28 April 1984 (1984-04-28) – 28 June 1986 (1986-06-28)
Robin of Sherwood is a British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 28 April 1984 to 28 June 1986 on the ITV network. In the United States it was shown on the premium cable TV channel Showtime[1] and, later, on PBS. It was also syndicated in the early 1990s under the title Robin Hood.
The show starred Michael Praed and Jason Connery as two different incarnations of the title character. Unlike previous adaptations of the Robin Hood legend, Robin of Sherwood combined a gritty, authentic production design with elements of real-life history, 20th-century fiction, and pagan myth.[2]
Robin of Sherwood has been described by historian Stephen Knight as "the most innovative and influential version of the myth in recent times".[3] The series is also notable for its musical score by Clannad, which won a BAFTA award.[2] A video game adaptation, Robin of Sherwood: The Touchstones of Rhiannon, was released in 1985. The series attained cult status worldwide.[4]
Production
Overview
Richard Carpenter had previously worked with producer Paul Knight on two other dramas involving historical adventure, Dick Turpin (1979–1982) and Smuggler (1981).[5] For their next project, Carpenter and Knight decided to have their production company Gatetarn do an adaptation of the Robin Hood legend. With the aid of television producer Sidney Cole, Carpenter and Knight were able to create a production deal for the show. Goldcrest Films, the US network Showtime, HTV and Gatetarn agreed to fund the series.[6] Carpenter drew on the 1950s TV series The Adventures of Robin Hood and the 1973 film Wolfshead: The Legend of Robin Hood as inspirations for Robin of Sherwood.[6] Carpenter also used the books Robin Hood by the historian J. C. Holt and The God of the Witches by the folklorist Margaret Murray as sources for the program. [7]Robin of Sherwood was more expensive than Carpenter and Knight's previous series; each episode of Robin of Sherwood cost around £500,000 to film.[5] Filming on Robin of Sherwood began in 1983.[6] The show premiered in 1984, on ITV in the UK and on Showtime in the United States.[6] There were three series, composed of a two-hour opening episode and 24 one-hour long episodes, although the pilot is sometimes screened as two one-hour episodes. The episodes comprising "The Swords of Wayland" were transmitted as one episode in the UK on their original screening, on a bank holiday weekend in 1985.[2] The show was shot on film and almost entirely on location, mostly in the northeast and southwest of England; HTV West in Bristol was the base of operations, and most of the filming was done in and around Bristol and its surrounding counties. Primary locations were the Blaise Castle Estate and Vassells Park. Some of the forest scenes were shot near Bradford-on-Avon.
Robin of Sherwood is one of the most influential treatments of the core Robin Hood legend since the classic film The Adventures of Robin Hood. It featured a realistic period setting and introduced the character of a Saracen outlaw. Carpenter also added fantasy elements to the story, which had not appeared in previous TV versions of the legend. These included Robin's supernatural mentor Herne the Hunter, Robin's magic sword Albion, and appearances by black magicians and demons.[5][8]
In the opening story, Robin Hood and the Sorcerer, Robin and Much fall foul of the Sheriff's henchman, Sir Guy of Gisburne and are imprisoned in Nottingham Castle. They manage to escape: as a result of this action, Robin is declared a "wolfshead", an outlaw, by the authorities. Robin retreats to the woods and gathers a team of fellow rebels to fight back against the Sheriff's authority.[2][5][9]
Jason Connery as Robin
At the end of the second series, Robin of Loxley is killed. Robert of Huntingdon (played by Jason Connery) replaces him as the new Robin Hood. The third series had the same episode count as the first two combined, so each incarnation of Robin featured in the same number of episodes.
At the conclusion of Series Three, Goldcrest was forced to pull out of the venture, due to a downturn in the fortunes of their film arm. Goldcrest had been responsible for critical and commercial hits such as Chariots of Fire (1981) and Gandhi (1982) earlier in the 1980s, but had hit a lean period with such films as Revolution (1985) and Absolute Beginners (1986). The series was expensive to produce; HTV could not afford to finance it alone, and so Robin of Sherwood came to an unexpected end.[5] Goldcrest invested £1,289,000 in the first six episodes, £1,944,000 in the next seven and £4,035,000 in the next twelve.[10] Despite the huge popularity of the series, Goldcrest's financial difficulties due to its cinematic investments, prevented further production.[11][12]
During the course of the third series, the new Robin discovers that he is the half-brother of his nemesis Guy of Gisburne (an idea suggested to Carpenter by the fact that both actors had blond hair). Carpenter had planned to have Guy discover this.[6] This particular story arc was never resolved, as the show's intended fourth (and final) series was never made. Series 4 would have also featured the return of Baron de Belleme.[6] The sudden cancellation also broke off Robin and Marion's intended marriage and left Marion at Halstead Abbey as a novice. Carpenter later said that, if he had known the third season would be last, he would have married Robin and Marion.[2]
Attempts at a revival
After the series ended, Carpenter and Knight tried several times to revive the show. First, Knight attempted to gain funding from US producers for a fourth season, but was unsuccessful.[5] Carpenter then wrote a script for a feature film adaptation of the series, and attempted to gather funding. Carpenter said in a 1990 interview that the film was intended to star the TV series' regular cast, with a new actor playing Robin if Connery was unavailable.[6] Carpenter also said that the film would not be an adaptation of the unmade fourth season, but "a story on its own".[6] The appearance of two Robin Hood films in 1991 (Robin Hood and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) meant that Carpenter and Knight could not interest potential producers in a third Robin Hood film.[2] Coincidently, Jason Connery's father Sean Connerycameoed as King Richard in the second film.
