Doctor Who 8.03 “Robots of Sherwood” & 8.04 “Listen”

The Rundown: Awesomeness. Capaldi gets to stretch his legs in a classic history episode, and teaches us why we’re afraid of the dark, and why it’s okay in these episodes. Since I’ve fallen behind due to real life getting in the way, I’ve decided to do a double header. Enjoy!

Actually this is more of a single header, as “Robots of Sherwood” gives me very little to say about it. In it, the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) travel back to 1190-ish in search of the legendary Robin of Loxley, otherwise known as Robin Hood (Tom Riley). Despite the Doctor’s insistence that he doesn’t exist, there they find him, and hijinks ensue. Despite some very memorable moments, this episode feels very much like a classic Davies’ episode, essentially retelling the tale of Robin Hood with a Doctor-ish twist. It’s fun, it’s light, but it is somewhat lackluster in the story department and tends to get even sillier than usual. There are some allusions to the main overall plot, but these are minor. It’s not bad, it’s not great, so there you go.

Now, “Listen” is one of my favorite Capaldi episodes to date, though there have only been like five of them, so take that as you will. This is the kind of classic Doctoring I like, where he explores a concept or idea that spans all of humanity, rather than a single point in history. The episode starts with a hypothesis that there has evolved a creature whose defense is the ability to hide perfectly. Along for the ride to test this hypothesis is none other than Clara Oswald, right after she tanks her first date with one Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson). The rest of the episode is spent in search of the elusive creature, with some awesome story tidbits strewn across the way.

One of the best things about this episode is the amazing feel of it. The constant talk of darkness, of the feeling of someone right behind you, creates a rising level of tension as they get closer and closer to discovering the cause of it. The early appearance of one of these creatures is probably the most amazing bit of television I’ve witnessed within the last couple years. They never break from theme, and keep an episode that contains very little action feel very action-packed. The sense of mystery and reverence to a shared human experience is constant and amazing.

The other thing that is highlighted in this episode is a feature of the Doctor that is very rarely touched upon, at least in the new series. This is how the Doctor’s desire to know, his curiosity, is actually a flaw in his character. In the previous incarnations of the modern Doctor, his curiosity and his boldness are always part of the ‘plan’ or simply a quirk which leads to more and more exciting situations. In this, that same desire to know, that same curiosity, puts him and those he’s with in real and mortal danger. He acknowledges this, and yet he will not leave, will not look away, because he simply cannot help himself. This, I think, is going to be Capaldi’s big struggle in the series to come, apart from the entire ‘Promised Land’ hints we keep getting.

As for criticisms, I have very few for “Listen.” Overall it was a very enjoyable experience, and was full of the types of things I love to see in Doctor Who. Moffat has created yet another environment of tension and brought the scare back to Doctor Who. Perhaps the romance between Clara and Danny Pink seems a bit forced, but it’s hard to judge until we see where Pink falls into the grander scheme of this season.

Overall “Listen” was an enjoyable watch and I’d heartily recommend it to any fans who were put off by “Robots of Sherwood” or are unconvinced that Capaldi can do justice to the Doctor’s grand legacy. This is as close to classic Who you can get without going back in time, and it delivers more thrills and stimulating conversation than most can safely handle in a one hour period. Keep it coming Moffat, you are restoring my faith with each passing episode, I’m back on the bandwagon. Keep em coming!