For a series that has centered around a largely unchanged concept for more than 60 years — an extraterrestrial time voyager known as the Doctor, who transforms into a different form when facing death, travels across time and space in the TARDIS (an intriguingly small time machine), with human companions at their side — Doctor Who still manages to feel rejuvenated when it’s operating at its best.

That sense of renewal often does not stem from the Doctor, notwithstanding the character’s timeless appeal (currently portrayed by the charismatic Ncuti Gatwa). While the Doctor encounters obstacles and unveils secrets, the character seldom experiences profound personal development. Rather, it is the companions who breathe new energy into the narrative. They mirror the modern world, providing audiences with a familiar perspective through which to view the Doctor’s escapades. If viewers fail to engage with a new companion early in the story, many may choose not to continue watching.

So, will fans — both loyal and new — experience that excitement when Doctor Who returns on April 12? This marks the launch of Gatwa’s second season (season 2 according to Disney+ numbering, season 15 since Russell T Davies rebooted the franchise in 2005, and season 41 for the dedicated fans counting since its debut in 1963). This is also when we will meet a new companion: Belinda Chandra, portrayed by Verada Sethu.

Based on the inaugural episode, “Robot Revolution,” Davies faces the task of engaging viewers with Belinda’s character. This isn’t a critique of Sethu, who is set to excel both here and in the forthcoming season of Andor. The challenge lies in how Belinda has been crafted — as a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Doctor Who character type: the hesitant, accidentally taken companion. Regrettably, the show does not provide sufficient reasons for us to care about her at this stage.

Introducing Belinda Chandra, the Hesitant Companion

Belinda’s journey starts with a flashback from 17 years ago. Seated on a park bench under the stars, her then-boyfriend Alan presents her with a certificate that claims he has named a star in her honor. It’s a revealing moment — not only about Alan, who insists on calling the star “Miss Belinda Chandra” and expects her to keep the wrapping paper, but also about Belinda, who quietly accepts this condescending gift.

This isn’t a moment from the 1950s — it takes place in 2008. By that time, Doctor Who had already introduced strong, assertive female companions like Rose Tyler and Donna Noble. Either of them would have set Alan straight. So what causes Belinda to be so submissive? Is it her upbringing? Societal expectations? The show leaves this unanswered. It also does not clarify what attracted her to someone like Alan initially.

Jump ahead to May 2025, with Belinda now working as a nurse in the emergency room. She suspects domestic abuse in a patient’s injuries and faces mistreatment at home, where a flatmate unjustly accuses her of stealing food and refers to her as “Linda.” Yet, we still do not gain a clear understanding of who Belinda is. She elicits sympathy, certainly, but lacks distinct characteristics or idiosyncrasies that would make her memorable.

Then, in a classic sci-fi twist, robots abduct her in a retro-style rocket and transport her to their planet — which, in a surprising turn, is also her own. The visual effects are commendable, courtesy of Disney’s budget; however, the narrative feels hurried. The episode incorporates modern references — with the show’s first mention of “incels” and an allusion to generative AI — but does not spend enough time to provide any substantial commentary on them.

When the Doctor attempts to return Belinda to Earth and the TARDIS resists, we are still unclear about her desire to go back. Her existence on Earth appears dreary, yet she remains resolute about not becoming the Doctor’s next companion. “I am not your adventure!” she retorts — a line that encapsulates her reluctance towards the show’s very premise.

Doctor Who’s Legacy of Abducted Companions

The concept of an unwilling companion is not novel. The show’s very first episode in 1963 featured schoolteachers Ian and Barbara, who inadvertently entered the TARDIS while investigating their student Susan (the Doctor’s granddaughter). Due to the Doctor’s erratic piloting, it took them two seasons to return home.

In 1981, Tegan Jovanka, an Australian flight attendant, entered the TARDIS under the impression it was a police call box after her car broke down. She, too, spent two seasons striving to return to Heathrow Airport. However, both Ian, Barbara, and Tegan possessed clear motivations and strong personalities right from the start. Their accidental journeys felt justified.

Davies, a lifelong enthusiast whose earliest memory consists of the Doctor’s first regeneration, understands this history intimately. And he deserves the benefit of the doubt.