Live from Master Closet Studios, you’re listening to the only podcast on the internet that can split an arrow in twain five times: It’s the Noobs and the Whovian!
My name is Austin and I’m the Whovian, and these are my sons Corbin and Tripp and we’re the noobs!
This is the podcast that introduces a whole new generation to Doctor Who by watching an episode each week and discussing it from the perspective of a dad who’s seen it before, and two sons who haven’t.
Welcome to Episode 117 covering the Series 8 episode 3: Robot of Sherwood.
This is the one where the Doctor and Clara meet Robin Hood, and the Robot of Sherwood, which are, oddly, NOT the same person.
Production notes
- Story # 244
- Originally aired September 6, 2014 to 7.28 million viewers
- Written by: Mark Gatiss
- Directed by: Paul Murphy
Misc Trivia
- When the display is showing all kinds of Robin Hood stories, one of the images is of Patrick Troughton playing Robin Hood. Apparently, he was the first actor to play Robin Hood on TV!
- It’s the first episode since Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS that never visits present-day Earth.
Cast
- Master Quayle – Roger Ashton-Griffiths
- Played Mace Tyrell on Game of Thrones
- The Sheriff of Nottingham – Ben Miller
- Played Bough in the Johnny English movies
Checklist
- Name of the episode spoken in dialogue?
- nope
- Creatures of the week
- Robot Knights & The Sheriff of Nottingham
- Apparently there was a scene where the Sheriff was beheaded, revealing that he was, in fact, a robot.
- It was deleted because of a terrorist act in the news at the time.
- This would’ve made the line “half man, half engine” make more sense. Otherwise, it was a little out of left field.
- Robot Knights & The Sheriff of Nottingham
- Stuff the Doctor loves
- Not laughing!
- Jiggery Pokery
- Sonic
- It can blow up an archery target at 30 paces!
- Can you explain your plan without using the words “sonic screwdriver?” It’s ALWAYS the sonic screwdriver, just sayin.
- TARDIS
- It self-healed from the arrow hole!
- Sonic
Other stuff we noticed
- Not in this universe, OR the next!
- This was in response to Robin saying he would steal the blue box
- What is the next universe?!
- Master Quayle has a LOT of spit
- What was the deal with the gold arrow powering the engines just by touching the outside?
- History is a burden, but stories can make us fly.
- Marian
Who’s Who?
- Who is Clara?
- She took year 7 after-school taekwondo!
- I said shoot oop!
- You can take the girl out of Blackpool…
- Don’t give up. Not ever, not even one single day. Be safe, if you can be. But always. Be. amazing.
- Who is the Doctor?
- He fences with a spoon
- When did you stop believing in everything?
- When did you start believing in impossible heroes? Don’t you know?
- He’s a master bowman? Actually, no!
- Quickest way to figure out somebody’s plans? Get captured.
- You have a sickly appearance to you
- When the girl kissed him and said “You saved us, clever one” he was really touched.
- He’s still not keen on the laughing thing
- Is it still so hard to believe that a man born into wealth and privilege should find the plight of the oppressed too much to bear, until one night he steals a TARDIS, fly among the stars, fighting the good fight.
- He is Clara’s hero.
Can we talk about Robin’s speech?
- I’m not her hero.
- Neither am I, but perhaps if we both keep pretending, perhaps others will become heroes in our name. Perhaps we will both be stories. And may those stories never end.
- Remember, Doctor, I’m just as real as you!
- This was great on multiple levels.
- First, it’s just a great character moment
- On a production level, there was all kinds of stuff going on!
- Keep pretending, we’ll both be stories – I mean, that’s exactly what they’re all doing! When he says “I’m just as real as you” it’s true in universe and out!
- Others will become heroes in our name – this is what hero stories are supposed to do! They inspire others towards higher ideals.
- May those stories never end – both of these characters are in a class of character (Bond, Sherlock, even Kirk) that have been played throughout time by different actors
- Because of this, these stories don’t have to end! I wouldn’t be surprised if Doctor Who movies, shows, and stories are still being told 200 years from now, like Sherlock is now
Classic Who Connection
- After finding Robin Hood, the Doctor wondered if he and Clara were in a miniscope. In the Third Doctor serial Carnival of Monsters they showed a miniscope as a sideshow attraction. It’s basically a television but the characters are miniaturized people/creatures living inside the miniscope.
- In the Fourth Doctor serial State of Decay there was also a spaceship that looked like a castle
- The First Doctor’s companions Polly and Ben escaped capture in the serial The Smugglers by acting possessed just like The Doctor and Robin Hood did
- In the Silver Nemesis Lady Peinforte hit the TARDIS with an arrow
Overall impressions
- Overall rating out of 10 –
- Jared – 6.5
- Austin – 7 golden hands
- Corbin – 6 golden arrows
- Tripp – 7.5 cross lazers
- Creep Level – out of 500
- Jared – 10
- Austin – 50
- Corbin – 10
- Tripp – 30
Theories
- Thoughts on Missy and Heaven?
- Corbin & Tripp – The Half-faced man didn’t actually die but was put into a new body of some kind. That’s not Heaven, though it could be the Promised Land.
- Tripp – Missy is NOT a robot, perhaps a creator.
- Corbin – Missy is the bad guy. Lt. Redshirt was a robot!
The Game Plan
- As of right now, Bill & Ted 3 is back to premiering on August 28th, so keep your fingers crossed!
- Next week we continue with Series 8, Episode 4: Listen.
Closing
Noobs and the Whovian is a production of Master Closet Studios, where it’s always smaller on the inside. Your Senior Producer is Austin Reason. Our Audio Engineer is Tripp Reason. Corbin Reason is our Production Editor. Special thanks to tardis.wikia.com for the trivia, and to Jared for the Classic Who Connection. Shout outs to Victor, Jared, and James for their Patreon support.
You can find us at facebook.com/noobsandthewhovian or twitter.com/noobswhovian and email us at [email protected]. Consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/noobsandthewhovian. Please subscribe and leave a rating wherever you found us, and share us with a friend not because we’re a great show but because we watch one.
