ALL Cybermen Cameo Appearances + Story Rankings - Cybercember 

The painting is a reference to the wreck of the medusa, a naval disaster with the crew and passengers drifting out to sea in a giant makeshift raft. The crew eventually resorted to cannibalism to survive. Maybe the link the cybermen is the utter desperation to survive.

“Silver mirror” would be a good name for an episode like you described. Also, I can imagine a team of scientists and engineers, working in isolation due to the pandemic and collaborating online, developing this technology. First ventilators that can be made in a garage workshop with 3d printers and such. Then, artificial lungs for those too far gone for ventilators. Then neural pain suppressors to make the artificial lungs bearable. Then more subtle suppressors for the emotional pain of so many deaths. Then,finally, as they one by one succumb to the disease and are forced to use this tech to survive, the realization that humanity must change its fundamental nature to survive. Thus, Cybermen.

As someone who's trying to write a Cybermen story, this marathon has helped a lot, to identify the pro's and con's of these villains. So kids, what have we learnt? 1.) The Cybermen are not robots, but are not humans. Don't make them emotional, but don't make them emotionless. 2.) They should be the main focus of their story, and work best when they're not playing second fiddle to another villain. 3.) For God's sake, give them a simple plan with a simple goal, that doesn't have 20 steps and plot holes.

If I remember correctly in The Mind of Evil when the keller machine attacks on the Doctor, Imagines from the Doctor's enemies by pass including a War Machine, a Ice Warrior 'Slaar' and a Cyberman.

I don’t think the story proposal at the end really lines up with what makes the Cybermen work. It would be interesting, sure, certainly a new angle where Cybermen are concerned- but the whole ‘brainwashed by the oppressive ruling class’ thing has been done to death for decades, and it would unavoidably result in that same problem of the Cybermen playing second fiddle to the real villains. If you make out the Cybermen to be victims to anyone other than themselves, it loses that crucial sense of inevitability that makes them so scary. In my eye, what makes the Cybermen scary isn’t the idea of this horrific process that has been forcibly done to them; it’s the idea of this horrific process that they did to themselves willingly, how they’re only trying to share what they genuinely view as a better way to live. There’s no malice there, no evil schemes (at first anyway), Cybermen are just something that becomes more likely to happen the longer a society goes for; no matter how thriving or how miserable the starting population was beforehand.

Mr TARDIS in Previous cyberCember videos “I have to make these videos 2 months in advance because of RU-vid copyright system” Mr TARDIS in this video: “I have to hurry up because I’ve got to cook Christmas dinner” My god man, that better be a good Christmas dinner if it takes you two months to cook 😜

i got chills when you said "wouldn't you like that pain to go away" because that is such a government thing to do wow

Little thing, in An Adventure In Space And Time, there is a Mondasian Cyberman (well it’s an actor in costume) at the beginning of the film

OMG 10:06 - 12:52 gave me chills. You are actual genius. That’s exactly what I’d want in a 21st century cyberman story. Humankind WANTING conversion to escape corruption and all the other pain going on in the world. Rise of the Cybermen and Age of steel terrified me at the time of broadcast but even at the age of 6 I knew it was somewhat poignant and compelling. Tomb of the cybermen is also a masterpiece can’t deny that. Just found your videos a few weeks ago and I’ve been binging Dalekcember and Cybercember simultaneously, it’s incredible ( made my December so much better) Im loving this kind of content and I can’t wait to see who you cover next 👍🏻

The painting is based of "the Raft of the Medusa" by Théodore Géricault a painting that much, much bigger than the one on the show. It is pretty much the biggest and most impressive painting of the Louvre.

Handles Is best tardis team

Handles surviving could have made him the revived series answer to K9

Merry Christmas! I'm going to miss Cybercember. It was a cool thing to look forward to each day

I must admit that even by neglecting many things, you perfectly captured the meaning of the Cybermen: the original term Cybernetics refer to a branch of authoritarian sociology, not mechanical augmentation scene.

I think the best thing to do with the Cybermen is to give them their own episode. No Daleks, no Master, no other villains unless it's a Tobias Vaughn type who is being used by the Cybermen, just the silver giants. Focus on the body horror (as much as a family friendly show will allow) and the loss of self. Show their strength and physical invulnerability, but also their inability to understand emotion. For me, World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls and The Haunting of Villa Diodati have been a return to form for the Cybermen. Portray them like that. Also, I would love a Cyberman story where Ashad is resurrected as a Cyber-Planner and the story is interspersed with flashbacks to Ashad's backstory, with the Ruth Doctor being involved and serving as the Doctor's connection to those flashbacks.

