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Don't tell Amazonbut my heart sank when I first heard this one more Robin Hood adaptation was approaching MGM+. But after watching it, I was mostly won over. It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks.
I have always been firmly convinced that 2010 Robin Hood the movie starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett is the best thing we've ever seen (I didn't grow up watching animated movies). Disney movie since 1973, so I'm not counting that). However, newcomer Jack Patten in the title role and Lauren McQueen as Marian are a breath of fresh air.
Robin Hood is a great example of good storytelling involving unknown faces.
Instead of a distant swindler who takes from the rich and gives to the poor (although we see this a bit as the series progresses), the idea of someone we know Robin Hood be immediately called into question. This version of Rob has a nickname, a complicated relationship with his home and family, and a great love for their way of life, which is constantly under threat.
Our first episodes cleverly use their time to develop Rob into a three-dimensional character he's never been before, and this is our starting point to see his story in a whole new light. Although he shares a very close connection with Marian (Patten and McQueen's chemistry seems as natural as breathing), it is never overt, and we cultivate a beautiful Romeo and Juliet-style bond with them.
However, I can't give our main characters enough credit for the enjoyment of the story. It's incredible how many movies and TV shows these days don't get the basics right – I know I'm about 87 when I say this, but as a seasoned screenwriter, it irritates me to no end.
English and Glenn know exactly what they're doing here and are eradicating the story of Robin Hood allows the overall plot to remain clear and understandable from the start. Yes, there are definitely episodes that are more boring than others (there's a lot of Rob and his “merry men” sitting around in the woods in despair), but every exciting episode is absolutely dazzling.
Without a doubt, there's a quick twist in the last 30 seconds of each episode that turns everything we've learned on its head. This means you can't do anything else with your time other than immediately watch the next episode, and I love the feeling of investment these moments give me. Honestly, I would say this is the best part of the entire series.
Surprisingly, we don't need to see every time someone does it.
While the physical scenes between Rob and Marian are healthy and harmless, I couldn't believe my eyes how overly explicit the rest of the scenes were. Robin Hood is. This is especially true for Priscilla of Nottingham (Lydia Peckham), who takes revenge on her father by trying to hold back the physical strength of the chief of the guard.
Add in Rob's buddies doing it in the service quarters of Eleanor's castle, and it all seems a little jarring. Entire scenes of dialogue are played out in questionable positions, and you already know that the women are mostly naked while the men remain mostly clothed.
It's 2025 and we can understand women using their “wiles” as a force without including graphic sex scenes that don't advance the plot. It's certainly not a feminist move, even though there will be an intimacy coordinator on set; after all, these are creative decisions made by men.
These scenes also strangely undermine Connie Nielsen's portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is undoubtedly the best character in the entire story. Robin Hood. Every word that comes out of Nielsen's mouth is sage wisdom, using her own wiles to coordinate attacks and alliances through international correspondence.
It's a master class in the continued underestimation of women throughout history, rewriting their stories and actually creating their own in a man's world. It's clear that Nielsen has cornered the royal game market by taking everything we love about Lucilla into Gladiator and expand it in all the best ways. If Amazon gave us extra income completely focused on her, I wouldn't be mad about that.
Maybe I'm being picky, but overall I'm impressed. I won't be lobbying for new takes on the Robin Hood legend anytime soon, but MGM+ has proven what's possible in the tired field of adaptations.
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