**Spoilers** Series 8, Episode 3 - "Robot of Sherwood"

pixelburp

So with the first two episodes being 'dark', this looks like it's going for the lighter, more overtly comic touch - certainly if the clip below is anything to go by. It's written by Mark Gatiss, whose writing for the new series has been a bit patchy to say the least (his Sherlock stories have tended to be pretty poor too), so here's hoping he hits some form with this one. Honestly, I'd prefer a bright & breezy, enjoyable romp after last weeks dour, interchangeable Dalek adventure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7U09LLdN-g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fwWU0QHHSY

Mr Bloat

Clara in that dress...drool.

I'm hoping The Doctor says "Clara, I am not a merry man", a la Worf.

flazio

Have to disagree with you there regarding Gatiss's Sherlock work. The Great Game in Series 1, was a cracking finale. I also loved The Crimson Horror last year so I'm looking forward to this one.

The Master

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-09-04/bbc-makes-edit-to-doctor-who-robot-of-sherwood-out-of-respect-after-two-journalists-are-killed

Scenes removed from tomorrows episode due to recent events...

Angron

I should have learned by now, never read comment sections. People claiming "This means the terrorists win!", I mean really?

pixelburp

Angron wrote: »

I should have learned by now, never read comment sections. People claiming "This means the terrorists win!", I mean really?

Yup, website comments are the worst, it's why I installed this:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/commentblocker/lhkjhnbkeibefoijmacgnnkddlkkmjaf?hl=en-GB


As to the edit, it seems passing strange they'd announce a small edit to a show yet to be broadcast. Had they said nothing nobody'd be any the wiser. I'd wonder why bring attention to it at all, yet my inner cynic suggests that the BBC just wanted a bit more publicity for the episode

flazio

pixelburp wrote: »

Yup, website comments are the worst, it's why I installed this:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/commentblocker/lhkjhnbkeibefoijmacgnnkddlkkmjaf?hl=en-GB


As to the edit, it seems passing strange they'd announce a small edit to a show yet to be broadcast. Had they said nothing nobody'd be any the wiser. I'd wonder why bring attention to it at all, yet my inner cynic suggests that the BBC just wanted a bit more publicity for the episode

Or perhaps the scenes might still be in international copies of the episode or the home releases later this year and they need to explain why.

jasonb

True, but they can explain why afterwards, explaining it before feels like a mixture of being overly PC (i.e. telling everyone they're being PC) and advertising the show as well.

After all the scandals with Jimmy Saville and Rolf Harris etc., I think the BBC are so frightened of not doing the right thing that they're determined to be seen to be doing the right thing about everything now, and are thus overreacting...

J.

BuffyBot

pixelburp wrote: »

Yup, website comments are the worst, it's why I installed this:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/commentblocker/lhkjhnbkeibefoijmacgnnkddlkkmjaf?hl=en-GB


As to the edit, it seems passing strange they'd announce a small edit to a show yet to be broadcast. Had they said nothing nobody'd be any the wiser. I'd wonder why bring attention to it at all, yet my inner cynic suggests that the BBC just wanted a bit more publicity for the episode

Actually, they'd be very much the wiser. The leaked copies are out there for a start. The scene may yet be reinstated in future broadcasts/DVD releases etc

Damned if they explain it, damned if they don't..

The Master

We've also been told to keep our eyes out for a "blink and you'll miss it" cameo from someone from the shows past

Rumour has it that it's a picture of Patrick Troughton from when he played Robin Hood back in the 50s

FloatingVoter

BuffyBot wrote: »

Actually, they'd be very much the wiser. The leaked copies are out there for a start. The scene may yet be reinstated in future broadcasts/DVD releases etc

Damned if they explain it, damned if they don't..

They'll reinstate the scene, I'd imagine. Without it, they've lost a couple of laughs and a portion of the plot.

Manach

Leaving the delete scenes aside, I enjoyed it and regard as best of season so far.
The snark is strong in Capaldi and it is now being nicely integrated into the plot with Coleman performing admirable. The Thomas A Becket line and the panache where the writers interwove the old-school film treatments of the Robin legend was fun.

BuffyBot

Some nice nods to the past adventures in there , and Capaldi's snarky Doctor worked well - sometimes funny, sometimes venomous. Better than last week for sure.

ebbsy

Good episode. Actors made it.

