The BBC has sold out to the U.S. market, simple as that. A prime example of the tripe the BBC is producing at the moment is Robin Hood. There has never been a take on Robin Hood that could cram such intense 
levels of vacuous, inaccurate, meaningless drivel into such a pointless exercise. The non-violent stance of Robin Hood is the stuff of the A-Team, this combined with truly stupid stunts and extremely poor fight choreography gets the BBC the award for the ‘most appalling Robin Hood ever conceived’. The clothes are often pseudo-modern in style with the most ridiculous excuse for Norman armour that I have ever seen. There is a Sarasin women wearing a combat jacket, Lord of the Rings style acrobatics such as death-slides on a bow and a sense of inflation in everything that only a dumbwitted American audience would suck up this shit. Maybe I am too harsh on the Amercians, TV in the UK is now almost the utter tripe it is in the US (but without the HBO), and Robin Hood has been getting the same old positive reviews pumped out as a standard for BBC trash programming (ie Torchwood and Dr Who). (Too many good BBC lunches for journos I think).
Did the makers of this program do any research? Did they just think ‘The yanks are already stupid we can make any drivel and it’ll sell’. I’m not saying that Robin Hood should be some serious look at the gritty reality of being a bandit in the 12th century (approx). Robin Hood is a romance that has changed over the years. Michael Praed arguably the best Robin Hood in ‘Robin of Sherwood‘ which is definitely the finest series about the ‘hooded man’ ever made, conveys a far deeper and interesting take on Robin. Exploring his pagan links with Hern the 
Hunter and as such draws a far more accurate version of Feudal England than has ever been portrayed in a Robin Hood themed series/film. Of course it was romanticised but it WAS NOT AMERICANISED.
The new Robin Hood series is an absolute disgrace pumping the viewing expectations of an American audience into our heritage, twisting a fine story into a non-violent pantomime, making a laughable tragedy of one of our most treasured heroes. Now he is some ‘emo‘ pacifist wimp that makes me want to vomit. (why couldn’t they do a story about Robin coming back from the Crusades?!!) Jonas Armstrong looks far too much like Steven Hendry for me to take him seriously as an actor, let alone as Robin Hood for gods sake.
THE BBC, YOU HAVE SOLD OUT. YOU PANDER TO THE AMERICAN MARKET AND CHARGE ME FOR THE PLEASURE OF WATCHING YOU BUTCHER OUR HERITAGE.
p.s. Keith Allen has always been crap.
As an American, I would have to agree with you whole-heartedly! If there’s anything I can’t stand, it’s the white-washing of the Good Old Legends to fit American taste (and poor taste at that). Sadly to say (yes, I’ll say it of of my own countymen), most Americans will rather hypocritically fawn over something foreign and exotic to them, only to water it down as time goes on and ruin it by making a cheap and tawdry version that fits the desires of the masses (be it food, film, or literature)!
I also remember “Robin of Sherwood” with it’s connections between Robin and Hern, and enjoyed the one or two episodes I saw, and enjoyed them MUCH better than most of the utterly unimaginative crap that passes for good teleplay these days.
As a matter of fact, I’m going to get the series on DVD as soon as possible, as I never got to see all the episodes.
[ I also like a good banger sausage as well (nothing else like them!), and mourn the fact that I can't find them at my local grocery more often, commenting upon one of your other blogposts.]
I too have to agree with your critique on the new BBC Robin Hood. I too am an American and have greatly fallen in love with the idea of Robin Hood. I’m not a fan of every Robin Hood film/series I just like the idea of him. I don’t really know what it is that holds such appeal. Maybe the idea of all those men living together in the forest. LOL! The best representations I’ve personally found of him have been on stage… very romantic.
What really gets on my nerves about this particular show is the lack of historical accuracy, which I hold in the utmost regard. Especially the costumes! I’ve never seem so many machine made costumes in a period piece. Polyester? Come on now! Also, women would never wear pants back then… women would almost never wear pants fifty years ago Marian! Another down fall which you’ve already mentioned are the shoddy fight scenes. I don’t know why I even watched the entire series. I found myself cringing uncontrollably time and time again hoping it’ll get better. It doesn’t.