Huh.. I didn't know nor never noticed that Cyberman painting on The Day of the Doctor.

*[YOU BELONG TO US...]* *[YOU SHALL BE LIKE US...]*

Excellent Cybercember! Also, I don't know why I there's a note on my desk telling me to tell you great Silencember too. Don't know what's that about.

4:50 That painting is a recreation of The Raft of Medusa, which I believe is currently in the Louvre. It's also on an LP cover my dad owns.

11:26 - Personally I think it would be more subversive, interesting, and closer to the Cybermen's origins to have a guerilla, desperate opposition decide to remove pain, emotion and hurt to confront those inflicting it. That way your story is about where you draw your moral line when fighting corruption ("do you have to become a monster, to fight a monster?") And it reflects the tragedy of the original Mondassians, who just wanted to survive, and turned to technology - but went too far. I also find it more logical than a population turning to their oppressors for the solution.

what an achievement. Watching you tackle a story from my favourite doctor who antagonists each day in the lead up to Christmas has been so fun! I'm actually going to miss cybercember. Thank you!

Really enjoyed this series. Really highlights for me the struggle the series has gone through to rush a fun adventure yarn to the screen rather than better exploring the massive sci-fi ideas and concepts it either borrows or develops. Not content with merely reviewing this stories, it's these kind of insights that show what the TV show is truly capable of achieving. Thanks and Merry Christmas!

I like that idea of what to do with the cybermen, it takes the idea and evolves it well, fitting in great with modern issues. I think that it would definitely make for an interesting story. I have an idea for a trilogy of stories, the first two parts would be told together and the third part would be the Christmas special at the end of the next series (this is from my own 5 series layout of what would I do with doctor who). The first part is has an aliens feel, the doctor arrives on a colony, on an asteroid on Christmas day, in the middle of a cybermen invasion and after running into some survivors they try to help them escape but the characters get picked off one by one. At one point befire they die the parents of a child get the doctor to promise to look after her (the doctor also takes a liking to her like they do with anyone who is worthy of being a companion) but near the end the doctor loses the child and leaving the other survivors to escape they run back into the colony to rescue her from conversion. Unfortunately the doctor is to late, they prevent the erasing of their memories and emotions but that's all that remains and after destroying the cybermen in a moment of rage they take her to a care home in the future, one that specialises in cybernetics. Part two would have the cyber program take control, with the converted child taking people over, until the doctor gets them to fight back against the programming, the child cyberman dies but in the process frees the remaining cybermen of the programming and creates a whole new race of cybermen. Saddened by the loss but happy about the new future of the cybermen the doctor leaves to their next series of adventures. Part three would pick up after that series finale (possibly after the storyline where I'd break the doctor, with galifrey under the master, who also caused them to regenerate, the monk and the rani's rule, secretly controlled by the valeyard, who in an earlier story turned out to be the meta crisis doctor after rose's death and have a series of them being built back up after giving up on the universe and running away) and the doctor ends up several hundred years after the previous events. There they learn that at some point the entire cyberpeople where marginalised and scapegoated and finding the last of their kind frightened and alone the doctor is determined to save them. This doesn't end well, as the story would end with the cyberman dying in their arms but the image affects the public and some characters in the story see what they have done and decide to do something to change how the world is. Tired and not caring the doctor leaves. This one being more about fear of those who are different. I'd definitely want to bring in more of the body horror element and more of the tragedy element and run with that.

Kudos on a wonderful Cybercember! May Cyber-Steve and Cyber-Geoff live on in our hearts (and any excuses to cameo you can cook up) :)

So over the course of 2021, I'm guessing we'll see a compilation of Cybercember and a Cyberman timeline like with the Daleks beforehand.

Looking back, the Cybermen really are a missed opportunity most of the time. They seem to have a few too many episodes that have them in it that aren't about them. The treatment between Daleks and Cybermen is huge, despite the Cybermen being seen as the shows second biggest villains.

These reviews were absolutely amazing! You should be so proud of this project, it really has been great.

oh wow, you snapped near the end there. In the best way. Could definitely see Charlie Brooker doing an episode like you described at the end.

Happy Cybercember! Defintiely gonna rewatch when the compilation comes out later. This series has really broadened my view of the Cybermen's potential, especially love your idea, giving me chills just hearing it. Thanks Trilbee

Thanks for the daily event. I looked forward to each day, each review, each in-depth insightful opinion and I enjoyed every second of it. I died for 3 minutes in surgery in the middle of this year and recovery has been slow. The idea of cybernetics to enhance life or remove emotions is a very potent thought in my mind now. This was a rough year for us all and it's RU-vidrs like you who keep us informed, inspired and entertained. Looking forward to maybe a Master-cember? Who knows. Who... knows.

