Sins of the Father - Robin Hood 3x04
Well, I have some mixed feelings about last night's episode... I'll tell you why!
1) Sorry to start with a complaint and possible plot hole, but how is it that Rufus has a revenge thing against the Sheriff? The episode told us that Rufus had stolen something and let his father take the blame (presumably before he had a son of his own, and apparently way back in people's memory???), and that the Sheriff had his father executed - this being the first execution of his reign as Sheriff (he did it because he could). Now, if you think back to 1x01 (Will You Tolerate This?), we are told that the Sheriff has been in power for four years (and Guy has been in Locksley for three years and four winters), after taking over from Marian's father. Therefore, even if three years have passed since series one, it can't be more than about seven years since the Sheriff's first execution, surely! The only other hypothesis I can think of is that the Sheriff held some other sort of position in Nottingham (where the execution is clearly said to have taken place) some years ago, but if so then why did Robin not know the Sheriff when he came back from the Holy Land? I can't resolve this at all. Am I missing something?
2) I also have a complaint about the Sheriff's attitude to Rufus. Rufus' first act as the new tax collector is to destroy, completely pointlessly, just about the only industrial activity I ever remember seeing in Locksley, the furnace that seems to be worked by Kate's mother. Now I might be wrong here, but isn't he seriously jeopardising his chances of getting any long term income from the village?? Now, I can understand Rufus being a mindless thug, but the Sheriff has been known to have better business sense in the past (e.g. his private-public partnership with Lucky George, though we might also note his complete failure to understand Robin's points about boosting the economy in 1x01). Hmm, maybe this isn't fair complaint, but it seemed like a stupid thing for Rufus to do in any case.
3) Speaking of the economy, how is it that it started to regenerate? Because in 1x01 we heard that there was no market on market day - but since then there have been plenty of references to markets, and to various businesses in Nottingham and elsewhere (ceramics in Locksley, baking in Nettlestone, etc.). The market in Nottingham seemed especially well stocked in season two, with plenty of fabrics being sold and so on. I wonder, is it Robin's activities that have given the economy a boost and allowed the market to flourish again? If so, I think the Sheriff should be a bit more grateful ;)
4) But I do like the idea of the Sheriff being desperate to find the money for his special tax every month. I thought the bit where he sent his soldiers off to fight in Northumberland was a nice plot touch - I wonder what will come of that in the next episode. I hope what happens is that the soldiers mostly get killed and don't come back, and when Guy returns the Sheriff is forced to beg him for help (with lots of begging scenes, you understand)... but at the moment this is just a personal fantasy!
5) Anyway, what of the outlaws? Well, we have a new addition. Rufus didn't seem to pass on the information to the Sheriff about Kate being in with Robin's gang (unless I missed something?), so by the end of the episode she had chosen to stay - and that was a nice touch. Well, if I thought I might get tied to Allan more often, I'd go and live in the woods too! And I don't even like going out in the back garden...
6) Hang on, I'm not being funny but... I don't think Allan has a very long neck, do you? Nose, yes, I've got to agree there (and I *love* his nose, so that's no insult). But it was Will with the long neck... *happy sigh of memories*
7) The banter between Allan and Kate was very nice - it's nice to see Allan's lovely charm working to the maximum. I'm not sure how he does it, and his lines weren't exactly romantic, but he still managed it! Plus there's something very sexy about seeing him chained up.
8) But poor Much. By the end of the episode, he was a bit resentful, declaring that he'd seen Kate first. I'm not sure it's resentment though - perhaps more admiration of Allan's easy charm? But still, at least Much knows that Kate thinks he's legendary... well, sort of :)
9) It's nice to see how Much and Allan always seem t get left together at the back end of the gang these days. They have some lovely little exchanges, though sadly they didn't get to spend enough time together in this episode! But we did get to hear Allan calling Much a girl - the question is, is this a return to his old insults (in which case, Allan, Treat Much Right!), or a reference to Much's role in their relationship? ;)
10) But yay for the return of Robin/Much! OK, so maybe it was only one wink, but it was a very sexy wink. I do want to see them together more!
11) I'm still sulking at the lack of Guy - but at least we know he's coming back for the next episode. Yay! And I'm looking forward to seeing his sister Isabella in action too. Yay for Guy storylines!
