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I finished watching the first three episodes of the recent BBC Robin Hood series. I can't decide whether I like the series or not. Some of the casting, or at least the portrayals, for example, are a bit odd - especially the sheriff. The show has the general grittiness of modern Robin Hood films (which, being a great fan of the sanitized 1938 version, has never struck my fancy much), but tries to intermix a bit of humor into it (both Much and the Sheriff seem to want to play the comedian role), as well as including a black man playing a master-at-arms (whatever that is) and a strong, independent Marian (all slightly reminiscent of Costner's Prince of Thieves, which is something no work should want to be compared to). And yet, there is something likable and admirable about Robin that makes it difficult to completely dismiss this version.
I think my biggest issue with the series is their inclusion of certain anachronisms. Now, almost all Robin Hoods have this problem to some extent, especially any version which includes a friar during the reign of King Richard (that mendicant order was not even created until the reign of King John). But this series seems to treat the crusades as some sort of nationalistic war being waged in the Holy Land, and in one episode the sheriff portrays Robin as a terrorist. All this rhetoric is clearly meant to echo our own times, when we are sending troops off to the Middle East and worrying about terrorists at home. Of course, the Robin Hood legend is very malleable and has been reworked over and over again, always keeping Robin current and relevant, so this, in and of itself, shouldn't turn me off of the show. Is this Robin Hood for the 21st century? Perhaps I'll have to watch a few more episodes to decide.
On a more mundane note: Tonight I completed my first New York Times Crossword Puzzle. I've gotten close a couple of times, and this one took me three days, but I did it. And now I must ask, "What the heck is an eft, a sepal, a calyx, an amole, and a coho; and how does the word 'elate' fit the clue 'send' (since elate comes from the Latin ex-ferre meaning 'to bring or bear out of'), or why should I equate a 'mugful' with 'beer'? Perhaps I merely display my ignorance.
Salut!
I think my biggest issue with the series is their inclusion of certain anachronisms. Now, almost all Robin Hoods have this problem to some extent, especially any version which includes a friar during the reign of King Richard (that mendicant order was not even created until the reign of King John). But this series seems to treat the crusades as some sort of nationalistic war being waged in the Holy Land, and in one episode the sheriff portrays Robin as a terrorist. All this rhetoric is clearly meant to echo our own times, when we are sending troops off to the Middle East and worrying about terrorists at home. Of course, the Robin Hood legend is very malleable and has been reworked over and over again, always keeping Robin current and relevant, so this, in and of itself, shouldn't turn me off of the show. Is this Robin Hood for the 21st century? Perhaps I'll have to watch a few more episodes to decide.
On a more mundane note: Tonight I completed my first New York Times Crossword Puzzle. I've gotten close a couple of times, and this one took me three days, but I did it. And now I must ask, "What the heck is an eft, a sepal, a calyx, an amole, and a coho; and how does the word 'elate' fit the clue 'send' (since elate comes from the Latin ex-ferre meaning 'to bring or bear out of'), or why should I equate a 'mugful' with 'beer'? Perhaps I merely display my ignorance.
Salut!
1 comment:
I tivo Robin Hood off of BBC America. It is in its second season now. I remember the show with Robin being compared to the terrorist and I think I had the same thoughts as you. Seems like those kind of undercurrents have diminished somewhat in later episodes. All in all, I enjoy the show. As entertainment it seems better than most other things on TV at the moment.
In a side note, I bought the Costner version because people kept being surprised I hadn't seen such a great movie. What a mistake THAT was. Blech!
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