Missbelindachandra One

Story: The Robot Revolution
Written By: Russell T. Davies
Length: 45 Minutes
Year: 2025

And we are back! And I am late! I am actually writing this review on the day the finale has been released, and so I am well behind.  I finally decided to jump back into Who a couple of days ago, and so far...I just watched the series opener and then was too busy going to the movies (literally went to the theater three days in a row), so I haven't had a moment to really write down my thoughts on it.  But here we go...it was fine! It's a perfectly serviceable Doctor Who episode, and that is really it.  That is not even a complaint. I think this was Doctor Who doing what it does best,  just a sort of wacky sci-fi story that entertains.  I just don't know if I have a ton of thoughts on the story itself.  

We get a new companion, taking the place of the character that as I write this I am struggling to recall the name of. I want to say Millie but perhaps that was the actress? Okay I am looking it up...

Ruby Sunday! Right. Such a truly magnificent memorable companion. One for the ages.  And I was right, she was played by someone named Millie. Anyhow, she is now gone, possibly to return in a guest spot or two (can't wait since she is good and I remember her and whatever), and so the Doctor needs a new friend.  This time, however, it is a reluctant companion, Belinda Chandra.  

When she was younger, Belinda had a crummy boyfriend who bought her one of those certificates that says she has a star named after her.  Years later she is kidnapped by robots and taken to the planet named after her, where she is meant to marry a crazy evil robot overlord and live as Queen.  Luckily, the Doctor has been there for years and can help rescue her and assist the rebel uprising against the robots.  And (spoilers), it turns out the evil AI overlord is really her ex boyfriend who through time hijinks was taken by the robots earlier and wants to get back to being a controlling creepy boyfriend, but with added robot parts. 

Once the boyfriend is taken down and Belinda is free to return home, the Doctor does his usual bit of showing off the TARDIS and saying how his magic box is a time machine and she could go on multiple adventures and still be home in time for tea! Also she is a fun mystery box where he met a descendent or something in an episode last year (because we MUST call out anytime an actor is cast in a different role, we cannot just let it sit there). Except she has no interest in going on adventures. She was happy in her life before robots randomly showed up, and she just wants to go home. She certainly isn't pleased that the Doctor took a sample of her DNA without asking.  So she demands to go home...but the TARDIS won't go there. It keeps bouncing off the correct time. And our final reveal is a bunch of floating space debris including the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.  

Again, I felt this was a pretty entertaining a solid start to the season. It's a fun episode, with a decent goofy sci-fi premise with plenty of Doctor Who silliness as well.  I look forward to continuing on, whenever I actually have some time.  

NEXT TIME: Out of the Movies

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