So I just saw the first episode of the new Robin Hood. It was all right, but nowhere near as good as I was hoping for. My main problem is that I think Robin himself was miscast. I realize that teenagers went to war and returned men during the Crusades, but it seems like Robin went to war a teenager and returned merely an older teenager. The character's lacking in all respects, most notably the inspirational qualities that all Robins are supposed to be known for and the dazzling style of the Flynn version. Plus, it's just kind of awkward to have Robin look and act like he's barely older than Will.
Much alternates between endearing and annoying throughout the episode, and I think the actor who plays him should probably work on his comedic timing a bit. The camera work and cinematography, on the other hand, tended to stick to the annoying side of the scale more often than not. A lot of the stunts were cartoonish and just unnecessary in the context (did we really need to see slow-motion shots from three angles of Robin backflipping his way to safety?), and a lot of the scenes seem to be trying for the gritty, documentary-esque camera effects of shows like Battlestar Galactica but wind up looking like they were just badly cut (the most notable instance I can remember is that ridiculous pre-fight sword-swinging competition between Robin and that angry father). The worst offender of all, however, has to be Robin's sword throw, which not only made it up to the battlements with enough force to knock out guys wearing helmets, but also miraculously managed to hit both of the guards holding Much without so much as shuffling a hair on Much's head. That was so heavy-handed that I'd actually be surprised if it weren't written as "insert super-cool, badass Robin Hood moment here" in the script.
All that said, I enjoyed most of the episode. Marian's feisty, which is good for the obvious romantic subplot. Much'll probably grow on me, and the Merry Men ought to liven things up from next ep onwards. Allan-a-Dale seems like he might provide a nice foil for Robin since Will Scarlet, who's usually pretty engaging in most Robin Hood incarnations, doesn't seem all that promising so far in this one. Gisbourne and the Sheriff seem like good, balanced villains, with the Sheriff providing the arch, mustache-twirling moments and Gisbourne coming off as the more complex, almost-honorable-but-horribly-flawed antagonist. If the showrunners have some interesting directions ahead to take advantage of the actor and the character, I could see myself watching this show solely for Gisbourne, in fact. I'm also looking forward to more with Friar Tuck, presuming that was him at the execution. I keep using the words "seems like" and the future-tense, so basically I guess I'm saying that the show has some kernels of potential. Provided it grows out of its seeming need to make everything "cool," which has so far only led to an underwhelming lead and the caricaturization of a lot of the action in the director/cinematographer/cameramen's overzealousness, I can see it becoming a good show. After the first episode, I'd call it decent at best.
