Maid Marian And Her Merry Men. Conversion Attempt
Do you like comedy? Kids TV shows? The 80s/90s? Blackadder? Red Dwarf? The Robin Hood Legends?
I'm a bit nervous, to be honest. I'm going to start talking about one of my favourite shows ever... usually when I do, people look at me like I'm weird, and don't pay any attention to what I say. In fact, it usually gets ignored or skimmed over the minute I admit that it was on CBBC. Yes, that's right. It was on the *children's* timeslot. I promise you, though it is suitable for kids, and might not be everyone's cup of tea, it is a lovely, funny show. So please don't ignore me or shun me... :( Also, you'll probably be hearing a lot about this show anyway haha... because I love talking about it. I can't help it!
Okay. When I was little, I loved the Robin Hood legends. I was too young for Robin Hood Men In Tights. I was about 13, and one weekend, I turned on the tv, and found this show... that was Robin Hood legend related, totally hilarious, and full of music. I later found out how effing brilliant the actors in it are. This show was Maid Marian and Her Merry Men. Maid Marian in this show is totally my hero. She's a lot like me.
I taped the show. It was the first show I ever taped, and kept, and obsessed over. All the other times, I merely enjoyed the show, might have played games based on the show, might have bought a book based on it or whatever... Marian stuck with me until now. I jealously guarded the VHSes, I memorised lines. For my 18th birthday, I dressed up as her. My email address is based on the show, and has been since 2000. Basically... first tv show love. :D I was alone in my fandom, or so I thought. No one else I'd ever met had heard of the show. Teenage friends laughed at me for liking it. I didn't care. Then a few years back, I found fans online. I was *overjoyed*. And we worked together, to get petitions started... we realised that lots of people remember the show, but all don't mention it because it was so long ago and they think they're being silly. (though, a lot of people remember it, loved it, but don't want to be involved with the fandom.). And we worked together to get petitions up, for dvds. We worked for ages. And eventually got the attention of some of the actors! Who told the writer! Who told the BBC! And we finally got our dvds! :D It was SO brilliant. The fandom is still incredibly small though. There's about 5 people who are active on the forums on a regular basis. I have to fight to get people interested... I'd LOVE to find some fans, or convert some new ones.
Anyway! about the show!
As implied by the title, it's based on the legend of Robin Hood. But it is the 'true story'... that Robin got all the credit for a woman's work, because history? Is chauvinistic. In reality? Robin was a vain, cowardly, gullible tailor, from Kensington. He's written as obsessed with his hair and clothes, totally metrosexual before metrosexual existed as a word (this show was made in the late 80s and during the 90s, there are four seasons over 6 years), a yuppie, he loves reading gossip magazines, and is too nice to hold anyone up. Or as Marian says "You held someone up? You couldn't hold up your hands and go to the lav!"
No! It was Marian, short, blonde, feminist though secretly loving slightly stubbled men, Marian, who was the leader of the Gang. She had a mission, a goal in life to improve the world, for the villagers nearby and for the people of the future. The only problem is... the Merry Men are idiots. :D
There's Little Ron, who is a violent midget.
Rabies, a tall, strong, idiot.
and Barrington, a rastafarian. yes. A rastafarian in the 1190s. :D
Then there's the Baddies- King John of course, who loves torturing people with a little feather on a stick in the afternoons, wears medieval biker clothes, and shouts a lot, The Sheriff of Nottingham, who is equal in intelligence to Marian, Gary and Graeme, his henchmen, who are bestest mates, in their words, and totally sweet guys... except have GSCES in killing, maiming, and chewing people's heads off... if they weren't employed by the Sheriff, they'd be good friends with the Merry Men, Guy of Gisbourne, who must have the brain of a 5 year old, and Rose Scargill, Marian's ex best friend. Then there's the Villagers... who are the stupidest and muddiest people ever. They're so poor, they only have mud to eat, which they eat at MudDonalds, or have fried mud with sweet and sour sauce, etc...
I love how the Baddies are NOT just pure evil... they're just on a different side of opinion.
It's live action. And the actors... are brilliant. Tony Robinson, ie, Baldrick from Blackadder, plays the Sheriff. He also wrote it. The whole thing is very Blackadder/Red Dwarf kind of style, along with other influences. Barrington is played by Danny John Jules, ie Cat from Red Dwarf. The other actors are just gorgeous, though not well known. But most have appeared in other shows briefly.
And... it's also a musical. :D Each song has at least one song in it. Songs like "Shove a hedgehog down your knickers" and "Rabies In Love" and "White-ish Knight" and "Thicky-Stupid" and "The Pancake Day Song"... they're SO brilliant. (just examples of songs... there's lots more). They have lyrics like... (in one episode, Robin's being shunned by everyone.) "Well it seems like only yesterday, when everyone who met me called me 'mister'. They'd give me treats like drinks and sweets, then ask if I would like to snog their sister... Then the sky went black! They turned their backs! It seems as all my past has been a folly... for mister's not my name no more, no Mister's missing, now they call me... wally. I'll be so strong! I'll prove them wrong! I'll pierce their hearts with love like Mr Cupid, But til then I'm just a joker, just a broken bloke who's known as... thicky stupid."
