New Robin Hood series on the BBC

[marycrawford]

I just noticed a TV listing for 'Robin Hood' on BBC1 tonight, and went, "Huh, are they rerunning that old series with Michael Praed that I loved when I was a kid? At 8 o'clock on a Saturday?"

So no, it's an entirely new Robin Hood series.



It starts with a chase scene, where first an unlucky villager, then Robin and his servant Much are being chased by the Sheriff's men. They're on foot, being chased by four or five guys on horses, and it's very very clear that they're running along a bridlepath, and that's the only reason they're in danger - if they got off the stupid path and started zigzagging through the trees, it would be impossible for the horses to run them down, and their pursuers wouldn't have the advantage anymore.

When they finally do get off the path, they hide under the roots of a large tree, while a single black-armored rider waits on the path, searching for them. Um. I half expected a spider to start crawling down Robin's collar.

Robin pretends he's got the Sheriff's men surrounded by having Much pull on ropes so that various bits of trees move. It's broad daylight, and the trees aren't thick enough to have anyone hiding behind them, and it's all just...argh. I like cheese, but this isn't cheese; it's more, well, chalk. It all feels very slow and plodding and humorless.

Then Robin and Much meet Random Guy, who has a daughter with really un-British amounts of cleavage, and Robin has a go at the daughter and then has to fight Random Guy, so he can show off his scimitar skills. And then he gets back to Locksley Hall and a plot of sorts starts developing, but it took so long that I gave up. Maybe it got good after the first half hour or so; I just ran out of patience.

Robin is fairly cute in a boyish, scruffy, blue-eyed sort of way, and Guy of Gisborne wears a big black leather coat and swallows half his consonants, so I'm guessing he's evil. Sadly, neither of them does much for me, and I think I'll just make up my own series starring Sean Bean as Robin and Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Mmm.

Comments

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

I wasn't terribly impressed either, especially after all the hype that this was going to be the "best version of Robin Hood evar, omg!!!1!".

I kept watching, only b/c I was already working in the room and didn't feel like turning the TV off. Basically the two Scarlet boys, a random village boy, and Alan-a-Dale get taken in for stealing flour. They're sentenced to hang, Marion and her dad (the former Sheriff) tell Robin he'd better just let them die and bide his time until he can fight back effectively, but of course he doesn't and saves them at the last minute, making them all merry outlaws.

The Sheriff of Nottingham is...kind of camp. Very flamboyant and fond of strange idioms (some of them modern, which annoys). He wears a bad furry hat.

I might tune in for the next episode, but I won't go out of my way for it. After all the hype, I'm really very underwhelmed.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks for the added info! See, I knew there had to be some plot coming, but eeesh, why did it have to take so long? And hmm, the Sheriff of Nottingham being camp is sort of traditional at this point, but I'm not sure it could work in something so earnest as this series.

I didn't know there was hype, but then I only watch an odd hour or so of TV a week. I'm glad I didn't know about it beforehand, because I rely on the BBC as doing this sort of thing really really well, and I'd have been extra dissapointed.

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he does seem quite out of place. Except for the crazy magician type, who's just as flamboyant.

I watch most of my TV on my computer these days, but there are ads on buses and everyone seems to be talking about it here. I agree, usually the BBC does much better miniseries, and as a pilot which is supposed to catch one's attention, this one didn't do its job at all.

*uses only Robin Hood icon*

[ltlj.livejournal.com]

Huh. Sounds very underwhelming, compared to the Michael Praed version. I love that they filmed all that in real castles and ruins; the look, even in the first episodes which were a bit awkward, was incredible.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Underwhelming is the word. I couldn't really compare it to the Michael Praed version myself, because I never saw reruns of it (alas) and so what I remember is very unspecific: mostly that it was quite rugged and grim, that there was a lot of Celtic myth in it, that Marian was a tough cookie and that Robin was gobsmackingly gorgeous. At least while he was Michael Praed, not so much the later blond guy. *g*

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Also, please do not retire this icon ever. *admires*

[ltlj.livejournal.com]

The Praed/Connery Robin Hood is out on DVD now, and the set has tons of extras. Interviews with cast, writers, production people, and bloopers, and whole bit.

icon

Yeah, I love this shot. I love that they keep it consistent that if you want to hug John, you have to catch him by surprise.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

The Praed/Connery Robin Hood is out on DVD now, and the set has tons of extras

Ooooo. Tempting words, those.

The ones about John, too. *G*

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

I am getting curious on this, even if I know nothing will stop me from loving the REAL Will Scarlet!!! :-D Long live Ray Winstone! *grins*

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

The Will Scarlett in the new series is quite a young lad, fifteen-ish, I'd say, and black-haired, so any chance of confusion seems minimal. *g*

[dbw.livejournal.com]

I think I'll just make up my own series starring Sean Bean as Robin and Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Mmm.

I'd pay good money to see that! :-)

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Hee. Me too! *sigh*

[giglet.livejournal.com]

my own series starring Sean Bean as Robin and Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

I'd pay to watch that! Maybe even to read about it!

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Hee. I saw Sean Bean mentioned in a BBC article about the new RH series - apparently he was in the running for Robin Hood. Maybe he wasn't available (or affordable).