Day 414: The Android Invasion Part 1

Never having seen this story before, the first thing that struck me was the speed with which it started. We're used to beginning stories with establishing shots, a quieter beginning to ease the viewer into the adventure. This time, however, we begin immediately with some disjointed music from Dudley Simpson and a UNIT soldier walking erratically to camera. The suddenness of this opening scene immediately shocked me, and encouraged me to sit up and pay attention to the story.

By paying attention, I was rewarded with sone excellent camera work from Barry Letts, the former producer/director/writer for the series, making a return as a freelance director for one last time. Here, he shows off his skills at creating suspense, particularly in a scene in the middle of this episode where people get off a truck and walk into a pub, then remaining perfectly still. Letts creates tension from thsi scene by holding long close ups of the people's faces, as we expect them to make any sort of movement, yet they don't. It's eerie, unsettling and exacerbates the mystery, prompting the viewer to wonder more about The Android Invasion.