5 / 6. Rise Of The Cybermen / The Age of Steel

Series 2 - 2006

Writer: Tom MacRae
Produced by: Phil Collinson
Director: Graeme Harper

Synopsis

Whilst in flight there is a huge explosion in the TARDIS. The TARDIS falls out of the time vortex, and out of the current Universe. When the TARDIS finally comes to a standstill all but a few lights are on. The roundels on the walls are all dark and the console is dead, smoke rising. The Doctor is mortified - the last TARDIS in existence is dead, and that they were probably trapped in a no-place.

Mickey opens the TARDIS doors and tells the crew they have landed in London. He finds a paper in a bin and reads the date. 1st February. All looks all right, until the Doctor notices the Zeppelins. Having watched movies Mickey suggests that they are in a parallel Universe; an Earth in which Rose was never born, and her father is alive. Whilst she comes to terms with this the Doctor and Mickey look at the TARDIS. There is one small component that is clinging to life. The Doctor breathes some life into it, in the hope that it will be ready in 24 hours.

Rose wants to meet him, but the Doctor says no. Mickey, feeling like a gooseberry, has people he wants to meet. The Doctor goes after Rose, telling Mickey to be back in 24 hours.

All over London people have been disappearing. A brilliant and rich businessman, John Lumic, who owns most companies, has a plan to build machines that are controlled by a human brain, therefore prolonging life after the body has died. He himself is dying. Unfortunately the President of the United Kingdom will not condone his plan.

In this world all the people have International Electromatics implants connected via ear pods. Information can be downloaded instantly and straight into the brain, including news, weather and lottery nunmbers, even jokes. But the devices can do so much more.

In a patch of wasteland, where there is a group of homeless people, an International Electromatics lorry arrives offering free food to the homeless. There is a member of a freedom group videoing the lorry as the homeless go inside. The lorry sets off with people screaming inside.

Mickey tries to look up his gran. In the proper Universe she died on a loose bit of carpet on the stairs. In this Universe she is alive, but the star needs repairing. He is about to go inside when a van pulls up and takes him away. The people in the van seem to know him, and it becomes clear why when they return to the base: Ricky Smith (the alternative version) is leader of the freedom group.

The Doctor and Rose have been following Pete Tyler. He has become a success when his company was bought by John Lumic. They gatecrash Jackie's 40th (sorry, 39th) birthday party as a waiter and waitress. While Rose tries to get to know Pete and Jackie Tyler the Doctor tried to get more information about society, and learns about the Cybus organisation.

Outside the party a group of steel beings has been let loose. The Doctor and Rose watch as they approach the house - the Doctor instantly recognises the Cybermen. The President is attending the party, and John Lumic uses the Cybermen to convey a message. The Cybermen are humans version 2.0. A free upgrade is being offered, but version 1 is not compatible.

When the Cybermen kill the President, and start killing people in the party,. the Doctor, Rose and Pete escape into the grounds. Unfortunately all sides are covered by Cybermen. Even Ricky Smith and his freedom fights cannot do anything - their guns have no effect. Surrounded by Cybermen the Doctor offers to surrender, suggesting Rose, Pete, Mickey, Ricky and other freedom fighters do the same.

The Cybermen do not accept the surrender, or the Doctor's acceptance of an upgrade, and instead fo straight for deletion. The Doctor uses the power that has built up in the TARDIS component to disintegrate the Cybermen. As more Cybermen approach the Mrs. Moore arrives in the van.

Tensions are high in the van. Ricky is prepared to kill Pete for helping the John Lumic and the Cybermen, until the Doctor warns him not to. Ricky and his gang have been receiving information from a mole inside Lumic's organisation; the mole is Pete Tyler.

Lumic advances his plans, and transmits a signal to all ear pods, and all the people in London start to make their way to Lumic's factory. Lumic's main man manages to detach his own ear pods when the signal starts to come through. He has seen what Lumic plans and realises he needs to do something about it. Inside Lumic's factory he attacks Lumic, and is killed by the Cybermen. The Cybermen say they can end Lumic's pain by offering him an upgrade.

On leaving the van the Doctor and the gang find more Cybermen. They split up, and Ricky and Mickey take one route. Pursued by the Cybermen they split up again. They Cybermen follow Ricky. He is killed when trying to escape over a fence - watched by Mickey.

Mickey meets up with the others, and the Doctor organises the gang in order to get into Lumic's factory, attacking above, between, below. Ricky and Jake take the top and set off to destroy the factory. Rose and Pete take the middle entrance. Using deactivated ear pods they pretend to be under the influence like all other humans. The Doctor and Mrs. Moore take the underground option.

There are two guards on the roof. Mickey and Jake manage to overcome them and take control of Lumic's Zeppelin. There is a Cyberman on board. Mickey dodges out of the way as the Cyberman strikes - destroying the transmitter.

