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The Robot Revolution is the first episode of Season 2… or, perhaps Series 15 or Series 45.
Ah, Russell T Davies… The man who both resurrected Doctor Who AND killed it off, 20 years later. Well done. Big tick(!)
It reached an early nadir during Daleks in Manhattan, where Martha says, “I am so glad to see you”, to which David Tennant replies, “Yeah, well, you can kiss me later. You too Frank, if you want!”, referring to Andrew Garfield in a pig-mask.
What in the world of fuck is that? Queer As Folk may well have been a great drama, but that was 10pm on Channel 4, and this is Saturday early evening on BBC1, where you don’t expect The Doctor to start trotting out lines where he’s crying out to be butt-fucked by Spider-Man!
And, so began the slow decline…
Then again, we’d already had Christopher Eccleston and cock-waver John Barrowman in The Doctor Dances. Which dance was it? The Gay Gordons?
uh oh ☹️😬 #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/ZA95TfhOBB
— The Post Monument™ (@thepostmonument) April 10, 2025
In The Robot Revolution, going back 17 years ago, even though it’s 2008, the episode was written for 2025, so, of course, Belinda’s (Varada Sethu, also seen last season) in a multiracial relationship. I’m just surprised neither he nor her boyfriend, Alan, are “non-binary”, which translates as “attention-seeking”.
However, back in the present day, as she’s a nurse, Doctor Gatwa goes in and uses his sonic screwdriver to blow up their computer, which would normally be classed as a terrorist incident. And since a black man is causing an explosion inside a hospital, his ass would be grass.
Meanwhile, some robots smash their way into her flat, and shoot her cat. Then again, Russell T Davies has no need for pussy…
Back in the day, Alan named a star after her, the robots now thinking she’s the Queen of outer space, and take her to a far-off planet with a breathable atmosphere, but since the robots apparently must be obeyed, their answer is to nuke every individual off the planet before you can say “Israeli Defence Force”.
Cue chase movie blah-blah-blah…
They’ve clearly spent a lot of money on this episode, but because the stories are rubbish and everyone’s sick of the woke content, it’s flopped. Plus, since this series was filmed back-to-back with the last one, there’s no chance of them learning from their obvious mistakes. Hence, Disney have pulled their funding, the BBC can’t pay for it by themselves – even to the point where they’ve had to cancel long-running shows like Blue Peter, Hardtalk and Click.
Even RTD has given up as the clip above shows, as he knows it’s ending, even if it’s just for a number of years, like when that happened in 1989. Meanwhile, Mr Gatwa has signed up for a play that will take him away from any filming schedule for a Season 3, even if it was to happen.
And I’m not surprised. Obviously, no spoilers with this, but safe to say that it’s a lot of chat-chat-chat, and that when it comes to a resolution to the ‘problem of the week’, it takes about a minute to be resolved.
It also throws in talk of reparations blah-blah-blah, expecting modern society to pay money for something our ancestors did 200 years ago. Try that in a court of law, even with a six-year statute of limitations(!)
One thing, though, which I’ll put behind a spoiler header, although it’s just something I noticed late on, and not a plot spoiler…
Overall, 1/10 for a new creature – even if they’re similar to the Cybermen – and a comment about to the same matter from another time occupying the same space causing obliteration… hence a Timecop reference. Actually, just stealing from other sources, again. Ugh…
Additionally, the next day, it was confirmed the overnight ratings were 2.0m. Still iPlayer to add, but they’re the worst ever overnights, and that’s for the opener. Oopsy…
The Robot Revolution on the BBC iPlayer, and on BBC1 at 6.50pm tonight.
You can also buy Season 1 on Limited Blu-ray Steelbook, Blu-ray and DVD. Series 2 isn’t yet available to pre-order.
Score: 1/10
Director: Peter Hoar
Producer: Vicki Delow
Writer: Russell T Davies
Music: Murray Gold
Cast:
The Doctor: Ncuti Gatwa
Belinda Chandra: Varada Sethu
Alan Budd: Jonny Green
Manny: Max Parker
Mrs Flood: Anita Dobson
Kirby Blake: Thalia Dudek
Stefan Haines: Jeffin Kunjumon
Receptionist: Belinda Owusu
Tombo: Tom Storey
Robot 1: Stephen Love
Robot 2: Robert Strange
Voice of the Robots: Nicholas Briggs
Sasha 55: Evelyn Miller
Robot 3: Charles Sandford
Robot 4: Lucas Edwards
Scoley: Caleb Hughes
Shago: Nadine Higgin
Prime Minister: William Ellis
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.