Historical dating
Robin of Sherwood takes place in England in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, during the reigns of the Angevin kings Richard I and John, the usual setting of Robin Hood stories.[2][5]Robin Hood and the Sorcerer, which opens Series One, begins in 1180, then flashes forward fifteen years. In the final episode of Series One, however, King Richard's return to England following his capture and ransom is depicted, which in actuality occurred in 1194. The Series Two episode "The Prophecy" is set in the year 1199, when Prince John becomes King of England.[5] In the Series Three episode "The Time of the Wolf", the Sheriff dictates a legal document dated for the year 1211, and the plot of the episode involves King John raising an army to fight Llywelyn of Wales, an event which, in actual history, took place that same year.[5]
Cast and characters
The Merry Men
Robin of Loxley (Michael Praed) Born the son of Anglo-Saxon nobleman Ailric of Loxley, Robin was raised by his uncle, the local miller, after Ailric was murdered. As an adult, Robin accepts the charge of Herne the Hunter and becomes the prophesied "Hooded Man", champion of the oppressed. Hiding in Sherwood Forest, he assembles a number of friends (who gets famous as the 'merry men') and fights for freedom and justice. He is an exceptional archer and a swordsman and often makes his decisions under the guidance of Herne, who bestows the sword Albion upon him. He falls in love with Lady Marion of Leaford and marries her. He is killed at the end of series two by Norman crossbowmen, on the orders of the Sheriff of Nottingham, the same manner in which his father died.
Lady Marion of Leaford (Judi Trott) Beautiful and vivacious daughter of Richard of Leaford, a Saxon nobleman, Marion lives as a ward of Abbot Hugo, who is keen on gaining her inheritance. She first enters a nunnery and enjoys her beekeeping, but when Simon de Belleme desires her as his bride (actually intending to sacrifice her), she is rescued by Robin of Loxley and they escape into Sherwood Forest, where they falls in love and marry. She loves Robin unconditionally and is heartbroken upon his death. She's later rescued from another unwanted marriage, by Robert of Huntingdon before falling in love with him towards the end of Season Three.
Much (Peter Llewellyn Williams) Son of the miller who raised Robin, he admires Robin as his big brother. He is dubbed "the half-wit" by Guy of Gisburne, but he is more uneducated and naive than intellectually impaired. Skilled in his portable Catapult, he often acts as the groups' messenger and signaller. He loves to play his Flute in his leisure time. He matures more after the first Robin's death.
Will Scarlet (Ray Winstone) Originally called Will Scathlock. When his wife, Elena, is raped, beaten and trampled to death with horses by mercenaries, he changes his name after slaying several of her killers. Hot-headed and filled with hatred of all things Norman, he is contrasted with the more collected Robin, which frequently leads to conflicts. He is a brave fighter and a skillful swordsman and archer. He has a brother who owns an inn in Lichfield.
Little John of Hathersage (Clive Mantle) Originally John Little from Hathersage, this giant of a man who stands seven feet tall was placed under a spell by the Baron de Belleme. When Robin defeats the Baron and frees John from the spell, John becomes a loyal friend to Robin (and later, to Robert of Huntington). He often fights with his long wooden pole made out of a tree branch but mainly relies on his superhuman strength to dominate over the soldiers of Sheriff. His great stature and strength are contrasted by his soft heart.
Friar Tuck (Phil Rose) Chaplain to the Sheriff of Nottingham, he helps Lady Marion escape into Sherwood and joins the merry men, forming a fast friendship with Little John. The fattest member among the merry men, he often uses his sheer bodyweight to his advantage when fighting the soldiers of Sheriff. He prefers not to kill, but to immobilize his enemies. Carpenter said that Tuck "represents the better side of Christianity".[6]
Nasir (Mark Ryan) A Saracen assassin, he was captured in Palestine by the Baron de Belleme and brought back to England to work as his henchman. After the Baron is killed by Robin, Nasir, having found respect for Robin during a crucial sword fight decides to join the merry men. Throughout the series, he speaks very little. The only archer who can match Robin, he fights with double swords and is noted for his tracking skills. Initially, he was intended to be killed in episode two, but he proved so popular with the show's cast and crew, that Carpenter decided to make him a regular instead.[6]
Robert of Huntingdon (Jason Connery) Chosen as Robin's successor by Herne, Robert frees the merry men, but thinks himself inadequate to take up the mantle of the Hooded Man, despite his sympathies towards the downtrodden. He changes his mind after Lady Marion is taken by Lord Owen of Clun, and sets out to rescue her, valiantly reassembling the scattered merry men in the process. Though slightly insecure about taking over, in light of his predecessor, Robert proves to be an excellent leader. He later discovers that he is the half-brother of Guy of Gisburne.
