I always thought that Toberman was really cool. How he was brave enough to fight the cybermen at the beginning and how he was easily able to overpower the cyberleader at the end. I also really liked that HE was the person who really saved them. I wish he had some semblance of actual lines, though. He was the most interesting character out of them because he was so different to the rest of the scientists but he got like no developement. The actor actually appears again in Terror of the Autons as Toni. This character, I'm afraid, is even worse as he's just a grunt at a circus.
A brilliant setting for a story with creepy visuals and a beautiful dialogue scene between Troughton and Watling (one of of the most acclaimed moments in classic DW for a good reason. ...unfortunately spoiled by its blatant racism (all the POC characters are generally portrayed as villains, one actress is in brownface, and the black member of the group called a "servant"). Toberman, however, has an interesting but quite flawed character arc. He starts as the "servant" to our soon-to-be antagonists, and is then taken by the Cybermen to be "converted" and be yet another servant. There is a twist however Toberman still shows humanity and ends up helping the survivors after the Doctor tells him: "You are not like them. You're a man like us -- You see what these creatures have done to you? They've tried to make you their slave. They just want to use you! They are evil!" This was 1967, and I know exactly where the writers were coming from with this. Toberman ends up destroying the Cyber Controller, escapes with the rest of the survivors, and sacrifices himself to stop the resurrected Cyber Controller in what is framed as a "blaze of glory" moment. He pushes the Cybermen, an enemy void of empathy and sole purpose is to turn every living thing to look like them wiping away anything that doesn't look like them (white supremacy), into their own ancient tomb. It's an genuinely effective moment that, with a less offensive racial stereotype, could have been an extremely progressive chapter in the show's canon. Were the writers attempting to subvert a racist stereotype by making them essentially the biggest hero of the story? I wish that was the case. But the other racist caricatures and brownfaced actress makes me think otherwise. Close but no cigar. Anyway, thank fuck we have Jo Martin as a Doctor.
Here we have one of the best cybermen stories... yet: Toberman was treated like shit by everyone (except ironically his employer/mistress Kaftan who did seem to care for him at least superficially... which perhaps suggests a BDSM romantic relationship, but I digress) and then just left to rot or become the next cyber-leader. There's a lot of irony in this story, as it's opening episode is one of those where Patrick and Fraser did there best to imply things just to piss off the censors.
A tad too much victim-psychology here. Perhaps the reason that no-one picks up Toberman at the end is because he is quite clearly and definitively dead.
But nobody even goes up to him to check. The ending would have been better if the ship's medic had examined him, pronounced him dead, and said something like, "There's nothing that can be done for him, even with all our technology." Then the travelers leave, and the cybermat approaches, adding extra irony to the scene, since Cyber-technology might be able to do what the humans can't. A very dark and tragic end for Toberman.
(Clarence) Thanks Michael. And I don't think I ever said anyone was racist in the video. I pointed it out as odd by citing other examples of television at the time. I merely made an observation on how this character was treated. Thanks for the feedback.
I always thought that Toberman was really cool. How he was brave enough to fight the cybermen at the beginning and how he was easily able to overpower the cyberleader at the end. I also really liked that HE was the person who really saved them. I wish he had some semblance of actual lines, though. He was the most interesting character out of them because he was so different to the rest of the scientists but he got like no developement. The actor actually appears again in Terror of the Autons as Toni. This character, I'm afraid, is even worse as he's just a grunt at a circus.
Very good points! I agree that I liked that it was Toberman who saved them (Kyle)!
What a good video! Regards from Brazil! 🙂💛💚
A brilliant setting for a story with creepy visuals and a beautiful dialogue scene between Troughton and Watling (one of of the most acclaimed moments in classic DW for a good reason.
...unfortunately spoiled by its blatant racism (all the POC characters are generally portrayed as villains, one actress is in brownface, and the black member of the group called a "servant").
Toberman, however, has an interesting but quite flawed character arc. He starts as the "servant" to our soon-to-be antagonists, and is then taken by the Cybermen to be "converted" and be yet another servant. There is a twist however Toberman still shows humanity and ends up helping the survivors after the Doctor tells him:
"You are not like them. You're a man like us -- You see what these creatures have done to you? They've tried to make you their slave. They just want to use you! They are evil!"
This was 1967, and I know exactly where the writers were coming from with this. Toberman ends up destroying the Cyber Controller, escapes with the rest of the survivors, and sacrifices himself to stop the resurrected Cyber Controller in what is framed as a "blaze of glory" moment. He pushes the Cybermen, an enemy void of empathy and sole purpose is to turn every living thing to look like them wiping away anything that doesn't look like them (white supremacy), into their own ancient tomb. It's an genuinely effective moment that, with a less offensive racial stereotype, could have been an extremely progressive chapter in the show's canon.
Were the writers attempting to subvert a racist stereotype by making them essentially the biggest hero of the story? I wish that was the case. But the other racist caricatures and brownfaced actress makes me think otherwise. Close but no cigar.
Anyway, thank fuck we have Jo Martin as a Doctor.
Ventura, thank you for your message and we give our apology for the delayed reply. You make very valid points and we agree about Jo Martin! She ROCKS!
Jo Martin is NOT the Doctor!
@@DiscussingNetwork No she doesn't!
@@MichaelM28 And you've NEVER kissed a girl!
Here we have one of the best cybermen stories... yet: Toberman was treated like shit by everyone (except ironically his employer/mistress Kaftan who did seem to care for him at least superficially... which perhaps suggests a BDSM romantic relationship, but I digress) and then just left to rot or become the next cyber-leader.
There's a lot of irony in this story, as it's opening episode is one of those where Patrick and Fraser did there best to imply things just to piss off the censors.
A tad too much victim-psychology here.
Perhaps the reason that no-one picks up Toberman at the end is because he is quite clearly and definitively dead.
But nobody even goes up to him to check. The ending would have been better if the ship's medic had examined him, pronounced him dead, and said something like, "There's nothing that can be done for him, even with all our technology." Then the travelers leave, and the cybermat approaches, adding extra irony to the scene, since Cyber-technology might be able to do what the humans can't. A very dark and tragic end for Toberman.
What's with the awful background music?
haha, fair point!
Tomb of the Cybermen is NOT racist!
(Clarence) Thanks Michael. And I don't think I ever said anyone was racist in the video. I pointed it out as odd by citing other examples of television at the time. I merely made an observation on how this character was treated. Thanks for the feedback.
It reflects racism that existed in society when it was written, Michael. There's no doubt of that. It's not a "racist story" as such.