I ordered this series on Netflix so no worries about my TV giving this tripe ratings. I am extremely excited about receiving Robin of Sherwood next from Netflix. Cheers to historical accuracy.
Thank you.
Thanks guys, I really find the BBC’s Robin Hood painful, and I’m glad you do too. Long live Robin of Sherwood, I still watch this fantastic series even though it is very dated. Much more English feel to it
The movie makers film in a way they “think” Americans want them. All American’s aren’t uncultured and uneducated. I, as one, really enjoy a historically accurate film. Add a little romance, and it’s the perfect film for me. I’ve not seen either Robin Hood series, though I have seen many Robin Hood movies. Robin (or Robyn) as I call him, has always held a special interest for me and I really enjoy European films. Less dramatization and more “real life”. I look forward to getting DVDs on Robin of Sherwood.
I hate the new Robin Hood so much. What’s going on with all the terrible heavy handed modern politics? Is Robin Hood, an English icon, now a Taleban fighter? The Sheriff never seems too bad. Why do I want Robin to die in every episode?
spell check.
I see a draft got up here, minor edits made to the spelling. BTW check your broken links on your site.. ouch.
Girl on the photo is very beautiful. what is that girl’s name.
Her name is Judi Trott
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://209.204.252.91/ROS/rosbiopix/judicon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://209.204.252.91/ROS/rosbios.html&h=323&w=286&sz=11&tbnid=O28ScxHLs_KKJM::&tbnh=118&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djudi%2Btrott&hl=en&usg=__5Z9C6Z4BlTwzUOa0ZsQQ5FCrjJ4=&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=5&ct=image&cd=1
This photo is low quality. Look at this photo.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4061/nicegirlym0.png
Thank you very much friend. I love Judi. xD
Blimey! She is lovely
I’m back after 7 months.
I still haven’t seen the new BBC Robin Hood. I don’t think I want to for the mere reason (and probably not the ony one) that they picked the wrong actor to play the part. I did, however, buy the “Robin of Sherwood” series and watched them all. I loved the series and really loved Michael Praed. He fit the part perfectly with a kind of innocence and wood faerie quality about him. Shame it had to end.
While I agree with the thrust of your diatribe, the ironic thing is your Americanised use of English: armor, program, trash, dumb… only a few decades ago, those words were only heard on US-made programmes and films. You go on to shout about our heritage being butchered. One of the greatest parts of our heritage is our language. The number of misspellings and other errors in such a short piece is laughable for someone who purports to care about it.
No excuse for armour apart from not setting Word language up correctly and being in a rush. Other Americanisms in my writing, I think, are appropriate considering the subject, maybe even ironic.
Our language will change over time as do all languages, a good story and good production values do not however. I am willing to accept the change in the English language as inevitable, it has constantly evolved since the early Britons, and I see no reason why it would stop now.
This is a blog by the way, and I am pretty busy so mistakes are going to happen. I don’t apologise for them, most people get the message.
BTW
“You go on to shout about our heritage being butchered”
I think your grammar could do with some polising.
i’m a great admirer of bbc programming. their “being human”, “the office” and “top gear” are among my favourite t.v. programms so it was with high hopes that i tuned in to watch their (relatively) new “robin hood” t.v. series.
only one word for it…
SHITE!
the costumes are atrocious, the merry men look like some out of work boy band, the action scenes are laughable and (as mentioned here) the lead character is a pacifist, emo wimp who apparently doesn’t know how to use a traditional english longbow…
even the kevin costner version was far more believable (despite the rubbish storyline & his american twang)
and yet there are those who sing high praises for this bbc version. can’t figure out why. perhaps those are the same people who consider the sam raimi inspired xena & hercules, high entertainment….
i’m sorry but the bbc seems to have lost the plot here. the series have been dumbed down and (dare i say it?) americanized far too much for my liking. it may gather an instant fan base but i can assure you, in another 10-15 years time, it will most probably been forgotten unlike some of the older offerings…
me? i’ll stick to “robin of sherwood”, probably the greatest re-imagining of the robinhood legend until something equal or better comes along. certainly not this bbc tripe…
Totally and utterly spot on.
