BF 112: Kingdom of Silver & Keepsake

[Si Hunt]

I didn't think this was too bad. McCoy gave a rollicking performance, and no annoying McCoy Companions this time either. The central premise was good - a planet is revealed to be a Cyberman "Tombworld" (brill turn of phrase), seeded with Cyber Technology and tricked into waking them up. The story didn't outstay its welcome either.

On the bad side, it was all a bit unoriginal. It starts off cribbing off the premise for "Tomb of the Cybermen" but then wants to be "The Age of Steel", repeating the 'dinner party society', sound of dentists drills and even the 'clank clank' of the Cybermen footsteps marching. Are there no original Cyberman stories left to tell?

In fact I think Nick Briggs ruined this a bit for me. The arbitary voices (now inexplicably Tenth Planet crossed with The Invasion), nods to his Orion War and his distracting cameo as a guard made this feel like one of his hobby projects.

Then again, the guest cast were good and, let's face it, alien planet McCoy-starring fare has been a lot worse.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

alien planet McCoy-starring fare has been a lot worse.

Not by much!

This probably isn't too bad a play, but it's weighed down by the likes of Nocturne, Valhalla (argh!) The Death Collectors, and hundreds of others. I lost my will to live at the end of part two.