The BBC Robin Hood

[redfiona99]

Huge Spoilers

I've been thinking about this (because I have been writing fic), and I've decided that the problem was that they had no idea how to write Robin, because he was the least sympathetic character who wasn't the Sheriff, and the Sheriff was, you know, the Sheriff.

The main problem was that he had a *wonderful* tendency towards double standards, like him not letting Will kill the Sheriff for killing his father (I think) but being perfectly cool with trying to kill Guy for trying to kill King Richard. Notice please, the lack of success of Guy's plan.

Or you know, refusing the kill the bad guys with a name but being perfectly willing to shoot third Sheriff's guard from right. Now, I am aware that this is an problem with any show like this, but most shows sensibly avoid the lead having a speech about "we do not kill" followed a scene later by him shooting random guard number 3 with an arrow in a rather deadly area.

I've seen Jonas Armstrong in other things and he's been perfectly servicable, if better at jack-the-lad than noble hero, but I don't think anyone could have done anything with the character.

The other problem was that he was up against Richard Armitage (in black leather) doing a bang up job of conflicted villain. Who was just more interesting than Robin, because none of Robin's decisions ever seemed to cost him anything, or at least nothing he cared about, while the rest of the Merry Men, whenever they make a decision, it hurt them. That was why everyone loved Marian, Much, Guy, Djaq, Will et al a lot more.

It's just really odd that they got everyone else so right (~ish) and managed to screw up the main character.

Comments

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

I only watched the first season of Robin Hood, but I think it's a problem with a lot of lead characters - the writers write great ensemble episodes, but as soon as they write a lead character episode everyone else kind of falls out of contention. It was a big problem with LOST, too - the show was very interesting but as soon as Jack was on screen everyone was subservient to his plot and blindly followed his stupid plans even though other people were much better at just about everything. One of the reasons I'm enjoying Arrow right now is that the lead character does exactly this - makes his own mission more important, tells other people they can't do what he's doing etc. - and the show calls him on it through a number of highly competent side characters and/or through having him go it alone and fail.

[redfiona99.livejournal.com]

The second season got a lot better. And then the third series got a lot worse. Not quite to the point of "there was no third season" but not far off.

I think you might be on to something, because the second season is the one where other characters go "Robin, no!" at varying volumes (and degrees of success) and when those characters go, it leads to series 3.