Rise of the Cybermen

172a – "Rise of the Cybermen"
Doctor Who episode
The Cybermen are back, and advancing on the Doctor.
Cast
Doctor David Tennant (Tenth Doctor)
Companions Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith)
Others Camille Coduri – Jackie Tyler Shaun Dingwall – Pete Tyler Roger Lloyd-Pack – John Lumic Andrew Hayden-Smith – Jake Simmonds Don Warrington – The President Colin Spaull – Mr Crane Mona Hammond – Rita-Anne Helen Griffin – Mrs Moore Paul Antony-Barber – Dr Kendrick Adam Shaw – Morris Andrew Ufondo – Soldier Duncan Duff – Newsreader Paul Kasey – Cyber-Leader Nicholas Briggs – Cybermen (Voice)
Production
Directed by	Graeme Harper
Written by	Tom MacRae
Script editor	Helen Raynor
Produced by	Phil Collinson
Executive producer(s)	Russell T Davies Julie Gardner
Incidental music composer	Murray Gold
Production code	2.5
Series	Series 2
Length	1st of 2-part story, 45 minutes
Originally broadcast	13 May 2006
Chronology
← Preceded by Followed by → "The Girl in the Fireplace" "The Age of Steel"
List of Doctor Who serials

"Rise of the Cybermen" is the fifth episode of the second series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. The episode introduces a non-extraterrestrial reinvention of the Cybermen, as well as a parallel universe which would serve as a recurring plot element in the series. It is the first part of a two-part story, the concluding part being "The Age of Steel". The TARDIS becomes stranded in an alternative universe where Rose Tyler's father is alive and corporations are closely involved with the British government; one such corporation is Cybus Industries, which is being countered by an underground resistance. The Doctor, Rose and Mickey Smith discover a plot by Cybus co-founder John Lumic to convert the population of London into monotonous cybernetic creatures resembling enemies the Doctor has faced before.

The episode was first broadcast on 13 May 2006. It was directed by Graeme Harper, who became the first and so far only man in the show's history to have directed episodes in both the original and revived runs of the series: he previously directed the acclaimed serial The Caves of Androzani in 1984, and Revelation of the Daleks in 1985.

Aboard the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rose reminisce about their travels in front of Mickey, who feels left out. Suddenly the TARDIS is jolted and comes to a sudden stop. The Doctor tells them they have fallen out of the time vortex and that the TARDIS's power cell is dead. The Doctor fears they are trapped in the Void, but Mickey opens the TARDIS doors to see that they are in London. Heading outside to look, they quickly realise that they are in London on a parallel Earth. The Doctor finds a small power cell in the TARDIS that still works, and he energises it with some of his own lifeforce. The cell needs time to recharge, so they decide to explore the alternate world. Rose is shocked to see a billboard with her father's picture on it, and the Doctor warns her not to seek him out because he is not her real father. Mickey decides to head off on his own and try to find his grandmother, who died in his universe. The Doctor and Rose discover that most of the population of London wear EarPod devices that feed information directly into the wearer's brain.