DOCTOR WHO “Robot of Sherwood” Review

Can the Doctor disprove the existence of Robin Hood? Read on to find out.

The official description from BBC:

In a sun-dappled Sherwood Forest, the Doctor discovers an evil plan from beyond the stars and strikes up an unlikely alliance with Robin Hood. With all of Nottingham at stake, the Doctor must decide who is real and who is fake. Can impossible heroes actually exist?

We’re now three episodes into the new series of Doctor Who, and most people will now be making a definitive opinion of Peter Capaldi as the Doctor. So far the latest series has proven to be fun, energetic, and above all fresh. Proving to be just what the Doctor ordered. But having taken a “Deep Breath” and gone “Into the Dalek” what will the Doctor do when confronted by the “Robot of Sherwood?”

Having now witnessed three episodes with Peter Capaldi in the role of the Doctor, I question why I ever doubted his ability. Continuing to impress me more and more with each passing episode, the Scotsman proves to be a unique, quirky Doctor, with his serious demeanor and comic timing working in perfect harmony. Like most actors however he works better opposite others, with the chemistry between him and Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) also growing with each passing episode. Despite this it was the interjection of Tom Riley as Robin Hood that brought out the best in Capaldi, with the clash of egos between these two characters being portrayed in an extremely entertaining way. On the flip side the constant attempt to one-up each other did become tiresome at times.

When I first noticed that this episode would be featuring the legendary outlaw Robin Hood, I was both excited and worried. Taking a man from Medieval Sherwood and throwing him into a sci-fi atmosphere is no mean feat, but one that writer Mark Gatiss and director Paul Murphy seem to have got right. Despite the robotic henchmen of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Miller) feeling a little too similar to the foes of “Deep Breath” as well as the classic Cybermen themselves, Gatiss and Murphy manage to mingle the two settings very well. He also delivers brilliant dialogue, and though the Doctor may be against bantering, “I am totally against bantering,” the hilarious exchange was the highlight of the episode. In saying that I did feel the episode relied a little too heavily on it’s humor, with the actual plot itself feeling a little predictable, and all too much underwhelming.

Doctor Who: “Robot of Sherwood” may not be the most Whovian episode ever aired, but the funny banter makes it an entertaining utilisation of your time, and thus gets a recommendation from me.