The Tenth Planet

UK Viewers

5.5 million

Appreciation Index

50

Synopsis

In 1986 a new planet appears in the Solar System which turns out to be a long-lost twin of Earth's named Mondas. Its inhabitants are the Cybermen.

Episode 2

First aired

Saturday, October 15, 1966

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Kit Pedler

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.4 million

Appreciation Index

48

Synopsis

The Doctor's warnings are ignored and the Cybermen take over the base, hampering the crew's efforts to help Zeus IV.

Episode 3

First aired

Saturday, October 22, 1966

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Kit Pedler Gerry Davis

Directed by

UK Viewers

7.6 million

Appreciation Index

48

Synopsis

With the Doctor out of action, it is up to Polly, Ben and Barclay to stop Cutler using the Z-Bomb and devastating half the world.

Episode 4 Missing

First aired

Wednesday, October 26, 1966

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Kit Pedler Gerry Davis

Directed by

UK Viewers

7.5 million

Appreciation Index

47

Synopsis

The Cybermen take over the base again, apparently to stop the humans using the Z-Bomb, but then the Doctor realises they intend to use it themselves to destroy Earth.

Characters

First Doctor

William Hartnell

Ben Jackson

Michael Craze

How to watch The Tenth Planet:

Watch on iPlayer

DVD

The Tenth Planet

DVD

Regeneration

VHS

Attack of the Cybermen & The Tenth Planet (VHS) (Limited Edition)

Reviews
Add Review Edit Review

Sort:

12 reviews

A fantastic swan song for the First Doctor, despite him being absent for half of it due to ill health. Also the first and best iteration of the Cybermen in my opinion.

Scottybguud

View profile

Review last edited on 11-03-25

This review contains spoilers!

for a cyberman episode, they are super super different here. they basically drop the whole twin planet thing in later stories mostly. the s2 cyberman 2 parter has them from a parallel earth and pulls off a similar concept much better. the things i really liked about this episode was that it was the first time the show ever feels diverse. there's an actual black character, and the space hub thingy has people clearly from all around the world taking part in these space missions, and the antartica base has some clearly non british people. all the mainest characters are still white and british though. i like tito he was cute but he dies pretty quick. i thought the 3rd episode where it suddenly became all about defeating the human captain was really weird - the cybermen should be the focus, not some random guy who tbh feels kind of in the right for what he was doing! i wish they sold us more on the father/son thing and deepened that relationship, at least gave the son a name!! the unique title sequence is so appreciated though. i think the doctor and polly honestly did very little in this story. i dont even understand why the doctor regenerates at the end?? ofc it's the first one so they didn't have the rules for regeneration down yet, but it is still odd. it's also weird that this is one of few time that the doctor explictly already knows what is going to happen roughly, which is probably why he takes a back seat

lizshaw

View profile

Review last edited on 4-02-25

The Tenth Planet is a very mediocre sort of story. The Cyberman designs are really fun, better than the more recent more robotic versions just by virtue of how it reminds you they were human once, too, but then it doesn't really do much interesting with them other than an "Oh no! The enemy is invading the world again!" plot. The side characters are okay but nothing special, so the plot is mostly carried by the main cast, but even then Polly as the single female character in the whole serial gets sidelined as The Screamer every time the Cybermen enter.

But perhaps more than any of that, I'm going to miss the First Doctor :(

greenLetterT

View profile

Review last edited on 21-01-25

This review contains spoilers!

“Have you no emotions, sir?”

Tout le premier acte est un triomphe.

Les Cybermen ne seront jamais aussi bizarres et magiques qu’ici, et ont carrément de l’air fantômes sans visage qui errent sur la banquise.

Mais surtout comme ils sont devenus la mort par seule peur du vide, ils pourraient presque être nous.

Et non seulement ils sont un cauchemar absolu. Mais en plus ils vident de toute sa vie ce vieux Docteur qui se bat une toute dernière fois.

The Tenth Planet n’est peut-être alors jamais aussi bon que chaque image terrifiante qu’il laisse en tête, il est bizarrement touchant.

Dogtor

View profile

Review last edited on 13-11-24

Love, pride, hate, fear, this episode is peak sir.

Dullish

View profile

Review last edited on 29-10-24