Robin Hood: Season Three (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
There are many things you can do in a "Robin Hood" retelling. The BBC's version of the legend has proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that killing off Maid Marian is definitely not one of them - though I'm sure many of us could have told them that *before* they actually went through with it. Prior to the airing of the third season of "Robin Hood", Laura Burrows of IGN interviewed Jonas Armstrong (Robin) on the upcoming series, with emphasis on the departure of Lucy Griffiths. She ended her article with this prediction:
"In total, the actor made light of Griffiths' quick exodus and did his best to throw us a few bones for the third season, but it seems that the writers may be scrambling to fill in the gaps made by a missing love interest and that the cast will be flying by the seat of their pants, acting scene-by-scene, until they came come to grips with an unsteady storyline." (August 4, 2008)
Burrows' prediction was spot-on. Although there are plenty of note-worthy things about Season Three, the show has lost most of its charm - not just because of Marian's death, but due to the complete restructuring of the show itself by new management. The man responsible for the decision to kill Marian (series creator Dominic Mingella) played no part in this season, credited as "creator" in the opening credits, but contributing nothing to the directing, writing or storylines at all. This is distinctly odd considering the self-congratulatory tones he took in various interviews and on the Season Two DVDs, in which he calls Marian's death an opportunity to "rock the show to its core," to "see a darker side to Robin," and to "open up new storytelling possibilities." If he was that enthusiastic about killing off Marian, why didn't he stick around in order to see his story through to its end?
Whatever the reason for his departure, there was a palatable sense of disorganisation in the Tiger Aspect/BBC studios in regards to "Robin Hood." Little effort was put into promoting the third season, the official website wasn't updated until a few days before the premiere, detailed plot synopsises were released prior to episodes airing, and the premature release of the DVD box set in the UK ensured that the final episode was leaked onto YouTube long before it was scheduled to appear on television. Interviews with the cast members were oddly evasive on the subject of Marian's death, but though a "close-mouthed policy" seemed to be in place, Richard Armitage made his voice heard, stating in no uncertain terms that he had grave concerns about the decision to kill Marian: "I think [the writers] are playing with fire."
All this behind-the-scenes trouble inevitably leeched the quality of Season Three considering that the show was passed on to a new batch of writers (only two of the thirteen episodes were penned by writers who had worked on the show before) who were clearly unfamiliar with the preceding storylines, and had little idea of what to do with the fallout of Marian's death.
For simplicity's sake, the following review is divided into the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Good
As always, the brilliant cast of actors throw themselves into their roles with one hundred and ten percent, transcending the material they've been given and churning out urgent and believable performances despite the ridiculousness of the plots they're stuck in. The original cast members have incredible chemistry together, and by this stage have been working together for over three years. Such a history means that they are imminently watchable, even when they're being painfully under-utilized. This ensemble cast of talented actors, the characters they inhabit, and the performances they deliver are the number one reason to watch this show.
In terms of storylines, there are plenty of intriguing twists and turns among the "Team Castle" cast. A guilt-stricken Guy has swiftly become a loose cannon, and the Sheriff decides to cut his losses and rid himself of his once-loyal henchman. When Prince John (brilliantly portrayed by Toby Stephens) finally enters the scene, he soon has the two of them at each other's throats by promising Guy the position of Sheriff if he rids them of the current one.
Also in the mix is Guy's sister Isabella (whose existence contradicts two seasons worth of Guy insisting that he had no family at all, but never mind), an enigmatic presence whose loyalties are questionable and who arguably has the most important role this season as she instigates the power-struggles that drive the overarching plot. Richard Armitage and Lara Pulver capture the sibling dynamic perfectly, and their physical similarities mean they could easily pass for brother/sister in real life. For the most part, the "Dark Side" plot works very well.
There also seems to have been a bigger budget this time around, resulting in higher production values. The costumes are significantly improved, as is the general scope and atmosphere of the show. And someone has finally realised just how beautiful their surroundings are, for now there are plenty of establishing shots that exploit the gorgeous forest scenery. Speaking of eye-candy, this is the most beautiful cast since The Tudors and perhaps the best way to watch the show is to simply ignore the plots and enjoy the view (though despite the presence of Lara Pulver, male viewers may find themselves a bit short-changed with the loss of both Lucy Griffith and Anjali Jay).