It's been a very enjoyable 26 days watching all of Cybercember, you did a fantastic job Mr TARDIS, Merry Christmas everybody

Superb mate, a wonderful series and worthy follow up to last year. I guess as recurring villains go, for filling an entire month, I can't wait for next year's Mastercember!!!! Mastercember... Mastercember... You. Will. OBEY!

Thanks for a great month of reviews MrTardis.

I'll go for the obvious joke - excellent! This series has been a comfort during the end of a grim year. Props for the hard work on all the videos - hoping plenty of people see them!

Finally someone covering the cameos needed this for so long

I cool idea for a companion would be a Cyberman that instead of dying when seeing what it really is, over time comes to terms with it as it travels with the Doctor. I think that would be a cool concept. Edit: Fun Fact: That Dalek is from the Time War, it is the only one that got down there.

MrTardis, not only is your story premise brilliant, but your essay laying it out was searing and evocative. I hope you end up the DW showrunner one day. Thanks for Cybercember, it was ... excellent!

Great vid.

Here's a cool idea, what if we got a new companion, except at the end of the season this companion got upgraded, but perhaps like Bill they manage to somewhat reject the programing, unlike Bill though, what if this companion stayed with the Doctor?

This year I have enjoyed Cybercember, It was another good run of these videos like Dalekcember last year, It is all the best we needed since 2020 was a hell whole year, Nevertheless we will fight through this evil covid, Until peace is restored to our world.

Merry Christmas!

The classic Dr Who Cybermen are the best Cybermen in billions of ways

1:40. Mr TARDIS, you forgot another Pertwee appearance- in 'Mind of Evil', one of the doctor's fears is a Cyberman. You can just make it out.

11:28 Those lines would make for a good opening.

Great job as usual Mr Tardis! Here's hoping for Mastercember next year. Maybe even Sontar-cember the year after if it's not too much trouble?

That ending monologue tho… *slow claps*

Guessing someone hasn't seen the bodycam footage...

Excellent!

Excellent

To be fair Handles was the one Moffat death that was actually permanent.

Handles was one of my favorite companions! He was a trooper!

Funny how the longest serving companions are a Cyberman head and the Dog God of Death

I'll admit, the boot allegory was very on-the-nose, but I can concur that this year would be a perfect way to draw inspiration for a true, good, Cyberman story. Honestly, I think I enjoyed CyberCember more than DalekCember.

Great series, I loved every episode - even when our subjective views differed. Though I agree, the master needs to ignore the Cybermen for a long while.

Here’s my ranking of every cyberman Story I’ve seen: 1. Earthshock 2. World Enough And Time/ The Doctor Falls 3. Tomb of the Cybermen 4. The Moonbase 5. The Invasion 6. The Haunting Of Villa Diodati 7. Attack Of The Cybermen 8. Rise Of The Cybermen/ The Age Of Steel 9. The Tenth Planet 10. Army Of Ghosts/ Doomsday 11. The Next Doctor 12. Ascension Of The Cybermen/ The Timeless Children 13. Revenge Of The Cybermen 14. Nightmare In Silver 15. The Wheel In Space 16. Dark Water/ Death In Heaven 17. Silver Nemesis 18. Closing Time

The Raft of the Medusa is what this Cybermen painting is a take on, a famous painting of the survivors of a terrible shipwreck.

Great end to a great series! " The Cyborg Handbook" by Chris Hables Gray has some fascinating essays on what makes us cyborg, and is well worth a read if you like your science fiction based on science fact!

My favourite is the wheel in space cyberman who cameos in the invasion with the hilarious roof stunt.

100% That "Tomb Of The Cybermen" deserve to be in the first place, but also ironic that "Dalek" and "Dark Water" made the same mistake said this Cybermens are from "The Invasion" but is clearly "The Revenge Of The Cybermen" heads but anyway this Cybercember was fun and Merry Christmas to everyone.

I think next year would obviously make sense as Master-cember like probably everyone else has been thinking, but I think the year after that would make sense to be UNIT-cember. There aren’t any other villains who have enough stories like the The Daleks, Cybermen, and Master. The only other entity in the Doctor Who universe that could rival them in story amount is UNIT. I did the math in my head, and if you subtract the stories UNIT shares with the previously mentioned three villains, they have a perfect 25-ish amount of stories. Maybe even more than enough!

