The BBC’s much-loved sci-fi show Doctor Who recently brought back the famous villains known as the Cybermen. They appear to be the enemies that the Doctor will face in the season twelve finale and there’s plenty of reasons why we’re excited about that prospect.
However, there’s an equal number of reasons why we’re not too bothered that the metal men have returned once more. Here are some reasons to be thrilled that the Cybermen have returned and some why we think these villains were better off left out of the series.
NOT EXCITED: THEY ARE OVERPLAYED
The Cybermen have quite simply been overused and overplayed. They have appeared almost every single year and have been thoroughly explored. When they first made their big return it was an exciting moment but now? Not so much.
Sure there have been times where they have been used to great effect, such as in Capaldi’s era, however, between the books, comics and TV shows the Cybermen are a reoccurring villain that maybe just needed to be rested for a little while.
EXCITED: THEY HAVE A UNIQUE DESIGN
The newest design of the Cyberman that we’ve seen thus far is actually quite exciting and unique. While the last time we saw them the show decided to bring back a classic look, this time around we’ve been given something we’ve never seen before.
The Cyberman is not only a terrifying creature, but he is now more human than ever before. The look is as if someone got bored halfway through the creation of the metal monster. It’s more a cyborg look, rather than the robotic design we are used to.
NOT EXCITED: THEY ARE ALWAYS IN SEASON FINALES
It’s been pointed out by many fans online that the Cybermen are almost always the go-to villains when a season finale is being created. Whether it’s their fight against the Daleks, an invasion of a Christmassy town or even alongside the return of the Master and Missy.
It seems like it’s just a natural move to have the Cybermen as the main villains of the show but this is a shame as there’s plenty of other directions to go in. The last series had the refreshing change of a different enemy and perhaps we should see more of this in the future.
EXCITED: THE LONE CYBERMAN
The Lone Cyberman concept is one that has been built up a little with the appearance of Captain Jack Harkness. After his surprise return and warning we were counting down to see this lone warrior and we certainly weren’t disappointed.
Traveling from the future, the story harks back to classic science fiction films. However, the Doctor may have doomed the future by giving the Cyberman what he wants. Perhaps this will be one of the most daring Who stories yet.
NOT EXCITED: WE WANTED MORE GALLIFREY FOCUS
With the ongoing mystery of the destruction of Gallifrey and the timeless child, it seems like a shame to remove the focus from this and change it to the Cybermen. Sure they might be linked in some way but surely there was something more interesting to work with here?
With the history of the Time Lords very rarely explored and the Master returning to the show once again, it would have been far more entertaining to see him be the main villain of the series, rather than the Cybermen.
EXCITED: THEIR ICONIC HISTORY
The Cybermen have such an iconic history. From marching the streets of London to converting Bill Potts, there’s plenty of villainous things that the race of metallic humans has done over the years. It seems necessary to add to that some more.
There aren’t many villains in Doctor Who that carry the same weight that the Cybermen do. They are cold, calculating and any one of us could be upgraded someday. Their long history really does make them perfect for the series.
NOT EXCITED: THEY HAVE A LOW SCARE FACTOR
Perhaps the Cybermen just aren’t very scary anymore. There have been a number of attempts to make them creepy again, even during the Matt Smith era where they received major upgrades. However, nothing has really stuck since then.
Even though we saw the original Cybermen and now we have a new design again, it seems like there’s plenty of other enemies that could still strike fear into the hearts of viewers. The fear factor may never be beaten by the Cybermen from a parallel Earth.
EXCITED: A REINVENTION
There does appear to be some kind of reinvention of the enemies though, to a point that they seem to have taken over the whole Earth. It’s rare that they manage to achieve their goals to this major extent.
With new writers come new interpretations of the iconic characters and perhaps this is what the series is looking for. A familiar set of enemies but portrayed in such a new way that it feels fresh once again.
NOT EXCITED: A MISSED CHANCE FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES
A series finale is a perfect place to launch a new villain. For the continued longevity of the show, there must constantly be interesting villains added to the mix in order to bring the scariness to TVs across the world.
A finale would add some legacy to a new set of enemies so that people anticipate their return in the future. The same way the Weeping Angels and the Silence were built up, other villains should be given the same respect too.
EXCITED: THE 13TH DOCTOR’S REACTION
Seeing the 13th Doctor and her latest companions interact with the classic nature of the Cybermen is quite an exciting prospect. It’s fun to see these characters face off against villains that so many have tried to beat before.
The Doctor especially, with her new personality, provides a completely different match up that we’re excited to explore more. The interactions between the heroes and villains so far have certainly not disappointed.