The Master

Enjoyed that a lot really liking Capaldi
Only complaint is it was another Alien ship crash lands and can't repair itself thingy

pixelburp

Arguably that plot has been done to death - aliens crash in historic times and a famous figure comes to the crew's aid - but credit where it's due, that episode worked by dint of the cast alone. A much superior showing from Capaldi compared with last weeks lethargic outing, and proof there's a better balance of dark and light to be had with the actor. Just because he's the cleverest man in the room doesn't mean the plot should allow his ego to roam free, and this episode neatly took him down a peg or two when needed (compared with last weeks episode where he went unchallenged in being a horrendous, callous pig). The comedy of the prison scenes was a bit patchy, but the bickering between the cast sold it.

The plot was utter gubbins but the weary, snarky comebacks from Capaldi, aimed at Robin, were worth it. The pairing with Clara is also working very well and feels more like a friendship of rivals who like ribbing each other, than the flirty form the relationship took with Smith's Doc.

The Master

pixelburp wrote: »

Arguably that plot has been done to death - aliens crash in historic times and a famous figure comes to the crew's aid

Exactly
Zygons and Queen Lizzy in the 50th anniversary episode anybody?

pixelburp

The Master wrote: »

Exactly
Zygons and Queen Lizzy in the 50th anniversary episode anybody?

It's been the same with every famous character though, starting with Dickens in series 1 (or 27 if one prefers). To be honest, it feels like a cheat that the script kept dropping suggestions that Robin Hood was a fake - he definitely came off as being fake with the bright clothes and white teeth - only to then go 'aha, he was the real deal!'.

Must re-watch portions of the episode because I loved Capaldi's delivery, especially the line about one of Robin's men and his 6 months to live

tritium

God its only when you see an episode like that you realise why the daleks are the most feared species on all creation - there are so many rubbish aliens out there! I mean, beaten by a gang of peasant's with tea trays!

Sadly its indicative of what they've done to many characters in the series. Cybermen aren't much better in spite of bags of potential (the aliens tonight felt like wannabe Cybermen to be honest). Would it be too much to ask to have one more alien race that actually felt like they could get one over the doctor now and again (actually I'm not sure even the daleks have that anymore)

That said the episode tonight was OK. Predictable, but that's because its a rehash of about twenty other episodes. But the characters were strong and Capaldi is steadily improving. Interesting that Missy didn't make an appearance. Next weeks episode looks like it has lots of potential from the trailer, hope they don't do some hocus pocus cop out to spoil it.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Yeah, you can definitely see Capaldi coming into his own with this episode. As already mentioned the plot was absolute pants, but the banter between the characters made the episode worthwhile...

pixelburp

tritium wrote: »

[...] Interesting that Missy didn't make an appearance. [...]

No, but the robots of this episode were also heading for a 'promised land', which if I'm not mistaken was what the ones from Deep Breath were seeking.

Tzar Chasm

The Master wrote: »

Enjoyed that a lot really liking Capaldi
Only complaint is it was another Alien ship crash lands and can't repair itself thingy

In fairness,
Ship crashes- mechanic repairs it from ample store of spare parts- aliens continue on their merry way. Dosent make for a gripping episode:P

The dynamic with Clara was fantastic, Capaldis doctor is endearing himself to me. Definitley a much darker character.

Angron

Just started watching, Robin is reminding me a bit of Lord Flashheart from Blackadder.

BuffyBot

The Master wrote: »

Enjoyed that a lot really liking Capaldi
Only complaint is it was another Alien ship crash lands and can't repair itself thingy

I can't help feeling, given the opening episode, that this was not a coincidence.

tommy2bad

I thought the feel of the bits between Robin and Clara were excellent, and Clara and the sheriff sparked nicely. Unfortunately it showed how uncomfortable the Dr and Clara are, though it's improving, it works better when their sparing than being nicey nicey. Hope it becomes more competitive between them, rather than the girl in love with her doctor.

