Robot of Sherwood

[clocketpatch]

"Your choice. Wherever. Whenever. Anywhere in time and space."

The most marvellous thing about Who is its versatility. One week you can be going into a Dalek, the next week, Robin Hood! It's a giddy, candy-shop of plot possibilities! And while it's a bit sad that the Doctor has developed enough skill at steering to TARDIS to offer custom adventures to his companions - it is also an intoxicating offer, and prime-time wishfulfillemt.

Also, what is that equation Twelve is working on? It's shown up twice now and I've a feeling it's going to be very important to the over-arching plot. Thoughts?


"I love that story, ever since I was little."

Definitely empathizing with Clara here. I was a big fan of Robin Hood in highschool. I checked out nearly every book and movie on the subject (including the 1920s Douglas Fairbanks version…) available at my local library branch. When I heard that there was going to be a cross-over episode, I did a little squee dance in anticipation.


"Just passing the time."

And licking spoons. Where did that spoon even come from? I love it.

I also love the cinematography of the slightly blurred leaves and the rushing creek.

And the theme song. The ticking clock sounds in the background have been growing on me exponentially with each viewing.


"And do people ever punch you in the face when you do that?"
"Not as yet."
"Lucky I'm here then."

From Robin Hood and the Doctor first sparring match, I knew this episode was going to be something special.


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

:D


"Labour and gold, not old men and their worthless baubles."

I'll admit, I spent a certain portion of the episode wondering if the Cybermen were going to make an appearance, and really hoping that they wouldn't.


"Or we might be inside a miniscope!"
"Oh, shut up!"
"A miniscope! Yes, of course, why not?"

I wonder how many people got that reference? I think Gatiss must have a special love for Three, because this isn't the first time he's had a quote or story explicitly referenced in an episode.

This whole scene was so delightfully comedic and quotable. Twelve's scanning and sonicking and making of excuses is brilliant.

And all of it is shored up by the dark undertones Clara very observantly brings up: "The Doctor is right. You laugh too much."


"This is getting silly."

The contest for the Golden Arrow is gloriously silly. So is Twelve's dead-panned and explosive way of ending it. My face started hurting around this point from all the grinning it was doing.


"I'm fine! I take year seven for afterschool taekwondo."

And bad-ass Clara with agency! Boo-yah! It also explains her mad good fighting skills in Deep Breath.


"The Doctor and Robin Hood, locked together in a cell, this is seriously the best that you can do?"

"It is not a competition about who can die slower!"
"It definitely would have been me, though, wouldn't it?"

"I am… biding my time."
"Thank you, Prince of Thieves, Last of the Time Lords?"

That whole scene in the dungeon. All of it. I could've watched an entire episode of that. And Clara is the ring leader! It fills me with warm fuzzies and boundless glee.


"Soiled myself?"
"Did you? That's getting into character."

"Well, there is a bright side… Clara didn't see that."

And then there was more! Even they know how ridiculous they're being. And they escaped carrying the block! It's so brilliant. I want the fic of them bicker-snark-bantering all the way to the blacksmith's forge.


"Well, what does every oppressed peasant workforce need? The illusion of hope. Some silly story to get them through the day, lull them into docility, and keep them working."

I can't tell if this is supposed to be meta or not. The whole episode is meta on reality versus legends, stories versus reality, but it takes such a hopeful view at the end that this seems out of place, even though it can just as easily be turned to point at the Doctor as any of the hopefully, gushy, meant-to-be-quotes at the end can.

Though it was rather turned on its head by the Sheriff's, "Why would we create an enemy to fight us? What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea," later on, so there's that as well. Food for thought anyway. Food for thought.

Also, seeing Patrick Troughton was rather nice.


"You are indeed an ingenious fellow, Doctor. But do you really think your peasants' revolt can stop me?"
"I rather think you're the revolting one around here. Banter. I'm bantering!"

1. I like the Sheriff's high tech wooden table that crops up previous to this dialogue a lot.

2. Twelve's childish facial expression just before the exchange too. It calls up memories of One laughing or Four waving over a chair at a violent butler. It is a moment of utter Doctorliness.

3. The music is also really good this week. It plays in well with the comedy and swash-buckling, but lightens off enough to give breathing room during the scattered serious moments.

4. Brilliant symmetry. "I hate banter."/"I'm bantering!" So many of the scenes and jokes pair up, and it all works together thematically towards the end game of Twelve remembering who and what he is.

And speaking of symmetry. The opening fight scene reflecting into the climax is the biggest example of this, and I think it was very well done, all considered.

The awkward standing around of the Doctor and Clara in this scene was one of my only two quibbles in the episode. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the direction was so terrible. The Doctor says, "I know. The whole castle's about to blow!" … and then they just stand there for several minutes doing nothing? What?

This article cleared it up, and also makes the scene significantly more impressive given how well it hung together despite having half of it cut out.

And while the original scene sounds pretty cool, in light of events I think that the BBC made the right call.

I also think that the story works better with the Sheriff as a human, or at least, with the ambiguity of him maybe being human.

(Though, I also like the idea that the Doctor was at least partially right about there being humanoid animatronics running around, and having the reveal would have made the "half man, half engine," dialogue make a lot more sense, and the scene where his hand makes a clanging effect on punching a robot)


"You're good at this. I saw you. You won the tournament."
"I cheated. I made a special arrow with a homing device."

