Latest Podcast Episodes
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Don’t Read the Comments #4: Ratings Rumble
The Doctor Who ShowWelcome to Don’t Read the Comments, a podcast where we ignore the show’s title and actually read online comments relating to something going on in the world of Doctor Who.
Tonight, everyone's talking the consolidated figures for the first episode of Season 2 of Doctor Who, The Robot Revolution, and Rob’s on Facebook, on the official Radio Times page... to read the comments.
Contact us:
X / Twitter: @theDWshow
Bluesky: @thedwshow.net
Facebook: facebook.com/theDWshow
Email: hello@theDWshow.net
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2.2 Lux
Trap One: A Doctor Who PodcastThank you for downloading the Trap One Podcast.
On this episode, Pete, Denise, Mark D and Mark M settle into their seats at the local picture house for Lux.
The New Yorker interview with Alan Cumming can be heard here.
You can pre-order series 2 of Doctor Who here.
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Lux Actually
Doctor Who: Verity!It's time to don your best and head to the cinema (or picture house) to catch a film. I hear they have the new Mr. Ring-a-Ding cartoon...
Join Kat and Lynne as they review the new Doctor Who episode "Lux" get side tracked into talking about 1930s cartoons they watched as kids, a preference for film over digital and much more.
What did you think about "Lux?" Did it give you new perspective or did it leave you feeling a little flat?
Check out full show notes at veritypodcast.wordpress.com
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Scooby Who!
The Doctor Who PodcastJoin James and Michele as they take the DWP Mystery Machine (Campervan) out for it’s second spin of the week. What did our very own Fred and Velma make of this week’s show? Tune in to find out! Fortunately Brent also chimes in to bring some much required sanity to the madness.
Enjoy the show and see you on Saturday for our review of Episode 3, The mysterious sounding, The Well!
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Who's He? Podcast 495 | Lost in a cartoon, I grabbed a lifeline
Who's He?In this episode of the Who's He? Podcast....
Review - Lux
Phil and Paul are back with a more in depth look at Lux, the latest episode of Doctor Who starring Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu. With cartoons coming to life courtesy of the gods and fans breaking the fourth wall, will the second episode of this season continue to impress our reviewing duo?
And the lads ponder whether the rumours of the show being cancelled or going on hiatus is just a ploy and is part of RTD's grand plan.
You can currently find us on X, Threads, Mastodon, Bluesky and Facebook. Don't miss an episode by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, plus many other podcatchers of your choice.
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Podcastica Episode 337: Lux OR Here Comes the Sun
PodcasticaOh boy! Oh friends! People have said the perfect episode of Doctor Who doesn't exist. That may be true, but we feel like Lux comes pretty darn close! Yes, there are some small nitpicks we have with the story, but they are but a match head compared with the power of the sun that this episode is! (see what we did there?) We're not even going to bore you with anymore text here, let's dive straight into this adventure!!
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TDP 1362: #DoctorWho #DisneyWho TV Doctor Who Review Lux
Tin Dog PodcastFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 314 – "Lux" episode Promotional title-card Cast – – Others – Newsreader Cassius Hackforth – Tommy Lee Ryan Speakman – Husband – Reginald Pye – Mr Ring-a-Ding – Sunshine Sally Lewis Cornay – Logan Cheever Lucy Thackeray – Renée Lowenstein Jane Hancock – Helen Pye William Meredith – Policeman Samir Arrian – Hassan Chowdry Bronté Barbé – Lizzie Abel Steph Lacey – Robyn Gossage – Mrs Flood Production Directed by Written by Script editor David Cheung Produced by Chris May Executive producer(s) Russell T Davies Joel Collins Music by Series Running time 43 minutes First broadcast 19 April 2025 Chronology ← Preceded by "" Followed by → "" "Lux" is the second episode of the of the series . It was written by , the Doctor Who showrunner, from a concept first developed over two decades prior, and directed by . In the episode, the () and his , , land in 1952 , while trying to make their way back to 2025. After doing so, they discover a mysterious where fifteen people have disappeared. The pair stay to investigate and ultimately confront an animated God, Lux (voiced by ), who traps them in film. "Lux" is unusual for the programme in that it features a mixed live-action and animated format. Filming for the episode took place in and at in January 2024. Some voice-over work took place internationally in in June. Animation and other work continued later into the year, with some tasks still being completed as late as September. The episode includes references to , and to its own . It was released on , , and on 19 April 2025. Reception to the episode was positive, with critics praising its use of animation in a live-action setting. A novelisation written by is set to be released in July 2025. Plot [] Unable to return to 24 May 2025, the lands in 1952 , where the Doctor and find a cinema that is chained shut. At a diner, they speak to the mother of one of fifteen people who disappeared from the cinema, which continues to play movies at night. Although is still enforced, the waiter allows them to stay. Inside the cinema, the pair discover a living cartoon, Mr Ring-a-Ding, the embodiment of Lux Imperator, God of Light, is responsible. The projectionist, Reginald Pye, plays films for Lux, who uses his power to recreate Pye's dead wife. Lux has trapped the missing people in a film reel. He similarly traps the Doctor and Belinda, and turns them into cartoon characters, until they regain their usual forms. They flee to another false reality, where