Doctor Who (TV Series) Robot of Sherwood (2014) User Reviews

The Spoon is Mightier than the Sword...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 28 December 2021]

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Fighting aliens. Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with the Doctor, Clara and friends. Dungeons they escape, behave like children would, Robin Hood! Robin Hood! Robin Hood!

He fought the wicked robots and the wicked sheriff too, who was keen on taking Clara for his queen. They were a merry bunch but they wound up you know Who? He thought they were robotic Lincoln green.

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Fighting aliens. Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with the Doctor, Clara and friends. Dungeons they escape, behave like children would, Robin Hood! Robin Hood! Robin Hood!

Surprising

[terrachild-134-804757 · 8/10 · 8 September 2014]

To start with, I won't go into the heavy duty review like the others have. Simply put it is a bit of camp fun with a beautiful message at the end and that does not have to be a bad thing. The other seasons of Doctor Who have all had the heavy and light episodes. It is merely a case of greater extremes. As for peoples issues with the Robin Hood factor, it was lovely to see this apparent dolt/legend/hero/outlaw/normal man just trying to live his life and find his love and how he parallels the Doctor. The final dialogue between the Doctor and Robin, I think, sums up not only the episode but all of Doctor Who, and much more beside.

Robin Who

[edex12 · 8/10 · 9 September 2014]

One feels, after enjoying yet another episode in Peter Capaldi's already successful tenure via the previous episode, 'Into the Dalek,' this episode seemed to be a backstep in this new Doctor's already promising future. I suppose that the writers and Peter Capaldi himself are just finding their footing, but the portrayal of Capaldi's Doctor in all three episodes so far have been different. Perhaps he is balancing his emotions and seeing what quite works, but at times I thought him to be misdirected and vague. During one scene in the dungeon, the Doctor even threatened to go full Tucker on Robin Hood (which wouldn't have been a bad thing.)

I am uncertain as to why the Doctor truly believed Robin Hood to be a myth, despite having frequently rubbed shoulders with other legends and even exuberant fictional characters who are definitely not real. Or are they?

Gatiss' writing shows that the Doctor, who stepped out of the limelight this week to allow the supporting characters a chance, is in fact wrong and in the end, he comes across as being rather idiotic and childish, much like he was in parts of 'Into the Dalek.' Was the inclusion of Robin Hood's actual existence just so the audience could receive an interesting analogy of the Doctor's own life?

Who cares, because really 'Robot of Sherwood' was thoroughly entertaining, funny in places and generally kid friendly, with a superb performance from Ben Miller as a Sheriff of Nottingham who didn't breach into panto, and Tom Riley delivering Robin Hood a la Errol Flynn. Even the title is entertaining.

I am decidedly not going to nitpick at an episode of Doctor Who that many people have worked hard on, and to a great visual effect, because in the end people need to remember that not only is this a fictional series that's been running now for over fifty years and will frequent changes, but also that it is primarily a children's program. This story remembered that.

Being Scottish, I am not particularly affluent with the lore of Robin Hood beside seeing a couple of adaptations and knowing the basics through osmosis, but Gatiss' script captured the image of the setting and characters nicely, in an almost caricature form. Everyone I could remember was there (plus a couple of others who didn't need to be but weren't shoehorned in as previously expected) and in the end it was a very fun and watchable experience.

The villain, despite being just anonymous robots similar to those appearing in the classic Sylvester McCoy episodes 'Battlefield' and the golden arrow concept from 'Silver Nemesis,' were pretty cool looking, with their cruciform lights highlighting people's foreheads representing a grisly off-screen death. I would hardly say they were iconic Doctor Who monsters, but it doesn't really matter because they were cool and menacing and everything a regular Doctor Who villain should be.

Was the bad-guys rebuilding circuit-boards to pilot their spacecraft familiar? Is it the same plot as 2008's 'The Fires of Pompeii?' Again, it can be overlooked because this show's been running for over fifty years now, and having an original idea and an original villain is challenging. So far in this series, we've seen Steven Moffat bring back his Clockwork Robots and spaceship concepts from 2006's 'The Girl in the Fireplace,' for 'Deep Breath,' and we've seen 'Into the Dalek' being reminiscent of both 2005's 'Dalek' but also 2011's 'Let's Kill Hitler,' through the miniaturising concept, but this was mostly borrowed from 'The Fantastic Voyage.'

