Discuss, review and rate The Cybernauts, produced Saturday 2nd March 1965 to mid-March 1965.
Teleplay by Philip Levene
Directed by Sidney Hayers
4.06 - The Cybernauts
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cyberrich
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10/10! Of course 
This is iconic television at it's best. Truly a little masterpiece. Wonderful idea and one that actually hasn't dated. Man is still constantly being replaced by computers and machinery. Beautifully filmed with superb set pieces, the monochrome only adding to the dark and surreal story it tells. (Can't believe someone gave this 3! I smell a rat. Someone on this forum clearly isn't a fan of the show.) Rich.
This is iconic television at it's best. Truly a little masterpiece. Wonderful idea and one that actually hasn't dated. Man is still constantly being replaced by computers and machinery. Beautifully filmed with superb set pieces, the monochrome only adding to the dark and surreal story it tells. (Can't believe someone gave this 3! I smell a rat. Someone on this forum clearly isn't a fan of the show.) Rich.
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denis rigg
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Dear fans, for first time in English:
Review of artist Olga Svecharnik for episode The Cybernauts.
(I certainly terrible translator, but it's better than online translators).
The title of the episode demonstrates, who are opponent of the heroes, although the authors long kept the audience in suspense, not showing the face of a killer. Danger without face always seems worse because the source of the most horrible fears - our imagination. The atmosphere is heating up, there are more victims, the investigation leads Emma in karate school - and not just a school, one of the best ("How many professionals are able to inflict such a blow?" "Units". Comment of Denis: "here I posted Russian TV translation of dialog - specially for curiosity of fans"). Pay the attention to the first shots of "training room" scene: karatekas go straight at the viewer, and kind of blows them - viewer feels like a victim of the attack. And to what extent a strong fear is written on Emma's face when she suddenly discovers the karate woman behind her back, which in general does not threaten her. Emma is not timid, she is not always so frighten of unexpected meetings. We are pushed to the fact that in this place is the danger, and succumb to this ruse, though, we know - the killer - a robot, rather than karate.
Subject as East, Japan, organically linked with the martial arts and modern technology, contributes to the creation of a mysterious and disturbing atmosphere. Faced with a foreign culture, with an incomprehensible language, people subconsciously feels threatened. Scary masks, hanging on the wall in the Jeffcott's office, have nothing to do with his business.
But they pumped voltage. And when Jeffcott says "We have a lot of new projects", and behind him, mask of monster with horns and bulging eyes, could not help think - not included whether the killer robots in number of "new projects"?
Sensei reads Emma brief lecture, the meaning of which is to ensure that brute force is nothing compared to the spiritual discipline. Women are, in his opinion, it is difficult to compete with men in the power of the spirit and the ability to concentrate (yes, in the spirituality he denies the women because begins his tirade with "karate - it is not a sport" and offers fencing as a "female" occupation). Emma's reaction to his insults delights, all women should she learn - she's so sure of herself that does not go to the dispute. When Sensei calls Emma "stupid", in her eyes, she did not respond, because it's beneath her dignity. In a fight Emma is calmer than her "unwavering" rival. And, of course, wins.
When we finally meet with the organizer of the crime, it is a controversial personality. Brilliant scientist injured in collision with the bureaucracy of the Ministry of Defense. We meet a lot of similar characters in later action films (such as Dane from the movie "Under Siege 2" - a scientist who seized a military satellite, is terrorizing the whole world). Nevertheless, it is interesting that Dr. Armstrong has always shows himself as a villain. Colleague of Steed says about him: "He liked to create, not destroy". In this criminal is a lot of unexpected human traits, he applies to robots as to their children (otherwise what's the sense to shout to fighting cybernauts: "Stop! Stop!" - As if they suddenly hear it and senses. This is not a reaction of a reasonable person, but a cry from the heart).
The fact that he uses a wheelchair, emphasizes the basic idea of the authors: physical force - nothing, concentration and courage - all this does not make sense if there is not intellect. Therefore, even the most powerful karate with all its spiritual discipline can not resist him.
Technological advances have added to the set of the usual human fears another - fear to the heartless machine, which is hostile to people, and is capable of destroying.
Psychologists advise people to laugh at their fears. Those who see the monsters in the nightmares, it is recommended to imagine how these monsters mistakenly attack each other or in a panic run away from each other. That's what a scene in which two robots overwhelm each other. The mask on the wall ceases to terrify after Steed puts it on the face. "The Cybernauts" - a story about overcoming fears and victory of human origin.
