Staggering Stories Forum!

Well I had heard the first episode was a little slow. I was prepared for that. Nonetheless I find myself somewhat underwhelmed by this new effort. As I say on the blog (and a quick pimp to remind people of its existence), it's no Doctor Who.

It's still very early days for this new Robin Hood and I'll certainly tune in again for next weeks, to see if it improves. To me, at least, it has so far failed to live up to being Doctor Who's stablemate. Maybe as a Who fan that was inevitable but I suspect the great unwashed will agree. Hell, maybe even Prehistoric Park will beat this new Robin Hood!

I quite enjoyed it but I wouldn't be running home to see it if I was out somewhere .... and didn't have a digibox to watch the endless repeats it'll get on BBC3/4.

As you say though, early days, but it's going to have to improve if it wants to build an audience.

Incidentally, if I was being hung I'd sooner my rescuer just got on with rescuing me without pausing to make grand speeches inbetween arrows.

It was OK. No Robin of Sherwood, but watchable.

Favourite character so far is Much.

As Lord S said, I won't rush home to watch it. I'll give it another week...

lordsummerisle wrote:Incidentally, if I was being hung I'd sooner my rescuer just got on with rescuing me without pausing to make grand speeches inbetween arrows.

Yes, I thought that too. It was fun and had promise... but it was darned slow. I suppose it's got to carry a portion of the audience that don't really know the characters, never saw Prear or Connery - and never endured the Costner movie either.

I will be back next week - but it's not going to be the most talked about series this autumn...

Well, that was a lot better this week, I thought.

The fight scenes were more substantial (though still very lacking in actual violence or death) and a lot better than the failed arty effort from last time.

Marian is finally getting a few lines. I thought her whole anti-Iraq/war on terror thing was laid on a little thick. I agree with the sentiment but they could hardly have made their political opinion any more blatant!

Much is still stealing the show right now, which is no bad thing. The 'merry men' are together and have started their 'steal from rich to give to the poor' routine (or, as in this case, steal from the local government and give to their families..!)

I still wish they would drop those dreadful arrow sound effects whenever a location caption whooshes onto screen...

Overall though, a much improved 45 minutes. I can't right now see how they can string out this formula of Robin vs. the Sheriff for more than a few episodes but I expect that's the lack of my imagination. Hopefully they won't run out of steam too quickly but I do worry about the slightly limited format. They managed three years of Robin of Sherwood, though, so it can clearly be done.

I'll certainly 'tune in' for a third week.

<FX: Ben Elton> Oooo, a little bit of politics there, ladies and gentlemen.

Talk about laying the metaphor down with a trowel! Still, as Adam says, an improvement. If only because of a relatively decent punch up towards the end. One thing that still grates is just how clean everyone looks. Perhaps the Sheriff in his black silk pyjamas is possibly forgivable but considering the dead men have supposed to have spent a few years living rough in the forest and going nowwhere near Nottingham, don't they all look remarkably scrubbed, manicured and styled? I don't expect to have them covered head to toe in shit but something more like the Robin Of Sherwood 'designer dirt' would be an improvement. Even the supposedly starving peasants look remarkably well fed and housed to me.

Considering that main man Dominic Minghella is the brother of Anthony Minghella (The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain and so on) I'm still expecting something a bit more, well, deep and meaningful

its the saturday night 'what do we put in this place whilst dr who is off the air?' slot - your not gonna get tons of dirt etc and the women will, unfortunetly, wear waaaayyy too much make up etc etc etc. Its not meant to be obsessivly detailed - its lightweight tea time telly.

With a sledgehammer message, LOL.

I agree with you both though - there's something 'not quite right' about it. I did enjoy last night's episode more then the opener, and Ill give it another chance next week - which is, I expect, what they want people to do if they dont have a huge smash hit on their hands.

Still think RoS was superior though.

And am I the only one having a bit too much trouble accepting Gordon Kennedy in a straight role? (Ooer).

my verdict so far is 'it will do, I suppose'

bit disapointing, but ok, ish.

... and Little John isn't tall enough

lordsummerisle wrote:Considering that main man Dominic Minghella is the brother of Anthony Minghella (The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain and so on) I'm still expecting something a bit more, well, deep and meaningful

Deep and meaningful? Dominic Minghella is was creative force between ITV's Martin Clunes vehicle Doc Martin. This should tell you all you need to know!

... and there was I thinking old Dom had peaked with his work on Hamish Macbeth.