Talking of homages and pastiches, there were several other in-house references such as the throwbacks to the Jon Pertwee era of Who with Capaldi's Third Doctor-esque karate chops and references to a Mini-Scope, which was a plot device at the centre of 1973's 'Carnival of Monsters.' Another nice inclusion was the image of Patrick Troughton (The Second Doctor) as Robin Hood during the picture montage of famous Robin Hood's throughout history.

Fair enough, 'Robot of Sherwood' wasn't a script on a par with Gatiss' 'An Adventure in Space and Time,' which aired during the fiftieth anniversary celebration, but it was enjoyable and light, and was a welcome change from the dreary (but similarly highly entertaining) darkness from the previous two episodes.

Keep it up, Doctor Who, the viewers are counting on you.

A Legend in His Own Mind

[boblipton · 7/10 · 6 September 2014]

The Doctor offers Clara a trip to wherever she chooses. She wants to meet Robin Hood. When the Doctor points out Robin Hood never existed, she insists, so the Doctor sets the TARDIS and they go to meet.... Robin Hood. Writer Mark Gatiss mocks his own history of writing episodes with historical characters with this effort.

After a couple of heavier shows in which the Doctor is introduced and various aspects of his character are shown, this episode is intended as a relative romp. It's a backwards-looking episode with many of the aspects of the old show, with its serial structure. Given that the greater screen time of the old serials -- generally about 90 minutes -- was almost twice as long as the new episodes, various compressions have to take place. That is probably why the straightforward title was chosen here, rather like last season's "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"; as Theo Robertson points out in his review of this episode, this still requires some further compression that robs the story of some dramatic tension.

Nonetheless, there is considerable subtext in this story about the meaning of heroism, the power of stories to inspire us and the whole being more than the sum of its parts. the metafictional impulse is close to the surface in this story. Indeed, the deeds and dialogue show it. Still, sometimes the point needs to be made overtly.

A Funny Medieval Romp

[NineTenElevenTwelve · 7/10 · 25 September 2014]

This was easily the funniest episode of Series 8 thus far. The banter between the Doctor and Robin Hood was definitely the highlight of the episode (Clara also got some pretty funny lines as well).

After two pretty dark and serious episodes, it was nice for this season to take a breather with "Robot of Sherwood". The Twelfth Doctor and Clara continue to be a fantastic duo and I'm always happy to see them together on screen. Sadly, Capaldi's Doctor doesn't have a lot to do in this episode but he's still entertaining to watch nonetheless. Clara continues to show her cleverness and wit and acts as a nice buffer between the bickering Doctor and Robin Hood.

The supporting cast is decent. Tom Riley and Ben Miller give pretty good performances as Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham respectively. The robot knights had a very cool, intimidating design but I personally feel they weren't used to their full potential.

Overall, "Robot of Sherwood" won't go down as one of my Series 8 favorites but it was still an entertaining episode with hilarious banter and some truly heartfelt, deep moments here and there.

Sharp as an arrow

[Lejink · 9/10 · 12 September 2014]

I don't normally critique individual mid-series episodes of Dr Who but I absolutely loved this episode. I've seen almost every TV and cinematic representation of Robin Hood going back to Errol Flynn and this adventure paid due homage to all that history, condensing most of Hood's best-known stories into its 50 minute time-frame (the "Little John"-type encounter on the log over the river, the archery contest set up to trap Robin by the Sheriff of Nottingham and even climaxing in a sword-fight between them, which if not exactly up there in the Flynn/Rathbone class, still paid its due respects).

Underlying the story were subtle questions about the need for heroes and the power of legends, with the Doctor denying the efficacy of both until he realises by the end that the same fate awaits the remembrance of his own exploits in the future. Sensing a rival for Clara's attention (affection?) in Robin, whose fictional dreamboat he's always been, the Doctor is immediately querulous and doubting of his Lincoln Green attired rival. Several quick-fire exchanges take place between them with Clara usually having the last word until they both man-up to take on the nefarious Sheriff and his robotic henchmen.