Herne the Hunter (John Abineri) A shamanic figure who often incarnates a forest spirit wearing his Sambar deer's taxidermy, he represents the powers of light and goodness, and often inspire and protect the Hooded Man from the most perilous situations. Carpenter stated that Herne was based on the Pagan idea of the Horned God.[6]
Tom (Paul Duggan) – One of the initial outlaw's who formed the merry men who was killed in battle at Castle Belleme.
Dickon (Mark Audley) – One of the initial outlaw's who formed the merry men who was killed in battle at Castle Belleme.
Martin (Martin West) – An outlaw who joined the merry men off-screen between the events of Robin and the Sorcerer and The Witch of Elsdon. He is not seen or heard of after The King's Fool. It isn't known if he left the outlaws or was killed.
James (Steven Osborne) – An outlaw who joined the merry men off-screen after Robin and the Sorcerer. He dies in the following episode Seven Poor Knights from Acre after trampled to death by the Knights Templar.
Main antagonists
Robert de Rainault, Sheriff of Nottingham (Nickolas Grace) The king's chief representative in Nottingham and Sherwood, he is mainly interested in increasing his own power and wealth, competing with his younger brother, the Abbot. He considers his serfs mere chattels and hates women. He frequently relies on the brawn of Guy of Gisburne, whom he nonetheless disrespects and ridicules for his failures. His ambition results in strained relations with fellow noblemen (who consider him a "dreadful little man"), and with a succession of kings.
Sir Guy of Gisburne (Robert Addie) Steward over the abbot's lands and gamekeeper of Sherwood, he is the chief military commander in the area. Self-identifying "a warrior and not a courtier", he is prone to disregard diplomacy and tact in favour of brute force but he is sometimes also able to use cunning. He resents the Sheriff for frequently taunting him and Robin for being the cause of these taunts. After a rocky start he gained the (limited) respect of Prince John. Later, it is revealed that he is the Earl of Huntingdon's illegitimate son and thus the second Robin's half-brother.
Hugo de Rainault, Abbot of St. Mary's (Philip Jackson) The sheriff's younger brother and highest-ranking church man in Nottingham, his main interest lies in acquiring land, especially that of his temporary ward, Lady Marion, and her father.
Baron Simon de Belleme (Anthony Valentine) A nobleman and also a devil worshipper. As master of the black arts, he controlled both Little John and Nasir, having captured the latter during the Crusades. He desires Lady Marion to sacrifice her to his demons. He is killed by Robin in Series One but his remaining disciples still work towards and actually succeed in his resurrection in Series Two, although he is not heard of or seen in Series Three.
Prince John, later King of England (Phil Davis) John is first mentioned in The King's Fool, where it is stated that the Sheriff and Abbot Hugo supported him against King Richard. King John appears in the episode The Prophecy, where he is depicted as manipulative, bullying and lecherous. John becomes King in The Prophecy after Richard's death.[5]
Gulnar (Richard O'Brien) A pagan sorcerer in the entourage of Lord Owen of Clun, he bewitches Lady Marion. After Owen is killed, he sets out to avenge Owen's death and his own disgrace on Robin and the merry men in two different episodes.
Other notable characters
Richard the Lionheart, King of England (John Rhys-Davies) Richard is first encountered by Robin's band in Sherwood while returning to Nottingham from the German crusades in disguise. The merry men rescue him from a band of cutthroats and wins his trust. He initially appears to be an ally and says he heard tales about Robin and all the merry men deserved to be hanged many times over. But for saving his life, he pardons them and tries to get Robin to join his army. He subsequently returns to Normandy and is killed by an enemy arrow; the news of his death reaches Nottingham while Prince John is visiting, and Gisburne is the first to declare John the new king.[2][5]
The Old Prisoner (Stuart Linden) – The mainstay of the Nottingham dungeon for over 30 years, he repeatedly refuses to flee, as he will not part with his pet rat 'Arthur', and advises all prisoners that the only way out is "feet first".
Walter Flambard (Thomas Henty) – The official archer of Sheriff of Nottingham who is almost as good as Robin and Nasir.
Jennet of Elsdon (Angharad Rees) – Accused of witchcraft and imprisoned in the dungeons with her husband. The Sheriff makes a pact with her to poison Robin and the merry men.
Edward of Wickham (Jeremy Bulloch) The headman of the village of Wickham, he and all of the villagers are sympathetic to Robin Hood's band and assist them occasionally throughout several episodes. His wife and children also appear in the final two episodes of Season three.
Reynald de Villaret (Yves Beneyton) – Leader of seven knights returning from Palestine, whose holy emblem was stolen.
Richard of Leaford (George Baker) The father of Lady Marion, important Anglo-Saxon landowner and loyal follower of King Richard, he was captured during the Crusades and presumed dead. Later released by Saladin, he is captured and secretly brought to Nottingham by Prince John, but freed by Robin. Later, he is reconciled to King John (by paying a large sum of money, which also bought a pardon for Marion) and returns to his estates, which are still coveted by the de Rainault brothers.
