History Recap / DoctorWhoS34E3RobotOfSherwood

Written by Creator/MarkGatiss.

* ArbitraryScepticism: Right up to the climax, the Doctor is absolutely sure Robin Hood can't be real, mostly because he's so [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny stereotypically]] Robin Hood that the Doctor is convinced no real person could behave in such a fashion.

-->'''Robin Hood:''' "Robin Hood laughs in the face of all! Ha-ha-ha!"\\
'''The Doctor:''' "And do people ever punch you in the face when you do that?"\\
'''Robin Hood:''' "Not as yet, no."\\
'''The Doctor:''' "Lucky ''I'm'' here, then, isn't it?"

-->'''Robin:''' "And now what?"\\
'''The Doctor:''' "First a blacksmith's forge."\\
'''Robin:''' "So as to remove our chains?"\\
'''The Doctor:''' "No, so I can knock up an ornamental plant stand."

-->'''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?"

-->'''The Doctor''': "Robin's one of yours."
-->'''Sheriff''': "What did you say?"
-->'''The Doctor''': "He's one of your tin-headed puppets, just like these brutes here."
-->'''Sheriff''': "Robin Hood is not one of mine."
-->'''The Doctor''': "Of course he is. He's a robot, created by your mechanical mates."
-->'''Sheriff''': "Why would they do that?"
-->'''The Doctor''': "To pacify the locals, give them false hope. He's the opiate of the masses."
-->'''Sheriff''': "Why would we create an enemy to fight us? What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea."
-->'''The Doctor''': "Yes! Yes, it would. Wouldn't it? ''(realizing)'' Yes, that would be a rubbish idea. Why would you do that?"

-->'''The Doctor:''' "I have no sword. I don't need a sword. Because I am the Doctor. And ''this''... is my spoon!"

--->'''Clara:''' "Takes one to know one."

-->'''Sheriff:''' "No. This one's ''all mine''."

-->'''Robot:''' "Analysis shows that peasant creature is spent. Usefulness expired."

* PunBasedTitle: "''Robot'' of Sherwood", a pun on "RobinOfSherwood".

And Clara meets her idol. Then the Doctor [[AttentionWhore keeps trying to one-up him]], and she has to deal with the dick measuring contest. [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E6TheVampiresOfVenice The one that Rory was spared]].

More dubiously known as the one that had a [[OffWithHisHead scene]] taken out at the eleventh hour [[UnfortunateImplications because]] [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents it hit too close to home]].

-->'''Robin Hood:''' Robin Hood laughs in the face of all! Ha-ha-ha!\\
'''The Doctor:''' And do people ever punch you in the face when you do that?\\
'''Robin Hood:''' Not as yet, no.\\
'''The Doctor:''' Lucky ''I'm'' here, then, isn't it?

* ArcWords: These robots are also looking for the Promised Land.

-->'''Robin:''' And now what?\\
'''The Doctor:''' First a blacksmith's forge.\\
'''Robin:''' So as to remove our chains?\\
'''The Doctor:''' No, so I can knock up an ornamental plant stand.

* AttackReflector: Golden dinner plates are able to reflect the robots' beams back at them.

-->'''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?
* BeardOfEvil: The Sheriff. This plus his [[EvilWearsBlack black outfit]] make him resemble the Delgado and Ainley versions of the Master.

** After running a peasant through, the sheriff wipes off his blade, even though it's clean to begin with.

** The disintegration of the peasant takes place completely off screen.
* BondVillainStupidity: The Sheriff of Nottingham, when he places the Doctor in irons for a second time, after he'd already proven perfectly capable of escaping and causing trouble once.
* BowsAndErrors: In the climax, Robin Hood fires an arrow into a rising spaceship at least half a mile away. This would be impossible with a historical longbow, even if he were not using an arrow made of solid gold.

* ButHeSoundsHandsome: When telling Clara the story of a certain hypothetical Sheriff's encounter with robots from beyond the stars, the Sheriff of Nottingham makes sure to point out how handsome, brave and clever this hypothetical Sheriff was.

* TheCameo: A photograph of Second Doctor actor Creator/PatrickTroughton playing Robin Hood (actually, he was the very first TV Robin Hood) is shown on screen.
* CatchPhrase: Clara's "Seriously?" response makes its debut. It becomes her catchphrase for the rest of the season.
* CelebrityParadox: The ship's databanks include a picture of Robin Hood as portrayed by Second Doctor Creator/PatrickTroughton.

