Is it a Hot Take to Say I don't Rate UNIT in Doctor Who?

UNIT has been a significant presence in Doctor Who for decades, but I really struggle to enjoy its inclusion in the show a lot of the time. The concept of a global organisation defending the Earth from alien threats is compelling on paper, but it often feels very flawed in the main show. You may disagree with me and think it is a very hot take to say I don’t really rate UNIT in Doctor Who, but I will try and put my reasoning below anyway.

FORCED COOLNESS

Just like the Eleventh Doctor and his bowties it feels like the show desperately wants the audience to think UNIT is cool and hip, an all singing all dancing bunch of scientific bad asses. I always feel like the insistence of it being cool makes it uncool though. Nobody is cool if they go around saying they are cool, people are either cool and don’t give a shit, or they worry what people think and tell them they are cool, and they really aren’t. UNIT therefore often comes across as a caricature of a high-tech, all-knowing organisation.

Despite all their scientific gadgets and geniuses, their weapons, their army of soldiers and children they are pretty bloody useless most of the time as well. Let’s face it, we want the Doctor and their companions to save the day, not UNIT.

CORNINESS

UNIT's portrayal frequently strays into corny territory. Whether it’s the overuse of jargon, the child labour, or the overly slick presentation. I always find scenes in UNIT being awkward, the humorous moments feel cheesy and forced, leading to me finding it hard to take them seriously.

UNREALISTIC COMPANION RECRUITMENT

Would all the Doctor's companions really join UNIT? The notion that many former companions get snapped up by UNIT feels more like fan service than character development. Did you bump into the Doctor once? You got the job! Security checks? What security checks!!

Is the endpoint for all companions now UNIT? It looks like Ruby is now with UNIT, she may not be, but that was the vibe that was being given off in the trailer. I hope it isn’t the case with Ruby anyway, as I feel like companions' personalities and story arcs are lost when they are just another UNIT operative.

Give me companion Martha Jones over about to unleash nuclear weapons under the crust Martha Jones. Would Martha of series 3 really contemplate doing that? The whole of Earth is killed at the hands of a brilliant, compassionate companion. Yeah, yeah I know it didn’t happen, but she was very, very close to killing us all in a big ball of nuclear flames.

WHY ALL THE KIDS KATE?

UNIT seems to be filled with unusually young operatives, which can be jarring. While youth can offer a different dynamic it often feels unrealistic that an organisation dealing with such high-stakes threats would lack seasoned professionals. This trend contributes to UNIT's perception as a flashy, superficial entity rather than a credible global defence force.

I say this so many times, but I realise Doctor Who is a silly show about a time travelling alien with two hearts who has a magic box, but I always like the human characters to act humany-wumany. It takes me out of the magic if people react in a way no person would ever react. So would such an important defence of the planet really employ a bunch of children?

THE ROSE NOBLE EXAMPLE

A prime example of UNIT's mishandling is Rose Noble’s inclusion in the Series 1 finale, The Legend of Ruby Sunday and Empire of Death. Despite being placed in a pivotal position, she does absolutely nothing to justify her presence. This kind of underutilization exemplifies how UNIT characters are often introduced with much fanfare, only to fade into irrelevance when the plot doesn’t know what to do with them.

She literally stands there with an iPad flicking the screen as they are attacked by a dog God! Really Kate? Is that the best you can get?

OVERDEPENDENCE ON THE DOCTOR

For all its supposed expertise, UNIT rarely operates effectively without the Doctor. While it’s understandable that the Doctor would play a crucial role in their stories, UNIT’s dependence undermines its credibility as a standalone organisation. If UNIT is supposed to represent humanity’s ability to defend itself, why does it always need an alien to save the day?

Why do they make so many mistakes?

THE STAKES

The minute UNIT are on the scene the only way to make us the audience know shit is going to get real is to completely destroy UNIT. So the second we see them the only way it can go is that they are royally fucked up. This brings problems though. Within the first few minutes of Empire of Death everyone was turned to dust, this made it very likely that everyone would be turned not to dust by the end of the episode.

If it was just Kate who was turned to dust however that would have been a different story. I watched this episode in the cinema and I will never forget someone in front of me had their head in their hands the second Kate went, but I bet they were fine a few moments later when the whole of UNIT perished. The whole threat had gone in an instant.

LIMITED EXPLORATION OF ETHICS

Perhaps this may be a thing in The War Between the Land and the Sea, but the ethics of UNIT are never really explored. There is enormous potential to explore ethical dilemmas, such as the consequences of militarising alien technology or balancing secrecy with public safety. Just look at Torchwood: Children of Earth for all those soul searching decisions made in the face of danger.

Unfortunately, these issues are rarely addressed in depth, leaving UNIT feeling one-dimensional and underdeveloped.

MY DOCTOR WHO HOT TAKE IS COMPLETE - UNIT IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

At its best, UNIT could serve as a fascinating exploration of humanity's response to extra terrestrial threats. It could delve into the moral, ethical, and logistical challenges of defending Earth in the Doctor’s absence. Unfortunately, these opportunities are often squandered in favour of whacking a few old characters into the show for some fan service.

I really hope that the upcoming spin-off will delve deeper into the murkier side of running something like this. I don’t think we really know what the show will be aimed at yet though? Is it Sarah Jane, Class or Torchwood, or is it something completely new.

I love Doctor Who and all its campness and silliness, but sometimes I like to watch some serious shit going down.

UNIT has potential, but its execution in modern Doctor Who leaves much to be desired. Whether it’s the forced cool factor, the lack of narrative follow-through, or the unrealistic portrayal of its members, UNIT often detracts from the show rather than enhancing it. Here's hoping that future iterations of UNIT can address these issues and become the compelling force it was always meant to be.

Am I completely wrong? Probably! But let me know what you think of UNIT in the comments below.