The Musketeers 02x08, "The Prodigal Father"

[asthenie_vd]

Well, that was underwhelming.

(Don't worry, I'm not hating ... everything. It's just long. I simply, unreasonably expected more from the long since promised big episode about my favourite musketeer.)

Comments

[anonymous]

I absolutely agree with you on 110% of all points you raise here. I love the Musketeers but Porthos is my favourite and there's so much rich material in the picture they painted from Series 1 with his 'past' etc and with the promise of a 'Porthos' Ep this series, I had greater expectations for this then I'm afraid was delivered. Don't get me wrong here, what we did get was Fab-u-lous, but I wanted more - more Porthos and Treville, more Porthos and Aramis (did he just bugger off and leave him there btw without a word?!), more 'brotherhood' - we saw no reaction from the others about the fact that Porthos had removed his Pauldron other then - 'here you go, mate, everything's okay now'. This is Porthos remember... who 'worked harder than anyone to get a place in the regiment' and values being a musketeer above all else. On the same vein - how did Aramis end up with that Pauldron, and should it not have been Treville giving it back? Preferably with some interaction with Porthos? I did wonder if one of the cuts made was to the scene after

[asthenie_vd]

Yup, what we got was well intentioned in parts, and there's some interesting bits in there (like the fake portrait, Porthos having been in the infantry, etc.), but it's simply too little. Especially considering how little we've had of Porthos all season. This was their last chance to do Porthos some justice before the big finale and I can't but help feel like we have been cheated out of it.

On the same vein - how did Aramis end up with that Pauldron, and should it not have been Treville giving it back?

Guess they didn't feel like Treville and Porthos should interact anymore than absolutely necessary in this episode that was partly about their relationship. :/

I've no idea what the writers' were thinking. It's all so dissatisfactory.

Porthos is leaning against (I think) the windowsill, but it looks like they are in deep conversation - where was that?!I think I know the still that ou man. Might have been just a promotional photo taking on the set with no connection to the story. But I wouldn't be surprised if they cut stuff

[tigercheetah]

You make some interesting points, especially in relation to the lack of Porthos, although I think all the Musketeers have been a bit sidelined this year in favour of the drama at court and Rochefort.. The new tone that Adrian Hodges has introduced to the show this year hasn't been good for Musketeer screentime at all, either collectively or as individuals

[failte_aoife]

Sort of...yeah. I also agree with the basic point d'Artagnan was making re: you really have no reason to play the grieving widow now but he just made them in the worst possible way and I can't really excuse that. Because with the whole 'if you leave me waiting much longer I'll be gone' he put her under a lot of pressure and really it's not like he had been waiting that long at that point (idk but I would guess there might have been a month between the episodes? A bit longer as Treville is again well enough to ride

[asthenie_vd]

I kind of rambled on about this below, so excuse me for not repeating everything in detail (I kinda rambled on long D:) but I think Constance had every reason to play the grieving widow. She might not have loved Bonacieux, but he was still a large part of her life for a long time, and her thoughts regarding him are understandibly confused. Especially as she's experiencing guilt over not having loved the man despite him not having been a stellar husband either. That's not something you just shake off even if you have nice new lover right there.

(idk but I would guess there might have been a month between the episodes? A bit longer as Treville is again well enough to ride?)You're applying real world logic to a show that had them ride around in the first ep of series two for days with a man who had been shot in the stomach, and who was still bleeding but somehow also still alive and coherent by the time they got back to the garrison. You know, instead of taking him to the nearest town to have him cared for or calling Treville there to

[failte_aoife]

Idk but I think we mean similar things? I just might have expressed myself not in the best way? I really do get that d'Art would be frustrated at her behaviour considering he knows that their marriage was far from happy but that doesn't even come close to excusing anything he said. And as said: when he understands that her husband's death would upset her despite everything in one episode why did he suddenly forget that in the next?

You're applying real world logic to a show

Fair point XD (though we can probably safely take 'Bonacieux still has a wooden cross in a sea of headstones' as sign for not that much time had passed...that's somehow universal TV-language even though it can take a while to make one?)

[emerald_happy]

You make some very good points here. I am struggling to articulate my mix of feelings so I'll just say a few things in response, hah.