(Robin has fangirls all over him a lot haha... but he just likes the attention, he's never actually interested in them)
Also, Tony wrote it so that it would be literally appropriate for all ages. It's appropriate for little children. Some of the fans started watching it at age 4. It's appropriate for the 9-14 age range, which is the age range the BBC aimed it at. He wrote it for his daughter who had a lack of female role models on tv who could kick ass. Then, he's got a LOT of adult references in the show, innuendoes, political commentary, cultural references, historical anachronisms, puns, and stuff that I have NO idea how he got it into a 'kids' tv show... it was hugely popular amongst students at the time. And parents loved it too. It goes straight over kids heads.
I absolutely totally love it.
Here's a random quote from the top of my head.
In the first episode, Marian has taken Robin hostage with a sword, and he's holding King John's underpants, that he was sewing by commission. She's trying to get away from the Sheriff, and Gary and Graeme.
Marian: STOP!! One false move, and I'll run this man through!
Sheriff, sarcastically: Oh goodness me. Let's all put our weapons back in their cases and go home, shall we. Are you mad??? Do you think I have the slightest interest in that worm's life? I've seen more interesting faces on the wrong end of a donkey! Guards! Kill her. And if he gets in the way? Hack him to pieces.
Marian: I said STOP! Do you see what this man has in his hands? King John's Underpants. If he gets run through, what do you think will happen to them? Great. Big. Red. Stains. And have you ever tried getting blood out of weasel wool? It's impossible.
Graeme: She's right sire. I tried it with my usual washing powder and the stains just wouldn't shift.
Marian and Robin being indignant at their hijack being hijacked by other bandits... Note Robin's use of studs. He's addicted to studs. And flares. That's Gary and Graeme in the background. The guy who plays Gary is now a really good crime novel author.
robin claiming he has nothing to wear to an ambush.
Robin: But I haven't got a *thing* to wear!!!
Marian: Well what's this?? *indicating what he's wearing*
Robin: *snerk* This?? I wouldn't be seen DEAD in this!!
Marian: Well you WILL be seen dead in this in approximately two seconds time if you don't START MOVING! This is *not* the regional finals of "Come Dancing"!!
The Sheriff of Nottingham
Robin and Barrington mid song...
The characters around their campfire. :)
Anyway! I'd love it if you've read through all that and are remotely interested... please?
I'm a bit nervous, to be honest. I'm going to start talking about one of my favourite shows ever... usually when I do, people look at me like I'm weird, and don't pay any attention to what I say. In fact, it usually gets ignored or skimmed over the minute I admit that it was on CBBC. Yes, that's right. It was on the *children's* timeslot. I promise you, though it is suitable for kids, and might not be everyone's cup of tea, it is a lovely, funny show. So please don't ignore me or shun me... :( Also, you'll probably be hearing a lot about this show anyway haha... because I love talking about it. I can't help it!
Okay. When I was little, I loved the Robin Hood legends. I was too young for Robin Hood Men In Tights. I was about 13, and one weekend, I turned on the tv, and found this show... that was Robin Hood legend related, totally hilarious, and full of music. I later found out how effing brilliant the actors in it are. This show was Maid Marian and Her Merry Men. Maid Marian in this show is totally my hero. She's a lot like me.
I taped the show. It was the first show I ever taped, and kept, and obsessed over. All the other times, I merely enjoyed the show, might have played games based on the show, might have bought a book based on it or whatever... Marian stuck with me until now. I jealously guarded the VHSes, I memorised lines. For my 18th birthday, I dressed up as her. My email address is based on the show, and has been since 2000. Basically... first tv show love. :D I was alone in my fandom, or so I thought. No one else I'd ever met had heard of the show. Teenage friends laughed at me for liking it. I didn't care. Then a few years back, I found fans online. I was *overjoyed*. And we worked together, to get petitions started... we realised that lots of people remember the show, but all don't mention it because it was so long ago and they think they're being silly. (though, a lot of people remember it, loved it, but don't want to be involved with the fandom.). And we worked together to get petitions up, for dvds. We worked for ages. And eventually got the attention of some of the actors! Who told the writer! Who told the BBC! And we finally got our dvds! :D It was SO brilliant. The fandom is still incredibly small though. There's about 5 people who are active on the forums on a regular basis. I have to fight to get people interested... I'd LOVE to find some fans, or convert some new ones.
Anyway! about the show!
As implied by the title, it's based on the legend of Robin Hood. But it is the 'true story'... that Robin got all the credit for a woman's work, because history? Is chauvinistic. In reality? Robin was a vain, cowardly, gullible tailor, from Kensington. He's written as obsessed with his hair and clothes, totally metrosexual before metrosexual existed as a word (this show was made in the late 80s and during the 90s, there are four seasons over 6 years), a yuppie, he loves reading gossip magazines, and is too nice to hold anyone up. Or as Marian says "You held someone up? You couldn't hold up your hands and go to the lav!"