Wibbs

I really truly want to like Capaldi(far more than Smith at first and even Tennant), but I'm really not feeling it. Again this week for me he was all actorial tricks, twitches, but clumsy, disconnected and absent. For me he feels like an understudy for someone better waiting to show up. Now I didn't dig Smith at first, but he was his own man/character. I defo didn't see the understudy vibe at all. Maybe I'm the voice in the oul wilderness here and that's cool too, but so far he's been a real let down for me and I really wanted him to get it. Maybe(and hopefully) I'm a minority, but I can see myself not really bothering watching on a weekly basis. Might catch up at the end of the current run kinda thing.

The Master

I don't want this to sound like a spoiler but Wibbs next weeks episode will change your mind I think

I thought that was awesome, he's still snarky but it's not as unbridled ego as last week
and we had FOR I AM THE DOCTOR AND THIS IS MY SPOON
hee


Didn't like the ending at all

shooting an arrow together will overcome the jets blowing it away AND somehow help the engines stuck on the outside

omg doctor we're SO ALIKE - no thanks. poor attempt at comparison

Mr Rhode Island Red

Liked the part where Hood peeved off the Doctor a bit when he started talking about stealing a TARDIS.

Definitely a step up the ladder from the past two weeks. Not so over the top gloomy and I like that. Cheesy as hell at times but that's alright now and again

pixelburp

I dunno, I thought Capaldi was his most natural this time around, full of sarcastic energy and drive, with a glint of devilment in his eye that I just didn't see in last weeks installment. That dalek episode really became that bit more insufferable because of this episode, not least because Capaldi wasn't channeling a warmed-up Malcolm Tucker and generally behaving like a dick, he felt more like the Doctor: more intolerant of 'bantering' than before but still impish and decent.

If anything, last nights episode made me think a multidoctor story featuring Smith and Capaldi could be a riot There'd be sparks for sure!

SimonTemplar

Loved the bickering between the Doctor and Robin Hood, especially the running joke about the laughter. The plot was fairly week and the ending with the arrow made no sense at all but I am really loving Capaldi as the Doctor. It took me after half a season to appreciate Smith but I like Capaldi from the very beginning.

Next week looks like a classic Doctor Who horror episode. I hope it is good.

Wibbs

pixelburp wrote: »

If anything, last nights episode made me think a multidoctor story featuring Smith and Capaldi could be a riot There'd be sparks for sure!

I never thought I'd type these words out, but after rewatching the three Capaldi outings and really trying hard to get on board... Smith would charm Capaldi right off the screen and out act him too(WTF?), as would Tennant and Ecclestone by a goodly margin. So far anyway I'd put Capaldi somewhere south of McCoy and about on Colin Baker's level in the role. Present, but not really there. Someone speaking clumsy lines in clumsy scripts, clumsily.

And like I said I never thought I'd type those words as I really thought he would have been a real charm for the role, that would bring back a taste of the old Who. He's a fcuking fantastic actor and a lifetime fan. I'm thinking WTF, I really am.

IMH his performance so far as far as charm goes is up there with the farting aliens, without the schoolyard sniggers. Never mind the scripts and direction and art/effects departments. Indeed I blame that lot more than Capaldi(because I like him that much as an actor). The scripts so far are all bloody awful rehashes of well trodden ground and sloppily written and well boring at this stage. The direction is lacklustre and the visual vibe is amateur hour.

The joke is I am actually a big fan. In my bones and from childhood history, so it's been a big part of my life where Star Trek and Wars etc wasn't to nearly the same degree. Now I don't get bogged down in the "nerdy" stuff too much, I just enjoyed the general concept and wonderful silliness within and just got carried along for the ride, but on the strength of these three episodes? Yea, like I said before I'm likely the lone voice here, but for me anyway; Shark jumped.

Maybe The Master is right(Ironic on more than one level ) and the next eppy will bring it back home and I really truly hope it does. *crosses fingers*

Frank Lee Midere

You might be expecting too much being a HUGE fan of both Who and Capaldi.

I am a fan of the first, but only the reboot, and didn't see Capaldi before. I think he's doing ok. I even enjoyed the Dalek episode.

Doctor DooM

No offence Wibbs, but despite protestations to the contrary, you sound exactly like you did when Smith started

TBH the series has been about as weak/strong as the 3 other modern Doctors first runs have been IMO. Least we haven't seen CGI Mickeys (oo-er,) bombs diffused because of happy memories, or violent Christmas trees...

