It's Sunday in the GMT +02:00 zone. So there!
The finale review.
The bold parts came after I re-watched it. You'll notice of course that bitching is still bitching.
***
You know, that was kinda boring, well apart from the bits that weren't. I've seen The Two Towers like 5 times already kthanq. So what if I wept more than I've wept in the last six funerals I went to (wait, that's like the total of funerals I've been. Umm oops?)? So much pointless running about! If someone ever does a drinking game for this episode, they should include: drink whenever anyone mentions the word 'portcullis.'
It was like a combination of The Two Towers, Hamlet, and The Crow in one. And yes I don't mean that in a good way. But what's worse in this episode what traces of the qualities I loved about Robin Hood died halfway through.
The only precious moments are Guy and Isabella in the dungeons where you can see a spark of something that could have been love between them--but it's a psychotic something because they're Gisbornes. It was like something out of a Greek tragedy (you know Sophocles did it first and best baby) and part of the storyline that was NOT boring or trite in this episode. Ummm, what else did I like? Marian's laughter, although I may have been a little busy at that moment to pay full attention *coughbawlingmyeyesoutcough*, the bit about Leopold capturing King Dick (although not really: too little, too late and pointless), and Robin's face when he realised he was going to die but still held on to his sword. That was-- human. That was the only effort in acting I've seen from Jonas in a loooooong while. Oh, also I like the way Robin dies, by a woman who was supposed to love him. Actually close enough to the original legend. But it will make any possible Robin/Isabella fics of mine seriously fucked up:D
Guy's death moment was too Boromir. I appreciated it in The Fellowship but there was something missing from Guy/Robin you know? I admit that there is a natural ease between Guy and Robin. They were meant to be comrades, they worked well together, but for Robin, Guy is just another teammate--actually less, he is a tool, very unlike what Archer called Brothers in Arms. From Guy, I wanted to see a sign of reluctant admiration for Robin, of affinity. All I got was blind loyalty.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the emotional distance Guy's kept from the rest of the outlaws but this is why the death scene was a little off. Guy got me used to short displays of emotion that supposedly only we the audience got to see. I wanted something to forewarn me of the bond between them before one of them lay dying. Ah the "I'm with you," line. Poor dog Gisborne. You found a new master. And yet that was such a Guy thing to do! Yet, OMG OF COURSE HE WOULD DO HEROIC SACRIFICE THAT'S SO FUCKING CLICHÉ! AND I CALLED IT! Was it beautiful? I can't tell you. I was too busy shaking my head in denial and drawing breath. Both the times I watched. Point of brilliance: It made me think that Guy loves Robin because Marian loves Robin. And it's half a redemption. So dunno. I half-hate half-love it. And I never ever ever ever again want to watch RA die EVER EVER again. That. Hurt. And no one can say I didn't weep when Boromir died too.
Anyways the rest was crap, boring and ridiculous, I am still completely emotionally detached from the main plot. The goodbyes, the byzantine fire crap (I just don't have the strength to bitch), the tunnel here tunnel there people escape from everywhere ploy, the stupid guard who fell for the simplest trick a woman ever devised, Isabella and Vasey's grand plan (where did THAT come from?!?), Kate, Archer, Tuck, John, Robin's--*sneer*--speech, even Vasey (the comical malice was so inappropriate)! I'm fond of Much so I'm letting him go unscathed; he deserves it for the all the shit season two and three put him through.
So what about the reunion of Robin and Marian? I hate it. If only on principle I would hate it still. But no. It was heartbreaking because it was so wrong. The question whether it was a hallucination or a jump on the shark that is the supernatural is purposefully left in the audience's judgment, right? Bullshit. I only got the 'Smug Bastard Gets the Girl, Whereas Loser in Life Is Loser in Hell' meaning although shit! Marian was so happy *recommences sobbing*. BTW, still tear-jerking second time around. If Robin is Odysseus (what's up with the Greeks today huh?), then Odysseus won the fucking Trojan war, got the spoils, took the ship and arrived in Ithaca in three days, to a wife, a mistress, five kids, ten grandkids and a puppy dog (see there's this quote from a poem? By Cavafy? Oh never mind…). Yes I have a knack for exaggeration, your point? Someone in the reaction post made me realise that I hate this scene because it diminishes Marian's role into the disgustingly simplistic 'woman in Robin's life.' That. Was. Just. Wrong.
So yeah, if anyone can obtain a hair or nail clippings from Simon J. Ashford, I'd be happy to take part in an overseas voodoo ceremony thing. Passive aggression is the shit. Also, giving thanks to any god or goddess who is willing to take credit for ENDING THIS FUCKING TORTURE is also an option. Peace off.