Cleverly, the plot doesn't allow the inevitable alien-presence to overpower the story and there's another cryptic reference to the promised land to hold the viewer's attention until the series closer. Capaldi is now completely in character and relishing his role, Coleman, her puppy love now replaced by qualified respect is very good too. Perhaps it would have been nice to see more of Robin's Merry Men (Little John, for one, barely gets a line) but this overdue combination of the Doctor and Robin Hood already has the look of the series high-spot.

A bit corny...but still fun.

[MikeyFTL · 7/10 · 10 September 2014]

I think some of you take this show a little too seriously. Was this episode any more ridiculous than half of the Sylvester McCoy episodes? I mean really...a giant killer candy man?

I think Peter Capaldi is doing a great job with the scripts he's being dealt. To be honest, I stopped watching this show as the Doctor got younger and younger. On top of that, Matt Smith's A.D.D., touchy-feely- kissy shtick was starting to make me nauseous. The Doctor isn't supposed to dish out hugs and kisses. It's just unnatural.

Anyway, regarding "Robots", I was secretly hoping the Sheriff (Ben Miller) would be taken over by the Master, especially since he looked exactly like Anthony Ainley. With Peter Capaldi's voice and mannerisms mimicking Tom Baker's, I think all this show needs now is new K-9 and it can be as addictive as it was in the late 70's.

More fun than shark week

[Meven_Stoffat · 9/10 · 6 September 2014]

Mark Gatiss is one of those writers whose name immediately sparks the type of "either you love it or you hate it" reaction. He's been particularly known for having a more "adventurous" sense of storytelling and it has worked on some occasions and on others... well, you probably get it by now. "Robot of Sherwood" is no different. I've been noticing a lot of love it or hate it reactions to the episode from the IMDb boards since catching its Space channel airing here in Canada, and I'll be honest: I wasn't totally surprised. And even more unsurprisingly, I fell in the "love it" camp. I say this because I've been a huge fan of Mark Gatiss since starting Doctor Who, and have caught as much if his work as I can (I even met him this year while vacationing in London and got an awesome picture with him). I knew what to expect, and was not disappointed. The preview last week promised us a whimsical adventure with The Doctor and Clara in Nottingham 1190, and that's exactly what we got. In a totally unexpected turn of events, this is also our third episode in a season that deals with robots (hence the title). A little repetitive? Maybe, but here the robots are well executed and utilized.

The episode opens with The Doctor and Clara in the TARDIS, where The Doctor asks Clara where in all of space and time she wants to go and what she wants to see. Her answer? Robin Hood. Of course, The Doctor is doubtful of his existence, but a step outside his TARDIS into 1190 Nottingham later, he's proved wrong, ending in The Doctor bringing a spoon to a sword fight... and winning. During an arrow spitting contest, The Doctor discovers one of the officials is a robot... in fact, there's tons of robots, which leads to Nottinghamshire under attack by robots from outer space. Nothing too deep, of course, and yet the episode is better for it, be cause it doesn't try to be anything more than what it says on the tin. Gatiss gives us a full-on 45 minute action-packed episode, and it doesn't disappoint. But even for a more action-packed episode, there's still tons of suspense and intrigue, and moments of the expected Doctor Wit- such as when he escapes from being tied up with much ease, and his trick of tipping over Robin Hood into a pond during a sword fight, which Robin himself ends up learning too. The robots admittedly look pretty typical, with lasers bursting from their face, but they nonetheless are terrifying and watching them cause terror in the kingdom is relentlessly fun to watch. Oh and Clara isn't so annoying this time, being more back to her Soufflé girl self. And the finale, including the arrow with the homing device, is a true blast and one of the more action-packed finales in recent Doctor Who history.

