The Doctor: A+
This was the first time that it felt like Peter Capaldi was comfortable and relaxed in the role. He inhabited the Doctor perfectly, and this was the first time we viewers got a good sense of his personality, interests, preferences, and so on. Clara, likewise, has found her place with the new Doctor, no longer serving as his partner so much as the person that gives him balance. She's the chipper yin to his grumpy yang.
It was impossible to watch "Robot of Sherwood" and not think of how Matt Smith's Doctor would have reacted to meeting the real Robin Hood. That Doctor would have been just as giddy as Clara, relishing every minute of this should-be-impossible adventure. But Capaldi's Doctor was interested only in proving that Robin Hood wasn't real, and he didn't mind pulling hairs, taking "samples," or cheating at archery to do it.
Speaking of Smith, since we're still in Capaldi's early days in the role, it's impossible to not draw comparisons between the two, and this episode really showcased the differences in their humor. Matt Smith's Doctor gave us comedy in his kooky reactions to things and his quirky self-satisfaction. Capaldi's humor comes from his sharp wit, particularly when fueled by his cantankerous demeanor and his obsessive need to be right. Smith's Doctor loved to heap praise upon himself, while few things make Capaldi's more uncomfortable than the praise of others.
Clara: A
Clara had a blast throughout the entire adventure, and Jenna Coleman was obviously enjoying herself as well. Clara also once again showed how adept she is at pulling information out of bad guys — or maybe the bad guys just aren't that bright. (The Doctor should make sure she's always the one that gets captured.) And her fangirl reactions to meeting Robin Hood were pretty darn adorable.
It's clear now that Coleman and Capaldi have finished feeling each other out as actors and settled into their groove. They bounced off each other better than ever.
"Robot of Sherwood": B+
From the moment in the teaser when Robin Hood stepped out of the woods and threw the Doctor a cheeky wink, it was obvious that "Robot of Sherwood" was going to be a departure from the darker leanings of the last few weeks. It was a playful romp in the same vein as other episodes featuring historical figures such as "The Shakespeare Code" and "The Unicorn and the Wasp." A perfect palatte cleanser, it was an hour of nothing but fun before returning to the Doctor's darker leanings next week. (And holy cow, does that one look scary.)
The funniest moments came from the Doctor's interactions with Robin Hood. Everything about the legendary outlaw was a cliché, which our new Doctor took great pleasure in mocking at every opportunity. (Because grumpy!) It was all nonsense, silly contrivances that adhered so closely to the Errol Flynn version of the legend, the Doctor simply couldn't swallow this "long-haired ninny." And for once, the Doctor was the stand-in for us, the audience (that's usually the companion's job) because we couldn't swallow it either.
Robin Hood was played by an unrecognizable Tom Riley, star of "Da Vinci's Demons," who hammed up Robin's stereotypical merriment with the glee of an actor given the chance to take a break from his usual brooding.
Since this is "Doctor Who," there must always be twists and surprises, but the Robin Hood thing felt more like an anti-twist. It turned out that there really was a man named Robin Hood who was exactly as the legends describe him, but history recorded him as a myth instead of a man. Whodathunk?
Was it silly? Of course. Was it fun? Oh yes. As long as you could suspend your disbelief — and this is undoubtedly where some viewers checked out.
"Robot of Sherwood" encapsulates everything that's great about "Doctor Who" and everything that's so easy to criticize about it. There are dozens of little plot points that we could spend all day picking apart, but doesn't splitting those hairs defeat the purpose of this kind of romp?
At the end of the day, if you examine any episode of "Doctor Who" too closely, you'll find things that don't quite add up or leaps of logic and way-too-convenient reveals. While the rules of the show are strictly adhered to, science and time and all that jazz tend to be very malleable.
As always, the best advice for anyone watching the Doctor do his thing is to simply sit back and enjoy the ride.
So what's up with "The Promised Land"? We've now seen two different robot factions who are seeking the mythical Promised Land. It begs the question, "Why robots?" Sure, Missy welcomed that soldier to the Promised Land last week in "Into the Dalek," but she hadn't been trying to get there. For both of these groups of "mechanical men," the Promised Land is their destination of choice.
So what kind of salvation do they believe is there waiting for them?