a racist cop challenges them. They escape through a television watched by . Though delighted to meet the Doctor they reveal that their world is the fake one, and encourage him to return and defeat Lux, even though they will then cease to exist. Back in the cinema, the Doctor heals his injured hand using residual energy. Lux steals the energy to create a solid body. Belinda attempts to burn film reels to cause an explosion, but encouraged by his wife, Pye sacrifices himself. The explosion exposes the cinema to sunlight causing Lux to expand infinitely until he becomes one with the universe. The missing people return. As the Doctor and Belinda leave, Mrs Flood encourages the bystanders to watch the TARDIS dematerialise, claiming this "show" is a "limited run" that ends on 24 May. The Doctor's fans critique the episode, realising that they still exist. Production [] Development and production design [] "Lux" was written by . He had wanted to do an episode that included a living cartoon for a long time, but was unable to do one until now for funding reasons. He also revealed that he had considered variants of such an episode, including one two decades prior that would have featured a hologram rather than a legitimate animation as a result of the budgetary constraints. The story also contains mentions of segregation and racism in which Davies said he added to address issues in present-day society. It was also used as a subversion to the Doctor usually situating themselves as the main authority figure. While including such themes, he didn't want it to be the dominant subject. Among these are the NYPD officer saying the cinema is a space "reserved for " and prejudicely assuming that Belinda is . Other motifs present explore grief, hope, friendship, and sadness. references to and the character were included. Additionally, Davies has continued a recent trend of . Also unusual for the show, the episode featured a . Costume designer Pam Downe created the Doctor's and Belinda's outfits using the of blue and yellow. Sethu's dress was inspired by a similar one worn by Anita () and designed by in the of . Meanwhile, Gatwa's blue suit was influenced by American musical artists of the 1950s. These hues were intended to further contrast with the red interior of the cinema by ultimately using all three . Downe ultimately wanted to successfully convey movement during the episodes action scenes. As such, three different were considered for Sethu to wear and her dress had multiple . The concept of Mr. Ring-a-Ding was inspired by animations from . Ian Spendloff worked as a creative designer for the episode, and was the designer of Mr. Ring-a-Ding. Davies compared the concept of Mr. Ring-a-Ding to from the 1930s. Spendloff drafted thirty different sketches that were considered before finally settling on the one used in the episode. Each one featured variations in noses, hair, and other elements. Mr. Ring-a-Ding was ultimately given a pig-like nose and blue skin to reflect characteristics of cartoon characters from the time period, with Davies wanting the character to look vaguely human but not be immediately identifiable as something else. to were also present in the episode because Davies recalled his enjoyment of cartoons while writing it, which made him consider people who loved the programme. Within the episode, the fans wore Doctor Who apparel (including a scarf, another a "Telos" sweatshirt) and declared "" (2008) as their favourite episode. One of them also mentioned the impending cancellation of the show. They then point out the "obviousness" of the episode's , and made references to . The show's BBC ident appears on the screen of their television. Although they say they are too inconsequential to be given surnames, all three characters—Hassan Chowdry, Lizzie Abel and Robyn Gossage—are fully named in the credits. The concept of Doctor Who existing within had previously been briefly explored in (1988) and other expanded media. Following this instance, such an idea was considered quasi-. This scene raised suspicion that Davies had potentially been planting online himself regarding upcoming episodes as well as rumours that the series would enter into another hiatus. When the fact that the episode was written and filmed well before the leaks began appearing was considered, it was compared to the . Casting [] The episode stars as the of and as his , . voices the antagonist, Mr. Ring-a-Ding. It marks Cumming's second appearance in the show after his role as King in the 2018 episode "". Davies said that he and the production team had considered whether it was too soon to cast Cumming again and that had it been a live action role, he likely would not have been. Mr. Ring-a-Ding is the "God of Light" and part of the "Pantheon of Gods" that Davies has been developing since "" (2023). stars as Reginald Pye, the theatre's projectionist and Lewis Cornay plays a diner worker who helps the Doctor and Belinda investigate the disappearances. also makes a brief appearance as recurring character Mrs. Flood. The trio of fans were portrayed by Samir Arrian, Bronte Barbe, and Steph Lacey. Filming and post-production [] Exterior shots for the theater were filmed at Pavilion. The wooden ramp can be seen at the bottom of the photo. The story was filmed in the series' third production block, along with the following episode, "". It was directed by and recorded in late-January 2024. took place in . The surrounding area was made up to look like an American city in the 1950s by adding vehicles and American flags. pavilion was used for exterior shots of the theatre. The production team painted the building, added a period theatre sign, and removed a modern ramp at the front of the building. Its removal led to the discovery of rotting wood that had to be replaced at the show's expense. The episode was shot during causing the cast and crew to struggle with unexpected rain and winds, requiring hot water bottles to keep warm during takes. Interior shots for the studio were