Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 1 Spoiler-Free Review: ‘The Robot Revolution’ Kicks Off An Epic Intergalactic Quest

Robot, Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu), and Sasha (Evelyn Miller) | Photo Credit: Bad Wolf/BBC Studios/Disney+

Doctor Who blasts back onto screens with eight brand new episodes, a brand new companion, and an all-new cosmic quest. When a mysterious force stops the Doctor from returning his new companion, Belinda Chandra, to Earth, the pair must go on an intergalactic quest of epic proportions to get her home—the long way around. And it all starts with a Robot Revolution. Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Peter Hoar, “The Robot Revolution” offers a thrilling, if somewhat standard, start to this new season. Packed with robots, comedy, and the beginnings of a new season-long adventure, it promises an exciting future for Doctor Who.

Welcome to the Robot Uprising

Nurse Belinda Chandra’s (Varada Sethu) life is turned upside down when robots from outer space kidnap her, intent on making her their queen. But luckily for Belinda, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) isn’t far behind. Caught in the middle of a revolution between the robots and the citizens of this far-off planet, it’s up to the Doctor and Belinda to set things right before the robot overlords eradicate all natural life. Just another Tuesday, right? If last season’s premiere, “Space Babies“, felt a bit more like 2008’s “Partners in Crime” in tone, then “The Robot Uprising” feels a lot like 2007’s “Smith and Jones”. Davies’ script delivers a light, fast-paced romp through a host of Doctor Who tropes. You’ve got your over-the-top robots, some clunky-if-good-hearted social commentary, and a new companion from modern-day London with an icy relationship with the Doctor.

Narratively, “The Robot Revolution” isn’t the kind of episode that’s gonna blow anyone’s socks off; it’s a very standard Doctor Who story through and through. But that doesn’t mean it’s not packed to the brim with inventive ideas, breathtaking visuals, and a metric ton of energy. To go into any real specifics risks ruining the fun, but let’s just say there’s a real energy to the episode as a whole. There’s an immediate electricity when Gatwa and Sethu share the screen, and the beginnings of their relationship carry the bulk of the episode’s weight. The story itself frequently fades into the background as Davies’ script struggles to set up the season’s ongoing character and narrative arcs, but it’s never anything less than an immensely fun romp—and a beginning quite different from that of the Doctor and Ruby Sunday’s.

A Frosty Relationship

The beginning of a new Doctor/Companion relationship always offers Doctor Who a unique opportunity to steer the show down new and exciting paths, and that’s exactly what Davies does with the Doctor and Belinda’s relationship. While the Doctor and his previous companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), made fast friends the moment they met, the Doctor and Belinda’s friendship begins on much rockier terms. Gatwa’s Doctor in “The Robot Revolution” is at his cockiest and most self-sure. He’s confident in his actions, so assured in his rightness that he fails to even consider how those he surrounds himself might feel. For him, the ends justify the means. He’s not quite gone full Time Lord Victorious, but it certainly feels like he’s been traveling alone for a little while now.

And Belinda’s not putting up with any of it. She’s a woman equally as sure of herself, someone who knows what she’s about and doesn’t need anyone else to fight her battles. So, naturally, the two clash at first. The Doctor thinks he can charm his way into being Belinda’s friend like he does with nearly everyone else. But Belinda’s not interested in all this space stuff, all of these deadly adventures and horrific monsters. She just wants to live her normal life in her normal home, thank you very much. So, it’s a fascinating dynamic that takes shape, the reluctant companion and the ever-excitable time traveler. It’s the beginning of a fresh friendship for this era of Doctor Who. There’s a lot of room for these two to challenge each other in new and exciting ways, and within that room for growth lies the promise of stories to come.

Get Her Home!

In truth, despite how fun to watch “The Robot Revolution” is, it never escapes feeling like it’s merely the opening salvo for adventures far more thrilling and inventive. The narrative itself—the nitty gritty details of what, exactly, caused this robot uprising and what forces vie for control of this futuristic world—take a backseat to the complexities of introducing the Doctor and Belinda’s relationship and the season’s overarching storyline. Something is preventing the Doctor from returning Belinda to modern-day Earth. And it’s that mystery that’s set to drive the Doctor and Belinda forward as they desperately try to find a way home, no matter how many strange and unusual adventures await them in the process.

As a hook for a season-long plotline, it’s a great one. A nice, neat way of tying together a collection of otherwise unconnected adventures. But its introduction kind of robs “The Robot Revolution” of a lot of its oomph. Davies’ script is stretched so thin trying to introduce character and plot arcs that there’s just not enough time to properly build out the world of “The Robot Revolution” into anything particularly memorable. It’s a serviceable story, to be sure, and its conclusion honestly packs quite a punch. But you can’t help feeling like everything’s just moving too fast, as if the show wants to hurry up and get the Doctor and Belinda together on the TARDIS, heading off on adventures unknown. And while that’s true of many Doctor Who premieres, it especially feels like “The Robot Revolution” could’ve benefitted from just slowing down a tad.

Final Thoughts

It’s hard to fault “The Robot Revolution” too much, though, because, at its heart, it’s just such a fun ride. This is a Doctor Who premiere that’s immensely confident in itself. Visually, it’s as gorgeous as the show’s ever looked. Narratively, Davies’ script sees no need to ease the audience into the world of the Whoniverse—even if introducing a new companion offers him the perfect chance to create a new onramp for new and lapsed fans. Instead, this is Doctor Who exactly as you know it and love it, for better or worse. In some ways, it’s less of a Brand New Season and more of a continuation of the previous. A “part two”, if you will—both thematically and narratively.

If you’re new to the show, you could certainly start with “The Robot Revolution”, but you’ll find yourself missing some context and characterization that the previous season delved into. But for the well-versed, “The Robot Revolution” offers a promising start to this new season of Doctor Who; the opening salvo of an epic intergalactic quest home. It’s up to future episodes to steer the ship, but based on the Doctor and Belinda’s first outing, there’s a lot to be excited about.

Doctor Who premieres on Disney+ on Saturday, April 12 at 3am ET. New episodes debut on Saturdays at 3am ET.