Doctor Who (41) - 2.01: The Robot Revolution

[Dave]

Doctor Who "Season 2" (apparently) premieres tonight with new companion, Varada Sethu as Belinda who is also apparently the reluctant Queen of a Robot controlled world. There is some wibbly wobbly storytelling to account for this which I didn't really try to understand, sorry.

Poor Alan!

 

[nixie]

That was crazy. I just went the flow, the wibbly wobbly stuff gives me a headache if I think about it to much.


Mrs Flood was Belinda's neighbour or am I going mad?
Feel like she's connected to River somehow.

 

[Dave]

Mrs Flood was Belinda's neighbour or am I going mad?

I thought Mrs. Flood lived opposite Ruby in Notting Hill. I couldn't hear what she said though. That might have explained it. Also, wasn't the spaceship from Wallace and Gromit's Grand Day Out?

 

[farntfar]

Also, wasn't the spaceship from Wallace and Gromit's Grand Day Out?

It was very much like it, but also, I think from a very old Tintin adventure, and some other comic from my youth. Bleep and Booster perhaps, but I think not. In other words, a fairly generic design.

Altogether though, I wasn't that impressed.

And I think they'll be milking the Mrs Flood question for some time yet.

 

[The Ace]

Utter sh*te!

 

[Dave]

I'll play devil's advocate then and suggest that it wasn't totally what he just said:

• there was the "time explosion" sequence with psychedelia that harped back to the 2nd Doctor or 3rd Doctor.
• Belinda is an interesting companion as she stands up to the Doctor, questions him and challenges him, There will be a more interesting dynamic in the same way that Sarah Jane was meant to be. (Of course, by next season she will be swooning and falling in love with him like all the others.)
• It was a better season opener than Space Babies.

And on the other hand - the Robots were malfunctioning and all of them couldn't hear every ninth word - explain that one again? What happens when one Robot pops out of the room to kill a cat and misses a couple of words?

 

[farntfar]

It was a better season opener than Space Babies.

yes!

What happens when one Robot pops out of the room to kill a cat and misses a couple of words?

The cat only has 8 lives.

 

[BAYLOR]

It was very much like it, but also, I think from a very old Tintin adventure, and some other comic from my youth. Bleep and Booster perhaps, but I think not. In other words, a fairly generic design.

Altogether though, I wasn't that impressed.

And I think they'll be milking the Mrs Flood question for some time yet.

Power Rangers

 

[Pyan]

First thing I thought when I saw it!

 

[nixie]

For some weird reason I thought of Flash Gordon.

 

[BAYLOR]

For some weird reason I thought of Flash Gordon.

Garro plays 1979 Flash Gordon filmation theme music .

 

[Matteo]

I was very tired when I saw it so may have missed some dialogue - in which case "mea culpa" for some comments. I also missed the very beginning - I joined just when the robot crashed into Belinda's apartment.

I thought there was a nub of good idea but it poorly executed. The payoff was weak - did we really need the heavy-handed "messaging"? When it happened my wife said "Oh God, really? Pfft!" It could have been done more or less the same but with a different explanation. A shame because I liked the timey-wimey lots of years have passed idea and the underlying premise that she ruled the star system/planet.

The spaceships (I also thought of Tintin) were silly - perhaps this was somehow deliberate (generated by AI/AL?).

Agree with @Dave about Belinda - I liked that she stood up to the Doctor - actually refused to go with off with him ("You're dangerous. Take me home"). I hope this continues.
Also agree re, "Space Babies" but that is a very low bar!
The "miss every ninth word" thing was dumb - seemed to be there just to allow the Doctor to explain something to Belinda. And later the rule didn't seem to apply - maybe, I wasn't counting.

Mrs "You ain't seen me" Flood again? I hope that doesn't drag out too long.

And this is what I may have missed:
- the robots did not obey Belinda at the start, but later in the episode did
- at the end Belinda said "so this is your TARDIS?". Had the Doctor told her his spaceship was called that?
- what was the "coincidence" with 3000 years?
- Belinda told him to take her home on a specific date and before 7am. But then was amazed when the Doctor said the TARDIS was a time machine. But perhaps she thought that it wasn't yet that date - so she had time to get home.

Finally, (despite my questions above) was it me or did anyone else think the dialogue easier to hear - over the incidental music/effects - compared to the last series?

 

[BAYLOR]

I'll play devil's advocate then and suggest that it wasn't totally what he just said:

• there was the "time explosion" sequence with psychedelia that harped back to the 2nd Doctor or 3rd Doctor.
• Belinda is an interesting companion as she stands up to the Doctor, questions him and challenges him, There will be a more interesting dynamic in the same way that Sarah Jane was meant to be. (Of course, by next season she will be swooning and falling in love with him like all the others.)
• It was a better season opener than Space Babies.

And on the other hand - the Robots were malfunctioning and all of them couldn't hear every ninth word - explain that one again? What happens when one Robot pops out of the room to kill a cat and misses a couple of words?

There a story on the Dark Horizon Website. "Doctor Who" Long Hiatus looks Likely ?

The ratings for the show appear to be down.

 

[Dave]

There a story on the Dark Horizon Website. "Doctor Who" Long Hiatus looks Likely ?

The ratings for the show appear to be down.

To be honest, this episode didn't seem any worse (or better) than many Davies stories where he doesn't collaborate with someone else like Moffat. His stories are often frenetic and don't make much sense, either logically or scientifically. This episode was atrocious in that regard.

Doctor Who has always mixed various SFF themes, and although it began as historical fiction, it quickly became historical fantasy, before moving to surrealism, near future SF, far future space opera, horror and anything else in between. I think that is part of its appeal.

As for ratings, I tend to take more notice of what people here and on social media say regarding shows, rather than watch ratings, but Davies is now out in the real world and Disney will be watching ratings more carefully.

He is quite right in what he says in that article though - I'm not sure that Robin Hood is the best analogy to use but he probably didn't want to mention other franchises like Star Trek or Star Wars. He could have said Tarzan or Batman - Doctor Who may have a few years off, but it will always return again in the future. Even he cannot kill it off now.

I've learned today TILT that there is a UNIT-themed spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea made but still yet to air.

 

[REBerg]

I would like to see the little floorbot added to the crew. The TARDIS might appreciate some housekeeping help.
Polish, polish.
Polish, polish.

 

[BAYLOR]

To be honest, this episode didn't seem any worse (or better) than many Davies stories where he doesn't collaborate with someone else like Moffat. His stories are often frenetic and don't make much sense, either logically or scientifically. This episode was atrocious in that regard.

Doctor Who has always mixed various SFF themes, and although it began as historical fiction, it quickly became historical fantasy, before moving to surrealism, near future SF, far future space opera, horror and anything else in between. I think that is part of its appeal.

As for ratings, I tend to take more notice of what people here and on social media say regarding shows, rather than watch ratings, but Davies is now out in the real world and Disney will be watching ratings more carefully.

He is quite right in what he says in that article though - I'm not sure that Robin Hood is the best analogy to use but he probably didn't want to mention other franchises like Star Trek or Star Wars. He could have said Tarzan or Batman - Doctor Who may have a few years off, but it will always return again in the future. Even he cannot kill it off now.

I've learned today TILT that there is a UNIT-themed spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea made but still yet to air.

The current incarnation of Dr Who has gone into Legends of Tomorrow and Power Rangers territory. and thats not s goof thing. I think maybe a new producer and a big series reset are in order here.

Yes, Ive read about the Unit spinoff and I think A full Unit series would be a good idea but , but with some else in charge that isn't RTD or Chris Chibnall .