@Robby:
I'm still not feeling it.
And I hate that I'm not feeling it.
The episode and premise were good. The acting is good. Capaldi is solid in the role, and Jenna's acting far better against him than against Matt as an optimist against a grump (whereas against Matt she had to be fast and clever and witty, and she was only ever that in Asylum and Snowmen, before she was current Clara) and the chemistry is good, the directing is fine, the music and pacing are about the same as ever and grumpy doctor 3 is one of my favorites…. there was absolutely nothing wrong with it at all.
so I just dunno why it's not working for me.
I think it boils down to Tennant or Smith would have been enthused about the whole thing. "Wow, Robin Hood! That's impossible! But interesting!" while Capaldi's reaction is "Bah, Robin Hood. Impossible, what a waste of time, what's the trick." and I'm just not feeling enthusiasm or joy... even when he finally became interested by the robots. And I guess that's what's putting me off. How would Capaldi have handled Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, for instance?
I hope I get used to Capaldi soon, so I can go back and enjoy these more on a second watch. I just find myself missing Matt and imagining how he would have handled the exact same script. And I've never had doctor turn around burn out before... but then when I grew up on the classics I had advance knowledge of all of them just being there I guess, so the switch was always looming. Matt's the first time i've really been with a doctor from the getgo at the start through several years and onto the next guy.
Imagining Capaldi in Smith's place isn't fair, though. That's taking the good that's already been established and switching the key element. Plus, the stories(in a way) are built around the Doctor, so Capaldi and the dinos were never meant to work anyway. I know you were just kind of saying, but it really isn't a great way to look at it.