filmed on 4 at . Pieces of that set were reused from "" (2024). As a result of Mr. Ring-a-Ding being an animated creation, the performers had to interact with a two-foot acrylic cutout of the character or a thin green pole on set.The scenes were then edited during the process. References for Mr. Ring-a-Ding's movement were filmed by crew, and then drawn directly into the scene by animators from . Cumming voiced his scenes in on 28 June 2024. Elements of Cumming's facial expressions during this recording for were incorporated into Mr. Ring-a-Ding. The scene where the Doctor and Belinda are turned into cartoons were first recorded on a , in which Gatwa and Sethu had to portray the characters in a rigid and cartoon-like manner. The animators used this as a reference for interaction between the two characters when redrawing them as a cartoon. Animations were done at twenty-five frames a second, requiring twenty-five drawings for each second of screen time, or fewer if characters' movement was limited. artists recorded at Bang Post Production in on 4 September 2024. The episode's soundtrack included two singles: "" by , and the rendition of "". Despite the episode taking place in 1952, the tracks were not released until 1956 and 1969, respectively. , the show's , also included the song "The Sad Man With A Box", a piece that he originally composed for . Broadcast and reception [] Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating (Tomatometer) 100% (Average Score) 7.70/10 Review scores Source Rating B 10/10 9/10 Broadcast [] "Lux" was released on at 8 a.m. (BST) in the United Kingdom and on in the United States at 12 a.m. on 12 April 2025. A broadcast followed at 7:15 p.m. BST. also handled international distribution of the episode. Ratings [] The episode received overnight viewing figures of 1.58 million, the lowest broadcast ratings in Doctor Who's history. It was the fourth most-watched programme of the day on BBC One, with one show on also achieving higher numbers. Critical reception [] On the website , 100% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.70/10. Robert Anderson, writing for , praised the episode, highlighting Mr. Ring-a-Ding, several individual scenes, such as the fourth-wall-breaking scene, and the performances of Gatwa and Sethu. 's Martin Belam responded positively to the episode, praising Cumming's performance and the fourth-wall-breaking scene. Will Salmon, writing for , highlighted Mr. Ring-a-Ding and Gatwa's performance, though felt Murray Gold's musical score "drowned out" some scenes. Adi Tantimedh, writing for , found the episode to be the strongest out of the episodes headed by Davies in his second tenure as showrunner. Andrew Blair, writing for , highlighted the characterization of Mr. Ring-a-Ding, but criticized the episode's similarities to "", which he felt made the episode feel repetitive and weaker than it should have. He also felt the episode's handling of race was not effective, as while he felt the episode's inclusion of the topic was commendable, he felt the Doctor's in-universe way of handling it "can't help but scrape awkwardly against our real-world knowledge." Vicky Jessop, writing for the , criticized the inclusion of the scene featuring Doctor Who fans, stating that while it was initially entertaining, it quickly became "strained".
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CRRRRS 576 Doctor Who: Lux
Roy's Rocket RadioTalk, Talk, Talk and Chocolate Day, Captain America: Brave New World, Daredevil: Born Again, Doctor Who: Lux
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Radio Free Skaro #1011 - Ring-a-Ding-Dong Dandy
Radio Free SkaroIt’s “Lux” time at Radio Free Skaro Towers and the Three Who Rule have thoughts about both the two-dimensional (mostly) villain of the title and more including RTD and Murray Gold song crimes, whether or not this whole Pantheon thing is panning out, how ring-a-ding good The Doctor and Belinda are together, *that* fan scene and more! Plus news of books, DWM, and more Gallifrey One news!
Links:
- Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon
- Gallifrey One 2026 Hotel Reservations Open May 9
- Anita Dobson at Gallifrey One 2026
- Doctor Who “Lux” Review
- Doctor Who Unleashed S2E02
- Behind the Scenes: Lux
- Alan Cumming and director Amanda Brotchie on bringing Mr Ring-a-Ding to life in Doctor Who
- Russel T Davies has “no time” for Doctor Who too woke criticisms
- Russell T Davies hints at ideas for Seasons 4 and 5
- The Well on BBC One Apr 26, 7:20pm
- Q&A with Michael van Kesteren who designed Scoot
- Doctor Who Magazine 616 due Apr 24
- Black Archive #76: Logopolis due April 2025
- Doctor Who: Shirley Jackson and the Chaos Box coming June 12
- Doctor Who: One Night Only (A Fela Kuti Story) coming August 21
- Season 7 Blu-Ray available for order in Canada
- Jean Marsh dies, aged 90
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Gallifrey's Most Wanted Episode 182 -- Lux
Gallifrey's Most Wanted PodcastThe Doctor and Belinda land in 1957 Miami and me Mister Ring-A-Ding. Something has hijace a cartoon and and the Doctor and Belinda need to save the day. Ross, Jeff, and Melvin had lots thoughts on elder gods, fans, cartoons, and all things Lux
#DoctorWho #TheDoctor #TARDIS #BBC #cartoons #MrsFlood #RTD
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Jean Marsh Remembered by Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Simon Guerrier
Doctor Who : The Sirens of AudioJean Marsh passed away on the 13th April 2025 at the age of 90. She was a reknowned actress both in the UK and abroad, having worked in TV, film and theatre.
For Doctor Who fans, she is best remembered for her roles as Johanna in The Crusade, Sara Kingdom in The Daleks' Masterplan, and Morgaine in Battlefield.
She reprised the role of Sara on audio for Big Finish in The Companion Chronicles and Early Adventures ranges.
Writer Simon Guerrier joins us for this episode of the podcast, and shares some of his memories of the times he spent with Jean.