Wibbs

Doctor DooM wrote: »

No offence Wibbs, but despite protestations to the contrary, you sound exactly like you did when Smith started

Well DD.... digging back what I actually said was;

I wonder if the new lad will have that presence. Too early to say yet though. Hes kinda like a peter davidson type. In that he has to fill a helluva big pair of shoes.

Matt smith seems too human to me? I dont believe him so much when he gets all "knowing" and alien. Not so far, but he doesnt disagree with me as much as I would have thought. Then again maybe its an age thing. I'm more the previous versions of the Doctor's age so it could be I just dont take him as seriously because of that?

He wasnt too bad. Better than I thought he'd be TBH. It'll be interesting to see if hes got legs over time though.

That was after his first two outings. He won me over pretty quickly. Whereas Capaldi really hasn't and unlike with Smith who I was dubious about at the start I was looking forward to Capaldi, actively wanting to like him.

Maybe it's the scripts? I found the first one didn't know what it wanted to say half the time and went over old ground, the second was a rehash of several previous dalek stories, at least Robot of sherwood was a good old fashioned yarn with some humour dropped in. The whole series arc bint in "heaven" is a bit tired at this stage. IMH a fop to nerds like ourselves to work it all out. As The Master suggested maybe next weeks episode will seal the deal? Looks like classic horror Who where Capaldi will find his feet. I truly hope he does.

Doctor DooM

Wibbs wrote: »

Well DD.... digging back what I actually said was;







That was after his first two outings. He won me over pretty quickly. Whereas Capaldi really hasn't and unlike with Smith who I was dubious about at the start I was looking forward to Capaldi, actively wanting to like him.

Maybe it's the scripts? I found the first one didn't know what it wanted to say half the time and went over old ground, the second was a rehash of several previous dalek stories, at least Robot of sherwood was a good old fashioned yarn with some humour dropped in. The whole series arc bint in "heaven" is a bit tired at this stage. IMH a fop to nerds like ourselves to work it all out. As The Master suggested maybe next weeks episode will seal the deal? Looks like classic horror Who where Capaldi will find his feet. I truly hope he does.

You're being a bit forest and trees man. You're saying about both of them "I don't like this guy, here's all the things I SHOULD like him for but I don't like him".

I think you've a little bit of cognitive dissonance going on because it's something new in something beloved

Really, genuinely, I think this is about as good and about as bad as Smith's first couple for pretty much the same reasons.

I would agree with you that some ADR is needed. Did they run out of time or money? Capaldi is muffled in parts.

Das Kitty

Bloop bloop bloop.

Loved the episode and how campy it was. Ben Miller was a perfect Sheriff.

The to-and-fro snarking between Robin and the Doctor was perfect. The Errol Flynn gag made me giggle as dick jokes tend to.

My take on Capaldi at the moment is that he's trying to remember who he is. The whole resetting of the regeneration cycle has left him unsure. His reaction to the kiss on the cheek from Marian, for instance. It was like he was remembering some feeling or other.

The Promised Land... didn't half look like Gallifrey.

Very excited about next week. My four year old is already terrified and hiding behind pillows. Lucky for him, his bed's a divan and sits directly on the floor!

Greyjoy

I enjoyed the episode overall but it was very...flimsy. It was unfortunate that the decapitation scene had to be removed as it might have filled in some of the unanswered questions - "why did the robots mindlessly obey the Sheriff?" "how was the Sheriff so familiar with future tech such as the touchscreen".

The bickering between Robin & the Doctor was entertaining even if it did get a tad repetitive as the episode wore on. The story had two big drawbacks for me - 1) there wasn't a satisfactory explanation for why Robin & his band were such pantomime depictions of their characters. It made the Doctor's suspicions feel entirely justified. It would have been funnier if Robin's character had been toned down a bit to a more 'realistic' version but still the Doctor refused to accept him. (They could have had a subplot of Robin discovering his future 'legend' and striving to be more heroic like the stories).

2) the golden arrow - this was one of the laziest resolutions to an episode I've ever seen. Even my wife, who normally chides me for nitpicking details exclaimed out loud while watching it "that makes absolutely NO sense even by Dr Who standards".

Beano

where was the deleted scene supposed to fit? We see the sheriff and robin duelling on the beam. Robin then does the same trick that the doctor pulled on him and knocks the sheriff into the pot of molten gold. So at what point was the beheading supposed to come in?

