Doctor Who’s Sophomore Season Takes Off With Some Turbulence
Image Courtesy of Disney Plus
By Luis Zonenberg
Since Doctor Who relaunched on Disney+ back in 2023, fans of the show, or “Whovians” if you will, have had mixed expectations. While Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor had a charming introduction in “The Giggle,” his first season left a bit more to be desired. While some episodes like “73 Yards” and “Joy to the World” were very enjoyable, it was hard to call it a true return to form. His second season has now flown in with two brand new episodes, and perhaps we can see if they can shed some light on what’s to come.
The Robot Revolution: Things sure get going fast this season with a fairly rushed introduction of the new companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) as she finishes her shift at the hospital. Before she can even call it a night, she is whisked away by giant robots to a faraway star named after her. The Doctor is hot on her trail, with things heating up with her forced wedlock to the Grand AI Generator, the main robot in charge of the planet!
This first entry throws a lot at the audience but leaves very little time to breathe. It plays a lot like video game cutscenes stitched together, with characters hopping from one scene to the next. Because of this, it leaves very little room for the characters to interact with each other and allow the audience to connect with them.
This is especially disappointing since the showrunner, Russell T. Davies, has shown he can do this much better. Say what you will about “Smith and Jones” but at least they took the time to establish Martha Jones’ character and her relationship with her family. Meanwhile the only other person Belinda interacts with is her ex-boyfriend, Alan Budd (Jonny Green). This is why it is easy to predict what the big twist was about the villain, especially since it is revealed so last minute.
What does anchor this first entry is the pure charm and humor from the Doctor himself. Ncuti Gatwa is charismatic as ever and even injects some much needed levity in certain scenes. Even the ending itself teases a real exciting premise for the season, leaving the audience hanging on the threats to come. While “The Robot Revolution” certainly feels more like a rush to the finish line, Ncuti Gatwa’s charm matched with its fun story should keep Whovians entertained enough.
Rating: 3/5
Lux: The second episode picks up right after the first with the Doctor struggling to land the TARDIS back on the day the pair left Earth. They eventually land in 1952 Miami, Florida, taking in the sights as the Doctor tries to figure out what’s wrong with the ship. This leads them to discover a mysterious movie theater where 15 people disappeared, and oh yeah, there might be a certain animated character behind it all.
This episode is a huge upgrade from the last with the great Alan Cumming providing a hilariously demented performance as the villainous Lux. The animation for Cumming’s character, matched with his incredible acting, makes him a memorable foe and a worthy addition to the sprawling mythos of the series. Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu are a great pair to watch too, but Cumming simply steals the show whenever Lux pops up.
The story itself is less rushed too, allowing us to breathe and really take in the atmosphere. This breathing room really allowed them to find the emotions and humor in the situation. The story does get a little too meta for my taste halfway through, but it does not ruin anything in the long run. Thankfully, “Lux” is a really fun and entertaining episode to watch, thanks in part to the great Alan Cumming.
Rating: 4/5