We'll also discuss his Sara Kingdom trilogy, which features the stories, "Home Truths", The Drowned World", and "Guardian of the Solar System". There'll be spoilers, so if you haven't heard them, we recommend you grab them from the Big Finish website and have a listen to them first. They are fantastic!
We also have some special tributes to Jean from her Battlefield co-stars, Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred. Thanks to them both for joining us.
Theme music by Joe Kraemer.
Website - https://www.sirensofaudio.com/
Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/audiosirens
Follow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/audiosirens
Follow us on X - https://x.com/audiosirens
Follow us on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/audiosirens.bsky.social
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GSN PODCAST: Stace and Barry in the Morning – Season 5 Episode 21
Geek SyndicateGood morning, you group of gorgeous geeks, and welcome to another fine episode of Stace & Barry In The Morning!
Barry takes a spin on the Wheel Of Time this episode, as Stacey takes a trip to The Studio, and the pair shill for AppleTV despite not getting paid a single pence for it..! Daredevil makes a comic appearance, and our Musical Musings get us In Motion in a Flashback Montage.
All this, plus Temu Bloodsport! Grab a bit of breakfast and enjoy x
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Tim's Take On: Episode 801(Doctor Who: Lux mini review)
Tim's Take On...This week the Doctor and Belinda get animated when they meet Mr. Ring a Ding in Doctor Who: Lux.
You may wish to contribute to the show’s running costs, it’s Patreon is here https://www.patreon.com/tdrury
or buy me a coffee here https://ko-fi.com/timdrury
The show is also on Facebook please join the group for exclusive behind the scenes insights and of course also discuss and feedback on the show https://www.facebook.com/groups/187162411486307/
If you want to send me comments or feedback you can email them to tdrury2003@yahoo.co.uk
or contact me on twitter where I'm @tdrury or send me a friend request and your comments to facebook where I'm Tim Drury and look like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/3711029536/in/set-72157621161239599/ in case you were wondering.
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Review of Lux
The Doctor Who PodcastJoin Ian, Phil and Drew in the Campervan as they talk about your feedback on Episode 1 (mostly cat-related) and review Episode 2 of the latest series of Doctor Who, Lux!
What did you think? Let us know by emailing the Campervan at feedback@thedoctorwhopodcast.com, Tweeting or Xing us, or jump on our Facebook Page or Group!
Michele and James will be back on Wednesday with Episode 395A, so make sure you keep an eye (or an ear) on your DWP feed!
Enjoy the show.
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Who's He? Podcast 494 | Lux - Knee-jerk Reaction
Who's He?In this episode of the Who's He? Podcast....
Knee-jerk Reaction - Lux
What did Scott and Phil think of Lux, the latest episode of Doctor Who starring Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu. Listen for the next 10 minutes or so for their knee-jerk reaction!
Phil will be back with Paul during the week with their full review.
You can currently find us on X, Threads, Mastodon, Bluesky and Facebook. Don't miss an episode by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, plus many other podcatchers of your choice.
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Lux - HOT TAKE!
The Doctor Who ShowThe Doctor's quest to get Belinda home takes the Tardis to Miami in 1952, where an abandoned cinema is hiding a terrifying secret. Can the Doctor uncover Lux's power?
What did we make of it? This is our HOT TAKE.
You can follow us on X @theDWshow or Bluesky @thedwshow.net or email us about anything you like at: hello@theDWshow.net
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TDP 1352: Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor Adventures: Deadly Strangers
Tin Dog PodcastThe Doctor, Audacity and Charley visit many times and places, always with the best of intentions. But others have a different agenda... Puccini and the Doctor by Matthew Jacobs Inspired by his friends, the Doctor takes Charley and Audacity to Milan to meet Puccini and hear the music of love. But the Doctor is not the only alien entranced by humanity. The mysterious Tura is setting riddles, and for those who answer, the experience is transformative... Women's Day Off by Lisa McMullin Iceland, 1975. Charley and Audacity are thrilled to discover that the women have gone on strike. All of them. With potentially disastrous consequences for a girl called Kyla - and everyone she comes into contact with. The Gloaming by Lauren Mooney and Stewart Pringle The Doctor, Charley and Audacity arrive on Gloaming, a luxury sleep clinic in orbit around a dead world. Gloaming is filled with wealthy Sleepers, dreaming through the dark ages of their world in suspended animation. But something is growing here, creeping into minds and poisoning dreams. Something the Doctor fought long ago...
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#263 - Every Ninth Word
Doctor Who: The Metebelis 2The new Doctor Who season has launched with Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor joined by new companion Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu. Both of us agree that Sethu's debut as Belinda was great! We look forward to spending the next seven episodes with her and the Doctor. Ben reflects upon what movies "The Robot Revolution" reminded him of, and David wonders if there wasn't a little bit of a Douglas Adams inspiration to the story. Plus, who was more cringy, AL or the Doctor? Opening music is from "Belinda" by the Eurythmics in 1981. Closing music is "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1" by the Flaming Lips in 2002. We recorded this podcast on 15 April 2025.