Of course there are a few flaws in "Robots", but they're far and in between- the middle of the episode is a little sluggish, the humour in the episode does get a little too silly at times, but they don't detract from the overall fun. After all, this is escapist Doctor Who- an episode that revolves around the sheer fun and camp it promises. Capaldi is in fine form as The Doctor and breaks away from the usual dark feel that his Doctor has given off, opting for a more upbeat portrayal, and yet he manages to pull it off. Which leads to another reason as to why I loved this episode- you can tell everyone involved had a fun time making it. And it rubs off onto the viewers too: watching the cast enjoy what they're involved in makes for a more fun experience. From the pulse-pounding action to the moments of hilarity, "Robot of Sherwood" a fun romp that reminds us of why Doctor Who is so fun to watch in the first place.

Oh, and no Danny Pink, too. There's another reason to love the episode.

Fun but far too camp.

[zacpetch · 6/10 · 31 January 2015]

I've seen a lot of hate going around for this episode but I don't think it is deserved. This is because of the lighthearted approach taken for the episode that doesn't seem fitting with Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor at all; I suspect it may have been a holdover script for Matt Smith's 11th Doctor. It wouldn't shock me if it were so, but I don't believe that anyone's ever said it. Still, what matters is that this is a good episode even if not a great one. It is consistent and loads of fun. What more can you want from the lighthearted episodes?

The story sees the Doctor and Clara arrive in Sherwood Forest in the year 1190 where they meet Robin Hood and team up with him to defeat the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. It turns out that the Sheriff has been working with some robots that crashed their spaceship and need gold to restore it and escape back out into space. It's a little bit daft, to say the least, but that doesn't stop it from being lots of fun. Mark Gatiss' script carries it along nicely and the guest actors are good too. Tom Riley is a tremendous Robin Hood but it's Ben Miller's evil Sheriff who steals the show. He doesn't get a lot to work with but makes the best of it and gives a memorable performance throughout. "It's about time that Ben Miller was in Doctor Who" said Steven Moffat. I'm inclined to agree with him.

The humour in this episode is where it falls flat for me. Peter Capaldi is a very funny man when he wants to be but he doesn't quite make it here because the humour is too camp for him to pull it off. Tom Riley is able to manage it but doesn't get enough material to be anything special. At one point we see the Doctor beat Robin Hood in a sword fight with a spoon and later we see them competing at archery. Then they spend the next ten minutes shouting at each other, which is funny for about a minute but lasts ten times that long and ends up being painful to watch. And let's not forget that all the problems are resolved by firing an arrow of gold in a way that the laws of physics don't allow for.

To conclude: Fun but far too camp. Its cast saves it but maybe it's time for Mark Gatiss (esteemed creator of the New Dalek Paradigm) to give Doctor Who a rest? Just focus on Sherlock please. 6/10

Does What It Says On The Tin , But Not Very Well

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 6 September 2014]

Watching NuWho I often find myself comparing it to how a story from the classic series would have structured the narrative . With Robot Of Sherwood by Mark Gatiss it's very easy to see how this story would have ended up if made from 1963-89

Episode 1 ) Introduces most of the major characters

Episode 2 ) More development of the story

Episode 3 ) Revelation of most of the mystery of the story and the villain's plan

Episode 4 ) Resolution of plot . Goodbyes are said

Here in a 45 minute episode the format constricts the story in to something unsatisfying . It's not a brevity of storytelling but a rather deeper problem . It's a somewhat frivolous episode which is something to be expected via the title , camp adventure with Robin Hood and his men but is there any need for the Doctor to join in the fun ? I loved Capaldi's performance from the last two episodes but here I wasn't impressed mainly due to the writing , and did we need a story featuring robots so soon after the droids from the season opener ? Get some new ideas Mr Moffat or change the running order of the season

Being 45 minutes it's the same format as a two episode story from the old show but again one can't feel in those days the production team would have developed the story better with dramatic pauses . Here however much of the so called drama is relegated to bickering dialogue between the Doctor and Robin . If you've got 45 minutes to play with concentrate on plot and don't waste it by having disposable scenes in dungeons . I did notice Gatiss trying to bring in a Marxist subtext with some of the dialogue and paint Robin Hood as a communist freedom fighter but it's hardly DOCTOR WHO at its most thought provoking and cerebral . The episode is almost ruined by some of the laziest resolution seen in an episode which leads you think if Gatiss had 30 seconds to resolve the story

