That's right, Robin Hood. The latest series premiered in England last year, and has been a popular hit there. The overall message of the hero is that people should help other people, and the message remains strong in this version as well.
While the Robin Hood in this series is no longer a larger-than-life figure, and is made unmistakably human, I feel that that is one of the series' biggest draws. You never think that just because he's the main character, he will make it out all right. Realistically, people in this show die, and people are hurt. There is no guarantee of safety anywhere.
The biggest reason I watch this show is because it is different from everything else that is on TV these days. Many dramas right now are either realistic, down-to-earth dramas, such as House or CSI, or more fantasy-oriented special-effects based shows such as Heroes. Robin Hood accomplishes the same quality of storytelling with a much smaller budget - and limited special effects, which grant it a certain kind of charm. Much of the entertainment value is in the actors playing various parts, and the Villains are definitely more realistic than they could have been, given the subject matter.
That's not to say they don't suffer from TV Villain Syndrome - they still gesture wildly even when alone, create huge plans destined to failure, and never seem to be able to kill the main character. Despite that, they seem realistic, somehow.
Some of the negatives I have already mentioned earlier. Despite the main characters being good actors, some of the storylines fall flat. Also, some of the people Robin Hood lives with, the Merry Men, fade into the background. There are the three main people in his group - Robin, Much, and Little John, but aside from those three, the rest of the characters seem to be pretty generic.
The intended audience of this show is the same as most dramas on television. Mainly young adults, both males and females of age 18-25. It has received good ratings, while not being the best thing on TV during its' time slot. Overall, I believe this series is well-worth watching, despite some of its' flaws.
A preview of the show can be found at YouTube.
The official website can be found here.
Image credit goes to The Daily Mail.