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Episode 313: The Robot Revolution
Wanderers in the 4th Dimension: A Journey Through Doctor WhoOn this month's Wanderers in the 4th Dimension: Who Reviews podcast, the Wanderers review the Disney+ season 2 premiere, The Robot Revolution!
Hosts:
- Trevor @whoviantrev.bsky.social Trevsplace
- Charlie @insanityinchaos The Comic Conspiracy
- David http://www.davidsafar.com/ @gwythinn MaroonedWhovian DraconianProgeny
- Connor The Deadly Emerald
Join us next week for our review of the new episode, Lux! You can send us feedback on Facebook at Wanderers in the 4th Dimension or on Bluesky @wanderin4d.bsky.social!
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The Echo Chamber #15 - The Mutant Phase
The Doctor Who PodcastWelcome to Episode 15 The Echo Chamber, the final episode in the current series!
In this edition, James and Michele talk about The Mutant Phase by Nicholas Briggs, released in December 2000 – the Fifteenth story in Big Finish’s Main Range.
Listening instructions are very straightforward –
- Buy The Mutant Phase from Big Finish Productions for just a few pounds (if you don’t own it already of course!)
- Listen to it!
- Join us in the Echo Chamber, listen to what we thought and join in the discussion!
Enjoy the show!
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TDP 1361: #DOCTORWHO review #DisneyWho The Robot Revolution
Tin Dog Podcast"The Robot Revolution" is the first episode of the of the series . The episode was written by , the Doctor Who , and directed by . In the episode, the (), rescues Belinda Chandra (), after she is kidnapped from and inadvertently gets involved in a war on another planet. Chandra becomes the Doctor's new . Production for the episode took place in in late-2023. It was released on , , and on 12 April 2025. Reception was mostly postive, with Sethu's characterization particularly praised. A novelisation written by is set to be released in July 2025. Plot [] Belinda Chandra's boyfriend, Alan Budd, gives her a certificate for her birthday. He but she rebuffs him. Seventeen years later, on 24 May 2025, Belinda is captured by robots and taken, as their queen, to Missbelindachandra One, a planet orbiting her star. The "Missbelindachandrakind" are composed of humanoids and robots, who coexisted peacefully until the latter took control and some humans began to rebel. The robots are controlled by the Great Generator, who plans to merge with Belinda. On their spaceship, Belinda blames Alan for registering the star, as it flies through a time fracture. , who had been in pursuit, is sent backward six months, and by the time Belinda arrives, he has become the historian. Exploiting a fault that prevents the robots from hearing every ninth word, the Doctor and the rebels rescue Belinda. The Doctor realises that the robots possess a certificate identical to Belinda's, and have had it for over 5000 years. He concludes that this is related to the time fracture. Belinda allows herself to be captured, asking the robots to spare the rebels. Belinda and the Doctor are taken to the Great AI Generator. They discover that it is not "AI" but "AL", short for Alan. After Belinda had blamed Alan, the robots used the time fracture to capture him ten years earlier in 2015. Seeing life on Missbelindachandra as a game, Alan merged himself with the machines and started the war. Using every ninth word, Alan communicates to them that he is in pain. Belinda touches her copy of the certificate to Alan's, causing them to experience all of time simultaneously. The Doctor rescues Belinda, while Alan reverts to a sperm and egg, which is cleaned up by a robot. Now free, the humanoids and robots rebuild their society, while the Doctor takes Belinda to his . He describes meeting her distant descendant Mundy Flynn and wants to know how the robots acquired the certificate, but Belinda, disturbed at his insistence that their encounter is "destiny" and refusing to be one of his adventures, demands to be taken home. The TARDIS is unable to return to 24 May 2025, instead bouncing off that date. The Doctor tells Belinda that they will need to take the long way around. As the TARDIS dematerialises, debris from several Earth landmarks and the certificate float in space. Production [] Development [] "The Robot Revolution" was written by . He initially conceptualized the idea as a one-off story and later reworked it into a to serve as a companion introduction. Davies said that it was a "difficult" episode to write, because he struggled with turning a joke about star naming into a full script. He also viewed it as a wider narrative about the concerns surrounding artificial intelligence in a real-world context. A for the episode included "Belinda and the Robots". Filming [] Screenshot from the film Promotional poster for The team used and as references. Set design began at in October 2023. Phil Sims said he and Davies took inspiration from and when . They were created with a appearance influenced by the . Millennium FX designed the robot costumes over the course of eight weeks. They were first created digitally and split into 34 different pieces to be . Afterwards, the pieces were assembled with glue and finished with and . The polish robot that appears in the episode was designed with a similar 1950s aesthetic, primarily being based on cars of the time period. The robot had unique wheels that allowed it to move laterally as well as straight ahead, as the designers wanted the robot to have a unique range of motion compared to other robots of similar size. The AI Generator was similarly designed to appear large and imposing, with the set and art design teams collaborating to determine where the presence of Alan would be inside of the machine. The set for the throne room, where Belinda is initially brought in the episode, is re-used for the AI Generator's room. The design team placed the "head" of the Generator's design just below the room's centerpiece in order to create the illusion that the room acted like a crown for the Generator and that the room is an extension of him. The episode was directed by . It was recorded in the second filming block of series 15 along with the