In summary this is one of those episodes that you know in advance is nothing more than light disposable fun but you're still left with a nagging disappointment after seeing it . It's not quirky or funny enough to be genuinely amusing and it's not dramatic enough to be entirely serious enough . Perhaps worst of all it's not good enough to suspend your disbelief and comes across as 45 minutes of very disposable television

Silly, but still good

[pjgs200 · 9/10 · 29 June 2016]

After last week's solid Into the Dalek, Robot of Sherwood was pretty disappointing. It had its good moments here and there, but as a whole it was average.

I liked the sense of adventure and light tone, but the problem with Robot of Sherwood is that it's not that funny, especially when it tries to be for the entire episode. The ending where Robin Hood and the Doctor part ways was nice, but otherwise the episode lacked emotional depth.

It's fun for a younger audience, and looked great, but Robot of Sherwood is too campy for the older and more mature viewers.

7/10

I've Seen Better but still great.

[masonbingley2000 · 7/10 · 11 September 2014]

I was reasonably excited to see this episode but quite let down by the script and long scenes. The scenes seem to have gone on for too long without any proper threat or horror, the robots were hardly used too.

Fortunately, Peter Capaldi made this episode with Tom Riley and their constant hate or disbelief in each other. The Doctors and Robin Hoods scenes were seriously funny and Clara is just the adult between them, this made the episode exciting. Special effects were also quite strong, with the arrow splitting scenes and the Robots ship.

Finally, overall the episode is enjoyable and good to watch but episode 1 and 2 may have more of an edge on Robot of Sherwood.

Absolute CAMP! Garbage writing in Robot of Sherwood

[hextraordinary13 · 3/10 · 7 September 2014]

Okay.. First pet peeve: Apparently one gold arrow is enough to put the spaceship into orbit when there was *already* an entire vat of gold on the ship? Come ON -- you expect us to believe that? OK, now down to the business of the *rest* of the episode: This episode was absolute cheezy, unapologetic, insulting-to-the-fans CAMP trash. There was no real intrigue in the story like many of the previous season's episodes. I can understand Moffat wanting to try something new and different with this 8th series and 12th Doctor by bringing on Mark Gatiss (co-creator & writer -- with Steven Moffat) of Sherlock fame, but this was just a camp-fest. Sure, Gatiss may have succeeded in writing episodes for Sherlock, but a Doctor Who writer he is NOT. The entire battle of egos between Robin Hood and The Doctor did nothing more than disgust me -- especially the over-the- top archery contest. The progression of the plot, the quick-and- easy near-instant resolution of problems in the episode, and the continual back-and-forth egomaniacal banter between The Doctor and Robin Hood reminded me of pretty much every Sherlock Holmes movie ever made (especially ones starring Robert Downey Jr.). I was just waiting for The Doctor to spit out, 'Come, Watson, come! The game is afoot!," at any moment. All in all, I expected *far* more depth from The Doctor in *this* incarnation -- seeing as he is *now* over 2,000 years old -- but instead we get a pissing contest of egos between him and Robin Hood for a good chunk of the episode. The writing seemed geared towards kids with its simplistic, ridiculous, and utterly predictable plot instead of the adult themes, sense of mystery and danger, and deep emotional reach most viewers have come to appreciate and enjoy from previous seasons. Robot of Sherwood was a complete disappointment. If I wanted to watch campy garbage writing, I'd throw on a John Waters flick.

So much fun

[lnaldfndfnds · 10/10 · 21 June 2016]

Gatiss does it again! His episodes are always atmospheric and quirky. I loved Robot of Sherwood. It was funny, it had an excellent score by Murray Gold, the script was witty, and the directing was excellent. The visuals were fantastic here. Clara looked beautiful as ever, and Capaldi's Doctor is becoming better and better. The setting was gorgeous and the characters were all great. I loved the music so much in this episode. Check it out on Spotify: "This is my Spoon," "Robert, Earl of Loxley," and "Robin of Sherwood" are the highlight tracks in this episode.

