The Wheel in Space: Difference between revisions

''Wheel'' has received a generally unfavourable reception. [[Paul Cornell]], [[Martin Day]], and [[Keith Topping]] wrote of the serial in ''The Discontinuity Guide'' (1995), "Dull, lifeless and so derivative of other base-under-siege stories that it isn't really a story in its own right. Despite the detailed Wheel setting, the galloping lack of scientific credibility is annoying, and the Cybermen are so bland and ordinary they could have been any other monster."<ref name="discontinuity">{{cite book |title=[[The Discontinuity Guide]] |last1=Cornell |first1=Paul |author-link1=Paul Cornell |last2=Day |first2=Martin |author-link2=Martin Day |last3=Topping |first3=Keith |author-link3=Keith Topping |year=1995 |publisher=[[Virgin Books]] |location=London |isbn=0-426-20442-5 |chapter=The Wheel in Space |chapter-url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/wheelinspace/detail.shtml |access-date=25 December 2019 |archive-date=13 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213130229/http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/wheelinspace/detail.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref> In ''The Television Companion'' (1998), [[David J. Howe]] and [[Stephen James Walker]] felt that some moments, like the death of Gemma, were "tense" and strengthened by the "very good" guest cast, and the story was also "enjoyable" in some aspects and Zoe's debut was promising. However, they criticised the Cyberman's plan, which was "logical and well worked out" but "so convoluted that it seriously strains the viewer's credulity".<ref name="television companion">{{cite book | author-link = David J. Howe | last1 = Howe| first1 =David J| author-link2 = Stephen James Walker| last2 = Walker| first2 = Stephen James | year = 1998 | title = Doctor Who: The Television Companion | edition = 1st | location = London | publisher = [[BBC Books]] | isbn = 978-0-563-40588-7}}</ref> In 2009, Patrick Mulkern of ''[[Radio Times]]'' praised the introduction of Zoe, her dynamic with Jamie, and the supporting character of Gemma. However, he felt the story had a "clunkingly tortuous plot", which was too complicated, not threatening, and ended "somewhat flatly".<ref name="Radio Times">{{cite web|first=Patrick|last=Mulkern|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2009-07-21/the-wheel-in-space|title=Doctor Who: The Wheel in Space|work=[[Radio Times]]|date=21 July 2009|access-date=11 March 2013|archive-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228145652/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/scifi/doctor-who-guide/2009-07-20/the-wheel-in-space/|url-status=live}}</ref>