Pete and Rose manage to get into the factory, but give themselves away when a Cyberman says it used to be Jackie Tyler. This upsets Pete and Rose, and the display of emotions show they are not under Cyber control. They are taken to Cyber control.

The Doctor and Mrs. Moore take the underground route. In the passage they find insert Cybermen waiting for commands. They are activated by a motion sensor, and they just manage to escape, where they find another Cyberman. Mrs. Moore has a bomb that stuns the Cyberman. The Doctor takes the opportunity to examine it. Inside are pieces of flesh mixed with steel. There is an emotion inhibitor to stop the human part of the Cyberman from realising what it is. More Cybermen arrive. Mrs. Moore is killed, and the Doctor is taken to Cyber control.

The Cyber controller, who was John Lumic, appears. The Doctor, watched by Mickey and Jake in the Zeppelin, talks about how the emotional inhibitor can be overridden if the right code is found. Using a terminal Mickey is able to to find the code and send it to Rose's mobile. Using this code the Doctor disables all emotional inhibitors on all Cybermen. Suddenly realising what they are the Cybermen go insane and die.The Doctor, Pete and Rose escape in the Zeppelin as the Cyber controller perishes when the factory is destroyed.

With the TARDIS fully restored, the Doctor prepares to take off. Jake has the job of destroying all other factories around the world that Lumic has set up. Mikey, who has been feeling like a spare part, decides to stay. Rose says she will come back to visit, until the Doctor reminds her that crossing between parallel dimensions is no longer allowed. Once she says goodbye there is no returning.

Regular Cast

  • Rose Tyler: Billie Piper
  • Mickey Smith: Noel Clarke

Guest Cast

  • John Lumic: Roger Lloyd Pack
  • Pete Tyler: Shaun Dingwall
  • Jackie Tyler: Camille Coduri
  • Mr. Crane: Colin Spaull
  • Jake Simmonds: Andrew Hayden-Smith
  • President Of The United Kingdom: Don Warrington (1)
  • Ricky Smith: Noel Clarke
  • Mrs. Moore: Helen Griffin
  • Rita-Anna: Mona Hammond (1)
  • Dr. Kendrick: Paul Antony-Barber (1)
  • Morris: Adam Shaw Morris (1)
  • Soldier: Andrew Ufondo (1)
  • Newsreader: Duncan Duff
  • Cyberleader: Paul Kasey (2)
  • Cybervoice: Nicholas Briggs
Uncredited:
  • Photographer: Jules Bert
  • Cybermen: Jon Davey, Ruari Mears, Ken Hosking, Kevin Hudson, Joe White, Adam Sweet, Karl Greenwood, JJ Angell, Peter Symonds, Matthew Doman, Telio Trimble, Gethin Jones
  • Waiteresses: Natascha Mortee, Sarah Vaughton
  • Waiters: Nick Madge, Joseph Lippiat
  • Lumic Guards: Duncan Collins, Lee Bradshaw, David Bremner, Marcus Campbell, Nigel Allen, Peter Brent, Peter Bremner, Lee Bradshaw, Tom Hodges, Simon Davey, Michael Green
  • Captain: Paul Burke
  • Navigator: Matthew Gregory
  • Able Seamen: Noel Fitzpatrick, Scott Price
  • Crane's Driver: Tom Munro
  • Homeless: John Mallon, Chris Ilston, Alan Bowen, Tim Warlock, William Adrian
  • Presidential Security: Gary Organ
  • Presidental Security/Secret Service: Justin Walters
  • Groundsmen: David Stock, James Hannon, Wilson Rodgers, Richard Beavis
  • Soldiers: Dale Thomas
  • Driver: Steve Grant
  • Crowd: Paul Turp, Ed Jost, Alison Grounsell, Darren Steven, Owen Griffiths, John Paul Green, Vicky Chapple, Dominik Sacchetti, Justin Bees, Simon Hamilton, Bianca Jones, Richard Oakley, Rachel Dax, Domenicao Balasco, Jason Shepherd, Jaleelah Galberth, Patricia Croughan, Kate Marshall, Zoe Jeffries, Keena Anderson, Lottie Ball, Susan Morgan, Olivia T. Jones, Matthew Pardo, Natalie Burford, Nigel Burford, Robert Clowes, Daniel Blacker, Jim Fox, Alan Wren, Gemma Whitmore, Lamorna Waters, Sam Williams, Iain Hampton,, Fiona Hepburn, Ruth Armstrong, Jaqueline Morris, Laurie Binnie, Claudio Laurini, Brian Bowen, Alison Clist, Sadie Reid, Alistair Wood, Benedict Carter, Euneta Waithe, Cheryl Rowlands, Stacy Wallace, Colum Regan, Jeremy Harvey, Demian Attewell, Gary Devonish, Claire Bonham, Sian Gunney, Anthony Brookes, Gary O'Brian, Nia Collier, Fionnula Rochford, Laura Meredith, Jessica Mears, Kate Constance, Babette Hospice, Dertinder Regazolli, Deita Hubbard, Chelsea Whately, Becky Barrell, Selena Wilcox, Sain Struel, Jade Laing, Cath Cornforth, Joanna Symon, Emma Raine Walker, Johanna Moon, Anita Rice, Nathalie Cuzner, Kirsty Alderton, Simon Clancy, James Young, Malcolm Orr, Jeff Clark, Kwesi Gepti Attee, Wayne Closier, Elliot Curtis, Derek Appau, Kevin Pugsley, Alan Wren, James Emtage, Alan Paget, Graham O'Malley, Matthew John, Matthew Cox, Matthew Goddard, Phil Jarrett, Charlie Rose, Kyle Davies, Mike Mills De U, Howard Hill, Emily Moore, Nikki Clews, Simon Clews, Phil Beale, Alain Glet, Andy Watts, Warren Johnson, Katie Lewis, Richard Oxenham, Justin Claridge, Anthony Moulton, Durine Howell, Heidi Hollis, Helen Lennox, Anna Rudolph, Aimee Dewett, Darpan Kaur, Holly Surman, Toni Rice, Rebecca Evans, Gayle Lewis, Jennifer Pierce, Claire Pennington, Jason Parkes, Genevieve Swift, Kevin Hollis
  • Youths: Ashley Wills, Duncan Hepple, Alex Quantock
  • Big Issue Seller: Alan Philpott
  • Stunt Driving Double for Mrs. Moore: Derek Lea
  • Crowd/Passersby: Lola Alexander, Oleg Kozhanov, Oakwell Muldoon, Gavin Cromwell
  • Double for Mickey: Carey Hartley
  • Party Guests: Jason Gregg, John P. Morgan, Pricilla Rees, Claire Brice, Pauline Whately, Emilia Newman, Victor Richards, Jorja Welch, Claudia Blondeau, Gavin Heskith, Susanna Jon, Suraya Jina, Katie Jones, Aimee Baldwin, Rosie Edwards, Glen Row, Doug Kirby, Pablo Moles, Bobby Tee, Chester Durant
  • Security: Alan Philpott, Steve Apelt
  • Dog Rose: Tinkerbell
  • Pantechnecon Drivers: Tom Munro, Bob Fatts
  • Stunt Cybermen: Paul Kennington, James O'Dee
  • Stunt Double for Mrs. Moore: Shelly Benson
  • Passersby: Lola Alexander, Oleg Kozhanov, Oakwell Muldoon, Gavin Cromwell
  • Double for Mickey/Ricky: Cleve Berarey
  • Stunt Cybercontroller: Paul Kennington
  • Additional Dialogue Recording: Stephen Bracken-Keogh, Paula Keogh, Paul Ganney, Wendi Sheard, Nicholas Wilkes, Hannah Welch, Vernon Keeble-Watson, Lindsay Hollingsworth

