Robot of Sherwood (TV story)

 was the third episode of the eighth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales.

Synopsis
Clara is elated when offered the chance to meet the English folk hero Robin Hood, despite the Twelfth Doctor's insistence that he is nothing more than a legend. Travelling to a sun-drenched Sherwood Forest in 1190, they soon realise that something is amiss as the cruel Sheriff of Nottingham and his sinister robot knights plot to rewrite the course of history.

Can the Doctor put aside his doubts and stir up an unlikely friendship with Robin Hood?

Plot
Whilst the Doctor scribbles down scientific calculations on his chalkboard, he offers to let Clara choose where she would like to go. At first, she explains that the Doctor wouldn't believe in him, she excitedly insists to see Robin Hood. The Doctor explains that he's a legend and not a real person, and tries to persuade her to choose the planet Mars. Clara demands to see him as soon as possible. Giving in, the Doctor takes the TARDIS to Sherwood Forest, 1190.

The TARDIS materialises outside a small lake in Sherwood Forest. The Doctor exits the TARDIS, yelling out that there's "No damsels in distress, no Bridget Castles, no such thing as Robin Hood!" As soon as he finishes, an arrow suddenly strikes the side of the TARDIS. The Doctor is shocked to see a man in green tights rise out from behind a log. As the Doctor stares blank eyed, the man winks at him. The Doctor rips the arrow out of the TARDIS and confronts the man. The man demands that the Doctor give up his 'magic box.' The two's confrontation is quickly interrupted by Clara exiting the TARDIS in a 12th century red dress. The man quickly becomes infatuated and asks if there's any more in there. Clara, not believing what she's seeing, congratulates the Doctor for finding him. He answers that it's not Robin Hood. The man unleashes a sword at the Doctor, demanding he give away the TARDIS to him.

The Doctor dons a glove and unleashes...a spoon. The two battle on the lake's walkway whilst Clara cheers them on. The man slices off a button of the Doctor's jacket, shocking him. The Doctor holds out his arms, showing a sign of defeat. Just as the man is about to finish him off, the Doctor reacts quickly and trips up the man, making him fall into the lake. The man quickly sneaks up behind the Doctor and pushes him into the lake, annoying him.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Peter Capaldi
 * Clara - Jenna Coleman
 * Robin Hood - Tom Riley
 * Quayle - Roger Ashton-Griffiths
 * Quayle's Ward - Sabrina Bartlett
 * The Sheriff of Nottingham - Ben Miller
 * Alan-a-Dale - Ian Hallard
 * Friar Tuck - Trevor Cooper
 * Little John - Rusty Goffe
 * Will Scarlett - Joseph Kennedy
 * Walter - Adam Jones
 * Herald - David Benson
 * Guard - David Langham
 * Knight - Tim Baggaley
 * Voice of the Knights - Richard Elfyn

Story notes

 * A scene in which the Sheriff of Nottingham was beheaded, revealing him to be a robot, was edited out of this episode's broadcast as it was deemed inappropriate in light of recent events in the news — namely, the beheading of two American journalists by terrorist group . The cut can clearly be seen in the finished programme, when the tapestry behind Clara and the Doctor vanishes before Robin cuts the rope and rises to the wooden gantries.
 * One of the images brought up on the computer screen is of Patrick Troughton, the actor who portrayed the Second Doctor, and also the first actor who played Robin Hood on television.
 * This episode's title is capitalised, whereas previous episodes of the season were not. The title sequence is also precluded by the cliffhanger "sting" used since The Ambassadors of Death.
 * Ben Miller (The Sheriff of Nottingham) is credited as 'Sheriff' in Radio Times.
 * The Radio Times programme listing was accompanied by a small colour head-and-shoulders shot of Jenna Coleman as Clara with her 12th century hairstyle, with the accompanying caption "Doctor Who / 7.30 p.m. Clara throws herself into the action on an adventure with Robin Hood".

Ratings
to be added

Filming locations

 * Fforest Fawr, Brecon Beacons National Park


 * Caerphilly Castle, Castle St.

Production errors

 * Despite portraying a highly competent archer, actor Ben Miller's technique was rather flawed when firing his arrows.

Continuity

 * The Doctor suggests to Clara that they are inside a miniscope upon encountering Robin Hood and his Merry Men in Sherwood Forest. (TV: Carnival of Monsters)
 * This is not the first time that the Doctor has encountered a spaceship disguised as a castle. (TV: State of Decay)
 * The spaceship was headed for the destination of "the Promised Land". The Half-Face Man also claimed that he was waiting to reach the Promised Land. (TV: Deep Breath)
 * The Doctor uses Venusian aikido to disarm Robin Hood, complete with "Hai" same as his Third incarnation commonly did. (TV: The Mind of Evil, Inferno, The Claws of Axos et al.)
 * The Doctor previously met a ship that needed Gold to repair the engines, in his fifth incarnation the Djinni used the gold the Black Guardian horded from the Caliph and compressed it to make a warp manifold, the fifth segment to the Key to Time. (AUDIO: The Destroyer of Delights)
 * Once again the Doctor likens a foolish person's thought processes to pudding. (TV: Deep Breath)
 * King Richard the Lionheart and his brother Prince John of England are mentioned. Meanwhile in 1190, King Richard is fighting the Crusades, where he met the First Doctor. (TV: The Crusade) The Fifth Doctor would meet the android Kamelion masquerading as the then King John in 1215. (TV: The King's Demons)
 * The Doctor and Robin Hood escape the cell by feigning a possession in the same way as Ben and Polly did in TV: The Smugglers.
 * A different account about the appearance and the fate of Robin Hood was referred in PROSE: The Thief of Sherwood.

DVD releases
The episode will be released as part of the Complete Series 8 in November.

Blu-ray releases
to be added