for me. It DOES, however, feature David Tennant in a tux for the majority of the episode, so that’s something. I do like the plot bit about the emotional inhibitor and that the Doctor basically saves the day by forcing the Cybermen to feel the pain and torture of being made into Cybermen. Not exactly a happy way of saving the day, but I kind of like that. It’s interesting and different.
Sidenote: I like that Rose recognizes the Cybermen from VanStatten’s museum. Rose IS observant, afterall.
Since I didn’t talk about the Preachers in the previous episode, I might as well talk about them here. Mrs. Moore is another great female RTD-era character. No, RTD didn’t write her, but he does rewrite scripts like a madman. Lol. I’m not giving him credit for her, but the character was written during his reign. But really I like all of the Preachers. Rickey, Mrs. Moore and Jake are all awesome and we get a feel for their individual characteristics in spite of limited screen time. Rickey is London’s most wanted - for parking tickets. Mrs. Moore is a self-taught techie who left her family when she realized she would be a target for Cybus Industries, andJake is a loyal friend. I love them, fighting bad guys with their limited resources, trying to find out the truth. I like that Mrs. Moore is characterized well enough and we get to know her enough, so that we actually feel a little sad when she dies. That’s good writing and acting, if you ask me.
Something I’d like to address briefly is the fandom meme that series 2 Rose is clingy. WAT? Rose decides that she’s going to go with off on her own with Pete to try to save Jackie. Rose is clearly not attached to the Doctor’s hip. Sure, they love being together, but they’re not so connected that they can’t bear to ever be apart.
Rose: Doctor, I’m going with him and that’s that.
The Doctor: No stopping you is there? [tosses Rose the ear buds]
Rose: Nope.
[…]
Mickey: What about me?
Doctor: Mickey… you can um…
Mickey: What? Stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog? No. Those days are over. I’m going with Jake.
Jake: I don’t need you, idiot.
Mickey: I’m not an idiot! You got that? I’m offering to help.
Jake: Whatever.
Doctor [to Mickey and Jake as they walk away]: Mickey! Good luck.
Mickey: Yeah, you too. Rose, I’ll see you later.
Rose: Yeah, you’d better.
Doctor: If we survive this, I’ll see you back at the Tardis.
Mickey: That’s a promise.
[Mickey walks away, but looks back in time to see the Doctor and Rose exchange farewell hugs]
Not only does that scene show Rose’s independence and initiative, it also gets at the root of Mickey’s discontent. He’s tired of being the afterthought. He’s ready to be a hero on his own.
Mickey is the one to save the day in this story, hacking into Lumig’s computer system and getting the Doctor the code for the emotional inhibitor. And then Mickey refuses to leave Rose and the Doctor behind. Jake wants to leave so that they don’t take a chance of the Zeppelin igniting, but Mickey insists on staying to save his friends. He really has become a hero.
Also, poor Rose. She tries to reach out to her alt!dad, but Pete can’t handle it. Understandable since he just lost his wife and it’s a lot to handle, but I also get why Rose did it. It must have hurt to first be rejected by your alt!mom, have your alt!mom die, and then get rejected by your alt!dad. Ouch. And then directly afterwards, Mickey, her friend from all the way back when they were kids, leaves her for good.
Mickey: [My old gran] needs me.
Rose: What about me? What if I need you?
Mickey: Yeah, but Rose, you don’t. It’s just you and him, isn’t it? We had something a long time ago, but not anymore.
Rose: Well we’ll come back. We can travel anywhere. We’ll come a see you, yeah?
The Doctor: We can’t. I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident; we fell through a crack in time. When we leave, I’ve got to close it. We can’t ever return.
Mickey [sticking his hand out to shake the Doctor’s]: Doctor.
The Doctor: Take Rose’s phone. It’s got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories. Good luck, Mickey the Idiot. [the Doctor playfully swats Mickey’s face]
Mickey [smiling]: Watch it.
[The Doctor goes into the Tardis and Mickey turns to Rose.]
Mickey: Thanks. We’ve had a laugh though, haven’t we? Seen it all, been there and back. Who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the stars?
Rose: All those years just sittin’ there, imagining what we’d do one day… We never saw this, did we?
[Mickey and Rose hug as Rose tries to control her tears]
Mickey: Go on then, don’t miss your flight.
Mickey has left the Doctor and now he’s going to be a hero in his own right. Who would have thought that this is the same man from “Rose”? Rose once told Mickey there was nothing left for her in her old life, and now we see that the same is true for Mickey. He’s got a whole new life to lead, and it is going to be fantastic.
Mickey Smith: Let's go and liberate Paris.
Jake Simmonds: What, you and me? In a van?
Mickey Smith: Nothing wrong with a van. I once saved the universe with a big yellow truck.
Finally, I just love that moment at the end where the Doctor takes Rose home to Jackie. Sometimes even grown women just want to hug their mum. (… or maybe that’s just me, lol.)