"And to this purpose"

"If people like to read their books, it is all very well, but to be at so much trouble in filling great volumes, which, as I used to think, nobody would willingly ever look into, to be labouring only for the torment of little boys and girls, always struck me as a hard fate; and though I know it is all very right and necessary, I have often wondered at the person's courage that could sit down on purpose to do it." (In other words: rambling analyses, opinions, ideas, views, and comments from an English major, Essay/paper-writing enthusiastic, Austen-loving Master Librarian on, well, Jane Austen...and a whole lot of other things, too.)

"Celebrated Passages are Quoted"

Heidi's favorite quotes


"What is it really like to be engaged?" asked Anne curiously. "Well, that all depends on who you're engaged to," answered Diana, with that maddening air of superior wisdom always assumed by those who are engaged over those who are not."— L.M. Montgomery

Friday, January 8, 2010

My New Period Obsession

Many of us are familiar with the recent film adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. Mostly because of Richard Armitage, and the glorious train scene.
*sigh*
How do I fall into these female traps? Armitage does an excellent job as Mr. Thornton. When others hear I have liked him in that, they often suggest "You should watch [insert movie/show here]." Lately, whether it is Richard Armitage's name or not, I feel I've had a lot of people recommend watching "Robin Hood." I'd been hearing enough about it, but had never looked into it. I guess at some point I must have seen it recommended on my Netflix account, because apparently I added it.

I didn't realize I had until last Monday. Well, I was in between actual DVDs, and having just watched a version of Ivanhoe (eh, it was so-so), I was in a Medieval mood. So I thought "What can it hurt?" Somehow I didn't realize that "Robin Hood" was a TV show. But lo and behold, Season 1 and 2 were available Watch Instantly. (Gotta tell you--Watch Instantly is worth every penny I pay from my monthly Entertainment budget.)

So there I went. I started watching Season 1, Episode 1.
Various thoughts, of course:

-That's Robin Hood? You'd think they'd fine someone a little better looking.
(Oh all right--he did grow on me eventually. But I still don't faint at the site of him. I don't even flutter.)

-What's with the clothes? They look like clothes from our day that have been stretched, discolored, made raggedy and passed off for the time period. That is so obviously a plain T-shirt!
-Oh no. What's with the making out with the not-Marian girl? Is this going to be one of those kinds of shows? I knew there were many reasons besides commercials that I don't watch TV.

However, I was still intrigued. Who played which character? (Armitage, by the way, is one of the bad guys. Some times he looks and acts it, and you despise him. Other times...well... See for yourself.)
How was the acting? What were the sets like? How does a story I am fairly familiar with get adapted into a 3-season TV series?

Well, the first episode ended. If not for the last 5 minutes or so, I probably would have passed it off as all right but not worth my time. With time to kill, I thought Why not? and went ahead with episode 2. I don't know what happened in those 43 minutes, but by the end...
I was completely hooked!

It's hilarious, because when I tell people I've gotten hooked onto the TV show "Robin Hood," they ask "It's good?" And my immediate reply is "No!" For its obvious modernified nature (think Keira Knightley P&P), its costuming and the one-liners so obviously not time appropriate, and so much more if I really wanted to pick it apart. But I don't. I somehow came to love it in only 2 episodes.

I was worried that it would take a raunchy turn, but it hasn't. Not yet. Called family friendly and by some standards, yes. I wouldn't have my under 10 year old watch it, but it's considerably and surprisingly clean.

I kept watching when I had any spare minute, and loved it more and more. To the point that I finished Season 1's 13 episodes at *ahem* 1:20 am this morning. Yes. It's that good. Or, at least what I've been wanting right now. Great characters and decent acting from them.
Love the episode story lines. Love the development. It can be light while still being deep. I just...I love it! Embarrassingly so!

And if I didn't already love it by episode 3, episodes 12 and 13 made me absolutely adore it.
Oh. My. Word.

My other DVD has come and it's being put on hold. Season 2 starts tonight! Let's just hope it doesn't get worse (like Beauty and the Beast series did).

6 comments:

BookMoot said...

I have watched all three seasons of Robin Hood, even the very uneven third one. I stuck through the hilarious and annoying plot lines of Season 3, until the second to last episode. I was not going to be home for the last episode so I set my DVR and SOMETHING HAPPENED. After three years, watching Guy grow and change, swoon, I MISSED the very last episode. I could not believe it. Three years and I have missed the very end. I need to see if Season 3 is on Netflix yet. Alas.

ldsjaneite said...

Sad day!!! I had the opposite problem with "Young Riders"--saw the series go through 3 or 4 times, and always missed the pilot.

Good news! Netflix will have Season 3 available on the 12th of this month. Quick! Add it to your queue!

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

I've never heard of this! Hmm.. sound interesting. Perhpas I'll have to look into it. What channel does it play on? We don't get TV but we watch everything on the internet or rent.

ldsjaneite said...

Serene -I don't think it's airing on any stations now. But Netflix has it, if you have an account. And if your library loans DVDs, they might have it. The 3rd (and final) season was released on DVD yesterday. Oh--and I LOVED Season 2 as well. I'd be fine if it ended there. But I'm willing to endure what I've heard of the 3rd season just to complete it. It's just too bad Netflix doesn't have it as Watch Instantly. Or maybe that's a good thing, 'cause I need my sleep!

BookMoot said...

Serene,
It WAS on BBC America. It aired in the UK then would air some months later over here.

The blog, Not What I Should Be Doing, http://bookishy.livejournal.com/ had hilarious recaps of each episode of season three in June 2009. I found it very therapeutic to read her posts as I watched each episode

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

Thanks for the info!!