RobinHood-related stories
Posted Aug 28th 2009 8:42AM by John Scott Lewinski
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Reality-Free, British TV
The third and final (and darker) season of
Robin Hood is set to hit BBC America Saturday, Sept 12 at 9pm E.T./P.T.
The original BBC production kept the classic character in the correct period and location, but it "Buffy'd" the show up a little with younger actors and occasional soapy plot elements intermixed with the required (and satisfying) action.
Series regulars Jonas Armstrong, Richard Armitage and Keith Allen remain and are joined by Toby Stephens (
Die Another Day) and David Harewood.
The show gets a little darker in its final run. That's not surprising as Robin Hood legend's usually end with the hero sacrificing himself and picking his burial spot with a final random arrow shot.
Continue reading Robin Hood tucks back into BBC America with third season
Posted May 26th 2007 5:04PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 8, The History Channel has the original Planet of the Apes. - At 8:30, ABC has Spurs/Jazz playoff game.
- Also at 8:30: Cartoon Network has a new Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo, then new episodes of Naruto, One Piece, Mar, and The Prince of Tennis.
- At 9, FOX has a new America's Most Wanted.
- CNBC has a new Suze Orman Show at 9.
- BBC America has a new Robin Hood at 9, followed by a new Wild At Heart.
- There's a new episode of The Real Deal on TLC at 9.
- At 10 on CSPAN2, Douglas Brinkley talks about The Reagan Diaries.
- HGTV has a new Design on a Dime at 10.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Apr 28th 2007 5:01PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
At 8, FOX has two new episodes of Cops, followed by a new America's Most Wanted. - At 9, TLC has a new episode of The Real Deal, then two new episodes of My First Home.
- BBC America has a new Robin Hood at 9.
- Also at 9: A&E has a new Flip This House.
- At 10, CBS has a new 48 Hours Mystery.
- HGTV has a new Design on a Dime at 10.
- There's a new episode of The States at 10 on The History Channel.
- At 11, FOX has a new Mad TV, then a new Talk Show with Spike Feresten (Michael Rapaport guests on both shows).
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Jan 3rd 2007 9:33PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E13) You know that little voice in your head which sometimes tells you not to do things, or sometimes warns you of impending danger?
Sure you do.
Some people envisage it as two little smaller versions of themselves, like a little devil and an angel, battling for your conscience and advising you for or against certain situations.
Well, I genuinely wish I'd listened to mine when it warned me off
Robin Hood several months ago.
Continue reading Robin Hood: A Clue: No (season finale)
Posted Dec 27th 2006 10:10AM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E12) All things being right, this is an episode of
Robin Hood which should have arrived about four episodes ago, bringing about some much-needed dramatic action to the storyline and giving the audience an emotional hurdle before the grand finale.
I've been quite critical of this show, despite the odd nugget here and there -- mostly because of the repetitive plots and corny endings -- but this first part of two (before the series ends next week) ventured into that bleak, cliff-hanger territory we often see in shows like
24, Lost and
Battlestar Galactica but rarely sniff in something like
Robin Hood.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Return of the King
Posted Dec 19th 2006 12:29PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E11) Before I start on this week's episode, I want to point out that I've been a fan of
Robin Hood since it started on the BBC almost three months ago.
Sure, it hasn't always been knockout television, but there's been a slant of originality to the casting, design and overall theme.
The only real thing to let it down has been the bog-standard plotting, which I've mentioned several times in my reviews here on TV Squad.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Dead Man Walking
Posted Dec 14th 2006 12:52PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E10) If there's one identifiable theme that has weaved its way subtly through this first series of
Robin Hood, it's The Crusades.
Even the untrained eye wouldn't fail to notice the repeated references to the war in the Holy Land and the odd nightmare suffered by Robin and his sidekick Mutch as a result of their experiences at war.
The omnipresent spectre of at-war King Richard as a yet-to-be-seen plot device, combined with the modern-day parallels of trouble-at-home being blamed on a futile war in the Middle East serve the audience's sub-conscious as this adventure series trundles towards its end-of-year finale.
This week, the presence of a troubled Crusader and a Turkish Prince seeking a truce placed Robin, Marian, Guy and the Sheriff on the back-burner as a tale of skewed ethics occupied centre stage.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Peace? Off!
Posted Dec 5th 2006 8:15AM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E09) Robin Hood has come a long way since the opening episode with its
Matrix-style action sequences and corny dialogue, but it's still lacking an overall premise.
Sure, we have the will-they-won't-they Robin and Marian relationship, compounded by the nefarious Guy of Gisborne's pledge to marry the only significant female character in the series (apart from Djaq) and the Sheriff's continuing efforts to out-do Robin and round up his gang.
