# Doctor Who 7x13: Nightmare In Silver **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114 "2013-05-12T00:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/21 "2013-05-12T20:36:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Now, I haven’t been watch Doctor Who for very long so can someone tell me if they’ve always been like that? That’s pretty much how they’ve looked since they made their reappearance in season 2 of New Who. The Old Who Cybermen had a much greater variation in their look. [The creepiest were probably the ones the Second Doctor fought back in the 1960’s.](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gHQ4xsEX_P0/T3tnJt8Qa_I/AAAAAAAAA60/8MclScWWNoA/s1600/04+Doctor+and+Cybermen.png) They looked kind of like burn victims on life-support. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/22 "2013-05-12T20:56:43Z")
Actuallly, I was referring to their assimilating every person they captured, much like the Borg, and then the stuff that was attached to the Doctor’s face, very like the Borg. Is all of _that_ new? ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/23 "2013-05-12T21:46:16Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Actuallly, I was referring to their assimilating every person they captured, much like the Borg, and then the stuff that was attached to the Doctor’s face, very like the Borg. Is all of _that_ new? The little mites are definitely new. Previous assimilations involved the Cybermen sticking the victim in a special apparatus. The face stuff is new, as well. And while we’re on the subject of new stuff, I don’t remember the Cybermen being capable of bursts of super-speed like that one did early on in the episode when he was kidnapping one of the kids. It really made me wonder why they didn’t just do that all the time if it was something they could do. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/24 "2013-05-12T21:46:43Z")
I thought it was one of the best of the half-season. Gaiman, as always, wrote a solid and exciting script, and his upgrade of the cybermen was a big improvement over previous versions, and combined the element of both. I loved the nods to the original series (“That’s a cybermat!” I said as soon as I saw the buglike robots, and, of course, there was the very nice nod to “Tomb of the Cybermen,” considered by a lot of old time fans as one of the best episodes of the series). The kids were a little obnoxious, but most of the episode, they were seen but not heard. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/25 "2013-05-12T22:18:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Actuallly, I was referring to their assimilating every person they captured, much like the Borg, and then the stuff that was attached to the Doctor’s face, very like the Borg. Is all of _that_ new? It dates back at least to their [third appearance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_tomb_of_the_cybermen)back in 1967. “You belong to us; You shall be like us.” Edit - the assimilating, anyway. Not the face stuff. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/26 "2013-05-12T22:33:00Z")
I would like it if Emperor Porridge showed up again from time to time as an occasional companion. He was cool. And he could use it to get away from his duties from time to time but still not actually go missing. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/27 "2013-05-12T22:56:14Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Actuallly, I was referring to their assimilating every person they captured, much like the Borg, and then the stuff that was attached to the Doctor’s face, very like the Borg. Is all of _that_ new? They’ve always been converting others since the beginning, since it’s the only way they can reproduce. Their methods have varied over the years though. Basically, a Cyberman is, or at least was, a human(oid) brain in a robotic body, with their emotions suppressed. They do have a survival instinct programmed in, so they convert others in order to ensure their survival. > [@Snooooopy](#): > > And while we’re on the subject of new stuff, I don’t remember the Cybermen being capable of bursts of super-speed like that one did early on in the episode when he was kidnapping one of the kids. It really made me wonder why they didn’t just do that all the time if it was something they could do. I’m guessing it was one of their upgrades. They never could do that in the past. If they could, they would have been able to defeat the [Raston Warrior Robot](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnQVtmYfLtk). From “The Five Doctors” - 1983 ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/28 "2013-05-12T23:12:39Z")
This episode was in the far far future where humanity rules across multiple galaxies and has access to planet and stellar implosion bombs, and trans-mat tech. So, the Cybermen of this period are also far evolved. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/29 "2013-05-13T00:01:09Z")
