Dr Who: Robot of Sherwood

[Albino Boo]

Number 3 is in the bag. Much stronger episode this week. Even though its another version of an old Dr Who episode, but this time its from the 70s, so unlikely to be known to most of current audience. I won't name it because the title will give the game away, save to say the last time the story was the prisoner of Zenda and this time its robin hood. This week had more for the adults in it as well. I was playing spotting the quote, ie this scepter'd isle and who will rid me of this .... Also the homage to various Alan Rickman villains was fun.


This weeks theme song

 

[Catfood220]

I didn't like this at all, in fact I would go as far as to say this was the weakest of the series so far. And this is why, the silly romps with fictional characters suited the Doctors of Tennant and Smith because they were silly Doctors who would have gone "Holy shit its Robin Hood!!!!! That's awesome!!!" and jolly fun would be had by all. Apart from the people complaining about it on the internet.

The point I'm trying to make is that Capaldi is not a silly run around with Robin Hood Doctor and if episode was to show this then fine. But if Doctor Who is going to throw a silly episode like this at us regularly, then its going to get tedious watching Capaldi just stand around scowling at everything. One or the other is going to have to go, the silly episodes or the super serious Doctor.

I'm hoping for the super serious Doctor. Maybe its the writing, but I don't like Capaldi as the Doctor, he may grow on me but Doctor Who is not super serious Sci Fi, its a TV show for kids at the end of the day and don't think he suits the frequently silly tone of the show.

Yes, I am aware of how many times I have used the phrase "super serious". Next weeks episode looks to have a darker feel to it, maybe it'll be the one to change my opinion of Capaldi.

 

[Breakdown]

Second time in three episodes the writers have had robots crash landing on Earth and disguising themselves in order to repair their ship. Seems pretty lazy.

 

[Albino Boo]

I didn't like this at all, in fact I would go as far as to say this was the weakest of the series so far. And this is why, the silly romps with fictional characters suited the Doctors of Tennant and Smith because they were silly Doctors who would have gone "Holy shit its Robin Hood!!!!! That's awesome!!!" and jolly fun would be had by all. Apart from the people complaining about it on the internet.

The point I'm trying to make is that Capaldi is not a silly run around with Robin Hood Doctor and if episode was to show this then fine. But if Doctor Who is going to throw a silly episode like this at us regularly, then its going to get tedious watching Capaldi just stand around scowling at everything. One or the other is going to have to go, the silly episodes or the super serious Doctor.

I'm hoping for the super serious Doctor. Maybe its the writing, but I don't like Capaldi as the Doctor, he may grow on me but Doctor Who is not super serious Sci Fi, its a TV show for kids at the end of the day and don't think he suits the frequently silly tone of the show.

Yes, I am aware of how many times I have used the phrase "super serious". Next weeks episode looks to have a darker feel to it, maybe it'll be the one to change my opinion of Capaldi.

To me, this episode felt very much like a Tom Baker era Dr Who story. I'm about the same age as the writers and the Dr Who they grew up with is the Dr Who that I grew up with. There was one Tom Baker story that had the Dr writing on the back of the Mona Lisa in Leonardo's workshop "this is fake" in felt tip pen. So this kind of story isn't unique and is move back towards what many people regard as the Dr's golden age.

 

[Sheen Lantern]

Still feels pretty kid's show-y to me. I miss Russell T Davies.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Still feels pretty kid's show-y to me. I miss Russell T Davies.

I too, yearn for the days of intelligence boosting french fries and evil doodles come to life.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

Another pretty good one, but after looking at next weeks preview it still looks they might as well drop the 'and space' part from 'travel time and space' cos its yet another earth episode.

 

[Remus]

Notice they kept the decap in the show? Not that it added or subtracted from the episode but it was left in. This felt like a "Lets teach the Doctor a lesson" episode kinda like that little bit with Clara in the last one. I suspect that this might happen a couple more times before Capaldi fully settles in as the Doctor. Right now he's a full-on cynic, doesn't believe it when a literal legend is standing in front of him. Later he might simply be a skeptic that's open to being disproved, like any good scientist. Overall, this felt kinda oldhat for a Doctor Who episode - robots in the distant past is typical Doctor Who fare with the catch being it's wrapped around the Disney version of the Robin Hood tale.

 

[Objectable]

That, my friend, is what Doctor WHo is about. Fun.