The bold parts came after I re-watched it. You'll notice of course that bitching is still bitching.
***
You know, that was kinda boring, well apart from the bits that weren't. I've seen The Two Towers like 5 times already kthanq. So what if I wept more than I've wept in the last six funerals I went to (wait, that's like the total of funerals I've been. Umm oops?)? So much pointless running about! If someone ever does a drinking game for this episode, they should include: drink whenever anyone mentions the word 'portcullis.'
It was like a combination of The Two Towers, Hamlet, and The Crow in one. And yes I don't mean that in a good way. But what's worse in this episode what traces of the qualities I loved about Robin Hood died halfway through.
The only precious moments are Guy and Isabella in the dungeons where you can see a spark of something that could have been love between them--but it's a psychotic something because they're Gisbornes. It was like something out of a Greek tragedy (you know Sophocles did it first and best baby) and part of the storyline that was NOT boring or trite in this episode. Ummm, what else did I like? Marian's laughter, although I may have been a little busy at that moment to pay full attention *coughbawlingmyeyesoutcough*, the bit about Leopold capturing King Dick (although not really: too little, too late and pointless), and Robin's face when he realised he was going to die but still held on to his sword. That was-- human. That was the only effort in acting I've seen from Jonas in a loooooong while. Oh, also I like the way Robin dies, by a woman who was supposed to love him. Actually close enough to the original legend. But it will make any possible Robin/Isabella fics of mine seriously fucked up:D
Guy's death moment was too Boromir. I appreciated it in The Fellowship but there was something missing from Guy/Robin you know? I admit that there is a natural ease between Guy and Robin. They were meant to be comrades, they worked well together, but for Robin, Guy is just another teammate--actually less, he is a tool, very unlike what Archer called Brothers in Arms. From Guy, I wanted to see a sign of reluctant admiration for Robin, of affinity. All I got was blind loyalty.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the emotional distance Guy's kept from the rest of the outlaws but this is why the death scene was a little off. Guy got me used to short displays of emotion that supposedly only we the audience got to see. I wanted something to forewarn me of the bond between them before one of them lay dying. Ah the "I'm with you," line. Poor dog Gisborne. You found a new master. And yet that was such a Guy thing to do! Yet, OMG OF COURSE HE WOULD DO HEROIC SACRIFICE THAT'S SO FUCKING CLICHÉ! AND I CALLED IT! Was it beautiful? I can't tell you. I was too busy shaking my head in denial and drawing breath. Both the times I watched. Point of brilliance: It made me think that Guy loves Robin because Marian loves Robin. And it's half a redemption. So dunno. I half-hate half-love it. And I never ever ever ever again want to watch RA die EVER EVER again. That. Hurt. And no one can say I didn't weep when Boromir died too.
Anyways the rest was crap, boring and ridiculous, I am still completely emotionally detached from the main plot. The goodbyes, the byzantine fire crap (I just don't have the strength to bitch), the tunnel here tunnel there people escape from everywhere ploy, the stupid guard who fell for the simplest trick a woman ever devised, Isabella and Vasey's grand plan (where did THAT come from?!?), Kate, Archer, Tuck, John, Robin's--*sneer*--speech, even Vasey (the comical malice was so inappropriate)! I'm fond of Much so I'm letting him go unscathed; he deserves it for the all the shit season two and three put him through.
So what about the reunion of Robin and Marian? I hate it. If only on principle I would hate it still. But no. It was heartbreaking because it was so wrong. The question whether it was a hallucination or a jump on the shark that is the supernatural is purposefully left in the audience's judgment, right? Bullshit. I only got the 'Smug Bastard Gets the Girl, Whereas Loser in Life Is Loser in Hell' meaning although shit! Marian was so happy *recommences sobbing*. BTW, still tear-jerking second time around. If Robin is Odysseus (what's up with the Greeks today huh?), then Odysseus won the fucking Trojan war, got the spoils, took the ship and arrived in Ithaca in three days, to a wife, a mistress, five kids, ten grandkids and a puppy dog (see there's this quote from a poem? By Cavafy? Oh never mind…). Yes I have a knack for exaggeration, your point? Someone in the reaction post made me realise that I hate this scene because it diminishes Marian's role into the disgustingly simplistic 'woman in Robin's life.' That. Was. Just. Wrong.
So yeah, if anyone can obtain a hair or nail clippings from Simon J. Ashford, I'd be happy to take part in an overseas voodoo ceremony thing. Passive aggression is the shit. Also, giving thanks to any god or goddess who is willing to take credit for ENDING THIS FUCKING TORTURE is also an option. Peace off.