Doctor Who review: Hour of the Cybermen (Sixth Doctor/UNIT story)

The Sixth Doctor encounters an old enemy, as the UNIT trilogy continues with Doctor Who: Hour of the Cybermen!

The very first thing that we need to talk about with Hour of the Cybermen is how much it really goes for a nostalgic feel. Particularly with the Cybermen themselves. Because unlike most other Doctor Who stories with the Cybermen over the past decade or so, they’re not voiced by Nicholas Briggs.

This time, they’re voiced by David Banks and Mark Hardy. For those of you who don’t know, they were the voices for the Eighties Cybermen.

Big Finish has often gone for nostalgia with its stories. Not completely, but they have aimed to capture each Doctor’s era as much as possible over the years. From the theme tune, to the sound design, to how the story is written, many of Big Finish’s stories could slot seamlessly into their original eras.

But even by Big Finish’s standards, this is a huge step for them. As much as I enjoy Nicholas Briggs’s performance as the Cybermen, it’s nice to bring back two actors from their original era. The Eighties Cybermen are very distinctive, and it’s fantastic hearing their voices again.

As a Cybermen story, Hour of the Cybermen is very stand-alone. That’s not a criticism, it just shows how well it works by its very own standards. Once again, veteran Doctor Who writer Andrew Smith does a great job writing a story that captures the era wonderfully well. So as a Cybermen story, new listeners can just jump on board easily.

As a UNIT story, however…

The UNIT trilogy: part two

There’s another key element to this story: UNIT. With the organization celebrating its fiftieth year, it makes sense that Big Finish would celebrate this with a trilogy. Particularly with a trilogy that involves the Cybermen in at least one story. After all, UNIT first appeared in the classic Cybermen serial The Invasion.

However, this trilogy is different to many others that Big Finish have given us. For one thing, it’s not unfolding one month after another. It began back in April with The Helliax Rift and will end in November with Warlock’s Cross.

Another reason it stands out is that it’s a trilogy that’s focused more on character than on story. The Helliax Rift introduced new characters Daniel Hopkins and Lewis Price. Hopkins got on well with the Doctor in the last story, but Lewis Price certainly didn’t.

What happens next

Hour of the Cybermen is set a few years later, and gives us a chance to explore what has happened to these characters.

Blake Harrison particularly continues to standout as Hopkins. Things have changed for his character, and not necessarily for the better. So it’s great to see a very different side to someone who came across as clear companion material before.

And that’s all I can say regarding the UNIT element. While there are no direct plot links to The Helliax Rift, it’s definitely worth listening to that story first. Because Hour of the Cybermen takes a lot of risks, and goes in directions that you don’t expect it to. The end will leave you especially eager to hear the final story in the UNIT trilogy.

Hour of the Cybermen is a brilliant new Doctor Who story. Ranking up with the very best Cybermen stories – including Spare Parts and The Harvest – it’s an essential listen. Another strong release from Big Finish.

Next: Season 6B – what is it, and should we embrace it?

Have you listened to Hour of the Cybermen? What did you think of it? Were you glad to hear David Banks and Mark Hardy resume their roles as voices for the Cybermen? Let us know in the comments below.