REVIEW: ‘Doctor Who’ Season 2 Episode 1 – “The Robot Revolution”

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1, titled “The Robot Revolution,” is written by Russell T Davies and directed by Peter Hoar. The episode stars Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu but also features Evelyn Miller and Jonny Green. Ordinary nurse Belinda Chandra has her life invaded by giant robots, kidnapping her and taking her to a planet named after her. The Doctor is already there, and the pair must try to stop a wedding.

The plot of Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1 starts quickly and maintains that pacing throughout. It takes little time to get into space. The essential aspects of Belinda’s life are revealed, namely her job and where she lives, before she is summarily marched into a rocket and flown to the planet. The start is surprising and engrossing, with a slower opening just before the titles with the plot’s most important item.

The plot uses some terrific techniques, and the narrative is beautifully circular. There is little wasted space or excess story. The villain isn’t surprising, but the level of the reveal is unexpected. In the epilogue, the central concept of the whole season is revealed. It’s a feature that forces the show to explore other ventures while setting up a vast mystery.

Verada Sethu is a great addition as Belinda in Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1.

Sethu may be a new companion, but she is a familiar face. Appearing in Season 1 Episode 3, Sethu’s performance was so impressive that she was chosen to be the new companion without even auditioning. In Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1,  she is an entirely new character, and the resemblance is explained quickly and succinctly in a way only Doctor Who can clarify.

Sethu’s role as Belinda is already very likable when she settles, getting past the fear and panic after her abduction. She’s determined and kind and can handle pressure from her experience as a nurse. When the Doctor appears, the silliness gets rejected, along with some of the best lines in the episode. They’re hilarious, exposing some of his catchphrases as the ridiculous statements that they are.

The Doctor swoops in to save the day, and Gatwa is phenomenal in this opening episode. He’s loving and energetic and always ready to help. Those are non-negotiables for the Time-Lord in any incarnation. But for the first time in the lifespan of this Doctor, we see how much losing someone affects him. It lingers for a long time. When a friend dies in this episode, it shatters him, turning him melancholy and sad for a large part of Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1.

The dialogue isn’t great for much of the episode, which slows down the performers. It’s clunky and obvious and easy to predict from start to finish. The robots that captured Belinda have a gimmick and a glitch, where they can’t hear every 9th word the humans speak. This leads to the characters lacing codes and messages within their sentences. Whilst it’s clever, it looks awkward for the performers and doesn’t lead anywhere towards the end of this first chapter. It affects the pacing, slowing the story while the code is being figured out.

Practical production and effects are a highlight in “The Robot Revolution.”

The other rebels in this war are very stereotypical and original. They only say things to disrupt and lead the characters, and these statements make the story easy to predict. The villain is one of the best parts of this first episode. They’re menacing, terrifying, and incredibly different from when they first appeared.

The incredible devotion to practical production comes back as Doctor Who returns. Doctor Who Unleashed, the behind-the-scenes companion piece to the main show, reveals just how much of what the viewers see is real. The robots are practical props, meaning the other actors must step around them and avoid being crushed. This gives them a presence and weight.

The sets are as real as they can be. Even the little cleaning robot, adorable and essential to the plot, is rolling around under their feet. The villain is wrapped in genuinely unnerving prosthetics; all brought to life in front of the camera. When guns are fired, there are sparks and explosions that the actors must duck out of the way of. It gives the alien world gravitas and authenticity.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1 has a few teething problems. It shows that it’s not easy to start a Doctor Who season. Every first episode of a season, especially with new companions, has similar problems and clunky beginnings. The world has to be explained, with the key features of the characters and the Doctor’s most crucial elements. When you’ve seen it a dozen times, it can be repetitive. But it’s tradition, and every time it restarts, the story begins anew. Sethu shows that she belongs, and Belinda can express herself brilliantly. She won’t want to do the same things a companion who longs for adventure will do. But going home won’t be easy.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1 is available on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ everywhere else.

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