Steed and Emma are winning brilliant scientist and his perfect machines, but not only because on their party strength, concentration and intelligence - also the good. Nightmares should disappear. And what cybernauts? They were finally not terrible. And the killer's face - clumsy mask with big puppet eyes. Scary fantasy about ruthless robots vanished, and enough only a touch of finger to evil, to win...
note:
Olga took part in the book Avengerworld with essay "The Tale of the Other Olga".
I wish nice reading to you, dear fans.
Review of artist Olga Svecharnik for episode The Cybernauts.
(I certainly terrible translator, but it's better than online translators).
The title of the episode demonstrates, who are opponent of the heroes, although the authors long kept the audience in suspense, not showing the face of a killer. Danger without face always seems worse because the source of the most horrible fears - our imagination. The atmosphere is heating up, there are more victims, the investigation leads Emma in karate school - and not just a school, one of the best ("How many professionals are able to inflict such a blow?" "Units". Comment of Denis: "here I posted Russian TV translation of dialog - specially for curiosity of fans"). Pay the attention to the first shots of "training room" scene: karatekas go straight at the viewer, and kind of blows them - viewer feels like a victim of the attack. And to what extent a strong fear is written on Emma's face when she suddenly discovers the karate woman behind her back, which in general does not threaten her. Emma is not timid, she is not always so frighten of unexpected meetings. We are pushed to the fact that in this place is the danger, and succumb to this ruse, though, we know - the killer - a robot, rather than karate.
Subject as East, Japan, organically linked with the martial arts and modern technology, contributes to the creation of a mysterious and disturbing atmosphere. Faced with a foreign culture, with an incomprehensible language, people subconsciously feels threatened. Scary masks, hanging on the wall in the Jeffcott's office, have nothing to do with his business.
But they pumped voltage. And when Jeffcott says "We have a lot of new projects", and behind him, mask of monster with horns and bulging eyes, could not help think - not included whether the killer robots in number of "new projects"?
Sensei reads Emma brief lecture, the meaning of which is to ensure that brute force is nothing compared to the spiritual discipline. Women are, in his opinion, it is difficult to compete with men in the power of the spirit and the ability to concentrate (yes, in the spirituality he denies the women because begins his tirade with "karate - it is not a sport" and offers fencing as a "female" occupation). Emma's reaction to his insults delights, all women should she learn - she's so sure of herself that does not go to the dispute. When Sensei calls Emma "stupid", in her eyes, she did not respond, because it's beneath her dignity. In a fight Emma is calmer than her "unwavering" rival. And, of course, wins.
When we finally meet with the organizer of the crime, it is a controversial personality. Brilliant scientist injured in collision with the bureaucracy of the Ministry of Defense. We meet a lot of similar characters in later action films (such as Dane from the movie "Under Siege 2" - a scientist who seized a military satellite, is terrorizing the whole world). Nevertheless, it is interesting that Dr. Armstrong has always shows himself as a villain. Colleague of Steed says about him: "He liked to create, not destroy". In this criminal is a lot of unexpected human traits, he applies to robots as to their children (otherwise what's the sense to shout to fighting cybernauts: "Stop! Stop!" - As if they suddenly hear it and senses. This is not a reaction of a reasonable person, but a cry from the heart).
The fact that he uses a wheelchair, emphasizes the basic idea of the authors: physical force - nothing, concentration and courage - all this does not make sense if there is not intellect. Therefore, even the most powerful karate with all its spiritual discipline can not resist him.
Technological advances have added to the set of the usual human fears another - fear to the heartless machine, which is hostile to people, and is capable of destroying.
Psychologists advise people to laugh at their fears. Those who see the monsters in the nightmares, it is recommended to imagine how these monsters mistakenly attack each other or in a panic run away from each other. That's what a scene in which two robots overwhelm each other. The mask on the wall ceases to terrify after Steed puts it on the face. "The Cybernauts" - a story about overcoming fears and victory of human origin.
Steed and Emma are winning brilliant scientist and his perfect machines, but not only because on their party strength, concentration and intelligence - also the good. Nightmares should disappear. And what cybernauts? They were finally not terrible. And the killer's face - clumsy mask with big puppet eyes. Scary fantasy about ruthless robots vanished, and enough only a touch of finger to evil, to win...
note:
Olga took part in the book Avengerworld with essay "The Tale of the Other Olga".
I wish nice reading to you, dear fans.
Denis
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anti-clockwise
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The mask on the wall ceases to terrify after Steed puts it on the face. "The Cybernauts" - a story about overcoming fears and victory of human origin."