12) Oh, and one last thing - I love the bees and honey scam for getting rid of the guards! Little scams like that are the essence of the Robin Hood legend :)
1) Sorry to start with a complaint and possible plot hole, but how is it that Rufus has a revenge thing against the Sheriff? The episode told us that Rufus had stolen something and let his father take the blame (presumably before he had a son of his own, and apparently way back in people's memory???), and that the Sheriff had his father executed - this being the first execution of his reign as Sheriff (he did it because he could). Now, if you think back to 1x01 (Will You Tolerate This?), we are told that the Sheriff has been in power for four years (and Guy has been in Locksley for three years and four winters), after taking over from Marian's father. Therefore, even if three years have passed since series one, it can't be more than about seven years since the Sheriff's first execution, surely! The only other hypothesis I can think of is that the Sheriff held some other sort of position in Nottingham (where the execution is clearly said to have taken place) some years ago, but if so then why did Robin not know the Sheriff when he came back from the Holy Land? I can't resolve this at all. Am I missing something?
2) I also have a complaint about the Sheriff's attitude to Rufus. Rufus' first act as the new tax collector is to destroy, completely pointlessly, just about the only industrial activity I ever remember seeing in Locksley, the furnace that seems to be worked by Kate's mother. Now I might be wrong here, but isn't he seriously jeopardising his chances of getting any long term income from the village?? Now, I can understand Rufus being a mindless thug, but the Sheriff has been known to have better business sense in the past (e.g. his private-public partnership with Lucky George, though we might also note his complete failure to understand Robin's points about boosting the economy in 1x01). Hmm, maybe this isn't fair complaint, but it seemed like a stupid thing for Rufus to do in any case.
3) Speaking of the economy, how is it that it started to regenerate? Because in 1x01 we heard that there was no market on market day - but since then there have been plenty of references to markets, and to various businesses in Nottingham and elsewhere (ceramics in Locksley, baking in Nettlestone, etc.). The market in Nottingham seemed especially well stocked in season two, with plenty of fabrics being sold and so on. I wonder, is it Robin's activities that have given the economy a boost and allowed the market to flourish again? If so, I think the Sheriff should be a bit more grateful ;)
4) But I do like the idea of the Sheriff being desperate to find the money for his special tax every month. I thought the bit where he sent his soldiers off to fight in Northumberland was a nice plot touch - I wonder what will come of that in the next episode. I hope what happens is that the soldiers mostly get killed and don't come back, and when Guy returns the Sheriff is forced to beg him for help (with lots of begging scenes, you understand)... but at the moment this is just a personal fantasy!
5) Anyway, what of the outlaws? Well, we have a new addition. Rufus didn't seem to pass on the information to the Sheriff about Kate being in with Robin's gang (unless I missed something?), so by the end of the episode she had chosen to stay - and that was a nice touch. Well, if I thought I might get tied to Allan more often, I'd go and live in the woods too! And I don't even like going out in the back garden...
6) Hang on, I'm not being funny but... I don't think Allan has a very long neck, do you? Nose, yes, I've got to agree there (and I *love* his nose, so that's no insult). But it was Will with the long neck... *happy sigh of memories*
7) The banter between Allan and Kate was very nice - it's nice to see Allan's lovely charm working to the maximum. I'm not sure how he does it, and his lines weren't exactly romantic, but he still managed it! Plus there's something very sexy about seeing him chained up.
8) But poor Much. By the end of the episode, he was a bit resentful, declaring that he'd seen Kate first. I'm not sure it's resentment though - perhaps more admiration of Allan's easy charm? But still, at least Much knows that Kate thinks he's legendary... well, sort of :)
9) It's nice to see how Much and Allan always seem t get left together at the back end of the gang these days. They have some lovely little exchanges, though sadly they didn't get to spend enough time together in this episode! But we did get to hear Allan calling Much a girl - the question is, is this a return to his old insults (in which case, Allan, Treat Much Right!), or a reference to Much's role in their relationship? ;)
10) But yay for the return of Robin/Much! OK, so maybe it was only one wink, but it was a very sexy wink. I do want to see them together more!
11) I'm still sulking at the lack of Guy - but at least we know he's coming back for the next episode. Yay! And I'm looking forward to seeing his sister Isabella in action too. Yay for Guy storylines!
12) Oh, and one last thing - I love the bees and honey scam for getting rid of the guards! Little scams like that are the essence of the Robin Hood legend :)