10/10: adventurous, funny, and awesome.

Robin Hood: More than a legend?

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 7 September 2014]

When The Doctor offers to take Clara anywhere in time and space she says she wants to meet Robin Hood. The Doctor scoffs somewhat but takes her to Sherwood Forest during the reign of King John and the first person they meet claims to be Robin Hood! The Doctor is convinced that there must be some trickery but nothing he does proves Robin a fraud. They soon meet the rest of the Merry Men then head to Nottingham to take part in the legendary archery contest… and here the story deviates from the legend… they discover that the Sheriff of Nottingham's knights are robots! Captured and thrown in the dungeons The Doctor and Robin continue to bicker while Clara learns that the Sheriff plans to use the robot knights to take over the kingdom.

After the darker tone of the previous episodes it is time for something lighter; and this amusing romp certainly was that. We instantly knew it was a romp as The Doctor fought a sword wielding Robin Hood with a spoon! While this story wasn't threat free and there were a few deaths it was mostly played for laughs. The constant bickering between Robin and The Doctor will either amuse or annoy viewers; early on I thought it would prove irritating but much of it was fairly witty so overall it was fairly enjoyable. The robot knights were entertaining if fairly typical Doctor Who baddies and the Sheriff was an enjoyably over the top villain. This episode showed that Peter Capaldi can handle more comedic stories as well as the serious ones. Overall fun if you like lighter episodes; a good mix of laughs and thrills.

Light-hearted. Enjoyable. Forgettable.

[ryanjmorris · 5/10 · 14 September 2014]

Episode three's have been fairly hit or miss in terms of Doctor Who's history since it returned in 2005. Episodes such as Gridlock or School Reunion played out as smart character studies, but maintained the entertainment level you'd expect from something so early on in the series, whereas other episode three's like Victory of the Daleks and The Curse of the Black Spot remain all-time low points for the show. This is, in some ways, understandable. We've been introduced to the series in the first two episodes, and it's too early to throw anything too dramatic in just yet, so where does this leave us? Robot of Sherwood is a real mixed bag of an episode. It's good fun, and by no means a bad piece of television, but it lacks that conviction that made the first two episodes of series 8 such a treat. It's enjoyable enough in the moment, but fairly likely to wind up as the most forgettable episode of the series.

In terms of character, everything introduced in Deep Breath and Into the Dalek is maintained here. Despite Robot of Sherwood being played out, for the most part, as a comedy, Capaldi's doctor retains his more serious attitude in the pivotal moments of the episode, but also gets a chance to show his versatility as an actor in terms of comedy. Coleman is great too, and is truly developing as an actress whilst Clara develops as a character. She might not have the emotional weight in this episode that she made use of in the first two, but she suits the more light-hearted tone well. Guest star Tom Riley is also solid as Robin Hood himself, if just a little over the top in moments that don't really need to be, but the three leads here have great on-screen chemistry that makes this episode consistently enjoyable, even in its weaker moments.

Where Robot of Sherwood faults, however, is in terms of story. Whilst this episode was played out as a comedy, it lacks a plot to move the characters from scene to scene. It takes about twenty minutes before we really learn anything, and even then it's more superficial than anything else. I get that writer Gatiss aimed for a more light- hearted outing, but not enough really happens throughout the 45 minute run time to leave us satisfied by the conclusion. This wouldn't be all bad, though, if the episode was also used to develop and analyse the character of the Doctor, but rather than develop the Doctor any further, Gatiss just relies on everything show-runner Moffat has already done for him. Robot of Sherwood wasn't a bad episode, but by far the weakest of the series thus far. It's good fun in the moment, and is certainly better than some of Gatiss' other episodes, but it is, unfortunately, set to be forgotten by the time the title sequence rolls for next week's episode.

