Part 2: Fear
Fear really ramps up the action from Scorpius. While the majority of part 1 had been the setting the scene, Fear really begins to play on the subconscious, making the listener feel like they are taking part in the action rather than watching it from a distance. This episode is set a considerable time after the first, with Karen now completely under Paul Hunt's control. The Orion war is still going badly, but Hunt has a new agenda for Karen to work to.
Liam Barnaby is given centre stage here. He is now the Presidents second-in-command, but secrets are being kept from him. He becomes paranoid, believing everyone to be against him, trying to discover Paul Hunt’s secret no matter the cost. As the tension builds over the hour, Liam is driven
to insanity. From a near death collision to the shocking ending, I found myself swept up in his anxiety. Mark McDonnell delivers perfectly, creating a character, that is completely sane but being convinced otherwise. His feelings are contagious, I honestly began to feel aggravated by how Paul Hunt worked, his monotone voice, the way he was treating Liam and how Karen was under his control.
For the rest of the story, it is great to finally hear the Androids, and even better that Nicholas Brigg’s hasn’t resorted to the cliché robot. These androids have been created so closely to the human form that even their creators can’t tell the difference between them. It’s refreshing to hear something like this; it’s like a people uprising against their God. I cannot fault Fear at all, it is a great episode that works really well. There is nothing wrong with it at all, the way it plays on your mind is terryfying and brilliant at the same time. Nicholas Briggs has done a great job here.
Once more, the Cybermen are not at the forefront. Their presence is felt much more than last time, and they are in more scenes, but until the end, they are limited to cameos. It isn’t until that agonising ending that they appear in full force. And when that does happen, there’s no stopping them. The invasion begins, and the first conversion is someone we know very well…
Liam Barnaby is given centre stage here. He is now the Presidents second-in-command, but secrets are being kept from him. He becomes paranoid, believing everyone to be against him, trying to discover Paul Hunt’s secret no matter the cost. As the tension builds over the hour, Liam is driven
to insanity. From a near death collision to the shocking ending, I found myself swept up in his anxiety. Mark McDonnell delivers perfectly, creating a character, that is completely sane but being convinced otherwise. His feelings are contagious, I honestly began to feel aggravated by how Paul Hunt worked, his monotone voice, the way he was treating Liam and how Karen was under his control.
For the rest of the story, it is great to finally hear the Androids, and even better that Nicholas Brigg’s hasn’t resorted to the cliché robot. These androids have been created so closely to the human form that even their creators can’t tell the difference between them. It’s refreshing to hear something like this; it’s like a people uprising against their God. I cannot fault Fear at all, it is a great episode that works really well. There is nothing wrong with it at all, the way it plays on your mind is terryfying and brilliant at the same time. Nicholas Briggs has done a great job here.
Once more, the Cybermen are not at the forefront. Their presence is felt much more than last time, and they are in more scenes, but until the end, they are limited to cameos. It isn’t until that agonising ending that they appear in full force. And when that does happen, there’s no stopping them. The invasion begins, and the first conversion is someone we know very well…