Earl of Huntingdon (Michael Craig) An important nobleman and a careful politician, he is a father to the second Robin Hood and (unknown to him) also to Guy of Gisburne. When Robert becomes the new Robin Hood, the Earl disinherits him; the two later reconcile emotionally.
Lord Owen of Clun (Oliver Cotton) A half-Welsh nobleman holding strategically important lands on the Welsh border, he is courted by the Earl of Huntingdon on behalf of King John. Desiring Lady Marion as his wife, he has her kidnapped and bewitched, but he is outsmarted by the merry men and killed during their escape.
Meg of Wickham (Claire Toeman) – Little John's girlfriend who lives in the outlaw-friendly village of Wickham.
Alan-a-Dale (Peter Hutchinson) – The former minstrel to the Baron de Bracy, who is in love with the Baron's daughter Mildred.
Mildred de Bracy (Stephanie Tague) – The object of an arranged marriage to Sheriff of Nottingham, but in love with Alan-a-Dale.
Joshua de Talmont (David de Keyser) A rich Jew, who makes his living as a money-lender and often lends money to the Sheriff. He is also a keeper of ancient Jewish chronicles and one of his books, upon its glaze turns the Sheriff crazy.
Sarah de Talmont (Katharine Levy) – Daughter of Joshua de Talmont and elder sister of Esther and Samuel.
Morgwyn of Ravenscar (Rula Lenska) Outwardly the Abbess in charge of Ravenscar Abbey near the village of Uffcombe, she is secretly an evil witch and the leader of the Cauldron of Lucifer, a powerful coven dedicated to the raising of Lucifer. She seeks the Seven Swords of Wayland to use their power, but one of them (Albion) is in Robin Hood's possession. She succeeds in bewitching the merry men and turning them against Robin and Marion for a time, but Robin foils her plans, and she is ultimately destroyed by her own demon riders.
Bertrand de Nivelles (Oliver Tobias) – Leader of a band of mercenaries called in by Gisburne to kill Robin and his men.
Lilith (Gemma Craven) – A witch who put Robin under a spell to make him steal Herne's Arrow to resurrect her dead master, Baron Simon de Belleme from the dead.
Ralph of Huntingdon (Trevor Clarke) – A captain who becomes the Sheriff's new favourite. Killed by Gisburne out of jealousy.
Isadora (Cathryn Harrison) – The daughter of Lord Agravaine and privy to the secret of Caerleon.
Lord Agravaine (Cyril Cusack) – Robert of Huntington's godfather and guardian of a secret treasure in the castle of Caerleon.
Lady Margaret (Dorothy Tutin) – Gisburne's mother who is in charge of the healing relic of the Saint Ciricus.
Philip Mark (Lewis Collins) The brutal former Head Forester of Lincolnshire (who is known as the Butcher of Lincolnshire) who is appointed by King John to take Robert de Rainault's place as Sheriff of Nottingham; his tenure as Sheriff is extremely brief.
Sarak (Valentine Pelka) A Saracen with a scarred face hidden by a mask, he is the right-hand man of Philip Mark and a former hashashin who betrayed the brotherhood's secrets for money. He bears a grudge against Nasir, who was sent after him to kill him, but only scarred him.
Roger de Carnac (Matt Frewer) – On King John's orders, he and his men impersonate the second Robin and the merry men in a plan to discredit them with the people.
Adam Bell (Bryan Marshall) – A famous outlaw who returns to Nottingham from the North after many years.
Arthur (Reece Dinsdale) – An impostor from Brittainy who conspires a plot to depose King John.
Queen Hadwisa (Patricia Hodge) King John's first wife who is unceremoniously cast aside when King John chooses the 12-year-old Isabella as his new wife and who hatches a complex plot to depose John.
Queen Isabella of Angoulême (Cory Pulman) – The object of the arranged marriage to King John.
Edgar of Huntingdon (Ian Ogilvy) – The second Robin's uncle, who has a hidden agenda against his brother, the Earl.
Mad Mab (Annabelle Lee) – A madwoman, who breeds pigs, accused of witchcraft, and defended by the merry men. Ultimately it is revealed that she is indeed a witch.
Grendel (James Coombes) – Gulnar's right-hand man, who later becomes the fanatical leader of the Sons of Fenris.
The Sheriff of Nottingham sets up an archery contest to lure Robin into a trap. Robin (who is disguised as an old man), Sheriff's man Walter Flambard, and Baron Simon de Belleme's man Nasir the Saracen all fight for the grand prix, the Silver Arrow. Baron Simon de Belleme who is a sorcerer prepares Lady Marion of Leaford for a sacrifice. Robin infiltrates castle de Belleme, kills the Baron and rescues Marion. Friar Tuck and Nasir joins the merry men while Robin marries Marion in Sherwood forest.
Jennet of Elsdon rejects the advances of Gisburne, and is then accused of witchcraft and imprisoned in the dungeons with her husband Thomas of Elsdon. The Sheriff makes a pact with her to poison Robin and the merry men in return for their lives. It doesn't workout as planned and Robin decides to rescue Thomas for Jennet.
