Season 2 is almost here now, kicking off with... The Robot Revolution. Written by Russell T Davies, and introducing Varada Sethu as new companion Belinda Chandra.

When robots from outer space kidnap nurse Belinda Chandra, the Doctor embarks on an epic intergalactic quest to get his new friend back home to Earth.

8am on iPlayer, and 6:50pm on BBC One.

Discuss the episode here ~

It was a good opener, a fun romp to open the series, though not going to go down as one of the very best. The plot had more to it than I expected at the start, I ended up gripped by the end as the twists came. Really like the dynamic of 15 and Belinda so far too, a different vibe for New Who and certainly adding layers to 15's character.

Polish polish <3

Queen Belinda has literally arrived

One episode and the difference between Belinda and Ruby is like night and day. Ncuti's Doctor seems so much more at home already with a companion like Belinda. The tension between them serves his Doctor far better than just a silly, bantering friendship with nothing really separating them.

The episode itself will hardly go down as one of the greatest of all time but it felt like such a return to form. I'm not a hater of Space Babies but it's leagues ahead of that and a perfectly acceptable romp to introduce us to Belinda and warm us up for everything else to come.

All that, and a the return of timey-wimey.

I really enjoyed this - some of it was a little

Over done, however I thought it was a fun season opener.

Really liking Belinda too!

I’m so far behind but now I want to catch up as Max Parker has posted about being in this one and he looks fiiiiine!

Much better opener than space babies, I know we only have 1 episode so far but he seems to have written better for Belinda which is a shame as I enjoyed Ruby as a companion

It was a decent enough opener, aiming towards the silly but there was some quite tense moments and it never got properly childish like last year's opener. Belinda definitely the best thing about it - that was a pleasant surprise that she turned out to take no shit and actually have some decent tension between her and the Doctor rather than another excitable. wide-eyed one that goes willingly. I'm hoping she doesn't get screwed up as much as Ruby did. The plot itself was a bit throwaway and conclusion made no sense at all, but it was entertaining enough. I actually did really like the concept of a star actually being a world where some unsuspecting person is ruler, I just don't think it needed the additional incel subtext which was clumsily handled at best...

I don't know if it's just better shows out at the same time or the amount they mucked up last season's finale but I'm not really able to get that excited about this series, especially as all signs seem to not be too good for it and it may be going on a break after this. I'm just gonna go in with rock bottom expectations which I'm hoping will prevent too much disappointment x

Opened with 2 million viewers in the overnights. As always it'll be interesting to see what this bumps up to once iPlayer is taken into account. I watched at lunchtime pre-broadcast.

Finally gor around to watching this.

It was ok I guess. Belinda was the best thing about it but The Doctor had some moments showing more promise, even if they did shoehorn in another 'The Doctor cries' moment.

As has been said the incel element was weakly done and seemed contrived purely to wind people up, which has its merits but should be done better.

I still have issues with the dumbing down of the show and the production design is not to my taste at all as I'd prefer something less cartoonish and jokey. The 30s Sci Fi stylings are a choice (I do love the original Flash Gordon) but it does make things seem much less plausible and why oh why can't Doctor Who do robots that don't look like they were designed by a 6 year old?

Overall it was diverting enough, not too painful and set up some interesting threads for later but I can't say I'd ever want to watch this episode again.