If you’ve been
following the lively on-line chatter preceding this season then you may know that the future of the series, at least in this current iteration, seems
to be in doubt. Even Russell T Davies, always optimistic in his assessment, has
back pedalled from suggesting the show is safe to recent statements suggesting
he knows there is going to be a hiatus. Meanwhile even more ardent fans seem to
concur that last season was underwhelming and does not seem to have captured
enough of the wider public imagination to justify Disney’s continued co
funding. One thing RTD did say somewhere lately though is that this version of
the show is being targeted towards a younger audience and its worth bearing that
in mind when watching.
Anyway, we now have
Ncuti Gatwa’s sophomore season which from the trailers and this opening episode
looks to be a real step up from its predecessor. BTW I’m posting these reviews
on Sundays or Mondays as I can’t beat those reviewers who watch first thing in
the morning when the eps appear on the iPlayer. I suppose I’m a traditionalist who
prefers to watch them if I can, old fashioned style, on linear broadcast. `The
Robot Revolution` is definitely one of the most unusual companion introductions
as newcomer Belinda is whisked away by giant red robots in a spaceship that
could come from a Fifties comic strip to a planet named after her where she
seems to be the Queen. Only the robots have taken over and the Doctor, who has
been ensconced there for six months, is her only help as she tries to work out
just what is going on with the help of a script that has to work a little too
hard at times to sell the concept.
Mind you this is one of
Russell T Davies’s stronger openers. This is the slot where he often makes the
episode so light and zippy that it lacks ballast but there’s enough imagination
and a couple of unexpected turns to make it not just pacy but also involving.
Varada Sethu makes an impeccable debut as Belinda proves herself to be both
practical and caring. Belinda is also brought wholly into the narrative (how
many companions have had a planet named after them?) making use of her medical
and people skills. Her relationship with the Doctor seems set to be similar to that
he had with Donna though perhaps not as manic. She gels really well with Ncuti
Gatwa’s livewire Doctor especially as her character refuses to be bowled over
by either his knowledge or charisma. The line “There’s always a doctor standing
back while the nurses do all the work” is one of several moments where Davies manages
to tether what is an extraordinary concept to everyday concerns.
Visually, the story’s
retro futuristic look scores highly – the cityscape is a gorgeous tribute to
pulp sci fi imagery and the robots work really well. Most impressive is the AI Generator,
which looks like a giant metal owl and which provides an unexpected conclusion
to the story. Revolution stories of some kind are of course quite common in Doctor
Who but the episode manages to put something of a fresh spin on it. The action
is brisk and well staged and it has to be said that this looks more expensive
than any episode last season. Peter Hoar directs with vigour making the most of
the gorgeous sets and handling the moment when the two scrolls touch at the end
with a surrealistic style.
I like the fact that
though the story is built on a fantastical and indeed timey wimey premise, what
brings it home is that ultimately it is presented as a take on coercive control
in a relationship. I suppose some people do go to extremes in relationships,
though maybe the way this was put across in the script wasn’t the best part of
an often-engaging narrative. Yet Alan’s attitude is there in the seemingly
innocuous opening scene when he talks about wanting to “capture” the stars and
also when he belittled girls’ maths skills. It’s not really something you
notice till later.
Given this trajectory I
was a little puzzled as to why Belinda decides that the only option is to sacrifice
herself which seems more of a reaction to those dark looks other rebels have been
giving her, one of the episode’s less subtle aspects. All the way through she’s
been saying it’s not her fault, yet now all of a sudden, she says it is and
takes a dangerous action to give away the rebel’s position. How would she know
the robots wouldn’t just kill everyone except her? I reckon previous Doctors
would have admonished her for doing that or at least had a word but then the script
had woven itself into a tight corner at this juncture.
The episode sets up the
season arc of the Doctor trying to get Belinda home only for the TARDIS to be
`bounced ` off the chosen date. Mrs Flood gets another fourth wall break with a
cheeky “You ain't seen me “to camera and I feel that if this were any other
actor except Anita Dobson it wouldn’t work. And that final scene of debris from
well-known Earth monuments drifting though space is quite a tonal shift,
leaving a disturbing image to consider.
There is inevitably more to come as a result of this episode but this is
a strong enough start to the season and, unlike last year’s `Space Babies,
there is a real incentive to keep watching.
One other observation,
I did rewatch the episode on the iPlayer and noticed the sound mix seemed different
there with the incidental music much higher in the mix to the point of making
some dialogue unclear. Had I not already watched it on BBC1 broadcast that
would be an issue and might explain why some people found it hard to follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment