Doctor Who’s Robot Revolution missed an opportunity by fumbling one particular storyline

Doctor Who season 2 episode 1 (‘The Robot Revolution‘) spoilers follow.

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share that Doctor Who has returned! The debut episode presents us with the charming new companion, Belinda Chandra, portrayed by Varada Sethu, who travels alongside the fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa. However, ‘The Robot Revolution’ seems a bit wobbly as it kicks off this fresh season.

To put it another way, the episode kicks off with an exciting journey that feels more like a fun escapade. In the dead of night, Nurse Belinda is roused from sleep as her London residence experiences tremors, followed by a troop of noisy, wall-breaking red robots marching through her home and abducting her in a luminous rocket ship, propelling her into space.

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On a celestial body orbited by a star that was once named after her by an ex-boyfriend, seventeen years prior, these mechanical beings consider her their queen. However, this fact would be more intriguing if Missbelindachandra One weren’t embroiled in conflict, with the robots engaged in a struggle for dominance against their humanoid counterparts. Furthermore, it is believed among the robots that tranquility could be achieved if Belinda were to wed the ‘AI Generator’ who governs them.

Fortunately, the Doctor has boarded Missbelindachandra One to take action, yet due to certain temporal complexities and his missing TARDIS, the situation appears to be more intricate than initially perceived.

So far, things are going well, and at first glance, this episode moves along smoothly. The vibrant energy of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor pairs perfectly with Varada Sethu’s straightforward yet compassionate character, Belinda. However, she seems uninterested in space travels and is more focused on returning home.

Despite featuring a well-crafted initial encounter between the Doctor and Belinda, as well as the return of Anita Dobson’s charmingly mischievous Mrs Flood, the episode unfortunately botches a significant theme in such a way that viewers may find themselves wincing as the credits roll.

Discussing this topic might unveil crucial story details from “The Robot Revolution” that could be considered as major plot spoilers, so if you haven’t watched the episode yet, it would be wise to pause your reading and catch up on it first.

Should you’ve tuned in, you’d be aware that the episode commences by flashing back seventeen years prior, depicting the moment when a younger Alan Budd presented Belinda with her star certificate, which ultimately triggered all the episode’s subsequent events.

In this quick moment, it becomes clear that young Alan exhibits a hint of sexism. He condescendingly explains the distance of Belinda’s star using stereotypes about girls not being good at math (“I know girls aren’t into numbers”). When she challenges him on the naming of her as Miss Belinda Chandra on the certificate, he responds defensively by asking if she is married (“Is that your surname because you’re wed?”).

A significant twist unfolds later in the show when it is disclosed that the aggressive AI known as Generator is a fusion of Alan Turing and a cyborg. It turns out that this character was responsible for initiating the robot uprising, driven by his insatiable desire for power.

A startling memory resurfaces, creating a heavy impact as it sheds light on both Alan’s objectives and the entire episode in a single intense moment. We are taken back to Alan’s relationship with Belinda, 17 years prior, revealing that he wasn’t just misogynistic, but manipulative as well.

He firmly insists that Belinda should avoid wearing tight outfits and refrain from texting anyone past 8pm, given their relationship status. His actions are as clear as a neon sign saying “I’m not a considerate partner”.

Onboard Missbelindachandra One, Belinda comes to understand that Alan seeks dominion over her, as well as a planet named after her. In an awkwardly phrased sentence, she points out his actions amount to coercive control, disrupting the episode’s flow with those precise words, suggesting that the writers may have underestimated our ability to perceive such dynamics without explicit mention.

It’s truly unfortunate that this subject hasn’t been managed well, as science fiction, especially “Doctor Who,” has a knack for addressing significant issues on screen in an engaging manner. The show has dealt with heavy topics like racism, fascism, climate change, capital punishment, and more, and it usually does so quite effectively.

In a period when topics such as misogyny and harmful conduct are being debated across various screens, whether in intense dramas like “Adolescence” or lighter reality shows, it presented an ideal moment for “Doctor Who” to offer its unique perspective on these issues.

Sadly, with ‘The Robot Revolution’, it was an opportunity that was well and truly missed.

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The popular TV series, “Doctor Who,” is aired on BBC One within the United Kingdom, while it can be found on Disney+ internationally. For those residing in the UK, classic episodes of “Doctor Who” are accessible via BBC iPlayer.

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2025-04-13 11:49