I honestly like your idea about people willingly being turned into cybermen as an escape. On your closing time I review. I said how I can completely understand the Craig beating of the cybermen after hearing his sons cry. Not to bore you with my own personal story, but sometimes when I watch dr who. I think. If the cybermen were converting me. Yes I'd put up a fight. But when they start announcing how it would free me from pain, emotional baggage, stress, worry, greif. I honestly think its possible I'd loosen my grip on my own life. I'm not dying. I'm still going to be here. But not have all my problems anymore. Its understood how humans may be tempted by that. But if I heard any of my children cry out or just caught site of them in fear. I'd snap. My submission would just disappear. I'd certainly feel like I would be able to rip a cyberman peice by peice to protect my kids. Not myself. But them yes. Definitely would be a good exploration to visit. Maybe it could tie into why Arshad volunteered for the ultimate upgrade.

Silver Mirror sounds awesome!

The cyberman painting reminds me a bit of Washington Crossing the Delaware. But only in its basic outline.

I think Unicorn and the Wasp had a minor cameo as well as I recall a Cyberman chestplate or something in the Doctor's possession or something with Agatha Christie's book. I think part of the shadow hanging over the Cybermen is not only the fact that they're playing second fiddle to the Daleks, but that they're kind of playing second fiddle to Star Trek's Borg as well. Those guys really stuck their claim as cyborg icons of assimilation (and them having an exterior of visible organic and technological components adds to the eeriness). It helps that they work as such a great mirror to the philosophies of the Federation and had quite a few impactful moments (and even a film). While they did get watered down overtime that peak is something the Cybies have never quite managed. "We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We shall add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile."

Finally more Handles Appreciation

Also not forgetting the Cyberman head in the under gallery in day of the doctor

The painting was also used on the front cover of the Pogues album Rum, Sodomy and the Lash; in that the faces of the band members were imposed on the shipwreck victims.

I actually think the Cybermen are also the perfect base under siege villain. You don't have to establish what they want outside of having a minor character get converted, Ashad showed conversion isn't even a perfect process and can lead something way worse than if it's completed so getting saved part way through might be worse than getting killed. They're a ceaseless, needless mirror of humanity, one that won't stop until they've accomplished their goals and forces those under siege to make decisions to survive.

My ranking of all the stories is as follows; 1: Earthshock 2: Tomb of The Cybermen 3: World Enough and Time/ The Doctor Falls 4: The Invasion 5: The Haunting of Villa Diodati 6: Attack of The Cybermen 7: The Tenth Planet 8: Rise of The Cybermen/The Age of Steel 9: Revenge of The Cybermen 10: The Moonbase 11: Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 12: Silver Nemesis 13: The Next Doctor 14: Ascension of The Cybermen/The Timeless Children 15: Nightmare in Silver 16: Closing Time 17: The Wheel in Space 18: Dark Water/Death in Heaven

There's something quite awesome about Mr TARDIS ranking the Cyber-Man stories to Cpt. Jack's theme.

I would love to see a story or stories about/with Handles. If that happens, it will likely be a Big Finnish production.

Well, going back to having a 'Kroton' type character, what about having an Earthshock to Attack of the Cybermen design?

I actually had an idea for my own Cybermen story. To put it simply it's a retelling of my all time favorite movie: Fritz Lang's Metropolis. My idea was that the Doctor and his companion(s) accidentally take aboard Fritz Lang and his wife (at the time) Thea Von Harbou after a quick trip to 1920s New York (where Fritz Lang got the spark of inspiration for Metropolis). They go to a distant planet with class struggles and retro-futurist art deco designs and on this planet the Cybermen get started as a means to make the workers more efficient by turning said workers into them. A different take on what was the original purpose of Futura the robot from that movie.

Have a merry Christmas you all!

The painting might be a parody of the one in Bill Adama's quarters that depicts humans fighting Cylons during the first Cylon war (Battlestar Galactica).

18. Dark Water/Death in Heaven 17. Closing Time 16. Silver Nemesis 15. The Next Doctor 14. Revenge of the Cybermen 13. The Wheel in Space 12. Nightmare in Silver 11. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 10. Rise of Cybermen/Age of Steel 9. Ascension of the Cybermen/The Timeless Children 8. Attack of the Cybermen 7. The Invasion 6. World Enough in Time/The Doctor Falls 5. The Haunting of Villa Diodati 4. The Moonbase 3. The Tenth Planet 2. Earthshock 1. The Tomb of the Cybermen I have always been a fan of the stories where the Cybermen are front and centre and not playing second fiddle to Daleks, the master, etc. That's why I'm a big fan of the top 4. I think the story I'm really keen to see would be one focussed around the origins of Mondas and the Cybermen's birth on their planet. A story that shows the desperation they got to for survival and how they had lost all hope. I always thought the initial state of the humans in WEIT and TDF were great, the look of the gowns and the blue liquid inserted in to them is haunting. Overall the other gripe I have is with the design of the Cybermen, I feel they lost a of of the cool voices and looks over the re-designs.