No! It was Marian, short, blonde, feminist though secretly loving slightly stubbled men, Marian, who was the leader of the Gang. She had a mission, a goal in life to improve the world, for the villagers nearby and for the people of the future. The only problem is... the Merry Men are idiots. :D
There's Little Ron, who is a violent midget.
Rabies, a tall, strong, idiot.
and Barrington, a rastafarian. yes. A rastafarian in the 1190s. :D
Then there's the Baddies- King John of course, who loves torturing people with a little feather on a stick in the afternoons, wears medieval biker clothes, and shouts a lot, The Sheriff of Nottingham, who is equal in intelligence to Marian, Gary and Graeme, his henchmen, who are bestest mates, in their words, and totally sweet guys... except have GSCES in killing, maiming, and chewing people's heads off... if they weren't employed by the Sheriff, they'd be good friends with the Merry Men, Guy of Gisbourne, who must have the brain of a 5 year old, and Rose Scargill, Marian's ex best friend. Then there's the Villagers... who are the stupidest and muddiest people ever. They're so poor, they only have mud to eat, which they eat at MudDonalds, or have fried mud with sweet and sour sauce, etc...
I love how the Baddies are NOT just pure evil... they're just on a different side of opinion.
It's live action. And the actors... are brilliant. Tony Robinson, ie, Baldrick from Blackadder, plays the Sheriff. He also wrote it. The whole thing is very Blackadder/Red Dwarf kind of style, along with other influences. Barrington is played by Danny John Jules, ie Cat from Red Dwarf. The other actors are just gorgeous, though not well known. But most have appeared in other shows briefly.
And... it's also a musical. :D Each song has at least one song in it. Songs like "Shove a hedgehog down your knickers" and "Rabies In Love" and "White-ish Knight" and "Thicky-Stupid" and "The Pancake Day Song"... they're SO brilliant. (just examples of songs... there's lots more). They have lyrics like... (in one episode, Robin's being shunned by everyone.) "Well it seems like only yesterday, when everyone who met me called me 'mister'. They'd give me treats like drinks and sweets, then ask if I would like to snog their sister... Then the sky went black! They turned their backs! It seems as all my past has been a folly... for mister's not my name no more, no Mister's missing, now they call me... wally. I'll be so strong! I'll prove them wrong! I'll pierce their hearts with love like Mr Cupid, But til then I'm just a joker, just a broken bloke who's known as... thicky stupid."
(Robin has fangirls all over him a lot haha... but he just likes the attention, he's never actually interested in them)
Also, Tony wrote it so that it would be literally appropriate for all ages. It's appropriate for little children. Some of the fans started watching it at age 4. It's appropriate for the 9-14 age range, which is the age range the BBC aimed it at. He wrote it for his daughter who had a lack of female role models on tv who could kick ass. Then, he's got a LOT of adult references in the show, innuendoes, political commentary, cultural references, historical anachronisms, puns, and stuff that I have NO idea how he got it into a 'kids' tv show... it was hugely popular amongst students at the time. And parents loved it too. It goes straight over kids heads.
I absolutely totally love it.
Here's a random quote from the top of my head.
In the first episode, Marian has taken Robin hostage with a sword, and he's holding King John's underpants, that he was sewing by commission. She's trying to get away from the Sheriff, and Gary and Graeme.
Marian: STOP!! One false move, and I'll run this man through!
Sheriff, sarcastically: Oh goodness me. Let's all put our weapons back in their cases and go home, shall we. Are you mad??? Do you think I have the slightest interest in that worm's life? I've seen more interesting faces on the wrong end of a donkey! Guards! Kill her. And if he gets in the way? Hack him to pieces.
Marian: I said STOP! Do you see what this man has in his hands? King John's Underpants. If he gets run through, what do you think will happen to them? Great. Big. Red. Stains. And have you ever tried getting blood out of weasel wool? It's impossible.
Graeme: She's right sire. I tried it with my usual washing powder and the stains just wouldn't shift.
Marian and Robin being indignant at their hijack being hijacked by other bandits... Note Robin's use of studs. He's addicted to studs. And flares. That's Gary and Graeme in the background. The guy who plays Gary is now a really good crime novel author.
robin claiming he has nothing to wear to an ambush.
Robin: But I haven't got a *thing* to wear!!!
Marian: Well what's this?? *indicating what he's wearing*
Robin: *snerk* This?? I wouldn't be seen DEAD in this!!
Marian: Well you WILL be seen dead in this in approximately two seconds time if you don't START MOVING! This is *not* the regional finals of "Come Dancing"!!
The Sheriff of Nottingham
Robin and Barrington mid song...
The characters around their campfire. :)
Anyway! I'd love it if you've read through all that and are remotely interested... please?