Well said
Bravo
Nice to see that so many of you also hate this trash. As an archer (English longbow) and medieval re-enactor I watched with trepidation then almost loosed a few arrows at my television. The Micheal Pread version is definately the best depiction to date and is unlikely to be bettered by any major producer. Shame about the dubious casting of Jason Connery for the latter series though! You truly got to hate the Normans and feel for the put upon Saxons. The use of Pagan symbolism was also a nice touch.
As a side note who is looking forward to this years entry into the fray with Russell Crowe in the title role of Robin Hood! From the released stills they appear to have put some effort into his outfit and the bow looks roughly right, let’s hope he doesn’t try any of this silly sideways holding of the bow or ripping off fletchings to make them go around corners or whatever!
BBC Robin hood like a Baby hood , I watched both series on Sri Lanka National Televition
I completely agree with all of the comments here. This recent BBC version was a very bad joke. A completely inaccurate and “modernised” take on Plantagenet England. The acting was dire, the fight scenes laughable, and the costumes were way beyond poor. I’m sure that a primary school play could have made a more realistic job? This was a totally shameless attempt to try and make the classic Robin Hood tale as politically correct as possible. There is no way on earth I would part with my cash to buy this series on DVD.
The best version that we are ever likely to see in our lifetime, is Robin of Sherwood with Michael Praed. I grew up watching this excellent series when it was first shown on ITV in 1984, and it remains the finest version ever made. Even with the pagan element to this series, it remains the most authentic treatment of this legend ever seen on film. Michael Praed is the definitive Robin, and all of the other actors played their parts extremely well. Richard Carpenter wrote this series very well indeed. As a very young lad back in the 80′s, I was totally gutted when Praed’s Robin died in the last episode “The Greatest Enemy”.
I also shoot English Longbows at various informal shoots throughout the country, and have done so for 26 years, but this recent load of BBC drivel didn’t cut it for me one bit!
I agree Michael Pread has been one of the best Robin Hoods. But you want Robin Hood to remain English and not American. Well you are using (American) non-standered english like trash and crap which shows you obviously don’t care. Robin Hood has always been one of my favorite legends in the whole of history. So if Robin Hood is a legend then it doesn’t have tp be true. There are many takes on the story of Robin Hood, all different. So it could contain flying pigs and it would still remain a legend. None of the stories of Robin Hood have been accurate so I don’t know why you have decided to pick on this one. By the way Doctor Who isn’t trash programing, have you accually seen it because your comments make me think you haven’t. What has Keith Allen done to you? He’s welsh I’m welsh, I have great respect for welsh people. That means they are from WALES. That’s in Britain ok (I thought I’d tell you that because you think you are all so stupid and dull). I like this series of Robin Hood. Yes its a little too dramatic. But if you think this series is far too unreal then what about Robin of Sherwood. Do you think somebody would really have a sword which could not kill them or a which who could control a man? I don’t think so.
Gwen, your missing the point. If I speak using US slang in the 21ST c that’s ok, because we are influenced by American culture.It’s not ok in the context of 12thc England. The same for the flying pigs–you can use fantasy as long as it is consistent and suspends disbelief. That is what they did in Robin of Sherwood-used actual legends that people believed in, such as Herne, used REAL magical spells (yes,really!). If they had added in unicorns or twee winged fairies, it would have been a disaster. The BBC Robin had NO fantasy but completely disregarded medieval history. Robin is a legend but one taking place in a historical time and that constrains you to a lesser or greater degree. There was no excuse on any level for the first series costuming anyway–except cheapness!