You’d think that by slashing the number of episodes that the writers could really focus on quality. But it’s not working out like that at all. Ok episode, but not the best Cybermen episode by a longshot. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/30 "2013-05-13T01:33:01Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I don’t think Clara has anything to do with River. I think… > > …she’s a trap set by the Great Intelligence. He created the perfect companion, based on the design of the original Clara from the Snowmen episode, who appears throughout time for the Doctor to eventually discover and bring on his adventures, where she’ll eventually lead him to his doom. Or so the Intelligence hopes. > [@Slade](#): > > [He Said, She Said](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtaIpkjF6Ss) - finale prequel. Check [this](http://observationdeck.io9.com/there-could-be-something-amazing-hidden-in-next-weeks-503083269) out. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/31 "2013-05-13T02:02:12Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > I’m guessing it was one of their upgrades. They never could do that in the past. What I meant was that I wondered why it only happened once in the episode. It’s like a _Night of the Living Dead_ zombie decided to be a _28 Days Later_ zombie for a few seconds. ---
**Author:** ![CorneaGenii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@CorneaGenii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CorneaGenii)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/32 "2013-05-13T02:42:21Z")
In the [trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRhG3oEQ9eY) for the Series 7 finale, I can’t quite make out what River Song says at the end. A little help? ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/33 "2013-05-13T02:49:17Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I don’t think Clara has anything to do with River. I think… > > …she’s a trap set by the Great Intelligence. He created the perfect companion, based on the design of the original Clara from the Snowmen episode, who appears throughout time for the Doctor to eventually discover and bring on his adventures, where she’ll eventually lead him to his doom. Or so the Intelligence hopes. Ooh! Me likey! > [@TBG](#): > > I would like it if Emperor Porridge showed up again from time to time as an occasional companion. He was cool. And he could use it to get away from his duties from time to time but still not actually go missing. The challenge for any little person actor, I always think, is to play a role so well that the viewer either sees his size as an attribute of the _character_ and not the _actor_, or not see it at all. I thought Porridge was an interesting character, and by the end of the episode, his size was almost irrelevant. A good job by Warwick Davis. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/34 "2013-05-13T03:01:30Z")
> [@CorneaGenii](#): > > In the [trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRhG3oEQ9eY) for the Series 7 finale, I can’t quite make out what River Song says at the end. A little help? Whatever you think you’re [or ‘of’] doing, don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/35 "2013-05-13T03:08:09Z")
> [@CorneaGenii](#): > > In the [trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRhG3oEQ9eY) for the Series 7 finale, I can’t quite make out what River Song says at the end. A little help? “Whatever you’re thinking of doing; Don’t do it.” ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/36 "2013-05-13T03:10:39Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > What I meant was that I wondered why it only happened once in the episode. It’s like a _Night of the Living Dead_ zombie decided to be a _28 Days Later_ zombie for a few seconds. Oh, got it. Fanwank… The Cybermen only use it for kidnapping. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/37 "2013-05-13T03:21:42Z")
Solid episode, though not what I would’ve expected from Gaiman. And Warwick Davis is officially my second favorite little person actor. (Sorry, Warwick, but you’re no Peter Dinklage. And incidentally, is [Richard Howland](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0398205/) a little person, or just really, really fucking short?) Not really getting the hate for the kids. I’m not a fan of kids in general, but they were unobtrusive and believable enough. And finally… argh. I thought/hoped against hope that we were done with River Song last time she showed up. I feel about River Song as most people seem to feel about Daleks (and, to be honest, as I feel about Daleks… though I’m sort of missing them now, and if you gave me a choice between River Song and Daleks, I’d choose Daleks). They need to put River Song on a bus with the freakin’ Angels. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/38 "2013-05-13T04:09:03Z")
I did not enjoy this episode. I particularly disliked the whole bit with the Doctor arguing with his cyber-self and playing the chess game. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/39 "2013-05-13T05:10:30Z")
Matt Smith was showing off his physical comedy skills. I kind of liked it. I don’t get the kid hate myself, although what’s-her-name marching off to the patrol and demanding a cure to her boredom was strange and reckless. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114/40 "2013-05-13T06:42:56Z")
By funny coincidence, just earlier this week, I read the IDW comic [Doctor Who/Star Trek: The Next Generation - Assimilation[sup]2[/sup]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation/Doctor_Who:_Assimilation2). In that comic, the Cybermen transfer into the ST universe, and form an alliance with the Borg, picking up some of their technology, before being forced out. My headcanon is now that this episode is a direct sequel to that series. (Also, the galaxy-spanning human empire, fighting an enemy so insidious they have a tendency to blow up entire planets to get rid of them…I wonder if this is set in the 40th millenium…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-7x13-nightmare-in-silver/658114.md?page=3)