Very interesting thought Denis. I think this theme was in many episodes. Venus with Love showed people feared invasion from another planet only to find a mad scientist fooling everyone into thinking that. You have defined what made TA brilliant!
Very interesting thought Denis. I think this theme was in many episodes. Venus with Love showed people feared invasion from another planet only to find a mad scientist fooling everyone into thinking that. You have defined what made TA brilliant!
"He likes his tea stirred anti-clockwise."
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Mona
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This episode was absolutely terrific.
We've got one in a long collection of disgruntled scientists (or businessmen) turning to "evil". The storyline was really interesting and very well done. The slashing sound of the cybernaut is known to all Avenger fans.
We have the all-time FUNNIEST line in all of the Avengers episodes (Steed holding the shotgun unusually bent upwards): "Anywhere you aim, you hit the chandelier." I mean, come on, LOLOL!
We have Steed showing his internal youth by running his umbrella around the wall of the elevator, and then we see him later disagreeing with Armstrong, figuring out the buttons on his chair, and escaping. In the meantime, we start seeing Emma Peel's real emotions for Steed being visible, as time ticks away, which the audience feels with her, her anxiety for Steed is clear.
We then see Steed's endless street smarts as he gets the pen from Emma and puts it in the pocket of the cybernaut, winding up destroying both of them and Armstrong.
This is just rock solid good TV! One of the best episodes ever!
We've got one in a long collection of disgruntled scientists (or businessmen) turning to "evil". The storyline was really interesting and very well done. The slashing sound of the cybernaut is known to all Avenger fans.
We have the all-time FUNNIEST line in all of the Avengers episodes (Steed holding the shotgun unusually bent upwards): "Anywhere you aim, you hit the chandelier." I mean, come on, LOLOL!
We have Steed showing his internal youth by running his umbrella around the wall of the elevator, and then we see him later disagreeing with Armstrong, figuring out the buttons on his chair, and escaping. In the meantime, we start seeing Emma Peel's real emotions for Steed being visible, as time ticks away, which the audience feels with her, her anxiety for Steed is clear.
We then see Steed's endless street smarts as he gets the pen from Emma and puts it in the pocket of the cybernaut, winding up destroying both of them and Armstrong.
This is just rock solid good TV! One of the best episodes ever!
Fan of John Steed
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Allard
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Re: 4.06 - The Cybernauts
I'm torn on this one. It has a great themes, especially that of technocracy (for which Steed is the perfect critic). This episodes interestingly coincides in time with Alphaville by Jean Luc Goddard, a film also warning of technocracy. And the tension or thrill is well done, the ending has you on the edge of your seat.
But the episode is also a bit "amateurish" here and there, a few shots don't work well and the whole thing has a bit much going on. The karate studio is a sort of red herring that is never resolved or integrated in to the plot.
A memorable episode yet it misses the joie de vivre of the Peel years.
But the episode is also a bit "amateurish" here and there, a few shots don't work well and the whole thing has a bit much going on. The karate studio is a sort of red herring that is never resolved or integrated in to the plot.
A memorable episode yet it misses the joie de vivre of the Peel years.
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Borgus Weems
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Re: 4.06 - The Cybernauts
Just rewatched this one, and obviously terrific. I didn't realize in the earlier poor copy that I saw that the kung-fu expert that Mrs. Peel was investigating as the possible murderer was actually one of the industrialists who got killed by the assassin Cybernaut! That part of the investigation is a dead end, but it had to be followed as they were investigating possible dastardly types, and it did eliminate a suspect. It also showed Mrs. Peel's martial mastery.
I was struck that much of the seemingly impossible tech of the show is now commonplace... I have a card with a computer chip in it to get into places at work away from the public, not much removed from the evil tech genius. The staging of the cybernaut attacks was memorable, and that approach I've seen in some horror films as well, with something horrible happening behind a shadow only to reveal the dead boy as it falls to the floor.
Question: How did Mrs. Peel get into Steed's flat without him there? Does she have a key to his flat? Or did she gently break in to wait? It's been shown that Steed has to knock and get approval from the Door Eye before entering.
I was struck that much of the seemingly impossible tech of the show is now commonplace... I have a card with a computer chip in it to get into places at work away from the public, not much removed from the evil tech genius. The staging of the cybernaut attacks was memorable, and that approach I've seen in some horror films as well, with something horrible happening behind a shadow only to reveal the dead boy as it falls to the floor.
Question: How did Mrs. Peel get into Steed's flat without him there? Does she have a key to his flat? Or did she gently break in to wait? It's been shown that Steed has to knock and get approval from the Door Eye before entering.