Rewatch: 1x01 - Will You Tolerate This?
I'm participating in the rewatch going on in roh_fics - see here for this week's.
Here are my thoughts on 1x01...
Firstly, I thought it would be fun to dig out my old review (I think I have one for every episode). But when I found it I was shocked by my own vehemence. I do remember having a rant about it, because when I saw the first episode I really hated it! But I didn't remember being quite so harsh. Needless to say, I take back pretty much every word, but if you really must read my old review then it's here.
The first episode does remain a contentious topic for me, even though I've come to appreciate it in time. I think it was the biggest reason why Robin Hood got such poor reviews when it started - reviewers didn't wait to watch any more, but judged it on what I still think is a relatively weak episode.
Why do I think it's weak? Well...
1) It has a number of features that we hardly get in any other episodes that are quite annoying, of which the one that deserves most mention is the slow-motion bit with the swords when Robin fights the guy with the ditch.
2) Allan really is beautiful at the beginning, but something about that first scene seems forced to me. Not sure why, it's just a feeling. It's as if it's trying very very hard to be impressive, so the guards all speak loudly and Robin and Much are very insistent, and there's no subtlety at all.
3) The whole sequence with the ditch digging and the man's promiscuous daughter is annoying, lengthy, and not really in the spirit of the rest of the show. It doesn't so much make the point that Robin starts off the series a bit flighty as slap you in the face with it.
4) Guy is so obviously beautiful, but he has so little to say! And when he does speak, some of the time you can hardly hear him, which didn't make a strong impression. However, I now absolutely adore the bit where he tells Robin to take it up with the Sheriff, mmm...
5) The Sheriff is a panto baddie, squashing budgies and generally shouting a lot, rather than delivering the more nuanced performance we're used to.
Even now, I may be being a bit harsh! But there's lots to like, as I now have to admit:
6) Much really is adorable. When you realise that his talking about food is a deep psychological trait (think about what he says to Eve in 1x09), that he worries and loves his master, and that none of that is hammed up - it really is how Much is - you can really grow to adore him. Enough to set up a community dedicated to him, in fact... ;)
7) There's Lukey and Dan - this Lukey's only episode (waaa!), and one of Dan's only two. They are both brilliant in it. And so, of course, is Will - his first chance to have an impassioned outburst about injustice.
8) You get to hear Allan doing a Lancashire accent! roh_wyn asked whether he might be lying about his origins when he says he's from Rochdale. I've actually talked about it with her before, so she knows my opinion: I think he's just blagging it! He suddenly has to claim not to be from Locksley (which he had thought would be advantageous to him, but turns out not to be), and the first thing that comes into his head is to claim to be from somewhere else, putting on a strong accent. He claims to be from Rochdale, verifying this by saying that's why he's called Allan a Dale. I think it's one of his tall stories!
9) With regard to roh_wyn's other questions about Allan, I think he's probably been on the wrong side of the law all his life, and I have a fanciful idea that he's come up to Nottingham from somewhere southern where he's been causing trouble (possibly with nuns). After all, Robin says when he last saved Allan it was far from Nottingham, and Robin and Much surely landed in the south and came up from there, so they must have passed Allan journeying from one place to another...
10) Quick note: I adore the jailer in season 1. Isn't he great? Not sure why he has a Brummie accent, but he's a great character.
11) As is Thornton, for that matter. I love his little bit of interaction with Much.
12) Is it me, or does Marian look quite different in the first couple of episodes from how she looks later on? Not just the change of hair, but... I don't know, something I can't quite put my finger on.
13) Another minor character I love: the guy who does the 'Where's my egg?' thing and pretends to be from the bishop later on (nice scheme, Robin - I guess he hadn't realised then just how little respect the Sheriff has for anyone else's authority).
14) And one final point: that last action scene is great. The Sheriff's 'novice novice' soundbite, and Dan looking on as his sons are about to be hanged, then Robin's little speech and rebellion, Marian's hairslide-dagger-thingy, Guy with that flame behind him (looks hot, mmm...), Much nearly being turned into Mulch. Actually, it's rather rousing.
15) OK, one more point: in the very last scene, by the fire out in the forest, I think Allan is just wonderful. Yay :) And the look on poor Much's face! Sherwood Lodge indeed :)
Once again, I apologise profusely for my earlier review! But I'll try to remember to post my first review every week, and then you'll see how I came to love it over time :)
Here are my thoughts on 1x01...