* CockFight: The Doctor doesn't take too kindly to Robin Hood stealing Clara's affections. They continue to bicker all the way into Nottingham's dungeon. The pissing contest reaches its apogee when Robin observes that, as an old person, the Doctor is liable to starve sooner.
-->'''The Doctor:''' Really? Well, you know what? I think you'll find I have a certain genetic advantage-- ''[Clara yanks on his manacles]''

** Twelve brandishing a spoon against his fencing opponent. This doubles as a reference to the swashbuckling Third, Fourth, Fifth and Tenth Doctors, and the Seventh, who played the spoons as an instrument.
** Twelve does a Third Doctor-style "Hai!" when attacking in this episode.

** The Doctor [[Recap/DoctorWho2007TDWASTheInfiniteQuest still has his spoon]].

* CranialProcessingUnit: In the leaked workprint, the Sheriff gets his head knocked off, but as a robot he can just put it right back. This was [[http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-09-04/bbc-makes-edit-to-doctor-who-robot-of-sherwood-out-of-respect-after-two-journalists-are-killed edited out]] of the finished episode out of respect for James Foley and Steven Sotloff, two journalists murdered by beheading.
* DeadHandShot: After Robin knocks the Sheriff into the vat of gold, there's a lingering shot of his gold-encrusted hands on the edge of the vat.

* DistractedByTheSexy: Robin momentarily drops his stoic demeanour when he sees LadyInRed Clara exit the TARDIS in her period garb.

* DressUpEpisode: For Clara, who ditches the modern-day clothes for a beautiful red period outfit. Averted for the Doctor, who sticks to his usual outfit.

-->'''The Doctor''': Robin's one of yours.
-->'''Sheriff''': What did you say?
-->'''The Doctor''': He's one of your tin-headed puppets, just like these brutes here.
-->'''Sheriff''': Robin Hood is not one of mine.
-->'''The Doctor''': Of course he is. He's a robot, created by your mechanical mates.
-->'''Sheriff''': Why would they do that?
-->'''The Doctor''': To pacify the locals, give them false hope. He's the opiate of the masses.
-->'''Sheriff''': Why would we create an enemy to fight us? What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea.
-->'''The Doctor''': Yes! Yes, it would. Wouldn't it? ''(realizing)'' Yes, that would be a rubbish idea. Why would you do that?

-->'''The Doctor:''' I have no sword. I don't need a sword. Because I am the Doctor. And ''this''... is my spoon!
%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* HealingFactor: When the Doctor pulls Robin's arrow out of the TARDIS, there's briefly a hole where the arrow was, which heals over, after which the Doctor rubs where the booboo was.

--->'''Clara:''' Takes one to know one.

* ImprobableAimingSkills: Played straight with Robin Hood, who is just that good. Subverted by the Sheriff and the Doctor. The Sheriff is partially a robot, which would explain his aim. The Doctor was just outright cheating, having modified his arrows to be self-guided and always hit the target.

*** It's not [[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E6TheKingsDemons the second time either]]. And in this one the villain's a smirky git with a beard as well.
** The Doctor's distaste for hearing Robin laugh while they're locked in the dungeon may go back a looooong way: the very ''first'' time he got locked in a medieval dungeon, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E9TheTimeMeddler back in the Hartnell era]], the Meddling Monk kept snickering at him through the cell door.

* {{Irony}}: Right up to the last few minutes, the Doctor is absolutely positive Robin can't be the real deal. [[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield This after meeting Morgaine, Mordred and King Arthur, and becoming Merlin himself.]]
** [[invoked]][[FridgeBrilliance Perhaps this even feeds into why he's so adamant; Morgaine, Mordred and King Arthur were all from another dimension with different laws of reality (hence how Morgaine had magical powers and access to a demon). With that kind of precedent...]]

-->'''Sheriff:''' No. This one's ''all mine''.

** "And remember, Doctor: I'm as real as you are."

* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: After managing to knock out their guard, Robin and the Doctor fighting over the keys causes the keys to fall into a grate. The Doctor says there's one bright side: Clara didn't see that.

* NonIndicativeName: Subverted with Little John. Little John is actually quite short, but they call the big guy Little John to have some fun with any new people they meet.
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: A particularly egregious example, as the Sheriff apparently believes Robin and Clara to have been killed by a 30 foot jump into ''a moat full of water.''
* NotSoDifferentRemark: Having been told the Doctor's story by Clara, Robin Hood claims they are actually quite similar; former aristocrats who now fight for the poor and oppressed.

* PaperThinDisguise: Robin's disguise at the archery contest is just a hat. The Sheriff recognises him, so this could be a mockery of the usual depictions of the contest.
* PassThePopcorn: When Robin challenges the Doctor to a swordfight, Clara rushes to a position where she can observe the fun.