Angharad Rees as Jennet of Elsdon, Cornelius Garrett as Thomas of Elsdon.
The merry men are terrorized by seven knights returning from Palestine. Their holy emblem has been stolen by a blind professional thief and they believe that Robin Hood is the thief. Much is taken as a prisoner and Robin and the merry men decides to take the emblem which is now in the custody of the Sheriff in exchange of Much.
Young minstrel Alan a Dale, who is madly in love with Mildred, the 16 year old daughter of Baron de Bracy finds out that she is to be forcefully wedded to the Sheriff. Sheriff hates the whole idea, but couldn't turn down 10,000 silver marks for her dowry. While on his way to Nottingham to kill the Sheriff, Alan encounters Robin and the merry men in Sherwood forest who decides to help him win his love back with an elaborate plan to infiltrate Nottingham castle, while helping the villagers of Wickham from taxation.
Peter Hutchinson as Alan a Dale, Stephanie Tague as Mildred de Bracy.
Richard the Lionheart, King of England, returning from imprisonment in Germany, is rescued by Robin and his men from vagabonds. He pardons the outlaws, and publicly humiliates Gisburne. Robin is taken in by King Richard's forceful personality and his naive hope that the King will make all things right again. But this decision divides Robin's friends and King Richard is not as benevolent as he seems.
Little John has been captured at Nottingham castle and he makes a friend with prisoner Mark who decides to join the merry men. Due to Prince John's imminent arrival in Nottingham, Gisburne begins to repair the castle walls, and the prince brings with him a mysterious masked prisoner, who turns out to be a man returned from the dead. Robin and the merry men decides to rescue him.
The Sheriff has borrowed money from Jew Joshua de Talmont. Reluctant to return the money when the time is due, he makes Gisburne arrange a riot in which all Jews in Nottingham will be killed. Gisburne, however, having secretly fallen in love with de Talmont's daughter Sarah captures her. Meanwhile, Robin and Will have a major disagreement, resulting in Scarlet leaving the merry men, but later reunited to help the Jew and his family with the help of an ancient book.
Sherwood and the neighbouring villages are celebrating annual forest tradition 'time of the blessing'. Gisburne, left in charge while The Sheriff does his annual touring of the county, is alarmed by the increasing amount of poaching in the forest and thus invites his old war-friend Bertrand de Nivelle and his band of Flemish mercenaries to Nottingham in order to kill Robin. They desecrate Herne's sacred tree, and face its consequences.
Robin is put under a spell by the witch Lilith, who makes him steal Herne's Silver Arrow for her. Together with the Arrow, they head for Castle Belleme, where Lilith brings her dead master, Baron de Belleme, back to life. Gisburne, jealous of The Sheriff's new helper Ralph, also goes to Castle Belleme in order to search for the Baron's hidden jewels.
The Hounds of Lucifer, a strange band of costumed horseman, are terrorizing a distant village called Uffcombe. Upon the request of Gareth of Uffcombe who travels all the way to Sherwood, Robin and the merry men set out to go for their rescue.
Robin, who was captured by Earl of Godwin's soldiers escape with the help of Marion but only to be captured by bewitched merry men who all were under a spell by Morgwyn of Ravenscar. Serving the Satan, she prepares a sacrifice using merry men and the Albion to resurrect Lucifer, and Robin single-handedly quests to rescue all his merry men.
The Sheriff is ordered by the King to put a stop to Robin once and for all, or else Robert de Rainault will lose all his power as sheriff. Using threats to set up an ambush at Wickham, and bloodhounds to follow the merry men who escape back into the Sherwood. Robin finds himself alone and surrounded by soldiers on an open field, realizing he must make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save Marion and the merry men and continue to protect the people of England.
Robert Daws as Hubert de Giscard, Robbie Bulloch as Matthew, Steve Dent and Mark Lewis as Arabs.
A year has passed since Robin of Loxley's death, and the merry men have gone their separate ways. A Norman nobleman and Earl's son, Robert of Huntingdon, has been chosen by Herne to continue Robin's work and lead the resistance in Sherwood.
Marion is captured and drugged by Lord Owen of Clun to force her into marrying him. Robert assembles the scattered merry men, one by one earns their trust and sets to rescue Marion from Owen and Gulnar.
With rumours spreading that Robin Hood has returned from the dead with a vengeance, suspecting that Marion might try to communicate with her old friends, the Sheriff sets a watch upon her home of Leaford Grange. Robert injures his foot and Marion is captured, and with the power of Albion rescues her, while keeping his secret identity as Robin Hood intact.
Tuck saves a young woman from being attacked in the forest. In the middle of the night, the woman wakes Robert and identifies herself as Isadora, the daughter of his godfather, Lord Agrivaine, explaining that the two of them, alone, must go to him at once at Caerleon Castle to save a great inheritance from villains.
Will and Much run into some lepers and assumes they are going to die. Rest of the merry men save an elderly woman named Margaret from robbers and accompany her to a local abbey, which houses a miraculous healing relic of the saint Ciricus.
