The classic British sci-fi series, “Doctor Who”, is back for a new season and continues the adventures of the Doctor through space and time.  Ncuti Gatwa returns as the fifteenth Doctor, and in this new season, Varada Sethu joins the show as the new companion, Belinda Chandra, who is a nurse that always thinks of others before herself.

In the first episode, we see Belinda kidnapped by robots from another world. They believe she’s the queen of the planet after an ex-boyfriend gave her a “Star” certificate as a present many years before, indicating that she owns the planet. It’s down to the Doctor to once again save the day, but there is more than meets the eye.

As with all introductions to a new companion, she will be the anchor of the show and also a major mechanism for explaining what’s going on to the viewer since she’s learning about everything for the first time along with the audience.  If you’re new to the “Doctor Who” franchise, this is common to replace companions, since it freshens up the show with its main cast, and that’s a major reason why it continues to entertain fans after more than sixty years.

This isn’t the first time Varada Sethu has joined a well-known sci-fi franchise, as she also stars in the Disney+ Original series, “Andor: A Star Wars Story”.   She also made an appearance in the first season of “Doctor Who”, where she played a different character called Mundy Flynn in the episode “Boom”, which this episode makes reference too and will likely be explained in more detail in future episodes.  This continues the trend of establishing a link with the Doctor’s past and making Belinda more than just a random stray person he picks up along his travels. 

I also think Varada is a great choice for a new companion. In this first episode, we see her core values and strengths instantly, which makes her a great alternative to the Doctor.  There have been plenty of companions in the past, and we’ll have to see how her run goes, but on first impressions, she’s hit it out of the park in episode one.

“Robot Revolution” is a pretty action-packed episode, though all done with the typical Doctor Who style, where it’s a bit tongue-in-cheek and while the budget has drastically increased with Disney’s involvement, it still kinda looks cheap when compared to big sci-fi shows like “Star Wars”, but still massivily better looking than it did before. 

This is also where I think “Doctor Who” is struggling, and this episode highlights it even more so, as the show is competing against these other major sci-fi/fantasy franchises, that are doing it on another level, leaving “Doctor Who” behind.  The show can’t compete with these bigger-budget shows, and the unique style of “Doctor Who” doesn’t translate as well on a global stage.

I’ve been a fan of “Doctor Who” for decades, going back to watching it as a kid when Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy were the Doctor in the 80s.  I’ve watched hundreds of episodes of the show over the years and understand what makes “Doctor Who” different from those other more serious sci-fi franchises, which is why I really enjoyed “Robot Revolution”.  It’s easily one of the best episodes from the recent reboot and certainly an improvement on many of the episodes from the last season.  I just hope more people decide to give the show another chance since the introduction of a new Doctor or companion is always a good jumping-on point for new and existing fans.

Overall:   The first episode of the new season kicks off the show with a bang with a great first episode, which is something the first season could have really done with.   It’s got plenty of high-stakes drama, lots of action and maybe a little less humour than I’d normally expect, but this is an excellent start to the new season.  Ncuti continues to be a delight as the Doctor, with his eccentric style, which I really enjoy.  Based on this episode, I can’t wait to see the rest of the season. 

Rating: 4 Out Of 5

“Doctor Who” returns on 12th April 2025 on Disney+ around the world and on the BBC in the United Kingdom.

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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