Robot of Sherwood
- Episode aired Sep 6, 2014
- TV-PG
- 46m
In Sherwood Forest, the Doctor uncovers a sinister alien plot and forms an alliance with Robin Hood. With Nottingham at stake, the Doctor must decide who is real and who is fake.In Sherwood Forest, the Doctor uncovers a sinister alien plot and forms an alliance with Robin Hood. With Nottingham at stake, the Doctor must decide who is real and who is fake.In Sherwood Forest, the Doctor uncovers a sinister alien plot and forms an alliance with Robin Hood. With Nottingham at stake, the Doctor must decide who is real and who is fake.
- Knight
- (uncredited)
- John Little
- (uncredited)
- Robin Hood
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Mark Gatiss
- Steven Moffat
- Sydney Newman(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaPrior to the episode's airing, American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded by ISIS. Executive producer Brian Minchin flagged the episode as having potentially problematic content. As a result, the climax was severely edited - the Doctor originally used a tapestry in the vault to incapacitate the Sheriff, allowing Robin to behead him. However, the Sheriff was revealed to be a cybernetic lifeform, having been rebuilt by the robots after their spaceship crashed directly on him. The Sheriff's body threatened Clara, prompting Robin to rescue her by restoring the man's head. The pair then proceeded to their duel on the beam. The BBC agreed with Minchin's concerns, and authorised a last-minute re-edit. The loss of the beheading meant that the episode was abbreviated by about one minute. Evidence of the omission remained in the sudden disappearance of the tapestry from the vault wall, and the Sheriff's description of himself as "the first of a new breed - half man, half engine".
- GoofsWhen the robots are shown in orbit the Earth that is show is present day earth, not 1190-era earth. Clearly visible is the Dutch Flevopolder which was reclaimed around 1950.
- Quotes
Robin Hood: History is a burden. Stories can make us fly.
The Doctor: I'm still having a little trouble believing yours, I'm afraid.
Robin Hood: Is it so hard to credit? That a man born into wealth and privilege should find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear... until one night, he is moved to steal a TARDIS? Fly among the stars, fighting the good fight?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Doctor Who Extra: Robot of Sherwood (2014)
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.
- Lejink
- Sep 12, 2014
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Filming locations
- Caerphilly Castle, Caerphilly, Wales, UK(Most areas of the Sheriff's castle)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime46 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD