| "Turk Flu" | |||
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| Robin Hood episode | |||
Robin attacks one of the Sheriff's men. |
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| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 5 |
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| Directed by | Declan O'Dwyer | ||
| Written by | Debbie Oates | ||
| Original air date | 4 November 2006 | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
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"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 4 November 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 was listed, in some places, under the title "The Arrow and the Optic" and premiered on 31 March 2007 at 9.00pm. The episode introduces Djaq, who replaces the deceased Royston White in Robin Hood's gang. After this episode, no more major characters are introduced until the start of the third series.
The Sheriff holds an archery competition with a silver arrow as the prize in hope of finding Robin, but the outlaws have other plans. They ambush a slave trader who is selling Saracens to the Sheriff's mine and smuggle Allan A Dale into the cage. Allan scares the guards with a rumour of a disease, allowing Robin and the others to set the mine on fire. Before they can do this however, Little John falls into the mine.
Meanwhile, in Nottingham, the slave trader arrives and informs the Sheriff of the outlaws' attack on the mine. The Sheriff and Gisborne rush to the mine, but are too late as one of the slaves, Djaq, has rescued John and the outlaws have burnt the mine.
A man attempts to kill Marian to get revenge on Gisborne for killing his father, but Marian convinces him to instead win the silver arrow, melt it down into coins, and use it to feed his family. With Robin's help, he does so. After all this Djaq decides to join the outlaws.
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.