Robin makes me a Merry Man

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 9/10 · 14 March 2019]

I think this is underrated and harshly judged. I enjoyed it first time viewing it and it has grown on me even more in repeated viewings. Yes it seems silly on face value but I find it so well done and find that the absurdities are portrayed very deliberately and knowingly to great effect making it an intelligent satire. It is a playful spoof on the Robin Hood legends and the film versions of Robin Hood but isn't a spoof of Doctor Who itself. I find it very funny and witty and I love Peter Capaldi brilliantly showing his comedic skills. Mark Gatiss did a good job writing it, in my opinion.

The plot, largely done for laughs, is one that would not be out of place at all in the classic series. It has similar ideas but is done in a much better way than stories like The Gunfighters and on is a par with The Myth Makers which similarly had a sardonically comedic escapade among mythical history. It also bears something in common with great stories like The Time Warrior and New Series stories like The Unicorn and the Wasp.

The humour is sly and sarcastic rather than just dumb silliness so the seemingly childish idea of meeting Robin Hood becomes an in joke but it also gives enough reasons to allow you to accept it is really happening within the world of Doctor Who. If it was just silly and made the Doctor Who world into a farce I wouldn't like it but it is made to work for me with the way the Doctor reacts etc.

There are some decent Robots and a sneering villain as well. The acting is all good, especially Capaldi's, the script is funny and the story is fun.

Really good entertainment. Therefore, whilst not a classic I rate this as a strong episode.

My Rating: 8.5/10.

My Series 8 Episode Ranking: 4th out of 12.

Was warned but did not listen..

[A_Different_Drummer · 2/10 · 16 September 2014]

... to avoid this episode. Ugh! What is it about human nature that compels us to deface the things we love the most? To have successfully revived this iconic show from a decade when color telly was considered the pinnacle of technology is no mean feat. Props all around.

To have cast not one but a veritable series of serial, sequential male stars, each astonishingly better than the last, is a tour de force.

Even the high score in IMDb (for the series not this episode!) speaks to how well the writers have managed to connect with fans around the world.

Well if that's not the ideal time to burn the series to the ground and salt the earth.. what is? Bad enough we have a "high maintenance" new doctor, a complete break from the series plot arc, who, to be kind, requires some getting used to.

No, let's go for broke and create a story where the new doctor and Robin Hood sit in a prison cell and yell at each other, like a bad remake of the Dead End Kids.

The question remains, what compels us to destroy that which we love the most...?

Robot of Sherwood

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 15 April 2021]

There were some solid and brilliant references in this episode both historical and otherwise. The actual plot about the robots I was not particularly invested in, despite it being good because I loved the Doctor's and Robin's back and forth so much. Truly it was a funny and brilliant episode, acting top notch everything perfect.

Basically what the episode's title says

[dkiliane · 8/10 · 12 April 2019]

Ok, so I when I first saw this episode I didn't even know it was written by Mark Gatiss. And even now it's still a little hard to believe..cause it's actually good! (Sorry Mark But your Doctor Who track record ain't all that great). The Doctor takes Clara to 1190 to prove to her Robin Hood never existed, so of course they immediately run into him. Adventure ensues (and so do robots, cause Doctor Who).

It's a very simple premise but it works. Mostly cause it's just so fun. The Doctor and Robin Hood - - it's great! Well, not great great, but still quite good and definitely entertaining. It's a fun romp through Nottingham with a sci fi twist. It probably works so well simply because Mr. Gatiss doesn't try to go grander than the premise fits. He just wrote a fun story, which I'm not gonna lie, is a refreshing change of pace after the somewhat darker past two episodes.

Of course it also helps it had built-in unforgettable characters (Gatiss' main weakness). Robin Hood himself seems pretty one-dimensional at first but we see the layers successfully peeled back by the end of the episode. And the rivalry between the Doctor and Robin is genuinely funny to watch. And this really drives the story - - the Doctor trying to prove Robin Hood to be a fake cause essentially, the Doctor himself is Robin Hood (as Clara reminds him), the good man who bucks the system and revels in causing chaos but at the same time understands the plight of the oppressed. And by the end, they understand each other and themselves just a little bit better. 8/10

Another howler from Gatiss.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 4/10 · 18 September 2015]

The Doctor takes Clara back 1190, to Sherwood Forest, so that she can fulfill a lifelong wish, to meet Robin Hood.