fourth episode, "". occurred in November 2023 in while filming also took place at Wolf Studios. Casting [] The episode stars as the of and introduces as his , Belinda Chandra. Sethu previously played a separate but related character in the episode "" (2024). reprised her role as Mrs Flood, an enigmatic character who was first introduced in (2023) and recurred in the previous series. Alan Budd (the episode's antagonist) was portrayed by Jonny Green, who formerly voiced characters in various and . Other members of the guest cast included , Jeff Kunjumon, Evelyn Miller, and Caleb Hughes. Two of the robots were operated by Stephen Love and Robert Strange; the two worked as Wrarth Warriors in "" (2023), while Strange also handled the costume in "" (2024). Broadcast and reception [] Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating (Tomatometer) 100% (Average Score) 7.10/10 Review scores Source Rating B- 6/10 Release [] "The Robot Revolution" was released on at 8 a.m. (BST) in the United Kingdom and on in the United States at 12 a.m. on 12 April 2025. A broadcast followed later in the day at 6:50 p.m. BST. also handled international distribution of the episode. Ratings [] Overnight viewing figures estimate that the episode was watched by 2 million people on its BBC One broadcast, making it the second most-watched programme on BBC One behind the finale of , as well as the fourth-most watched programme of the day. Critical reception [] On the website , 100% of 8 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.10/10. Will Salmon with highlighted the setting of the episode and its design, but criticized the episode for being "light", as well as due to confusing plot points toward the end of the episode. Writing for , Stefan Mohamed highlighted the Doctor's characterization and the episode's new visual and directorial techniques, but criticized Alan as a villain and the death of Sasha 55 as a weak narrative moment. 's Roxy Simmons found the episode enjoyable but found the episode to make very little impact on the audience, and found the commentary unsubtle. Belinda's characterization and Sethu's performance was near universally praised. author Ed Power praised the Doctor's characterization and the fun nature of the episode, though felt that elements of Alan's characterization as a "nerdy" character would receive negative reception, and that Sasha 55's death was unnecessary for the episode's plot. critic Robert Anderson criticized the episode as feeling "shallow", as well as the twist of the AI Generator being Alan. Reviewing the episode for , Jack Seale highlighted the episode's re-introduction of the Doctor's character and the inclusion of topical issues, but criticized the twists involving the AI Generator as well as the execution of the episode's message. 's Chris Taylor argued that Belinda's characterization was weak, and that she lacked a sense of purpose compared to other past companions. He also criticized the episode's social commentary, feeling that the episode moved to fast to properly critique any aspect of society. Michael Hogan, penning a review for felt some of the episode's social commentary was not well-executed, and felt jarring given the episode's time slot.
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DIDDLY DUM PODCAST 212 – Capitol Review
Diddly Dum Podcast
Tony Jordan joins us to look back on the DWAS Capitol Cutaway event.
We can also be found on the Doctor Who Podcast Alliance
Find Diddly Dum pics on Tumblr.
Email us at diddlydumpodcast@yahoo.co.uk
SHOW NOTES
(00:18:57) A video of Peter Davison receiving his DWAS award can be seen on Facebook here.
(00:40:21) Capitol 9 in 2026 will be held at the Crowne Plaza hotel on 9th and 10th May. Details will be made public in early May 2025.
The Diddly Dum Podcast acknowledges the copyright of anyone we’ve pinched anything from.
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Do The Robot Revolution
Doctor Who: Verity!Doctor Who is back, and that means Verity! is back!
Join Erika and Tansy as they break down "The Robot Revolution"!
What are your thoughts on this season opener? Was it a success as a companion intro? What do you think of Belinda? And what the heck is up with Mrs. Flood?
Drop us a message on Bluesky, Facebook, or Instagram.
^E
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The Robot Revolution
Trap One: A Doctor Who PodcastThank you for downloading the Trap One Podcast.
On this episode US Jason, Chris, Matt and Mark join The Robot Revolution to discuss the series 2 opener.
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Just what did the cat do?!
The Doctor Who PodcastWelcome to our midweek episode! There’s no guarantee we will be releasing a midweek episode every week, but Brent Drew and Ian very much wanted their say this time! Join the other half of the DWP Team for their take on The Robot Revolution. Note we did not say “for a more considered look” as we usually do with our “A” episodes, as this was recorded shortly after the ep dropped on BBC iPlayer and Disney Plus on Saturday. So the guys had practically no time to think before recording! Well, that’s their excuse anyway!
Check out the final episode of series three of The Echo Chamber when it drops tomorrow morning BST – and then we’ll be back on Saturday with our review of Episode Two of the latest series, Lux!
Enjoy the show.
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Who's He? Podcast 493 | There were hints and allegations
Who's He?In this episode of the Who's He? Podast....
Review - The Robot Revolution
After our knee-jerk reaction, Phil returns with Paul for a more in depth look at The Robot Revolution, starring Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu. In this season opener, our reviewing duo face incels, robots and just how does Brian May and Art Garfunkel fit into all of this?
And in the news, we say goodbye to Jean Marsh and try to pick apart what Russell T. Davies meant when he said that Doctor Who had reached Robin Hood status.
You can currently find us on X, Threads, Mastodon, Bluesky and Facebook. Don't miss an episode by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, plus many other podcatchers of your choice.
