Retrospective Discussion | Doctor Who (2005) | 2x06 "The Age of Steel"
(startrek.website)
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
this post was submitted on 09 Aug 2026
5 points (100.0% liked)
Doctor Who Social Club
423 readers
5 users here now
A community for discussing all things Doctor Who.
Rules
1 Be constructive
All posts/comments must be thoughtful and balanced.
2 Be welcoming
It is important that everyone from newbies to longtime fans feel welcome, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, religion or race.
3 Be truthful
All posts/comments must be factually accurate and verifiable. We are not a place for gossip, rumors, or manipulative or misleading content.
4 Be nice
If a polite way cannot be found to phrase what it is you want to say, don't say anything at all. Insulting or disparaging remarks about any human being are expressly not allowed.
5 Spoilers
Utilize the spoiler system for any and all spoilers relating to the most recently-aired episode. Spoiler protection will not be granted to information that is out in the mainstream media.
6 Keep on-topic
All submissions must be directly about the DW franchise (the shows, movies, books, etc.). Off-topic discussions are welcome at c/Quarks.
7 Meta
Questions and concerns about moderator actions should be brought forward via DM.
Upcoming Episodes
| Date | Episode | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 12-07 | TWB 1x01 | "Homo Aqua" |
| 12-07 | TWB 1x02 | "Plastic Apocalypse" |
| 12-14 | TWB 1x03 | "The Deep" |
| 12-14 | TWB 1x04 | "The Witch of the Waterfall" |
| 12-21 | TWB 1x05 | "The End of the War" |
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
The first thing that strikes me is that the story here is held together by a lot of wild contrivances. Mickey and Jake get to the roof of Battersea undetected...somehow! Despite normally clanking around, the Cybermen can still sneak up on you when convenient! Mickey's hacking skills (granted these have been halfway established in the past) are strong enough that he can find the override code for the emotional inhibitors in a matter of seconds! Also, he knows how to fly a Zeppelin because PlayStation!
With that all the way, I think the emotional core of the episode is strong. The body horror is executed perfectly, with the "why am I cold" scene being absolutely outstanding (and something that I'd forgotten about, shame on me).
I really appreciated Pete's "rejection" of Rose, even after he learns the truth. It's unsatisfying in a very real sort of way.
I'm less fond of Mickey's departure - it's fine, I just don't care much for Mickey. I do think it would have been more resonant if Eccleston was still the Doctor, since he showed more disdain for Mickey last season.
It was nice that the episode spent some time with Jake, and especially Mrs. Moore. It's a little surprising that we never met their counterparts in the mainline universe.
Lastly...the Cybermen could be a good metaphor for toxic masculinity. Maybe it's time to revisit them.
Yes, I also remember wanting to see more of the prime Whoniverse Mrs Moore when I'd watched this episode!
Once again, it's fun to imagine how these 20 years old broadcasts would have been received by our current, terminally online culture. "Doctor Who is canceled, man. This is the weakest season ever, RTD has lost the plot!" 🥸
Mickey going off on his own is fitting in a way, though the constant flip-flopping of whether Rose was happy for him to be there or not made it difficult to know if this was a good or bad outcome.