I’d like to see this, in Series 13 and 14- and I mean your idea for a cyberman story, it’s rather fitting- it’s already been established, there’s civil unrest and growing corruption in Britain in the Chibnall era, probably even worse than our Britain (if that’s even possible)- and, yes. Perfect for a cyberman story. You could even link it to the origin to Ashad from ascension of the cybermen.

I'm sure part of the cybermen suits used in the 2nd doctor episode "the invasion" was used for the cybermen in the 4th doctor episode revenge of the cybermen

Incredible cybercember! Your idea on what to do with the cybermen gave me literal chills.

Just like with Dalekcember last year, I have thouraghly enjoyed Cybercember. Gave me something to look forward each day in this abysmal year. Aswell as Christmas of course! Here’s my own Cybermen Story ranking as it stands right now as I am currently rewatching the Revived series: 1. Tomb of the Cybermen 2. Earthshock 3. World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls 4. Rise of the the Cybermen/Age of Steel 5. The Invasion 6. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 7. The Tenth Planet 8. The Haunting of Villa Diotadi/Ascension of the Cybermen/The Timeless Children 9. The Moonbase 10. The Next Doctor 11. Attack of the Cybermen 12. Silver Nemesis 13. Nightmare in Silver 14. Closing Time 15. Revenge of the Cybermen 16. Dark Water/Death in Heaven I haven’t seen (or heard) Wheel in Space fully. So what’s next for December 2021? Mastercember? Weepingcember? Included expanded media like with Cybercemer. Regenerationcember? Could cover the Regeneration and post Regeneration stories you’ve yet to cover. Would be appropriate if, ONLY IF, Jodie Whittaker announces her departure from the role come 2021.

Yes, yes he is

The Age Of Steel, introducing Cyber Trigger.

That political stuff near the end got so real. i forgot what i was watching. Now, I will retreat through the breach and regain my home mind.

My ranking of The Cybermen stories would be: 1. The Invasion 2. World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls 3. The Tomb of The Cybermen 4. Earthshock 5. Rise of The Cybermen/The Age of Steel 6. The Haunting of Villa Diodati 7. The Tenth Planet 8. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 9. Ascension of The Cybermen/The Timeless Children 10. Attack of The Cybermen 11. The Moonbase 12. The Next Doctor 13. Silver Nemesis 14. Revenge of The Cybermen 15. The Wheel in Space 16. Closing Time 17. Nightmare In Silver 18. Dark Water/Death In Heaven

Great CyberCember, will you at any point do a Series finale ranking? I remember The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang used to be in your top 10 stories, but you recently said World Enough in Time and Doctor Falls is the best finale since The Parting of the Ways, so it'd be interesting to see how your perspective has changed

There is also a cyberman head in the day of the doctor

Guess it fair to separate the Villa episode from the two which dragged it down But overall the ranking seems pretty good imo

Could do a series on villain species that only appeared once, which had no cameos or mentions again

My ranking: 1. The Doctor Falls / WEAT 2. Haunting of Villa Diodati 3. Earthshock 4. Ascension / Timeless Children 5. Army of Ghosts 6. The Tenth Planet 7. Age of Steel 8. Nightmare in Silver 9. Tomb of the Cybermen 10. The Next Doctor 11 to 18 can be any order 19. Doomsday

You forgot a Cyberleader's apperance during the fourth regeneration's during logopollis.

Tomb is my favourite 2nd Doctor story.

Handles makes me cry more than 11 regenerating...

I think we will get Ashad’s origin as we still don’t know how Jack knows about the him and the Cyberium

Don't know if this counts but in 2012 there was a comic published which was a crossover between doctor who and Star Trek the next generation. One of the main villains was the Cybermen

I love handles

4:33 is that the fourth doctors scarf?

Please do a Master-Cember, as it's the 50th anniversary year

My ranking best to worst 1. World Enough & Time/The Doctor Falls 2. Earthshock 3. Tomb of the Cybermen 4. The Haunting of Villa Diodati 5. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 6. The Invasion 7. Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel 8. The Tenth Planet 9. The Moonbase 10. Attack of the Cybermen 11. Silver Nemesis 12. Closing Time 13. The Wheel in Space 14. The Next Doctor 15. Ascension of the Cybermen/The Timeless Children 16. Nightmare in Silver 17. Revenge of the Cybermen 18. Dark Water/Death in Heaven

Where does the "the most precious thing on the earth is the human brain" line from the intro come from?

Still hoping for a Master-cember.