 

[Albino Boo]

Still feels pretty kid's show-y to me. I miss Russell T Davies.

I too, yearn for the days of intelligence boosting french fries and evil doodles come to life.

My personal favorite deep and dark moment of the RTD era was the farting aliens in No 10.

Notice they kept the decap in the show? Not that it added or subtracted from the episode but it was left in.

The decap scene was changed.

Spoiler

The decap scene was just after the Dr's and Robin's archery contest. The original had one of the knights being beheaded by Robin and as shown, was an arm hitting the floor.

The moment you are referring to is later in the episode.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Eh, to me it seemed like a 5th Doctor ep, cause the villain looked just like that era's master, and he was in a story set about that time.

Way too much being silly, and lots of stupid bits. But it had potential and could have been done right.

 

[Kingjackl]

I liked this one. It was one of the fun silly episodes, like Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, Victory of the Daleks or The Shakespeare Code where they just muck around with historical settings. I like how Capaldi's Doctor has taken on the role of the grumpy straight man who's just trying to ruin it for everyone else, and subsequently getting proven wrong for it because this is Doctor Who and we don't tolerate cynicism here.

 

[maxben]

I loved this one! Though, to be fair, I loved the other two as well so obviously I am not an objective voice here. I thought it was clever and fun for a couple of reasons:

1) The Doctor was obviously different than previously. A serious Doctor in a silly situation comes off as hilarious and unique.
2) The back-and-forth between Robin Hood and Doctor was funny as hell.
3) I actually like season-long arcs, so I liked how this was related.
4) These last couple of episodes were the first time we met her (as a Dalek) that Clara actually had a personality and came off as interesting and clever. She plays far better off of Capaldi, and I think the writing for her has gotten better.

I don't understand people who compare Russell Davis's era to this one and are unhappy with what we are getting. Just look at almost every episode of Season One of New Who and compare the acting and writing. Hell, the only super good episode was Moffat's The Empty Child so that doesn't count. I think people have weird expectations of a New Who that never was what with whining about plot holes, deus ex machina, and childishness.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

I think it could have been better but maybe I'm just still missing the old Doctor.

 

[Albino Boo]

Eh, to me it seemed like a 5th Doctor ep, cause the villain looked just like that era's master, and he was in a story set about that time.

Way too much being silly, and lots of stupid bits. But it had potential and could have been done right.

You are thinking of the androids of Tara. The look of Robot Hood is defined by the 1938 Robin Hood film rather than the Roger Delgado Master.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Eh, to me it seemed like a 5th Doctor ep, cause the villain looked just like that era's master, and he was in a story set about that time.

Way too much being silly, and lots of stupid bits. But it had potential and could have been done right.

You are thinking of the androids of Tara. The look of Robot Hood is defined by the 1938 Robin Hood film rather than the Roger Delgado Master.

No, I'm thinking of "The King's Daemons" (which was also, rather more historically correct, didn't perpetuate the "bad prince John" stuff.)...the villain in this was the Sheriff, surely, who looked a lot like Anthony Ainley.

Roger Delgado was long dead by the time Androids of Tara was made. Apart from having robots and a medievalish setting, that story had nothing much to do with this one, as far as I can see. The story and characters were completely different.

 

[ForumSafari]

I didn't like this at all, in fact I would go as far as to say this was the weakest of the series so far. And this is why, the silly romps with fictional characters suited the Doctors of Tennant and Smith because they were silly Doctors who would have gone "Holy shit its Robin Hood!!!!! That's awesome!!!" and jolly fun would be had by all. Apart from the people complaining about it on the internet.

The point I'm trying to make is that Capaldi is not a silly run around with Robin Hood Doctor and if episode was to show this then fine. But if Doctor Who is going to throw a silly episode like this at us regularly, then its going to get tedious watching Capaldi just stand around scowling at everything. One or the other is going to have to go, the silly episodes or the super serious Doctor.

I really liked it. It was an interesting twist to have a 'traditional' Doctor Who episode with a Doctor that simply wasn't playing along. It helps to underline that the Smith/Tennant era is gone, it also helps to spike a wedge between Clara and the Doctor.

I love the idea that the Doctor has stopped seeking refuge in childishness and has become serious again, but is still being presented with the wacky scenarios now and again, it makes for a fun contrast.

 

[Edith The Hutt]

It was full of swashbuckling fun with the occasional moment of pathos. I think Doctor Who could do with a few more of these episodes.