Firstly, I thought it would be fun to dig out my old review (I think I have one for every episode). But when I found it I was shocked by my own vehemence. I do remember having a rant about it, because when I saw the first episode I really hated it! But I didn't remember being quite so harsh. Needless to say, I take back pretty much every word, but if you really must read my old review then it's here.
The first episode does remain a contentious topic for me, even though I've come to appreciate it in time. I think it was the biggest reason why Robin Hood got such poor reviews when it started - reviewers didn't wait to watch any more, but judged it on what I still think is a relatively weak episode.
Why do I think it's weak? Well...
1) It has a number of features that we hardly get in any other episodes that are quite annoying, of which the one that deserves most mention is the slow-motion bit with the swords when Robin fights the guy with the ditch.
2) Allan really is beautiful at the beginning, but something about that first scene seems forced to me. Not sure why, it's just a feeling. It's as if it's trying very very hard to be impressive, so the guards all speak loudly and Robin and Much are very insistent, and there's no subtlety at all.
3) The whole sequence with the ditch digging and the man's promiscuous daughter is annoying, lengthy, and not really in the spirit of the rest of the show. It doesn't so much make the point that Robin starts off the series a bit flighty as slap you in the face with it.
4) Guy is so obviously beautiful, but he has so little to say! And when he does speak, some of the time you can hardly hear him, which didn't make a strong impression. However, I now absolutely adore the bit where he tells Robin to take it up with the Sheriff, mmm...
5) The Sheriff is a panto baddie, squashing budgies and generally shouting a lot, rather than delivering the more nuanced performance we're used to.
Even now, I may be being a bit harsh! But there's lots to like, as I now have to admit:
6) Much really is adorable. When you realise that his talking about food is a deep psychological trait (think about what he says to Eve in 1x09), that he worries and loves his master, and that none of that is hammed up - it really is how Much is - you can really grow to adore him. Enough to set up a community dedicated to him, in fact... ;)
7) There's Lukey and Dan - this Lukey's only episode (waaa!), and one of Dan's only two. They are both brilliant in it. And so, of course, is Will - his first chance to have an impassioned outburst about injustice.
8) You get to hear Allan doing a Lancashire accent! roh_wyn asked whether he might be lying about his origins when he says he's from Rochdale. I've actually talked about it with her before, so she knows my opinion: I think he's just blagging it! He suddenly has to claim not to be from Locksley (which he had thought would be advantageous to him, but turns out not to be), and the first thing that comes into his head is to claim to be from somewhere else, putting on a strong accent. He claims to be from Rochdale, verifying this by saying that's why he's called Allan a Dale. I think it's one of his tall stories!
9) With regard to roh_wyn's other questions about Allan, I think he's probably been on the wrong side of the law all his life, and I have a fanciful idea that he's come up to Nottingham from somewhere southern where he's been causing trouble (possibly with nuns). After all, Robin says when he last saved Allan it was far from Nottingham, and Robin and Much surely landed in the south and came up from there, so they must have passed Allan journeying from one place to another...
10) Quick note: I adore the jailer in season 1. Isn't he great? Not sure why he has a Brummie accent, but he's a great character.
11) As is Thornton, for that matter. I love his little bit of interaction with Much.
12) Is it me, or does Marian look quite different in the first couple of episodes from how she looks later on? Not just the change of hair, but... I don't know, something I can't quite put my finger on.
13) Another minor character I love: the guy who does the 'Where's my egg?' thing and pretends to be from the bishop later on (nice scheme, Robin - I guess he hadn't realised then just how little respect the Sheriff has for anyone else's authority).
14) And one final point: that last action scene is great. The Sheriff's 'novice novice' soundbite, and Dan looking on as his sons are about to be hanged, then Robin's little speech and rebellion, Marian's hairslide-dagger-thingy, Guy with that flame behind him (looks hot, mmm...), Much nearly being turned into Mulch. Actually, it's rather rousing.
15) OK, one more point: in the very last scene, by the fire out in the forest, I think Allan is just wonderful. Yay :) And the look on poor Much's face! Sherwood Lodge indeed :)
Once again, I apologise profusely for my earlier review! But I'll try to remember to post my first review every week, and then you'll see how I came to love it over time :)