Doctor Who Series 8, Episode 3 Review: Robot of Sherwood - Robin Hood to the Rescue
- doctorbrick
- May 1
- 3 min read
What did you think of this episode?
Sonic!
Good!
Bumpy-wumpy!
Exterminate!
I cannot lie to you? I love series 8! This is another great episode!
For all my talk of making Doctor Who more scary, here I am, having a whale of a time watching this. What do I know eh? Doctor Who really can be anything! Ironically, I watched Robot of Sherwood the same day RTD mentioned Doctor Who was like Robin Hood, spooky!
This episode and those comments did make me think though, why would nobody take up the Doctor Who mantle? Why on earth would the BBC stop making this show? Of course, at the time of writing, there has been no context to what RTD was even asked when he said what he said. Taken without the context though - well, it didn't sound too promising.
"I have no sword. I don’t need a sword. Because I am the Doctor and this is my spoon. En garde!"
What a travesty it would be if Doctor Who stopped now though! There is surely a place for it? Shame on the BBC if they don't defend it either! This silly show means so much to me, and I know it means so much to millions of people around the globe. Are ratings really the be all and end all? Are the ratings even that bad? Surely someone like the BBC should ignore ratings anyway?
If you want to know more of my thoughts on the matter then click the link below:
If not, let's get on with the fun ride of reviewing Robot of Sherwood.
This is one of my favourite Mark Gatiss episodes, and there is one big reason for this, Peter bloody Capaldi. I think a lot is said of his Doctor being grumpy, being darker, grittier, I am not having that though, his Doctor is fucking hilarious!! His reaction to the arrow hitting the TARDIS was a sign of what was to come for the rest of this episode.
The chemistry between Capaldi and Tom Riley (Robin Hood) is absolutely electric. Their constant bickering, one-upping each other, and petty competitiveness is just pure joy to watch. It’s so funny, but it’s also layered - you can feel the Doctor's reluctance to believe in simple heroism, and Robin’s stubborn refusal to be dismissed as a fake. It gives the episode a lot more heart than it might seem on the surface.
I also think Jenna Coleman is brilliant here. Clara really shines as the peacekeeper between these two ridiculous men, and you can see her growing confidence in handling different kinds of situations. She’s smart, composed, and funny - which is honestly one of the things I love most about Clara's character when she's written like this. Her moment with Ben Miller as the Sheriff of Nottingham is a corker.
"Why would we create an enemy to fight us? What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea."
As for the story itself, yes, it’s completely daft, but it’s good daft. Evil robots, golden arrows, sword fights with spoons - come on! What other show can pull that off other than Doctor Who? It’s a reminder that not every story needs to be huge and universe-ending as well. Sometimes it's just about having a laugh, living the legend, and showing that heroes can be real, whether they live in castles or fly around in police boxes.
And let's be honest: that final scene, with the Doctor quietly acknowledging that maybe Robin Hood was real after all... it's beautiful. It's exactly why this silly, brilliant show must never die.
In the end, Robot of Sherwood is just pure, unapologetic fun - and sometimes that's exactly what Doctor Who should be. It’s funny, charming, and packed with heart. Sometimes watching the sillier episodes reminds me why this is such a loved show - yeah, I love darker stories about infected water on Mars and little boys looking for their Mummy, but sometimes, it is nice to kick back and smile my way through an episode. Long live Doctor Who!
What do you think? Do you like a silly episode now and again? Are you a light or a dark fan? Does it not matter to you? Let me know in the comments below.
RATING: Sonic!
BEST LINE: "Well neither am I. But if we both keep pretending to be. Perhaps others will be heroes in our name. Perhaps we will both be stories. And may those stories never end. Goodbye, Doctor. Time Lord of Gallifrey."
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