* PracticeTargetOverkill: Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham compete for the Golden Arrow by the classic bow and arrow game. Then the Doctor appears to join the game and with his Sonic Screwdriver simply destroys the target, proclaiming himself the "winner" of the game and taking the arrow for himself.
* PopularHistory: Robin et al are presented as people are used to seeing them, rather than how they might have been in the actual period. Which is exactly why the Doctor doesn't believe they are real.

* ResistanceAsPlanned: Upon finding the ship, the Doctor assumes Robin to another robot, designed as a form of false hope which will keep the slaves working longer. When he confronts the Sheriff about this, the Sheriff finds this ridiculous. What kind of fool would create an enemy to make their plans more difficult?

** In the leaked workprint, a sudden decapitation reveals that the Sheriff is actually a cyborg, rebuilt when the ship crashed on him. This was [[http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-09-04/bbc-makes-edit-to-doctor-who-robot-of-sherwood-out-of-respect-after-two-journalists-are-killed edited out]] of the finished episode out of respect for James Foley and Steven Sotloff, two journalists executed by ISIS in that way. It's not a perfect cut, however, as some of the Sherrif's bragging about being a superior being is left in.

* SchizoTech: The Sheriff's "knights" are robots equipped with blasters, and he has a holographic display built into a wooden table. A subtler example is the Sheriff's 'castle': it's modeled on Bodiam, which was built in 1385 and so is nearly 200 years ahead of its time.

* SpitefulSpit: Quayle spits in the Sheriff's face when the Sheriff and his knights are looting the village for gold. The Sheriff stabs him in the stomach.
* SplittingTheArrow: During the archery contest as the Doctor, the Sheriff, and Robin [[SerialEscalation keep splitting each others' arrows. Then, because that's not impressive enough, trick shots that split the arrow.]] Then the Doctor gets tired of it and blows up the whole target with his sonic screwdriver.

* TodayXTomorrowTheWorld: {{Double subver|sion}}ted; the Sheriff boasts that after Nottingham he'll take... Derby. Then Lincoln. Clara suggests [[Series/MaidMarianAndHerMerryMen Worksop]] next, but he chooses this moment to jump to "the world!"

* TwoRightsMakeAWrong: Robin Hood devises a plan that lures the guard to them, enabling them to grab the keys to their chains. The plan almost works, with Robin opting to keep up the charade despite the Doctor making very unsightly remarks about why Robin was suddenly sick, except the two resume their pissing contest by trying to score a point by getting the keys to their chains. Their efforts result in the keys falling into a conveniently placed sewage drain.
* UnRoboticReveal: After spending most of the episode convinced that Robin Hood is another robot created by the villains, the Doctor is forced to conclude, much to his disbelief, that Robin Hood is every bit as real as he appears to be.

* WeAreStrugglingTogether: The Doctor and Robin Hood agree on taking down the Sheriff, but for completely different reasons (the Doctor wants to investigate the presence of robots in 1190; Robin wants to take down the Sheriff, who robs the peasantry of what gold they have). To make it worse, the two constantly try to one-up each other, which gets them into one hot mess after another.

* WhoWouldBeStupidEnough: The Sheriff's response to the Doctor's ResistanceAsPlanned theory about Robin. What kind of fool would create an enemy to make their plans more difficult? The Doctor then realizes just how foolish this theory is.

* WorthlessYellowRocks: Played with; the Sheriff demands tribute in the form of gold, but not other forms of currency that would be equally valuable, like gems. The gold is actually needed to repair the ship.

-->'''Robot:''' Analysis shows that peasant creature is spent. Usefulness expired.

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* PunBasedTitle: "''Robot'' of Sherwood", a pun on "Robin of Sherwood".
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JustForFun/{{The one w|ith}}here the Doctor engages in a CockFight with Robin Hood.

*** The ArrowCam is likely one to ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves''. Clara even refers to Robin as the "Prince of Thieves" at one point. The ''Robin of Sherwood'' theme also contains a riff from the film's theme.

The one where the Doctor engages in a CockFight with Robin Hood.

And Clara meets her idol. Then the Doctor [[AttentionWhore keeps trying to one-up him]], and she has to deal with the dick measuring contest. [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E6TheVampiresOfVenice The one that Rory was spared.]]

More dubiously known as the one that had a [[OffWithHisHead scene]] taken out at the eleventh hour [[UnfortunateImplications because]] [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents it hit too close to home.]]

* CuffsOffRubWrists: The Doctor rubs his wrists after he and Robin get out of their shackles.

* GrumpyBear: The Doctor spends most of the episode finding any reason he can to try and disprove Robin Hood's very existence, basically being a loud grumpy killjoy about the whole thing.