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CRRRRS 575 Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution
Roy's Rocket RadioWhat a Week for This Geek, 825 Forest Road, The X-Files, Uncommon Side Effects, Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution, Rumours of Doctor Who's Demise, Sir Clanky's Stablemate, London Trip, Broken Victorian Carpet Beater
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Podcastica Episode 336: The Robot Revolution OR The Two Ranis
Podcastica"I'll stop the world and weld with you! I've seen some changes and..." ...they don't exactly make for a smooth start to the new season! That's right friends, Doctor Who is back for a new season and kind of like last season we start with a little bit of an uneven episode! We liked it, but we didn't love it. Belinda is fantastic, the effects are amazing, the hints of the mysteries to come are intriguing, but there are some bits in this episode that just don't go over well. And "The Two Ranis?!" you ask. Well, you'll have to hear our discussion on things. It's funny.
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Don’t Read the Comments #3: Animated Antics
The Doctor Who ShowWelcome to Don’t Read the Comments, a podcast where we ignore the show’s title and actually read online comments relating to something going on in the world of Doctor Who.
Tonight, 'Lux' is the episode everyone's talking about, which drops in four days time and Rob’s on YouTube, on the official Doctor Who channel... to read the comments.
You can follow us on X @theDWshow or Bluesky @thedwshow.net or email us about anything you like at: hello@theDWshow.net
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165: Doctor Who: Robot Revolution Review
The Old Doctor Who ShowWe're back for another season of Doctor Who. Won't you join us? The Old Doctor Who Show is hosted by Dan Johnson and Eric Grissom.
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Radio Free Skaro #1010 - Killer Queen
Radio Free SkaroIt’s new Doctor Who time! Steven, Warren, and special guest Heather Berberet of the Free the Squee fame have thoughts to share about The Robot Revolution, the first episode of Season 2 and the debut of new companion Belinda Chandra as played by Varada Sethu! Robots! Roommates! Rebels! Plus Doctor Who Unleashed talk, Graham Norton appearing in the show as himself, RTD being cryptic about the future of Doctor Who on CBCC Newsround, the debut of World of Telly from the House of Tachyon, and more! Next week, Mr. Ring-a-Ding terrorizes 1952 Miami!
Links:
- Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon
- Doctor Who S2E01 “The Robot Revolution”
- Doctor Who Unleashed S2E01
- Behind the Scenes: The Robot Revolution
- Graham Norton to Appear In “The Interstellar Song Contest”
- Ncuti Gatwa presents answers on Jeopardy!
- Russell T Davies on CBBC Newsround
- “73 Yards” and “Dot & Bubble” Named Finalists for the Hugo Awards
- History of Doctor Who on The Front Row on Radio 4 Extra on April 14
- Murray Gold to appear on In Tune on Radio 3 on April 17
- Doctor Who: 20 Secrets From 20 Years on BBC Radio 2 on April 20
- Big Finish: The Worlds of Doctor Who – Space Security Service: The Voord in London coming June 2025
- Big Finish: Special edition Robert Shearman novelisations due October 2025
- World of Telly Episode 1: Moonbase 3
- Jess Jurkovic: Reuniting Roman Theme (from The War Games)
- The Quatermass Experiment: The Making of TV’s First Sci-Fi Classic by Toby Hadoke coming May 12
- Next Week: Lux, airing April 19 at 715pm on BBC One
Guest:
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Gallifrey's Most Wanted Episode 181 -- The Robot Revolution
Gallifrey's Most Wanted PodcastRoss, Jeff, and Melvin are back to talk about a new Doctor Who episode. The Doctor and his new companion Belinda are caught up in The Robot Revolution
#TARDIS #TheDoctor #BBC #TimeTravel #Robots
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Episode 912 – Hell Bent
Who NewThe Doctor has found his way back home to Gallifrey, and he’s really really…angry.
At the barn near the Citadel, The Doctor draws a literal line on all of Gallifrey. The Time Lords try to arrest him but the soldiers won’t fire on a war hero. They turn on Rassilon who is quickly exiled. As the new president, he promises to reveal who or what the Hybrid is.
To get information on the Hybrid, he convinces everyone that he needs to talk to Clara. They pull her from the timestream at the moment of her death on the trap street. But with Clara by his side again, he reveals that he has no interest in the Hybrid. His sole purpose was to save Clara, no matter the cost to all of time and space. Running to the end of the universe to hide, The Doctor actually finds the answers to many mysteries.
e-mail us at whonewpodcast@gmail.com
Listen and Subscribe to us on iTunes or Youtube
Visit our website at www.whonewpodcast.com
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Clones and Carbolics
Staggering Stories Podcast
Summary:Adam J Purcell, Andy Simpkins and Keith Dunn review Doctor Who: The Whispering Forest (Big Finish) and the 2025 film Mickey 17, discuss their visit to Capitol Cutaway (Doctor Who convention), find some general news and a variety of other stuff, specifically:
- 00:00 – Intro and theme tune.
- 01:31 — Welcome!
- 02:25 – News:
- 02:38 — Inside No. 9: Stage play let loose.
- 05:13 — Scooby Doo: Back in live action.
- 06:44 — Quatermass: New making of book.
