Starting a Robin Hood watch
So I decided to watch Robin Hood again, and because I’m feeling super lazy about it, opted to watch it on Netflix instead of getting out the DVDs. Now I’ve noticed watching a few other things on Netflix the last few months that they don’t always have captions I know should be there, but I think this might be the funniest one. Because they still have the sound effect of the thwacky establishing arrow, but not the location caption. So while *I* know what that sound effect is and in most cases understand what’s being established, I imagine it must seem odd if someone hasn’t watched it before.
Also, the fact that one of Netflix’s teaser images is a s3 promo shot including Kate and Tuck...not a great move, as I hate both of them.
And a few other observations about this episode.
-Yes I’m going into this with the hope that it will reawaken my RH muses and finally try writing Final Testament Book 2, but I make no promises.
-But that does mean I’m really mostly paying attention to Guy here (and Team Castle by extension), even though I know these first few episodes are a mess for Guy’s characterization, one day if on the off chance things go well I may need to make my own sense of it known.
-I do find myself wondering about a Robin Hood series done in a post Game of Thrones world. I don’t want to trade the cheesy glory of this RH for much, but I always wanted the series to have a more political side to it and I think in today’s world it would be allowed to have it (but like I said, I don’t want to lose the fun tone either, and I think a modern show would swing too far into GoT/ASOIAF style of doom and gloom seriousness, so I’m conflicted). Because even the show as it is seems to know it could have played a political game, especially in the earliest episodes, but it explicitly chose not to, even though most of the time that’s far more engaging than the outlaw story. (Of course if you’ve read Final Testament my attempts to apply ASOIAF to RH shouldn’t be a surprise.)
-Then again, it wasn’t until the closing fight that I started laughing and going ‘This show is so cheesy, but I love it so much.’ So make of that what you will.
-As much as I know I will dislike Robin down the road, that’s really never applied here and still doesn’t. Well, until I remember to read the flashback stuff into it, and then he’s a real asshole to Guy for not remembering they were kids together (you can almost fanwank that Guy’s seething hatred is partly him being like ‘You little shit, you’re still that full of yourself that you forgot all about me.’).
-While I don’t blame this episode for my dislike of Robin, I do think it set the stage for my disinclination toward Robin/Marian. They just...suck when they’re together. And it always felt like they were dragging Marian’s character down to put her with Robin; she lives in the real world, a good person and still dreams of a better world, but not...well, Robin. This episode also isn’t good for Guy/Marian, but it’s not supposed to be, even if I make my own fun my imagining Marian telling off Robin by saying ‘Look, I legitimately pretty much hate Guy as a person; but that big, bumbling, brutish oaf is more appealing than you right now.’
-Having spent as much time as I have thinking about Guy and Vasey’s relationship...this episode is surprisingly on point. Guy still thinks Vasey’s going to have his back and Vasey’s like ‘I’ll get to it when I get to it, geez Gisborne shut up.’ I’m not sure the show’s quite worked out Vasey’s character overall yet (most of them are only early ideas of their characters here), but that bit felt like it gets carried through.
-Much is really the only Gang member who is really a character here, Will and Allan are mostly just put on the board right now, not even sure what pieces they’ll be yet, and John isn’t even that. Weirdly I think I ship Robin/Much less than I remember; it’s there but I’m not jumping on board right away; maybe that came later, or maybe my tastes have changed, either could be big factors since it’s been a while.
-Although I did feel a little sad when Much told Allan they aren’t friends, because they will be, and then Allan will die pointlessly; so, sad feelings.
Also, the fact that one of Netflix’s teaser images is a s3 promo shot including Kate and Tuck...not a great move, as I hate both of them.
And a few other observations about this episode.
-Yes I’m going into this with the hope that it will reawaken my RH muses and finally try writing Final Testament Book 2, but I make no promises.
-But that does mean I’m really mostly paying attention to Guy here (and Team Castle by extension), even though I know these first few episodes are a mess for Guy’s characterization, one day if on the off chance things go well I may need to make my own sense of it known.
-I do find myself wondering about a Robin Hood series done in a post Game of Thrones world. I don’t want to trade the cheesy glory of this RH for much, but I always wanted the series to have a more political side to it and I think in today’s world it would be allowed to have it (but like I said, I don’t want to lose the fun tone either, and I think a modern show would swing too far into GoT/ASOIAF style of doom and gloom seriousness, so I’m conflicted). Because even the show as it is seems to know it could have played a political game, especially in the earliest episodes, but it explicitly chose not to, even though most of the time that’s far more engaging than the outlaw story. (Of course if you’ve read Final Testament my attempts to apply ASOIAF to RH shouldn’t be a surprise.)
-Then again, it wasn’t until the closing fight that I started laughing and going ‘This show is so cheesy, but I love it so much.’ So make of that what you will.
-As much as I know I will dislike Robin down the road, that’s really never applied here and still doesn’t. Well, until I remember to read the flashback stuff into it, and then he’s a real asshole to Guy for not remembering they were kids together (you can almost fanwank that Guy’s seething hatred is partly him being like ‘You little shit, you’re still that full of yourself that you forgot all about me.’).
-While I don’t blame this episode for my dislike of Robin, I do think it set the stage for my disinclination toward Robin/Marian. They just...suck when they’re together. And it always felt like they were dragging Marian’s character down to put her with Robin; she lives in the real world, a good person and still dreams of a better world, but not...well, Robin. This episode also isn’t good for Guy/Marian, but it’s not supposed to be, even if I make my own fun my imagining Marian telling off Robin by saying ‘Look, I legitimately pretty much hate Guy as a person; but that big, bumbling, brutish oaf is more appealing than you right now.’
-Having spent as much time as I have thinking about Guy and Vasey’s relationship...this episode is surprisingly on point. Guy still thinks Vasey’s going to have his back and Vasey’s like ‘I’ll get to it when I get to it, geez Gisborne shut up.’ I’m not sure the show’s quite worked out Vasey’s character overall yet (most of them are only early ideas of their characters here), but that bit felt like it gets carried through.
-Much is really the only Gang member who is really a character here, Will and Allan are mostly just put on the board right now, not even sure what pieces they’ll be yet, and John isn’t even that. Weirdly I think I ship Robin/Much less than I remember; it’s there but I’m not jumping on board right away; maybe that came later, or maybe my tastes have changed, either could be big factors since it’s been a while.
-Although I did feel a little sad when Much told Allan they aren’t friends, because they will be, and then Allan will die pointlessly; so, sad feelings.