The King has had enough of the Sheriff and hires a replacement, Butcher of Lincoln Philip Mark, who arrives with his masked henchman Sarak. After chasing Sheriff out of Nottingham Castle, new Sheriff announces Nottinghamshire villagers will be hanged every day until Robin Hood decides to give himself up.
Much falls into a forester's trap and is badly wounded. Trying to find a village with a physician, the merry men get trapped in Cromm Cruac, a village which has no children and turns everyone who comes there bizarre.
John Horsley as Abbot, Richard O'Brien as Gulnar, Claire Parker as Elena, Ian Redford as Tom the Miller, Graham Weston as William the Blacksmith, Caroline Holdaway as Mary the Miller's wife.
King John enraged over Nottingham's tax money constantly stolen by Robin Hood, orders Roger de Carnac to gather a group of impersonators to fake Robin and the merry men destroying villages to tarnish their reputation and turn the people against them.
Much, trying to assist a sick relative in Nottingham, is caught by Gisburne. Meanwhile, the legendary outlaw Adam Bell returns to Nottingham, causing mayhem and kidnaps the Sheriff's young nephew Martin. Realizing there's only one man who can outwit Adam Bell, the Sheriff decides to make a deal with Robin Hood.
Sheriff is bedridden after being bitten by his dog, leaving Gisburne free to interfere. Meanwhile, King John has outraged his former queen Hadwisa by taking a new 12-year-old bride Isabella of Angoulême while Arthur, an impostor tries to befriend the merry men.
Little John decides to marry his girlfriend Meg and leave the merry men. Wedding plans are halted, however when Lord Edgar (Robert's uncle), reaches Sherwood with the news that Earl of Huntingdon has been accused of treason, Robert must get help from pig breeder Mad Mab and clear his father's name before it's too late.
Sheriff is ordered by King to collect grain from Wickham, to supply his troops. Knowing they won't survive winter without their harvest, Robin and merry men steal back the grain. In desperation, Sheriff blames the whole fiasco on Gisburne, who flees. But an old enemy schemes on taking over Grimstone Abbey and using it as a prison for the abducted women and children of Wickham.
Gisburne has joined the Sons of Fenris and manages to capture Robin, merry men and the Sheriff. With Robin in his power, Gulnar completes a vicious creature using dark magic and sends it to bring about an age of famine and destruction. Safe in Halstead Abbey, Marion foresees a tragedy at the Ring of the Nine Maidens and for Robin, even victory may come with great loss.
In repeats, episodes have frequently been broadcast out of order, and alternative orders have been suggested. The original running order creates a number of continuity errors, the most notable being Marian's father being referred to as being dead in "The Swords of Wayland" even though he was discovered to be alive in "The Prophecy" and appears in later episodes.
The music for Robin of Sherwood was composed and performed by Irish folk group Clannad. The show's original soundtrack, Legend, was released in 1984 and won the BAFTA award for Best Original Television Music.[16][8]
While not all of the show's music is found on the Legend album, some additional pieces can be found on Clannad's albums Macalla (released in 1986) and Clannad: Live in Concert, 1996 (released in 2005). In November 2003, Clannad revealed on their official web site that "there were several other pieces of music recorded for the third series of Robin of Sherwood that were not included on the Legend album. On 25th October 2024 Clannad released the Legend Extended 40th Anniversary edition includes eleven previously unreleased tracks taken from the classic TV series. It features eleven previously unreleased tracks. This hopefully completes all the missing tracks. </ref>
Robin of Sherwood is, for many people, the definitive modern version of the Robin Hood legend. Moody, atmospheric, superbly written and acted, with a haunting soundtrack by Clannad (later released as the album Legend), it was the inspiration for a generation of British fantasy role-players [...] That Robin of Sherwood succeeded is a tribute to the skill of writer, cast and crew. Somehow, despite its fantasy elements, it produced something earthy and captivating. Not history, nor fantasy, but a kind of "mystic history".[17]
Reviewing Robin of Sherwood for SFX magazine, Jayne Nelson stated that "this incarnation of England's most famous outlaw will probably never be bettered". Nelson praised the show's "excellent writing, moody cinematography and haunting score".[8] Nelson called "The Greatest Enemy" the best episode of the show, followed by "The Swords of Wayland" and "The Sheriff of Nottingham".[8]
Richard Marcus, writing on blogcritics.org, wrote in 2008:
While the series is noteworthy for its historical accuracy and for the fact that it associates Robin with pre-Christian English mythology, it was also one of the few series where they managed to kill off the main character one series and successfully continue for another year with a new actor and a new Robin Hood. ...[18]
...There's also a noticeable drop-off in the quality of the scripts from the first two series to the third. Part of the problem is just how many variations on the theme of keeping out of the clutches of the Sheriff of Nottingham, embarrassing his lackey Sir Guy of Gisburne, and robbing from the rich to feed the poor can there be?[19]
Controversy
ITV aired Robin of Sherwood during an early-evening television slot, and promoted the programme as being for a family audience.[20]Mary Whitehouse and the National Viewers and Listeners' Association criticised Robin of Sherwood as being unsuitable for children (as the organisation previously did with Doctor Who).[2][20] Whitehouse claimed that the show depicted "extensive violence", objected to the depiction of Satanic villains in "The Swords of Wayland", and also criticised the apparent "resurrection" of Robin in "The Greatest Enemy" as being disrespectful to Christianity.[2] Carpenter later met Whitehouse for a public debate, and introduced himself to her and the audience by saying "I'm Richard Carpenter, and I'm a professional writer. And you're a professional... what?"[21]The Guinness Book of Classic British TV defended Robin of Sherwood, stating that the show's "swordplay was strictly zero blood" and that the supernatural elements were the result of Carpenter's "love for the subject matter".[2]
Comic strip
A comic strip based on Robin of Sherwood ran in Look-in magazine from April 1984 (issue 18)[22] to September 1986 (issue 39)[22][23] It was written by Angus Allan, and illustrated mainly by Mike Noble, with some issues illustrated by Arthur Ranson and Phil Gascoine; colours were by Arthur Ranson.[22] The first 6 stories (32 issues) were in full colour, and the remainder were in black and white, with the exception of the 19th story which marked the change of character from Michael Praed's Robin to Jason Connery's.[22]
In 2022, Rebellion, Chinbeard Books and Spiteful Puppet jointly published "Robin of Sherwood: The Complete Look-In Comics", which collected all of the strips.[22] This was a limited-edition run.
