"Robin of Sherwood" The Witch of Elsdon (1984)

Director:

Ian Sharp

Writers:

Richard Carpenter (creator)
Richard Carpenter (writer)

TV Series:

"Robin of Sherwood" (1984)

Original Air Date:

5 May 1984 (Season 1, Episode 2)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Drama

Plot:

The beautiful Jennet of Elsdon rejects the amorous advances of the Sheriff's steward, Sir Guy of Gisburne...

Plot Keywords:

Outlaw | Magic | Cult Favorite | Fencing | Swashbuckler

Cast

John Abineri	...	Herne the Hunter
David Goodland	...	Gregory, the Tax Collector
Nickolas Grace	...	Robert de Rainault
Michael Praed	...	Robin of Loxley
Mark Ryan	...	Nasir
Clive Mantle	...	Little John
Ray Winstone	...	Will Scarlet
Peter Llewellyn Williams	...	Much
Phil Rose	...	Friar Tuck
Robert Addie	...	Sir Guy of Gisburne
Judi Trott	...	Lady Marion
Philip Jackson	...	Abbot Hugo de Rainault
Angharad Rees	...	Jennet of Elsdon
Cornelius Garrett	...	Thomas of Elsdon
Martin West	...	Martin

Country:

UK

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Quotes:

Robert de Rainault: What a worrier you are, Gisburne! You must learn patience if you're ever to take service with me. And tact - you're very short on tact.
Sir Guy of Gisburne: I believe in action, My Lord!
Robert de Rainault: Ah yes, action. The eternal excuse for not stopping to think.

A nice episode, well spent 50 minutes...

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The witch of Elsdon has the same problems as most episodes in the first season of most series.

1 It is an episode that includes an episode villain (kind of). 2 It doesn't bring the plot of the series forward. 3 The main characters doesn't really develop.

Though this is one of the weaker episodes, it is still highly enjoyable and I definitively recommend not to miss this episode.

However as an episode with characters the viewer knows and loves it kind of works neatly. The plot is about a woman condemned for witchcraft forced to work for the sheriff of Nottingham to capture Robin and his merry men. She works as a threat in need of help.

The most memorable moment of this episode is: When Friar Tuck realizes that Gisburne is still tied with his head under the water.

The two characters that shine through in this episode are Marion and Will Scarlett. Marion is played by Judi Trott, a great actress that was very young at the time. In this episode she shows that she is annoyed that she is left behind when the rest is out at adventures. This episode is the beginning of Marions journey towards a heroine.

Will Scarlett is played by Ray Winstone, a brilliant British actor. In this episode he gets romantically interested in the antagonist. He gets to portray a more emotional side of Will in this episode.