Turk Flu

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“Turk Flu”
Robin Hood episode
Robin attacks one of the Sheriff's men.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 5
Written by	Debbie Oates
Directed by	Declan O'Dwyer
Original airdate	November 4, 2006
Episode chronology
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"Parent Hood"	"The Taxman Cometh"

"Turk Flu" is the fifth episode of the 2006 Robin Hood television series, made by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC One. It aired on Saturday November 4, 2006 at 7.05pm. The title refers to an illness which is allegedly carried by Saracens, and is a punning reference to the 2006 bird flu scare in Britain. In the United States, it aired under the title "The Arrow and the Optic" on March 31, 2007 at 9.00pm.

1 Plot
- 1.1 Summary
- 1.2 Expanded Overview
2 Ratings
3 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Summary

Robin must be patient when the Nottingham Fair comes to town bringing with it the temptation of the silver arrow competition. Before he can compete Robin must first deal with the Sheriff's latest plan of using Saracen slaves as labour in his deadly mine. Can Robin, with the help of the Night Watchman, defeat Nottingham's plan in time for the competition?

[edit] Expanded Overview

More and more workers from the Treeton Mine are dying because of its abominable working conditions. One worker, Dunne, who is encouraged by his son, informs Guy of Gisborne that all the workers will go on strike unless conditions are improved. Gisborne infroms the Sheriff of Nottingham of this development, but rather than spend time fixing the mine, Nottingham dismisses all the workers and prohibits anyone from helping them - after Gisborne kills Dunne, and mentions a backup plan.

Meanwhile, Robin Hood is overly energetic and anxious: the Nottingham Fair is on that day, but he cannot compete in the archery contest for the silver arrow because it's obviously a trap.

The Night Watchman delivers money and food to the families of the out-of-work miners while they are burying Dunne. However, as he leaves, he is accosted by Gisborne, who wounds the Night Watchman on the arm but is beaten back anyway.

We go back to Robin, whose band has captured a cart and the outlaws discover the Sheriff's backup plan for the mine: Saracen slave labour. Again, we switch scenes, this time to Marian at Knighton Hall, who is wrapping up her arm with a cloth. Sir Edward comes up and sees the wound, then informs her that Gisborne is waiting for her downstairs. He has come to invite Marian to attend the fair with him, and though she initially pleads exhaustion, she quickly accepts after her father mentions her injury. When Gisborne relates the tale of his fight with the Night Watchman to Marian and Sir Edward, Edward realises that Marian is the Night Watchman.

Robin plans to free the slaves in the cart, but when the slaver mentions the Saracens having the fictional "Turk flu", Robin comes up with a plan to infiltrate the mine. At this point, it is discovered that one of the Saracan boys, Djac, can speak English.

Gisborne and the Sheriff go to the fair. Marian and Edward also leave, Marian explaning to her father her reasons for becoming the Night Watchman. As Marian travels to Nottingham in Gisborne's carriage, she is seen by Robin and his men. While this is happening, Rowan, son of the deceased Dunne, is with his mother, grieving over the death of this father. Although he promises his mother he will not do anything stupid, he leaves the house, saying there is something he needs to do.

We go back to the Saracen cart, where Much is trying to convince Djac to renounce his god and pretend to conform to Christianity in order to be freed, saying that Djac's god will realize he doesn't mean it. Meanwhile, Robin explains his plan to the others. Allan-a-Dale will enter the mine along with the other prisoners and pretend to contract "Turk flu", which will scare the superstitious guards away and allow the outlaws free run of the mine. His explanation is interrupted by a fire lighted by Djac, who is trying to escape, thinking that Robin is trying to sell them for himself. However, Robin earns Djac's trust when he reveals that he can somewhat understand the Saracens' language and lets them go to wash and pray. While Djac is washing, Will goes to inform him with news from Robin, but stops short when he sees Djac, who covers his chest with his shirt.

At the mine, the plan is laid to action. Robin must quickly interfere when Rowan appears to kill Gisborne, nearly ruining Robin's plan. However, it continues without any problems. After Nottingham and Gisborne leave for the fair, Allan comes up out of the mine and collapses, black ooze coming out of his mouth. The guards scatter in fear and Robin and his men attack.

At the fair, Nottingham and Gisborne try to ferrit out Robin from the populace. Gisborne is unnerved when Nottingham states that if Gisborne's man, the "Red Arrow" wins, he expects to have the silver arrow returned to him. At the same time, Robin lets the slaver go. Much figures out Robin's real plan: when the slaver tells the Sheriff and Gisborne of the events at the mine, they will come immediately and allow Robin to attend the fair unmolested by their scrutiny, Robin sarcastically stating that Gisborne will have to stop his wooing of Marian. The plan is going well until Little John falls into a covered mineshaft, and the group must waste time while Djac climbs down and rescues him, exhibiting his medicinal skills after having earlier shown his skills in helping to light fire to the mine. Rowan slips away, unnoticed by all but Djac, stating that he will make Gisborne feel loss by killing the one he woos.

At the fair, Marian is peeling an apple when Gisborne touches her arm. Blood comes off on his hand. Marian quickly and discreetly cuts her hand, stating that some blood must have gotten on her sleeve. The slaver then appears, informing Nottingham and Gisborne of the happenings at the mine. They rush off to capture Robin, who barely manages to escape in time to avoid the Sheriff and destroy the mine. The group is exhilirated until they find out what Rowan has left to do.

While this is happening, Rowan has arrived at Nottingham, intending to kill Marian. He enters the archery contest to obtain a bow and confronts Marian in a corridor, but she recognizes him and calmly talks him out of his plan, telling him to win the silver arrow, which can be used to feed the miners all winter. She then tells the newly arrived Robin to help Rowan win the contest. Disguised, Robin fires the winning shot, then ducks and switches with Rowan so that Rowan is mistaken as the shooter. The Saracans are freed but Djac decides to stay with the outlaws. Even when Will reveals that Djac is really a woman, they agree to let her stay.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Ratings

The episode came eighth for the week for BBC One, but was beaten by Who Wants to be a Millionaire? on rival channel ITV. Turk Flu received 6.45 million viewers; Who Wants to be a Millionaire? received 6.54 million viewers.