DVD and Blu-ray releases
"Series 1 – Part 1 – Episodes 1 To 3 DVD".
"Series 1 – Part 2 – Episodes 4 To 6 DVD".
"Series 2 – Part 1 – Episodes 1 To 4 DVD".
"Series 2 – Part 2 – Episodes 5 To 7 DVD".
"Series 3 – Part 1 – Episodes 1 To 6 DVD". ASINB00006L9YS
"Series 3 – Part 2 – Episodes 7 To 13 DVD". ASINB00006SKVF
In the US and Canada, the first and second series have been released by Acorn Media in a five DVD set. A second set, containing the complete third series was released on 9 October 2007.
Network DVD[24] released the series in a single Region B Blu-ray set, entitled Robin of Sherwood: Michael Praed (the 3-Disc Blu-ray and DVD bonus disc), on 15 November 2010. In the US and Canada, the first and second series were released on 7 June 2011 by Acorn Media as Robin of Sherwood: Set 1.[25]
Network DVD released[26] Blu-ray set, entitled Robin of Sherwood: Jason Connery, on 31 October 2011.
Bonus features
On The Complete Collection DVD set, there are "seventeen hours of special features", including fourteen commentary tracks, a documentary on the folk group Clannad creating the score for the series, outtakes, bonus footage, a behind the scenes documentary, four documentaries that look back on the making of the show with former cast and crew, and other behind the scenes footage too.[27]
Audio plays
By July 2015, Bafflegab Productions, the producers of the audio play/comic book series The Scarifyers, and co-producer Barnaby Eaton-Jones were adapting a feature-length script entitled Robin of Sherwood: The Knights Of The Apocalypse, written by Richard Carpenter before his death in 2012. Jason Connery, Judi Trott, Ray Winstone, Clive Mantle, Mark Ryan, Phil Rose, Philip Jackson, and Nickolas Grace (Robert of Huntingdon, Lady Marion, Will Scarlet, Little John, Nasir, Friar Tuck, Abbot Hugo, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, respectively) all agreed to reprise their roles for the project, with Daniel Abineri taking the role of Herne in place of his father, John Abineri, who died in 2000. That December, Barnaby Eaton-Jones took over as sole producer of the audio play, with Spiteful Puppet (the award-winning audio company who produced 'Hood') as executive producers, as approved by ITV Studios and Richard 'Kip' Carpenter's estate. After beginning its crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in September, the production set a goal of £10,000 within 30 days to cover production costs; due to enthusiastic fan support, however, the goal was reached in just under 24 hours.[28] The audio play was released in 2016, with proceeds going to the Sherwood Forest Trust and the British Red Cross.[29][30]
The success of the play led to Spiteful Puppet announcing a set of four further 'Robin of Sherwood' plays for 2017, two featuring Jason Connery and two featuring Michael Praed.[31] This release was later pushed back to 2018 but a series of enhanced audiobooks was announced, with the first four being released in December 2017.[32]
In May 2024 AUK Studios (which had purchased Spiteful Puppet), Chinbeard Books and Oak Tree Books released a new project, Robin of Sherwood: Tales Untold, to celebrate the show's fortieth anniversary. This was an audio CD contained five audio dramas about characters from Robin of Sherwood, with an accompanying novel.[33]Robin of Sherwood: Tales Untold cast included Oliver Tobias, Robert Daws, Terry Molloy, Daniel Peacock and Claire Parker.[33]
Spiteful Puppet Robin of Sherwood Full Cast Audio Plays
Set during series three, between "Rutterkin" and "The Time of the Wolf".
