Doctor Who – “The Robot Revolution” Review – Mechanical Efficiency

Clint Schwalen gives his SPOILER-filled commentary on the first episode of Series 15.

Note: this review contains full SPOILERS for episode 1 of Series 15.

“The Robot Revolution,” the first episode of Doctor Who’s fifteenth series, undertakes a lot of tasks, including introducing a new companion, establishing the series-long narrative arc, welcoming new viewers, and catering to long-time fans.  The episode largely succeeds, proceeding with such mechanical efficiency that it is almost—ahem—robotic and forgets to be joyful in its execution.

The episode opens with new companion Belinda—not surprising as Series 15 is only eight episodes long, so efficiency is key.  Of course, Belinda is shown to be innately helpful and personable.  She is quick to figure out the Doctor’s every-ninth-word code and needs no reminder of the explosive power her star certificate holds.  Seeing first-hand the casualties of a war fought in her name, Belinda is willing to sacrifice herself for others, even being cyber-converted—sorry, “elevated”—to better communicate with the AI Generator and stop the war.  Where Belinda’s character differs from the standard companion is that she stands up for herself, yelling “It’s not my fault!” at rebel Manny, before admonishing the Doctor: “Don’t shush me!”  Taken together, Belinda’s portrayal as compassionate and controlled stands in contrast to the introductions of the unabashedly self-interested Donna, or Clara, who only became brazen as her character grew.

Another difference between Belinda and showrunner Russell T Davies’ other series-long companions is that—unlike Rose, Martha, Donna, and Ruby—Belinda’s family is not introduced.  Ostensibly, this is purposeful, as the temporal barrier preventing the Doctor from returning to May 24, 2025 means there will be little opportunity to feature Belinda’s parents in Series 15.

Unfortunately, “The Robot Revolution” only has time to hint at deeper aspects of Belinda’s character.  Note the sincerity in her voice when Belinda states, “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” regarding Alan’s star certificate gift—evidence that she hasn’t experienced many close, personal relationships.  Belinda’s career choice further reflects this.  Nursing involves a lot of intimate contact, yet little time for forming lasting social connections, as patients come as go with each shift.

The emphasis on Belinda’s introduction does require “The Robot Revolution” to feature a simple antagonist.  Initially, Alan’s misogyny seems almost comical, as he assumes “girls aren’t good at maths” and attempts to control how Belinda unwraps a present.  However, once the Doctor explains to Belinda that Alan’s every ninth word is the truth, Alan’s next statements reveal his inner thoughts to be “Belinda.  Mine.  Forever.”

Unsurprisingly, the Series 15 premiere features a bevy of callbacks to previous episodes.  Beyond including Belinda’s expected “Doctor who?” moment—here repeated as “Doctor what?”—and her reaction upon seeing the TARDIS’ bigger-on-the-inside interior, Davies’ script lambasts the Doctor’s “timey-wimey” catchphrase (“Am I six?”), mentions going home “the long way ‘round,” and not-so-subtly references Kylie Minogue, who Davies cast as Astrid Peth in “Voyage of the Damned.”  Further, the episode both riffs on the gag that the Fifteenth “Doctor” and “nurse” Belinda will make a good pair—previously featured in the Series 3 teaser—and copies the “they’re related” explanation Davies’ used to clarify how the Doctor could encounter pairs of characters that looked identical to actresses Eve Myles and Freema Agyeman.

While Belinda listening to the Doctor’s hearts “knock four times” is a treat for long-time fans, the scene does little to introduce new viewers to the titular Time Lord.  The Doctor explains that he has bicardial circulation, but not who he is as a person or why he helps others, and the episode doesn’t capitalize on the metaphor that the compassionate Doctor literally has two hearts.  In fact, the most surprising aspect of “The Robot Revolution” is how little the episode caters to new viewers—strange for a series that is still trying to grow its Disney+ audience.  The episode even offers the Doctor a perfect opportunity to explain his mission, as Belinda asks, “Is this your job?  Are you some sort of Time Detective?”  However, the pair are interrupted by attacking Missbelindachandrabots before he can utter more than a simple “no.”

Still, Davies’ script does slyly hint at some disturbing aspects of Fifteen’s character.  In the episode’s first act, the Doctor states that he has spent six months preparing to save Belinda, a woman who he believes to be important, but whom he has not yet met.  These actions contrast starkly with the Doctor’s decisions after he absorbs temporal energy funneled through Belinda and thus views the entirety of her existence.  Believing that he has unique insight into her life, that there are no secrets unexposed to him, the Doctor feels justified in scanning Belinda’s genetics without asking for her consent.  However, having just defeated Alan, Belinda is understandably wary of another man viewing her as an object to be controlled or possessed.

Note also how Fifteen repeatedly refers to her as “Bel,” even though she pointedly asks to be called “Belinda” on multiple occasions.  To the Doctor, Belinda is not yet an autonomous person with feelings, she’s a puzzle to be solved.  He is engrossed in the excitement of this mounting adventure and is caught off-guard when she doesn’t feel the same way.  For Belinda, this has been an overwhelming few hours and she has witnessed multiple deaths—including that of Sasha 55, the woman whose place in the TARDIS she is ostensibly taking.  Like Rose in “The End of the World” or Donna in “The Runaway Bride,” Belinda sees the dark side to travelling with the Doctor and only wants to return home.  “I am not one of your adventures,” she insists.

Showrunner Russell T Davies seems to feel otherwise, however, building Series 15 around this new “mystery box” character.  Who told the Doctor of Belinda’s importance?  How do the Missbelindachandrabots acquire her star certificate in the future?  What is the nature of the temporal “schwup” and is it the reason the Doctor cannot return Belinda to 2025?  Is it also the cause of Earth’s destruction on May 24?  How exactly is Belinda Chandra linked with Mundy Flynn?  Mystery box characters are a Doctor Who trope, but they haven’t always worked in the series’ favor.  For example, the answers to the questions surrounding the origins of Clara Oswald and Ruby Sunday failed to match either the hype presented by their storylines or the winsome performances by Jenna Coleman and Millie Gibson.  Hopefully, Davies will resolve Belinda’s storyline in a manner that also develops her personality.  If so, he will bring her character full circle and truly make her a star.

Random Musings

(Time) Capsule Review

“The Robot Revolution” largely succeeds in establishing both a new companion and a series-long mystery, though it does so with mechanical, almost robotic efficiency.  While the episode does little to entice new viewers, long-time fans will appreciate how the script hints at dark undertones of the Doctor’s character.

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