Das Kitty

Beano wrote: »

where was the deleted scene supposed to fit? We see the sheriff and robin duelling on the beam. Robin then does the same trick that the doctor pulled on him and knocks the sheriff into the pot of molten gold. So at what point was the beheading supposed to come in?

Before that. It was supposed to show he was the titular Robot of Sherwood. He popped is noggin back on and went up on the beam for the spoon-off.

Beano

Das Kitty wrote: »

Before that. It was supposed to show he was the titular Robot of Sherwood. He popped is noggin back on and went up on the beam for the spoon-off.

robin was human was he not? as was the sheriff?

Das Kitty

Beano wrote: »

robin was human was he not? as was the sheriff?

The sheriff was a robot. It would have been clear had the beheading scene stayed in.

It also makes Robin being human questionable. The Rick Deckard of Sherwood Forest.

Beano

Das Kitty wrote: »

The sheriff was a robot. It would have been clear had the beheading scene stayed in.

It also makes Robin being human questionable. The Rick Deckard of Sherwood Forest.

Now i'm even more confused. Did the sheriff not say that he was the first to figure out how to control the robots and hence how he had all his power? Surely if he was a robot he would want to continue on to the promised land like the rest of the robots did.

pixelburp

Here's a breakdown of what was cut:
http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/robot-of-sherwood-what-was-cut-66300.htm

If nothing else, looks like the episode happily lost a piece of clumsy exposition

Das Kitty

In the edited version, the climactic fight scene sees Robin Hood (Tom Riley) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Miller) have a sword fight. Eventually Robin tricks the Sheriff up on to a high beam, and neatly boots him over the edge to a fiery death.

In the unedited version, things were more complicated than that. Partway through the sword fight, the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) threw a large cloth over the Sheriff’s head. Unable to see, the Sheriff became easy prey for Robin, who beheaded him with his sword.

The Sheriff’s head rolled across the floor, but then carried on talking: it turned out that it was the Sheriff, not Robin as the Doctor had suspected, who was a robot. At least, partly a robot.


The now-decapitated robot Sheriff took Clara hostage, with the head on the floor threatening her life unless Robin gave in.

But clever Robin came up with an instant plan. He picked up the head and threw it to the decapitated robot, which of course let go of Clara in order to catch it. Then the robot restored its head and carried on with the swordfight… which then picks up with the edited, transmitted version, and Robin’s triumph on the high beam.

Indeed even in the edited version, the Sheriff had a line of dialogue, as he swung up to the high beam, which referred to his true nature (but must have seemed a bit odd to viewers who had not seen the edited portion). ‘I’m too much for you, outlaw,’ he said. ‘The first of a new breed: half man, half engine.’

From: Forbes

Beano

jeez, i'm glad they cut that out. it sounds terrible. It made much more sense with the sheriff being a human who figured out how to control the robots.

brianon

Loved this episode (though I still hate the golden arrow thing even if it was kinda fun at the end with all three of them firing it at the ship).

I feel Capaldi is settling in to the role. But it's like the Doctor is settling into his latest regeneration so it kinda works.

Art_Wolf

Das Kitty wrote: »

Indeed even in the edited version, the Sheriff had a line of dialogue, as he swung up to the high beam, which referred to his true nature (but must have seemed a bit odd to viewers who had not seen the edited portion). ‘I’m too much for you, outlaw,’ he said. ‘The first of a new breed: half man, half engine.’

From: Forbes

This had been very confusing, "Never aging"??

Coldzone

I'm just rewatching the episode and think I've figured out the gold arrow bit. The Doctor said they were making a matrix of gold to fix the circuitry so when the arrow hit the ship it cut into the circuitry and added the extra boost needed.

Coldzone

And at the end when Robin says bitter man born into wealth and privilege find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear. Do you think this has to do with the doctors origins from a wealthy family type thing?

tommy2bad

Coldzone wrote: »

And at the end when Robin says bitter man born into wealth and privilege find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear. Do you think this has to do with the doctors origins from a wealthy family type thing?

Yes, it's the counterpoint to the similarities between the doctor and the daleks and the clockwork robots. Reminding the doctor that he is 'a good man'.