Books
Carpenter, Richard (1984). Robin of Sherwood. Puffin Books. ISBN978-0-14-031690-2. Novelisation of the first series (Robin Hood and the Sorcerer, The Witch of Elsdon, Seven Poor Knights from Acre, Alan-A-Dale and The King's Fool) by series creator Richard Carpenter.
May, Robin (1985). Robin of Sherwood and the Hounds of Lucifer. Puffin Books. ISBN978-0-14-031869-2. Novelises the second series, but begins with The Swords of Wayland two-parter which actually came towards the end of the second series, not the beginning; it was intended to be shown first, but deferred to show its feature-length episode on the British Bank Holiday weekend. Also novelises Lord of the Trees, The Prophecy, The Children of Israel, The Enchantment, and The Greatest Enemy.
Horowitz, Anthony (1986). Robin of Sherwood: The Hooded Man. Puffin Books. ISBN978-0-14-032058-9. Novelises Herne's Son Parts 1 and 2 and The Power of Albion from the beginning of Series Three, showing how Robert of Huntingdon became 'Robin'. All of these episodes were written by Richard Carpenter.
Carpenter, Richard (1988). Robin of Sherwood: The Time of the Wolf. Puffin Books. ISBN978-0-14-032660-4. Novelises the remaining episodes of Series Three that were written by Richard Carpenter (The Cross of St Ciricus, Rutterkin, and The Time of the Wolf Parts 1 & 2). The episodes not novelised are The Inheritance, The Sheriff of Nottingham, Cromm Cruac, The Betrayal, Adam Bell, and The Pretender, i.e. the third-season episodes not written by Richard Carpenter.
Carpenter, Richard (1990). The Complete Adventures of Robin of Sherwood. Puffin Books. ISBN978-0-14-034450-9. The four Robin of Sherwood novelisations in one volume.
Green, Jonathan (2016). Robin of Sherwood: The Knights of the Apocalypse. Chinbeard Books. Novelization of the audio drama, with a limited print run. Given as a bonus to supporters of the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the audio drama.
Ash, Jennifer (2019). Robin of Sherwood: The Meeting Place. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-00-5. Novelization of the audiobook, with a limited print run. Note: "Jennifer Ash" is the pseudonym of writer Jenny Kane.[50]
Kane, Paul (2019). Robin of Sherwood: The Red Lord. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-02-9. Novelization of the audiobook, with a limited print run.
Birch, Paul (2019). Robin of Sherwood: Sanctuary. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-04-3. Novelization of the audiobook, with a limited print run.
Ash, Jennifer (2020). Robin of Sherwood: The Power of Three. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-08-1. Original novel based on the TV series, with a limited print run.
Thorpe, Elliot; Meadows, Iain (2020). Robin of Sherwood: What Was Lost. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-07-4. Novelization of the audiobook, with a limited print run.
Thorpe, Elliot; Eaton-Jones, Barnaby (2020). Robin of Sherwood: To Have And To Hold. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-10-4. Original novel based on the TV series, with a limited print run.
Various (2020). Robin of Sherwood: The Series 4 Collection. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-15-9. Anthology of novelizations of the audio material and original novels based on the TV series. Intended to represent the unmade fourth TV series. The contents are What Was Lost, by Elliot Thorpe and Iain Meadows; The Power of Three by Jennifer Ash; To Have and To Hold, Elliot Thorpe and Barnaby Eaton-Jones; Queen of the Black Sun by Kenton Hall and Iain Meadows; The Servant by Jennifer Ash; and a second novelisation of Richard Carpenter's The Knights of the Apocalypse by Jennifer Ash. Published with a limited print run.
Russell, Gary (2021). Robin of Sherwood: Here Be Dragons. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-76-0. Original novel based on the TV series, with a limited print run.
Ash, Jennifer (2021). Robin of Sherwood: The Waterford Boy. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-85-2. Novelization of the audiobook, with a limited print run.
Ash, Jennifer (2021). Robin of Sherwood: Mathilda's Legacy. Spiteful Puppet & Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-913256-86-9. Novelization of the audiobook, with a limited print run.
Lee, Tony (2022). Robin of Sherwood: The Trial of John Little. Chinbeard Books. ISBN978-1-7397879-2-9. Novelization of the audiobook, with a limited print run.
Anonymous (2022). Robin of Sherwood Annual 1987. Chinbeard Books. ISBN9-780-1987-2022-0. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help) Annual published in 2022, but written as if it were published in 1987. Published with a limited print run.
Ash, Jennifer (2024). Robin of Sherwood: Tales Untold. Oak Tree Books & Chinbeard Books. ISBN9-781837-916177. Sold with the Robin of Sherwood:Tales Untold CD. Novelizations of the audio dramas, with a limited print run. Contains an additional story about Robert, Earl of Huntingdon.
^ ab""Robin Hood" Slammed", in L. Has Taylor and Bob Mullan, Uninvited Guests: The Intimate Secrets of Television and Radio. London, Chatto & Windus, 1986. ISBN9780701129736 (p. 176)
BBC.co.uk, BBC Wiltshire's Robin of Sherwood Retrospective and BBC.co.uk, audio interviews from 2004 with Nickolas Grace, Phil Rose and Richard Carpenter.