This scene, with the golden arrow (that, really, wouldn't be able to fly), and the three people shooting a long bow (would it even be possible to aim like that?), and the target on the side of the space ship (what?) was so patently ridiculous it was a bit brilliant. It was such a rushed tacked on the end bit of problem solving; a bit like Duggan's history saving punch. And I can't hold its ridiculousness against it, because the whole episode was a bit silly and this was the capper on it, Gatiss nodding at the audience and saying, "you know this is all just a bit of fun, right?"

Well played, I think.

Also, well-played: The Doctor isn't good at everything, and shooting an arrow isn't an easily acquired skill that anyone can pick up in a few days. The whole scene might have been scientifically laughable, but at least it was accurate in debunking those misconceptions.

I am a bit sad that the spaceship blew up after making orbit. Silly as it is, and as awful as the robots were, I do wish that they could have flown off to their Paradise. Everyone cheers at the end, except the Doctor, and the look on his face makes me wonder if he didn't wish the same.


"History is a burden. Stories can make us fly."

A lot of people disliked the heavy-handedness of this ending. I can see where they're coming from. It is a bit of a blundering change of pace from the mad-capped, swash-buckling, insanity which proceeded it. The whole episode was spent drumming in that the Doctor and Robin Hood are similar, so having it explicitly spelled out was a bit much.

I rather liked it.

I was talking about symmetry before, and how this episode is full of it, leading to this pay-off. Twelve rails against legends being impossible, but it is tragically clear that he isn't talking about Robin Hood. His terse responses to Robin, "She should not have told you any of that," and "I am not a hero,"  say so much. This Doctor is uncertain of his own legend. He wants to deny it, uncomfortable with his past, with where his future choices might lead. At the same time, he is desperate to confirm who he is at present, who he has the potential of being. Is he a good man? Can he still be a good man?

It is also a lovely, true quote, especially when paired with that most definitive of Eleven moments: "We are all stories in the end."

And may those stories never end.


Post-script:

"Admit it, you liked him"
"Well I'm leaving him a present, aren't I?"

My only other quibble with this episode. ZOMG, just how long was Marion standing behind the TARDIS, waiting for her cue to come out and see Robin? Was Clara aware of this ridiculousness? I feel certain she would've told the Doctor off if she were. *eye roll*

Comments

[librarylover82.livejournal.com]

I agree with you all over the place about this episode! It was great fun all the way around, and I didn't mind the slightly heavier touch at the end. I sometimes think they feel the need to do that for the children in the audience.

I am loving Capaldi as much as I suspected I would. Anytime he gets into something comedic he reminds me so much of Four that it makes me grin. The bickering with Robin was priceless, as well as the assumption the bad guys make that Clara is the ringleader. She has really come into her own now, which makes me doubly sad that Jenna is leaving.

I thought the robots looked very cool; I wonder if we will see more of them later this season? I have a mad theory or two percolating about several things, which I will make a post about if I get time.

[eve11]

I also really liked the look of the robots.

[eve11]

Hahah I agree with everything you say here. Lovely recap :)

Perhaps Marian was inside the TARDIS and the Doctor dematerialized around her, leaving her behind. I do believe there is a precedent for that (Blink?).

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I spent a certain portion of the episode wondering if the Cybermen were going to make an appearance

LOL, I wondered the same thing! They were making such a big deal about gold, and gold defeats Cybermen . . . well, old style Cybermen. But then it wasn't them. The whole gold circuit / gold arrow thing didn't make sense, but for once I didn't care. As you say, I was too busy enjoying it.

"A miniscope! Yes, of course, why not?"

I wonder how many people got that reference?

Me me me me me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"It is not a competition about who can die slower!"
"It definitely would have been me, though, wouldn't it?"


My favorite Twelve moment so far. Really wanting Clara to confirm that he would die slower! Capaldi was so funny!

That whole scene in the dungeon. All of it. I could've watched an entire episode of that.

Me too! We need crack!fic from Mark Gatiss!

[garpu.livejournal.com]

I really liked this episode, too. My only quibble was the golden arrow at the end.

And you know the Doctor's comment about all being led to the Promised Land? *cough*Utopia*cough*

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

A better than anticipated offering from Gatiss. It was very silly - but I enjoyed it.

[sevanatwonights.livejournal.com]

You probably know the only quibble I have about this episode is...who the hell stole my fanfic?! HAHAHAHAHAHA... LOVED every minute of it! I actually have no quibbles with it. Zero. None. Nada. Don't care about whether or not the golden arrow would have flown. Just like no sane person would have gone rock climbing in heels.

[liadt]

Mark Gatiss does indeed like Three a lot:) I got the miniscope ref too! And Hai! Spoons & Pat spotting.

I liked the Prince of Thieve (as my cinema ticket had it) ref:D

Twelve may not want to get caught up in being a "hero" because that's a label and he'll have to behave in a certain way and doesn't want to be trapped by that, espc if he also doesn't think he is a hero/good. And it sort of does away with free will if it's all written by the Oracle (or something) and the chance of different stories. And I'm big on different stories!

[thisbluespirit]

Maybe Marion was either in the TARDIS and it dematerialised around her, or it was the Doctor being smart with timing, knowing she was heading that way. At least, I chose to believe one of the two and not that he told her to hide behind the blue box for half an hour at the end.

I like the theme music, too. They've not got there yet, but they've made a start on edging back to weird over instrumental. I'm still really resentful over the orchestral tuneful theme. And, er, soon will have been for 10 years. (Our theme tune is one of the weirdest on Earth! It is damn' weird 1960s in origin! Don't play it on an orchestra!! *cough*)

It really was rather fun, wasn't it? ♥