Doctor Who: Robot of Sherwood

[wshaffer]

Well, the early buzz on "Robot of Sherwood" had given me low expectations, so when I actually got around to watching it, I actually found it pleasantly enjoyable. The plot was a bit on the silly side, but there were two things I really liked about the episode.

Thing One: I've liked Peter Capaldi's performance as the Doctor from Day 1, but I think this episode is where it really seems to be fully gelled. I liked the nods back to the Pertwee era, from talking about a miniscope to the little karate (or should I say Venusian Aikido) chop in the midst of a combat sequence. And the bit where the Doctor duels Robin with a spoon? There's still a nine-year-old somewhere inside me for whom scenes like that are the *point* of Doctor Who.

Thing Two: Clara Oswald is coming dangerously close to developing a personality! I'm loving the fact that while she's clearly lost none of her esteem and affection for the Doctor, she argues with him! She tells him to shut up when he needs to shut up! Plus, she gets separated from the Doctor in this episode, and acquits herself very well. If she carries on for a few more episodes like this, she's going to rise much higher in my personal companion rankings. I'm really starting to hope that the rumors about her leaving at Christmas aren't true.

Obligatory gripe: The way they got the ship into orbit at the end didn't make sense even by the story's own pre-established made up technobabble logic, nevermind actual physics.

Comments

[wshaffer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm willing to go with the principle of "Break the rules of known science if it makes a good story," but in my mind a good story still needs to have its own internal logic and consistency.