From the interviews and clips I'd seen, I knew I would probably love Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra in season 2 of Doctor Who. But as we pulled up the episode, I still felt a hint of nervousness. Was this season opener going to hold up? Would Varada and Ncuti mesh well together? Would I miss Millie Gibson too much?
From scene one onward, I fell in love with Varada Sethu's performance and take on Belinda Chandra. When she argued with Alan and the opening credits rolled, my husband said, "Okay, I'm going to like her. She won't put up with the Doctor," and he was right.
Belinda Chandra is one of the oldest New Who companions
Presumably a young adult in the first scene of "The Robot Revolution" and with the rest of the episode taking place 16 years later, we can place Belinda Chandra in her mid-thirties. Besides Graham and also Dan's short stint in the TARDIS, Donna Noble is the only other full-time companion older than Belinda. Belinda's life experiences of working a steady job, sharing space with two other housemates, and living away from her parents, as well as having an ex from long ago, put her in a time of life not typically showcased in Doctor Who.
She's also a reluctant companion
There have been reluctant companions in the past, and Rory's dad and Jackie Tyler have been taken on accidental trips, but having a companion who just wants to go home is not something New Who has seen. This adds to the feeling of maturity and a well-lived life that Belinda gives off. She's not bored like Rose, adventuresome like Amy, or trying to juggle real life and life with the Doctor like Clara. She's seen what an adventure with him can be like and wants nothing more to do with him.
Speaking of maturity
Besides the central storyline of her past relationship with Alan, Belinda is no-nonsense, on task, and sees right through the Doctor. I loved the moment when she called him out for scanning her DNA without her permission and remarked, "You're dangerous". In some ways, she reminds me of Clara with her quips and skepticism, except in Belinda's case, these feel earned and not undermining. Of course, we'll have to wait to see how this plays out in the rest of the season.
She and the Doctor have fantastic chemistry
The scene when the Doctor first speaks with Belinda and gives her a coded message was one of my favorites in this episode. The way she quickly catches on and plays along was a great sign of things to come, and when they're working together, they're going to be unstoppable. I also loved her introduction to the TARDIS and the Doctor's literal dance of excitement for her to see it.
I'm so excited to see where the universe takes Belinda Chandra next!