Like, it's nice of him to claim Porthos got into the musketeers on his merit alone and through Treville having a guilty conscience, but where's the proof? Tell us how Porthos was first brought to your attention and how he impressed you (see how this could have been made better by a single additional line spoken)? And please elaborate on that stupid blood oath because it sounds stupid. Exactly! I remember in series 1 when Porthos returned from the Court of Miracles and Treville stood up for him. Where's the continuation from that? And Porthos defends Treville in The Good Soldier "The Captain is the finest man I've ever known." He must have made an impression on Porthos from the start? How? I want more dammit

[asthenie_vd]

Oh, mentions of series 1 make me wistful! I loved those scenes you mention! Both those episodes are full of glimpses of how much these two character respect each other. I wish the show had used that to better dramatic effect in this storyarc. :( I had so hoped we would actually learn how Porthos had become a musketeer. Just a word or two of how he impressed Treville would have been better than the nothing we got

[emerald_happy]

There's no episode next Friday (*cries*) so I'm going to rewatch my favourite S1 episodes.

but I think he was also right in that he would have made a terrible politician and that might have hurt the country more*nods* I remember in 1.01 when Louis says "That's why I like you, Treville" re: Treville being honest. If Louis was more reasonable then Treville could have stayed as Louis' advisor without having to go down the full-on politician route

[asthenie_vd]

I'm not above streaming the BBCA version and watching it a week early, I'll be honest. But I'll be away for the weekend anyway, so...

Still I don't think I'll be able to wait the extra week for the final episode once it's aired on BBCA. As I already ordered the S2 Bluray way back when 2x01 aired I'm not feeling that guilty about streaming it. ;)

*nods* I remember in 1.01 when Louis says "That's why I like you, Treville" re: Treville being honest.

Yeeees! I love that bit I mean, we all know Treville lies from time to time. Even in that very scene. But he never lies to the king about what he thinks he should do, and that's the important thing

[bm_shipper]

but I can't help but feel like the majority isn't too upset about the lack of Porthos this series,

Well, I was late watching this episode as I worked half of the day, but I just posted a review/reaction post and I definitely think that "huge secret" was a huge let down to be honest, and resolved way too quickly, and I also said that I expected much more of the episode. I might have worded it differently, but it's kinda the "same point"... I wanted more actually.
I didn't want Porthos hating Treville whatsoever, but in the end what he and Defoix did wasn't as bad as they made it sound like, was it? I mean, it was absolutely awful and terrible, but Porthos was pretty quickly to forgive and forget obviously... Or that's waht it looks like...

. Still sad we didn't get a hug and not more interaction between Porthos and Treville

Jupp, same... I hoped that there would be a hug or something like that, but I loved that it was Aramis who was with Porthos in the beginning and how it was Aramis who said the "All for one" line :)

Aaaand I

[asthenie_vd]

Huh, I thought what they did was actually pretty disgusting. They put a woman and her young child out onto the streets without support. It's not like she had a family to go to or really anyone to look after her. And who was going to employ a servant girl with a young baby? Yes, they regretted it immediately and probably did not have much time to think it through when Belgard asked to get her away from him in the first place, but still, that's definitely something that would count as the greatest shame of one's life in my eyes.

But yeah, Porthos' storyline simply felt rushed.

I thought it was to show that the Musketeers are still capable of doing SOMETHING right and doing something other than getting people killed Did it really have to be sex slavery though? Plus I doubt we'll be ever hearing from that storyline again. It's just, I don't think this show is really interested in the implications. The Scottish guy is dead yet, but from what the girls said there's way more people involved that they have no hope of stopping. It's just

[maviscruet9]

Hi there, Belgard did mention Pothos mother by name Marie Suzette.

[asthenie_vd]

Thanks, I honestly couldn't remember! That would have been a horrible oversight if they hadn't named her!

[emerald_happy]

I read somewhere that's the real name of Dumas' grandmother!

[asthenie_vd]

Hm, I've read the name of Dumas' grandmother as "Marie Cessette Dumas" in the Tom Reiss biography of General Dumas, but it's the same root as "Suzette" I guess? Sounds similar at least. :)