So...In the TV shows that are still continuing I am doing separate pages for every episode, but I have decided that for TV shows that are cancelled, I will do a single page review...or maybe by season. At this junction, I do not know, as I have only seen the first season of Robin Hood.
Robin Hood is....good. Now...it's not Doctor Who or Merlin....which is probably why it only had 1.7 million viewers it's last episode and why it was ultimately cancelled. But they did manage 39 episodes. One series ('season' in America) takes usually about 8 months of the actors life to film....not including promotion. That means that we can assume a 10 month period in which the actor is probably active. Now, since most people work 12 months we feel little pity, but remember they don't get nice vacation or sick time like we do. So it is rather taxing on them to do one role for so many years. Jonas Armstrong announced that he was done after three years, which started the downfall of Robin Hood. ...The show really was sinking in the ratings, and with a cast of characters who weren't willing to sell their lives to it...you can understand why it sank after so short of time. And as I mentioned to my friends, only early tonight, how many times can you make Robin Hood stealing from the rich and giving the to the poor interesting? There's only so many plot lines that can be hatched from that premise.
So with all that said, they did well. They did better than I would have expected. Jonas Armstrong, who played Robin Hood is great. He's a great actor. I'm not really sure why they made him make out with that RANDOM girl in the first episode. That annoyed me. He's supposed to be stuck on Marian. I'm not really sure that I get that he's flirting with others...but it is possible I'm lacking something in the story. Although I am up on my history of the Crusades, being a previous history teacher, I do lack the knowledge of all of Robin Hood's tales.
In season one, so far, what has struck me is his people. I'm glad that they follow him, but it seemed to be all or nothing, which seems weird, and unnatural. Everyone has alternative motives. Everyone has a life and what they value most. They play on that a little, but not enough. They all agree to follow Robin. They all agree to give up their previous lives of robbing willy nilly easily. I do not accept that it happened so easily. Furthermore, Allan A Dale, who I just LOVE for some reason, goes from being a compulsive liar to....hardly lying ever? Really? I mean they don't highlight that part, but a person who is truly a compulsive liar, never stops...to anyone. So he was just a crook, not a compulsive liar. I can accept that, if they labeled him as such. I can't get on with the term compulsive liar...by principle. Maybe it's a teacher thing in me. I used to teach, and have had several students with disabilities, and unfortunately I know what a compulsive liar is. I know them from a mile away. Allan A Dale, wasn't one. It's either their fault, or mine for being too technical. Not sure, but there's massive flaw in the character.
The other character that doesn't quite match up is Little John. He does a....pretty decent job. But when I think Little John, I think someone like Hagrid, from Harry Potter. He should almost be giant with a strength of twenty men, because that's what he's supposed to offer to Robin Hood and his bandits. He's supposed to be the next person in charge. I do like the story behind him and his son though.
With all of this negative stuff behind us, I think what I like most about the story is them trying to build some personal relationships between the characters. You can almost understand why Marian would possibly date Guy....almost. You can understand Much, who is played by Sam Troughton, who is BRILLIANT. Really, he is a credit to his grandfather, Patrick Troughton's legacy. You understand when he falls in love. You understand how he follows Robin. You understand when sympathizes with the English crusaders. It must have been hell. What a useless war. What a horrible horrible, bloody, tragic waste of a war. And although the crusades have ended, the war continues, doesn't it? We have NEVER made peace with the Middle East. We still fight them today. It's horrible. To see a show like this, where they are fighting about VERY similar things...We may not fight in the name of the Lord anymore, but we fight, because of what they believe. And we fight because we want what they have. ...but enough about politics.
So this show, so far, is good. I recommend watching it, certainly. It is over now. Only 39 episodes. But watching them I feel is necessary. I have only seen the first season, but I am already sure that it is worth seeing, although I realize it's flaws, I think there is enough good in it to watch it. It will not change your life. It may make you more educated...I know...crazy.
So watch, enjoy, and see what you get out of it. I may write more after I see season 2 & 3. We'll see!
LJ
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