Characteristics
The Doctor has several different enemies which return every so often. As a result, there seems to be some sort of change in there appearance. Now, with the Daleks that is not the case most whovians can see. But then you have the Cybermen! Their characteristics are very noticeable. Therefore if a Doctor Who fan sees a story and cannot recognize a Cyberman there is something wrong.
The look of the Cybermen are basically the same and you can tell what they are, but different aspects of their bodies have not remained the same. The designers and people in charge of the look will make modifications seemingly every time they make a new episode.(1) Now, I did not see any of the serials from the Second Doctor, so I cannot attest to the changes made to the Cybermen. Therefor whatever I know about the first few episodes is from reading about them.
The first ones I eve see is during Tom Baker’s time as the Fourth Doctor, but I am very young when I see it and do not remember allot about it. What I am going to say is going to be from what I remember and a little from what I read from my source.
Early on with the Cybermen, basically the first time they are present, they still have some human body parts. The ones mentioned are the hands and living brains.(2) Now, with all Doctor Who shows they try to upgrade the enemies and other parts of the show. So, I am thinking to make the Cybermen either more popular or more alien not sure. Because of this they change the design of the metal suit for the Cybermen. Looking at pictures of the original Cybermen I can tell the new ones are much more in depth and look more modern. Of course some of that is probably from the lack of funds available for the costumes they use.
I do realize that the show is on a budget and in 1966 it is not very much and they must do what they can. Of course in that day the show is not as popular and the show does not receive as much funding because of this. Now, that is my thoughts on it take or leave it. What I suppose is the Cybermen are to totally cybernetic. Therefore, the change to a totally metal man is necessary. They change them in the next serial The Moonbase in 1967. Here we see for the first time their humanoid body completely covered in metal. (3) From this point forward, we do not see any human parts. They are totally robotic in nature.
One thing I do seem to remember from the Fourth Doctors encounter with the Cybermen is that gold suffocates them. When the gold is rubbed into their chest plate it kills them. This of course is a great thing to know, but this is the only time it is mentioned.
Their brains are no longer human, but replaced by computer ones. They say their emotions are no longer present, but in The Age of Steel these emotions are not there because of an emotional inhibitor. In this show, they find a way to damage or shut it off and this causes an emotional overload. Which in turn cause the death of the Cybermen. On this episode the Cybermen convert humans into Cybermen.(4)
There seem to always be upgrades to the Cybermen and sometimes they are good, but for this fan I love them just the way they are. These cybernetic marvels are a great enemy and I hope to see more episodes with them. Over time the heads of have changed, but you know they are Cybermen. The way the arms, legs, chest and other parts look change as well, but they are unmistakably Cybermen. There are always new weapons and even little pet cybermats in there as well. Their characteristics remain basically the same but they are sometimes different to make them better
Personally, I cannot wait until the new Cybermen appear and see what upgrades the new show runner adds.