Episode 7 of Doctor Who provides an insight into our possible future of a robot-filled workplace and the unfortunate effect this has on the relationship between people and machines.
At the opening of “Kerblam!” we find ourselves hurtling through space in the TARDIS, with the gang unsure of where they will end up. A delivery man appears out of thin air with a box for the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), and upon opening it, she discovers a fez. After this brief throwback to Matt Smith‘s era, they find a “help me” written on the delivery slip, and decide they must go on a quest to save whoever is in trouble at the Kerblam space depot.
Space Postman
The intergalactic warehouse, similar in processes to those of Amazon, with 10,000 employees, is an overwhelming sight for the gang, but the Doctor determines that they must go undercover to trace the person in need. Bluffing their way inside, they are then assigned to departments and are led away by the robot workers.
The Doctor and Ryan (Tosin Cole) meet Kira (Claudia Jessie) on the production line while packaging products in bubble-wrap and boxes. Graham is introduced to Charlie (Leo Flanagan), a fellow maintenance worker, while Yaz is in the warehouse with Dan (Lee Mack) searching for products, while being followed by some stalker robots. It is revealed that Charlie and Kira are interested in each other, which becomes their downfall when the truth about the warehouse later comes to light.
Upon discovering that the company’s workforce is made up of both robots and “organics”, meaning living beings, the Doctor focuses her attention on the small number of people at the warehouse. Making up a mere 10% of the employees by law, it becomes clear that times are hard on the planet Kandoka with no work and advances in technology meaning jobs have been taken up by machines. It transpires that a technology uprising happened while “organics” were distracted on their phones, a common occurrence in 2018 and a reminder that we need to pay attention to what is happening around us in the real world.
Space Terrorism
When it finally comes to light that the warehouse is being used in a terrorist plot through the weaponisation of the bubble wrap in packages due to be delivered, the gang are horrified to learn that it is Charlie behind it all. Angry at the 10% law, his activism has taken a turn for the worse and his plan is to create fear of technology by using the robot delivery men to courier the explosions and kill parcel recipients.
The plan backfires when the robots take Kira and she pops the bubble-wrap herself, unknowing the deadly nature of the packing supplies she uses every day. Screaming at her not to pop it, Charlie unwittingly reveals himself as the mastermind behind the technology takeover.
The Doctor manages to avert catastrophe by quickly mustering up a plan to contain the explosions within the dispatch department, readdressing the parcels, and causing the end of Charlie along with several hundred delivery robots. Their sacrifice maintained balance and trust the people of Kandoka have in technology, and Charlie’s death causes the people to reexamine the organic to robot ratio, suggesting that for some reason they do negotiate with terrorists from beyond the grave.
Kerblam!: Conclusion
While the Doctor and her gang save the day once again, the episode plays with the idea of the subconscious fear of the increased presence of technology in the workplace, and its ability to take on tasks previously carried out by humans. The creepiness of the robots themselves also adds to the overall disturbing nature of this week’s adventure and the anti-technology mindset opens up opportunity for higher percentages of “organics” in the workplace once again, at Kerblam’s expense.
The next episode of Doctor Who will air on Sunday 25th November 2018 at 6.30pm on BBC One.
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