Continue reading Robin Hood: A Little Thing or Two About Loyalty
Posted Nov 28th 2006 9:01AM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E08) There's nothing like a flashback to give a series a bit of a boost.
Lost does it as a matter of routine, and
Battlestar Galactica wouldn't be the same without them.
Robin Hood jumped straight in this week with a simple flashback depicting Robin in the Crusades, protecting King Richard. A gang of Saracens attacked the King, and Robin naturally defended him -- suffering a serious wound in the process -- but not before he delivered a scarring slash to the tattooed arm of one of the chief assailants, marking him for future reference.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Tattoo? What Tattoo?
Posted Nov 19th 2006 8:11PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E07) Well folks, this episode of Robin Hood may well have been called "Brothers In Arms" in tribute to the Dire Straits album (I've noticed the thread of song names for episodes in this series), but there was nothing mainstream of boring about this sixth part of thirteen.
Sure, we still had some of the corny dialogue and somewhat ham acting from Keith Allan (the Sheriff), not to mention the big stiff ironing board that is Guy of Gisborne -- but this episode will really stand out as a turning point in the show, mostly on account of the dramatic plot twist at the end.
So, allow me to spoil everything for you after the jump.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Brothers In Arms
Posted Nov 12th 2006 7:33PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, OpEd, BBC
(S01E06) As we approach the halfway mark in the BBC new
Robin Hood series, I'm struck by two things taking place that should really have happened before now, but haven't for some strange reason.
Firstly, the stories are slightly better than in earlier episodes (you would think the producers would try to stack some of the better episodes near the start of the show).
And secondly, the principle characters are starting to take on more dimension and complexity, giving the audience much more to cling to as every new episode passes.
Continue reading Robin Hood: The Taxman Cometh
Posted Nov 6th 2006 6:31PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, BBC
(S01E05) I can't honestly say
Robin Hood is getting any better, but it's certainly not getting any worse.
This week's episode, "Turk 'Flu," seemed much more at ease with itself than previous episodes, and managed to recall a moment from classic Robin Hood tales of yore, with a simple twist on the 'archery competition' strand of the story and introducing a new member of Robin's band of merry men (or women).
Continue reading Robin Hood: Turk 'Flu
Posted Oct 30th 2006 6:32PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, OpEd, BBC
(S01E04) If you've been watching this new series of
Robin Hood since episode one, you've probably been waiting on a major turning point in the show to spur things on a bit. You know, like the death of a prominent figure, or a deadly moral dilemma for the lead character?
Well, this week's episode, "Parent Hood", delivered more than a few of those, and I can't help but feel that the tone set in this episode could have given the show the much-needed early boost which seems to have been lacking in previous episodes.
It's one of the major faults of this show (apart from the feeble attempt to give a 13th Century tale a 21st Century makeover): a lack of ambition when it comes to serious matters like death and betrayal.
Even
Doctor Who regularly delves into topics such as absent parents, unrequited love and irresponsible leadership.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Parent Hood
Posted Oct 23rd 2006 6:47PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Programming, OpEd, BBC
(S01E03) I was probably right to hang on for another week of the BBC's new
Robin Hood series, despite the relatively slow start in the first two episodes and a somewhat disappointing slant on the famous English myth..
This third episode,
Who Shot the Sherrif? was more like the kind of show you would expect from the BBC,. especially since it takes over the slot normally occupied by the big-hitting revival of
Doctor Who.
What this series really needed was a bit of drama -- you know, deaths, violence, a whodunnit and some complex interweaving of plot elements.
While we didn't exactly get all of the above, the producers managed to at least show the promise of some spark and make viewers hang on in there for another few weeks.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Who Shot the Sheriff?
Posted Oct 16th 2006 7:15PM by Martin Conaghan
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, BBC
(S01E02) I was perhaps a little too harsh on the BBC's new series of
Robin Hood when I reviewed episode one last week with a criticism-neutral view of the new take on a classic tale.
The second episode, "Sheriff got Your Tongue?" was a dramatic improvement (literally) on the opening episode -- which probably suffered from being too short, and too unoriginal in it's approach to re-hashing the legend of Robin Hood for the 21st century.
While the opener tended to wheel out the bog-standard cliches and worn-out plots, the second episode concentrated more on establishing the acrimonious relationship between Robin and the Sheriff of Nottingham (still portrayed far too campishly for my liking by a normally tough Keith Allan) and setting up Robin's motive for 'robbing the rich to give to the poor'.
Continue reading Robin Hood: Sheriff Got your Tongue?
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