Robot of Sherwood

This was still good. Worst episode so far this season, but it's still pretty good. I hope the season gets better.

The Doctor offers Clara a trip to wherever she chooses. She wants to meet Robin Hood. When the Doctor points out Robin Hood never existed, she insists, so the Doctor sets the TARDIS and they go to meet.... Robin Hood. Writer Mark Gatiss mocks his own history of writing episodes with historical characters with this effort.

After a couple of heavier shows in which the Doctor is introduced and various aspects of his character are shown, this episode is intended as a relative romp. It's a backwards-looking episode with many of the aspects of the old show, with its serial structure. Given that the greater screen time of the old serials -- generally about 90 minutes -- was almost twice as long as the new episodes, various compressions have to take place. That is probably why the straightforward title was chosen here, rather like last season's "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"; as Theo Robertson points out in his review of this episode, this still requires some further compression that robs the story of some dramatic tension.

Nonetheless, there is considerable subtext in this story about the meaning of heroism, the power of stories to inspire us and the whole being more than the sum of its parts. the metafictional impulse is close to the surface in this story. Indeed, the deeds and dialogue show it. Still, sometimes the point needs to be made overtly.

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Fighting aliens. Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with the Doctor, Clara and friends. Dungeons they escape, behave like children would, Robin Hood! Robin Hood! Robin Hood!

He fought the wicked robots and the wicked sheriff too, who was keen on taking Clara for his queen. They were a merry bunch but they wound up you know Who? He thought they were robotic Lincoln green.

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Fighting aliens. Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with the Doctor, Clara and friends. Dungeons they escape, behave like children would, Robin Hood! Robin Hood! Robin Hood!

If you read a lot of reviews of Doctor Who episodes you will notice a a certain detail oriented characteristic among some fans. They take the laws of physics very seriously. And any lapse in continuity is both contradictory to the narrative and the 2nd law of thermodynamics.

I'm not one of those people. To me a good episode is one which holds my interest and is entertaining. To me the great sin isn't bad special effects, it's effects that are distractingly bad. I'm watching Doctor Who, how can I have a leg to stand on there anyway?

This is a good enough story. There are no huge twists or reveals. This isn't a heavy plot either. I mean ok technically the Doctor and various other characters are threatened with death. And some minor characters do die. But it's rather like Dinosaurs in Space. You already know the Doctor has this one licked. It's more about the character interactions and a few fun scenes.

This one has some great old school Errol Flynn style swordplay. Like the old black and white Robin Hood. And there plenty of references to that. Also Jenna Colman looks amazing in her period outfit. Would smash.

It's great to see Capaldi really getting into gear on his version of the Doctor. Not loitering around in a dirty nightshirt being unsure of himself. (I really wish they didn't always waste 1 or 2 episodes on the Doctor recovering from regeneration). This isn't the boyish wonder of Matt Smith or the hyperactive rabbit of Tennant.

Capaldi's is cynical, arrogant and ready to throw hands. You would usually give credit to the writers for the characterization. But it's pretty evident they are writing to Capaldi's strengths. They know who Malcolm Tucker is. So we are getting a slightly watered down Iannucci version of the Doctor.

I like it. I grew up on Pertwee and Baker's iterations of the Doctor. Where he is a curmudgeonly know-it-all who is mostly right.

The Doctor being older, grouchy and antagonistic is refreshing after all the young cute Doctors. I predict that future regenerations will be even older. ;) There is a really stupid thing at the end that some people say 'ruins it'. Yeah it's dumb how that one plot point resolves. But it doesn't invalidate enjoyment I got from the other 43 minutes of it.

8 out of ten. Fun to watch, but likely not one that you would re-watch over and over. Such as Rings of Akhaten or Family of Blood.

To start with, I won't go into the heavy duty review like the others have. Simply put it is a bit of camp fun with a beautiful message at the end and that does not have to be a bad thing. The other seasons of Doctor Who have all had the heavy and light episodes. It is merely a case of greater extremes. As for peoples issues with the Robin Hood factor, it was lovely to see this apparent dolt/legend/hero/outlaw/normal man just trying to live his life and find his love and how he parallels the Doctor. The final dialogue between the Doctor and Robin, I think, sums up not only the episode but all of Doctor Who, and much more beside.