Finally, this show has always provided plenty of laughs. Like how the entire population of England doesn't seem to notice that Tuck is black, or how Prince John's secret weapon ends up being a lion that's so decrepit that it can't even walk in a straight line, or how Kate is slightly out of sync when chanting along with an angry mob. Robin invents the first hang-glider and then defies the laws of physics with it; and Kate performs CPR on somebody whose injuries don't actually require it. And as always, a raised hood is an impenetrable disguise; and hiding behind a twig or a sapling will render a grown man invisible. Good times.
The Bad
As fond as I am (or, was) of this show, there's no denying that the writing is nothing short of abysmal. Although any one episode may serve as mindless entertainment, close inspection - or even "mild" inspection - reveals some of the sloppiest scripts ever committed to the screen. Many storylines are raised only to go nowhere, dialogue is often nonsensical, continuity is non-existent, logic is thrown out the window, characterization is butchered, and (as a result of all this) talent is squandered.
Anachronisms, silliness, and a dose of cheesiness were all part of the fun of "Robin Hood" right from the beginning, but in season three, the writers/producers lost sight of why people tuned in. I (and I'm sure many others) watched for the magnificent cast and the range of intriguing, poignant, complex relationships that they managed to forge between their characters: namely the warm camaraderie of the outlaws and the delicate balancing act between Robin, Marian and Guy. In season three, all this has been flushed away. Even the important relationships that *do* remain intact are given little to no attention (Robin and Much are practically strangers now, and there is no indication whatsoever that Allan worked with Guy for most of last season. Marian is hardly ever mentioned. Oh, and remember Will and Djaq? Nobody else does). In lieu of meaningful emotional connection, the show no longer has any real heart.
Rather, many plots rely on characters acting irrationally and against their own established personalities. Robin and Isabella's relationship ends just as incoherently as it begins. Kate flip-flops between anti-Robin sentiments to simpering fan-girl for no apparent reason. Guy leaves Isabella to drown in a dungeon and then can't seem to understand why she hates him so much. Much and Allan spend several episodes infatuated with Kate, yet have little to no reaction when Robin hooks up with her instead. For a monk, Tuck condones some rather morally dubious things. Allan saves Little John's life, only for John to immediately turn on him when a highly-untrustworthy person suggests that Allan is a traitor. Robin states that he implicitly trusts the man who killed his wife, and yet isn't prepared to give one of his own men the benefit of the doubt. Archer leaves his half-brothers to die after they've saved him from the noose, but then decides to join the team after Kate throws a tantrum. Even the extras behave inexplicably: a mob enthusiastically chants for Robin to be burnt at the stake, only to jump around cheering when he escapes two minutes later.
Um...is everyone a bi-polar schizophrenic with short-term memory loss? The swiftness with which characters declare their intentions, make foolish decisions, change their minds, assign blame, leap to conclusions, change their minds again, act rashly, and forget what happened three minutes ago is just mind-boggling, and I can only imagine that the erratic shifts in behaviour will be even more pronounced when episodes are seen in succession on DVD.
This choppy storytelling has never been more apparent than in what is known as "the flashback episode". With absolutely no foreshadowing whatsoever, the writers suddenly introduce a complex back-story between Robin and Guy that accumulates in the revelation that they share a half-brother. Neither man has ever mentioned their dramatic joint-history before, and the new information is relayed to Robin and Guy via Robin's long-lost father, who convinces them to save their long-lost brother, so that they can defeat Guy's long-lost...Read more›

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The legend continues... With new allies and old enemies, Robin Hood returns for a third series full of thrilling adventures as Robin and his gang continue to outwit the dastardly Sheriff and his forces. As the series begins, the outlaws are in disarray. Marian is dead and Robin has split up the gang and launched a solo mission to avenge her and kill Gisborne. It is only the intervention of the mysterious Tuck that stops Robin joining Marian in an early grave. Which is bad news for Gisbourne and the Sheriff. Under pressure from Prince John, they must take down Robin Hood once and for all. When the prince, tired of their ineffectualness and bad leadership, arrives in Nottingham to reprimand the Sheriff and Gisbourne, it becomes clear that there is only room forone sidekick at his table,but which one?

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