34.03: Robot of Sherwood

Dave

Dave

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Didn't see a thread for this yet, and I won't be watching TV tonight, but wanted to discuss it.

I assume that Mark Gatiss does know his Doctor Who, so is this a sequel to 'The Time Warrior'?

The first Sontaran adventure ended with the ship exploding and demolishing Irongron's castle, supposedly destroying the King's Warrior (a robot made by Lynx.) If it survived then it is unlikely, but possible that it could have been repaired.

Maybe I'm wrong, in which case they have run out of ideas.

This episode has already made the news. Apparently, a beheading scene was edited out.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29068551
Though I'm surprised that a beheading scene was in it to begin with, considering it is before the watershed (programmes before 9pm are considered suitable for children of all ages to watch.)

Robin Hood will be the eleventh major historical figure to appear since Who’s return in 2005 (Queen Victoria, Elizabeth I, Nefertiti, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, Vincent van Gogh, and Madame de Pompadour.)

Apparently, the episode also includes nods to other historical events and figures, and internal references for continuity geeks with nods to classic adventures featuring the First, Second and Third Doctors, and the reappearance of an implement often used by the Seventh Doctor. Which probably answers my first question.

I'm not keen that it includes Robin Hood, but it seems to be a comedic episode, played for laughs and the reviews by critics who have seen previews gives it a thumbs up. I'll probably watch it tomorrow.
 
I liked it, the Dr refuses to believe he is a hero, and so by default no one else is, because he never lived the life that created him. He kept going on about how pleasant life is for everyone and he gets points just for that.

Sure no one does PTSD quite like Eccleston but Capaldi comes close, I just long to see Malcolm Tucker adventures in time.

I do have vague concerns about Doon though.
 
springs said:
Well, my current thought is why am I watching this s**t. But the kids are enjoying it.
Click to expand...

Well, this is a strange reversal of roles, from our comments in the last thread. I actually kind of enjoyed this episode! :p

It was daft, it was silly, it managed to get a few laughs from me... and I'm going to say that, in my opinion, it was my second favourite episode from Mark Gatiss. In Moffat's hands, it would have been unbearable (can you imagine what he would have done with the archery competition?), but Gatiss, probably due to his comedy background, managed to keep the episode lighthearted and funny without giving the appearance that it was trying too hard (though that's not to say it didn't have a couple of missteps - shooting the arrow at the ship, for instance). I'd even go far enough to say that maybe PCaps helps too in that regard - Smith would have really overplayed it.

Obligatory: Clara was excellent. Nice dress, too.

---

In RTD Bingo this week, we were missing an appearance from Missy, but we did get: "The Promised Land" (and again, robots were seeking it), comments about the Doctor's character, and chalkboard calculations.

Just me, or does this look like it might be a diagram of some sort of conjunction event? Planets in line around a star, or moons in line around a planet, sort of thing.



I wonder why "Space + Time" is circled, too. Is the Doctor trying to mathematically crack the lock around the Time War? We know Gallifrey is out there, waiting to be found... is the Doctor working out when and where it might be?

---

EDIT:

Apparently, the episode also includes nods to other historical events and figures, and internal references for continuity geeks with nods to classic adventures featuring the First, Second and Third Doctors, and the reappearance of an implement often used by the Seventh Doctor. Which probably answers my first question.
Click to expand...

Was that the syringe Twelve used to analyse the blood of the lute player?
 
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Art School Dropout said:
What is your number one favorite Gatiss episode? (I assume either "The Unquiet Dead" or "The Crimson Horror".)
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The Crimson Horror wasn't bad, but I'd rate this one over it. I can't remember much of The Unquiet Dead. My favourite Gatiss episode has to be 32.09: Night Terrors - the one with the really creepy dolls.

---

springs said:
@Lenny I know, I thought I'd like it. The kids did. But I'm finding Capaldi a cold fish and am struggling to take to him at all.
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That's a shame. :(
 
"Robot of Sherwood" is a bit of cheesy fun although some of the humor felt heavy-handed. Capaldi definitely channels Pertwee while swashbuckling with a spoon. Clara continues to be good and she looked incredible in her costume. The circuits the robots were making reminded me of the circuits from "The Fires of Pompeii ". Ben Miller was pretty good as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Loved seeing the brief photo of Patrick Troughton as Robin Hood. The preview for "Listen" looks great.
 
Thought it was okay. As to the circuits - when I first saw them, I thought the robots were making a giant sim card.
 
This one had me laughing nearly as much as Robin Hood. I love that the Doctor is a swashbuckling spoonsman. :D

Here are the notes I took during the second viewing -- and I discovered that this TV allows closed captioning to be on at the same time as sound, which makes me very happy! This is mostly just bits that I liked, but a couple of notes as well.


“I have no sword. I don't need a sword. Because I am the Doctor and this is my spoon!”

“Like I said, my box.”

The Doctor carries a syringe around in that coat? (I take it that's a nod to the past...?)

“If you were real, you'd be dead in six months.” “I am real.” “Bye.”

“...seeks to oppress us forevermore.” “Or six months, in your case.”

“That was bantering. I am totally against bantering.” He sounds like the War Doctor sometimes.

“This is getting silly.” Blows up target. Reminiscent of Indiana Jones.

“I think you'll find I have a certain genetic advantage.” “It is not a contest to see who can die slower!”

“Yes, I have a plan.” “Can you explain your plan without using the words 'sonic screwdriver?'”

Circuit boards of gold, goes straight back to Fires of Pompeii.

The sheriff said he found in the Doctor's strange tunic “...intriguing gallimaufrey?” That's what my closed captioning said, but it did report a few words incorrectly (had the sheriff calling himself a “fancy man” instead of a “handsome man”, for one) so I can't be sure. I can't see it making that word up by coincidence, though.

“I rather think you're the revolting one around here. I'm bantering, I'm bantering, listen to me.”

The sword fight with Robin using the Doctor's trick!

I don't quite follow how shooting a gold arrow into the ship would help, since they were molding the gold into circuits to make the engine work, but ok.
 
I'm calling shenanigans on the golden arrow, but overall a fun episode. Interesting parallels in the Doctor refusing to believe that Robin Hood was real, and ending with them both agreeing to pretend to be heroes so others have something to believe in.
 
I enjoyed it! I could listen to the Doctor and Robin Hood griping at each other all week. I love how grouchy this Doctor is. Capaldi's experience as Malcolm really helps the insults roll right out.

Maybe one for the bingo -- the idea of a radiation leak causing benevolence again. Unless the Doctor was just throwing it as it happened with the Dalek.

But yeah, lots of laugh out loud moments this week.
 
It's good to see Capaldi starting to have a lot of fun with the Doctor, while retaining the new character he's creating.
It seems to me that Clara's enjoying herself more than she did with Matt Smith too.
 
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