More camp than a row of glitter covered pink tents, it has no fear in sending itself up, but, it should be black and white, with Troughton, Jamie and Zoe, it feels more fitting to the 1960's.

Capaldi and Coleman both give very good performances, there is a zest about Jenna that I've not really seen before, she seems so comfortable and having great fun with Clara. She is a vision of beauty in that red dress.

I am a huge Tom Riley fan, and he proves in DaVinci's Demons how good an actor he is, he does a good job with the character of Robin, I can't help feeling that they underused him, and could have used his services in a better way.

Best bit for me is the final talk between the Doctor and Robin, it's a nice end to the story, a bit of agitation between them.

I think the story is a bit weak I guess, it's reverted back to the CBBC format, appealing only really to a much younger audience. The first two episodes from Capaldi had been so good, much darker and deeper, this just felt a bit weak, it is a bit of fun though.

Mark Gatiss does very much love or hate it stories, this is a big thumbs down from me. 4/10.

In shock...

[hoytyhoyty · 1/10 · 7 September 2014]

... (drums fingers) ...

Anybody want to say anything?

...

Anything?

...

No?

...

OK, well... I'm not sure where to begin.

For a start I'm not ticking the spoiler box, because I'm not even going to bother discussing the 'content' of this episode.

This is Mark Gatiss.

MARK @#*@#$ING GATISS.

How.... how.... how... just... how.

How did this abomination get approval for production?

How?

There is nothing left now, of this series.

I fast-forwarded through the most painful rubbish at the end... and I'm really not sure I can face the rest of the series.

Shame. Just shame on you all. Shame on the BBC. Shame on Stephen Moffat. Shame on Mark Gatiss.

All are now damn'd.

Robot of Sherwood

[studioAT · 3/10 · 29 July 2023]

This is the sort of plot light/comic romp episode that the 10th and 11th Doctors would have had great fun with, elevating the simple plot and making it zing. Even the 9th Doctor probably would have had a good go too.

Alas though we don't have any of those three involved here, instead we get the dour and cynical 12th incarnation, who makes the whole experience feel like hard work.

There's not much to mention here in terms of plot, it's really just the question of "what is real, what is legend?" being posed in slightly different ways throughout the 45 minute run time. It feels like 45 minutes too.

Christopher Eccleston in recent years has said he struggled with the light comedy that being the Doctor involves, but to be honest he seemed more natural with it than Capaldi does here.

All in all, a fun premise is not overly well delivered, and Capaldi's Doctor needs to remember it's meant to be enjoyable this time travelling lark.

Cheesy but it's okay

[warlordartos · 5/10 · 19 April 2021]

There's not too much going on here. All the interesting parts of the story are revealed in the first half of the episode. The Doctor facing Robin Hood in a archery contest was a particularly good touch.

Unfortunately however, The reveal of the evil was done okay but was not too surprising. The resolution was a bit boring.

Worse Than Love & Monsters

[taylormellors · 1/10 · 25 June 2022]

Single-handedly and by far, the worst episode of Doctor Who since the show came back onto television in 2005, worse than; the Chibnall era, Kill the moon, the girl who died/woman who lived, fear her & Love and Monsters. Whatever low point that the show has been through, this beats it by quite some distance. For some reason, The Doctor (The oncoming storm, greatest warrior in the galaxy, lay of the time lords etc etc) is an irritating buffoon who has to be hand held by Clara as he and Robin Hood insult my hometown of Nottingham for 45 minutes (admittedly this may be clouding my judgement a bit/ a lot) Opening with an embarrassing Sword/Spoonfight, the episode somehow manages to find what is below rock bottom and fills the episode with excruciatingly dull nonsense that makes you yearn for the end (of all things) skipping past the dreadful filler we come to the abysmal ending where, laughably, they defeat the enemy with the power of friendship and magic gold that saves the world. Stunning atrocious episode with little value to even die hard nuwhovians, such as myself.