...in which (for the first time this series) I genuinely enjoyed the episode! Finally!! To be clear, I do have criticisms, but overall this is my favorite episode of this series.

In the third episode of Series 8 (written by Mark Gatiss), The Doctor reluctantly takes Clara to Sherwood Forest to find Robin Hood (whom The Doctor insists is a myth)...The underlying theme of the episode, of course, is that The Doctor refuses to believe that a fairy tale hero could be real, even though he, himself, is a fairy tale hero.

Today I'm reviewing 'Into the Dalek', the second episode of series 8, written by Phil Ford and Steven Moffat. .... this Doctor seems to be taking a completely pragmatic approach to things, and I quite like the change in direction. He seems to be the only character undergoing any real form of well thought out development, and once again, Capaldi nails the performance. 

Ten years ago I got married. We had known each other for 18 years, even dated in junior high, but he never proposed. Somehow I found myself on Ocean Springs Beach wearing a sarong & exchanging vows with the very first boy I ever dated. Next thing I know he’s slipping a cheap Jazz Fest ring on my finger and we’re married.

For the most part, I really enjoyed it. It was funny, there were plenty of references for long time fans, nods to past Doctors, and Moffat even cleverly touched on a lot of questions people had expressed about Capaldi's casting. I felt that the scenes with The Doctor in the alleyway with the tramp were some of the most poignant scenes in the whole episode. His disorientation was both amusing and troubling; you really felt for him as he tried to piece together who he is.