Who Shot the Sheriff? (21 Oct. 2006)

An assassination attempt implicates Robin, and calls for an unholy alliance.

Director:

Richard Standeven

Writers:

Dominic Minghella (creator), Foz Allan (creator),

Stars:

Jonas Armstrong, Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jonas Armstrong	...	Robin Hood
Lucy Griffiths	...	Marian
Richard Armitage	...	Guy of Gisborne
Keith Allen	...	Sheriff of Nottingham
Gordon Kennedy	...	Little John
Sam Troughton	...	Much
Joe Armstrong	...	Allan A Dale
Harry Lloyd	...	Will Scarlett
William Beck	...	Roy
Michael Elwyn	...	Edward
Sam Hazeldine	...	Owen
Natasha Alexander	...	Kate
Dorian Thomas	...	Matthew
Jonathan McGuinness	...	Joderic
Thomas Lockyer	...	Joe Lacey

Storyline

Robin is accused of murder when someone kills the sheriff's tax collector. The Sheriff of Nottingham uses this to his advantage, blaming Robin and his men and turning the villagers against him. Robin believes that the mysterious Night Watchman is responsible, but there is scant evidence to support him. Knowing that the true killer must be found, Robin and the Sheriff make a pact and set a trap for the assassin.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 2006 (UK)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Robin Hood: [about Marian being the Night Watchman] Does your father know you're doing this?
Marian: [pause] He... thinks I enjoy embroidery.
[Robin laughs]

User Reviews

Fun in the greenwood; more or less what I signed up for

As previously, the story is fast-paced and entertaining, if not always brilliant, and I'm pleased that Robin's defining character traits are his dual senses of honor and justice, and his unwillingness to sacrifice either. The show likes to throw tough moral decisions his way, which is as it should be, and while they don't elicit quite the gravitas that a show like Doctor Who, or even Highlander, does, they still help to give the proceedings a bit of depth and redeeming value. The action remains just this side of cartoony, and is a good deal of fun.

Also, I note with interest the presence of a black British character in a high-ranking position, whose anachronistic presence (like the anachronistic clothing, weapons, and just about everything else) goes uncommented on. This should be a clear indication of the kind of show Robin Hood is.

Also noteworthy: while this is a family show, moreso even than Doctor Who is, by my reckoning, it's not afraid to kill off side characters. This episode in particular involves a number of innocent people getting shot with arrows, and Robin himself blamed for their deaths. Nothing is bloody or dwelt on, but some parents might consider it too intense for their children.

Marian is still the show's most annoying element. She uses hypocritical jabs to unfairly disrespect Robin at every turn. Perhaps the writers intend her to be a kind of moral leash for Robin, to keep him from letting his fame get to his head? If so, they're doing a poor job of that. Her arguments are always failures of logic, and she has the gall to accuse Robin of "acting as if he can't be touched" when not only does he clearly express his anguish and anger over the peoples' suffering, but she is the one guilty of not emoting! This version of Marian serves only to get in the way of a fun story, and provides nothing valuable in return.