- 09:43 — Val Kilmer: DEAD!
- 11:59 — Tron: Ares trailer now out.
- 13:11 – Doctor Who: The Whispering Forest (Big Finish).
- 25:28 – Capitol Cutaway (Doctor Who convention).
- 36:50 – Mickey 17 (2025 film).
- 50:49 – Emails and listener feedback.
- 51:16 – Farewell for this podcast!
- 51:57 — End theme, disclaimer, copyright, etc.
Vital Links:
- Staggering Stories.
- Wikipedia: Inside No. 9.
- Wikipedia: Scooby Doo.
- Wikipedia: The Quatermass Experiment.
- Wikipedia: Val Kilmer.
- Wikipedia: Tron: Ares.
- BBC: Doctor Who.
- Wikipedia: Doctor Who: The Whispering Forest.
- TARDIS Data Core: The Whispering Forest.
- DWAS: Capitol Cutaway.
- Wikipedia: Mickey 17.
- Facebook: Staggering Stories Group.
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2MTL 493: Scratching the Surface, Scratching the Itch
Two-minute Time LordSeason 2 of New Doctor Who kicks off with meat-and-potatoes Russell T Davies storytelling. Were there too many empty carbs, or was that a Chip problem?
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Who's He? Podcast 492 | The Robot Revolution - Knee-jerk Reaction
Who's He?In this episode of the Who's He? Podcast....
Knee-jerk Reaction - The Robot Revolution
Doctor Who is back on the telly with The Robot Revolution starring Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu. But what did Phil and Scott think about it? Listen for the next 10 minutes for their knee-jerk reaction!
Phil will be back with Paul during the week with their full review.
You can currently find us on X, Threads, Mastodon, Bluesky and Facebook. Don't miss an episode by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, plus many other podcatchers of your choice.
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Tim's Take On: Episode 800(Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution mini review)
Tim's Take On...Doctor Who is back and Ncuti Gatwa’s second series begins with Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution is the epic start to it all!
You may wish to contribute to the show’s running costs, it’s Patreon is here https://www.patreon.com/tdrury
or buy me a coffee here https://ko-fi.com/timdrury
The show is also on Facebook please join the group for exclusive behind the scenes insights and of course also discuss and feedback on the show https://www.facebook.com/groups/187162411486307/
If you want to send me comments or feedback you can email them to tdrury2003@yahoo.co.uk
or contact me on twitter where I'm @tdrury or send me a friend request and your comments to facebook where I'm Tim Drury and look like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/3711029536/in/set-72157621161239599/ in case you were wondering.
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Review of The Robot Revolution
The Doctor Who PodcastIt’s BACK!! And so are Phil, Michele and James with their hot-take on the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who streaming on BBC iPlayer and Disney Plus, The Robot Revolution.
What did you think?! Let us know by emailing us at the campervan – feedback@thedoctorwhopodcast.com is the address you need, or you can get in touch via X/Twitter or you can join our Facebook Group and join like-minded fans discussing the episode.
Enjoy!
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MHC #185 An Unearthly Child 1.1 [Episodes 1 & 2] Commentary
Mostly Harmless CutawayJOY:
- Welcome to Mostly Harmless Cutaway One Eight Five featuring Sean Josh, Isaac, and Eric. Join us as we dive into a CLASSIC Doctor Who commentary, watching the first two episodes of the William Hartnell serial, An Unearthly Child! Let the banter begin!
- This is the first in a series attempting to watch and commentate over all of the episodes produced during the Classic series.
LINKS:
- @SciFiPartyLine: scifipartyline.com
- @ProgNeg: prognosisnegative.libsyn.com
- @StarTrekRBG: startrekrbg.libsyn.com
- Mostly Harmless Cutaway Patreon: patreon.com/MHC
WARNING:
- This discussion contains miscellaneous K-9 and Company, Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures, Sherlock, Class, new WHO, and/or classic SPOILERS pertaining to Doctor Who. If you are 100% spoilerphobic to new & classic episodes not yet seen, do NOT complain to us. This episode is MOSTLY HARMLESS & contains EXPLICIT ideas, and as always expect strokes of innuendo throughout.
DISCLAIMER:
- This episode was recorded on Jan. 4th, 2025.
DON'T PANIC
Host/Producer: Eric @BullittWHO Prognosis Negative Movie Reviews Podcast Star Trek: Romulans Bearing Gifts Podcast
Co-host: Josh @whomeJZ
Co-hostess: Cat @fancyfembot Sci-Fi Party Line Podcast
Co-host: Sean @HomrigSean The Cabot Cove Confab: A Murder, She Wrote Podcast The Best Picture Podcast
Co-host: Carl @robominister
Co-host/Editor: Caleb @CalebAlexader The Novice Elitists Film Podcast Bending the Elements: An Avatar Podcast
Mostly Harmless Cutaway @DoctorWhoMHC Email: Guidetothewhoverse ~at~ gmail ~dot~com Website: guidetothewhoverse.libsyn.com/site Patreon: patreon.com/MHC Tumblr: doctorwhomhc.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/DoctorWhoMHC
Art: H.B. Lockwood @hayleyglyphs Eponymous opening by Emily K. @emilyooo MHCTheme created by E.A. Escamilla
