Doctor Who and the wonky voices of the Cybermen

Why do the voices of the Cybermen go all weird at the end of Episode 3 of The Wheel in Space

[@AlReviewsWho]

I had no idea about this! I always assumed the voice box broke down not long before the recording of that final scene. Very interesting stuff.

[@DavidChandler1]

Another great video! I had never noticed the voices were different in that scene and didn’t know the story behind it either. Great stuff.

[@TheArmyOfDaleks]

idk why I keep thinking your name is John XD but these videos are lovely! "YYOUUU BEELLLLOOONNGGGG TOOO USS!!! YOU SHALLL BEEEEE LIKKEEEE USSS!!!"

[@somebuddyX]

The Cybermen voices in the original show sound pretty cool in these clips. I only ever heard the ones in Tenth Planet/World Enough in Time and they sound way more offputting than the ones in the new series, although I like those ones too. Maybe the show should bring back all the different types of original show Cybermen somehow, I think that would be wild.

[@The_Blue_Otaku]

Honestly out of all Classic Who I always liked the voice effect of the Cybermen from Tomb of the Cybermen the most

[@pokechimp88]

​@The_Blue_Otaku , same here. I wish they would return some day.

[@lesigh1749]

You would think that they would just re-record the cyberman voice acting without doing the whole scene over again.

[@minicle426]

The technology back then didn't allow proper overdubbing.

[@timrob12]

That's an advantage in the New Series that we have one main actor to rely upon for the voices and who can keep track of the continuity.

[@minicle426]

It's boring having Briggs do it all the time though.

[@timrob12]

@@minicle426 I would be annoyed if it wasn't him doing it all the time.

[@paulvcooke]

Another great video.

[@bobjordan69]

All of these better by far than the shonky NuWho voice

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

I like the wonky voice. It’s certainly better than the Mr. Blobby voice they used in later Classic Who.

[@xyreniaofcthrayn1195]

Looks like cyberman went into diagnostic mode at the end credits so lore wise maybe their voice box got an update that recalibrated the voice and the doctor being the doctor just rolls with it.l

[@richardswift343]

Please keep sharing these wonderfully framed theories as they come to you

[@Eltonlaleham]

IMO the Cybermen are better villains in millions and billions of ways than the Daleks and also the Cybermen are my alltime favourite Dr Who enemies

[@CacoQueen]

I honestly prefer the episode 3 cliffhanger voices to the ones used in the rest of the serial

[@stephenreed2093]

Will Nick Briggs fix this on the bluray Collection box set release?

[@alfredtheamazing]

Viewing the reconstruction of Episode 4, it sounds like they fixed the Cybermen voices for the reprise of the Episode 3 cliffhanger, so I don't quite understand why they couldn't use the fixed voices for the end of Episode 3, surely it wasn't necessary to re-record the whole cliffhanger?

[@ndrewwb]

Interesting stuff! I wonder did something similar happen between eps 2 / 3 of Tomb? They reshot the opening cliffhanger from a further back perspective and the voice is noticeably different from the end of part 2 as well

[@colinbarron4]

I noticed that as well. The pitch of the Cybercontroller voice is different.

[@Paul1510WB]

Roy Skelton says that they didn't have time to sort out a device to fit in his mouth which is why he had to put a buzz in his own voice.

[@mistymisterwistyjones9668]

Pretty sure Roy Skelton explained what happened in his interview on the Cybermen: The Early Years video.

[@eveglead1913]

U Dr ooh folk have wayyyhhhy took much time on your hands.....

[@watmun]

I wonder why they didn't just dub the audio? It was a technique available to them at the time... They quite possibly just forgot about it until it was too late 😅

[@colinbarron4]

In these days it was difficut to stop a video tape and then start again. That is why in these days each episode was performed as though it was live and recorded in one take if possible. That is why in Ep 4 of 'Tomb of the Cybermen' Toberman goes off-camera for a few seconds to retrieve a dummy version of the Cybercontroller.

[@watmun]

@@colinbarron4 I get that, but doctor who would go through quite a lot of audio and video editing anyway. Sound effects and music were integral to the show. The opening title sequence and tardis sounds etc. Sound dubbing was a much easier process.

[@lapelcelery42]

@@colinbarron4 Also why we got to see Pat and Fraser holding hands.

[@PaperbackWriter92]

@@colinbarron4 This line flub from Episode 6 of "The Wheel in Space" suddenly makes a whole lot more sense now. Apparently it's "sectional air supply" but you can't really tell because Patrick rushed through the line, so it's misheard as "sexual air supply." kzbin.info/www/bejne/nITcmZljbZ5_kNE

[@sensiblename295]

@@watmun SFX were played in during the recording. There was no dubbing except in very rare occasions during the 60s. Plus it is extra fees for the actors.

[@dickmcwood]

Where do you find the screenplays for the video?

[@DrWhoFanJ]

The camera scripts* (not screenplays) are included on the narrated soundtrack CDs.

[@dickmcwood]

@@DrWhoFanJ Is that what it's called in the UK? Anyways, it's unfortunate they never printed them as physical things to buy.