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 5. Rise Of The Cybermen 1 Saturday, 13 May 2006 19:25 - 20:10 9.2M 86
BBC 1 6. The Age Of Steel 2 Saturday, 20 May 2006 18:35 - 19:20 7.6M 86
1: Originally scheduled for 19:00; delayed start due to the live FA Cup Final
2: Rescheduled due to the Eurovision Song Contest

Click here to show repeat broadcasts on the BBC

Studios

  • Unit Q2, Newport

Outside Locations

  • Battersea Power Station, London
  • Brackla Bunkers, Brackla, Bridgend
  • Clarence Embankment, Cardiff Bay
  • Compton Street, Grangetown, Cardiff
  • Gwinnut Ltd. Electrical Engineers, Foreshore Road, Cardiff
  • Hamadrayad Hospital
  • Lambeth Pier, Lambeth Palace Road, London
  • Loudon Square, Bute Street, Cardiff Docks
  • Mount Stuart Square, Bute, Cardiff Bay
  • Riverfront Arts Centre, Bristol Packet Whart, Newport
  • Riverside Theatre, Newport
  • South Dock, Newport Docks, Newport
  • South-Side Roath Dock, Cardiff Docks
  • St. Nicholas, nr. Cardiff
  • Tal-y-Garn Manor and Country House, nr. Pontyclun
  • The Brewery, Wilcrick, Magor, Monmouthshire
  • Unit 7, Ely Papermill, Sanatorium Road, Cardiff
  • Unit 878 Picketson Site, RAF St. Athan, Barry
  • Unit G12, Bridge Road, Trefforest
  • Uskmouth Power Station, West Nash Road, Newport
  • Veritair Limited, Cardiff Heliport, Cardif