Robin of Sherwood

Robin of Sherwood
Opening title
Created by	Richard Carpenter
Starring	Michael Praed Judi Trott Nickolas Grace Robert Addie Jason Connery
Opening theme	"The Hooded Man" by Clannad
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	26 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Paul Knight Esta Charkham Patrick Dromgoole
Running time	1 hour
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	28 April 1984 – 28 June 1986
Release	Episode guide.
Release	Episode guide.
Release	Episode guide.
Release	Episode guide.
Release	Episode guide.
Release	Episode guide.
Release	Episode guide.

Robin of Sherwood (retitled Robin Hood in the United States), was an acclaimed and highly influential 1980s 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 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network. In America it was retitled Robin Hood and shown on the premium cable TV channel Showtime and on PBS. 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 and pagan myth.

Overview

There were three series, comprising a two-hour opening episode and 24 one hour long episodes, although the pilot is sometimes screened as two one-hour episodes, and 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. It was shot on film, and almost entirely on location, mostly in the northeast and south-west 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.

Together with Richard Lester's offbeat 1976 film Robin and Marian, Robin of Sherwood is one of the most influential treatments of the core Robin Hood legend since The Adventures of Robin Hood, featuring a realistic period setting and introducing the character of a Saracen outlaw.

Michael Praed played Robin of Loxley in the first two seasons. His 'Merry Men' consisted of Will Scarlet (Ray Winstone), Little John (Clive Mantle), Friar Tuck (Phil Rose), Much (Peter Llewellyn Williams), the Saracen Nasir (played by Mark Ryan) and Lady Marian (played by Judi Trott). He is also assisted by Herne The Hunter (John Abineri). As in the legend, Robin is opposed by the Sheriff of Nottingham (Nickolas Grace) and Guy of Gisbourne (Robert Addie), as well as the Sheriff's brother Abbot Hugo (Philip Jackson) (representing all the greedy abbots in the legends).

File:Robin of Sherwood.jpg

Robert of Huntingdon and his "Merry Men", in the final shot of the series.

At the end of the second season, Robin of Loxley is killed and Robert of Huntingdon (played by Jason Connery) replaces him as Robin Hood. During the course of the third season, the new Robin discovers that he is the half-brother of his nemesis Guy of Gisbourne (an idea suggested to Carpenter by the fact that both actors had blond hair). This particular story arc was never resolved due to the show's cancellation at the end of the third season.

The series came to an end when 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 eighties, but had hit a lean spell with such films as Revolution (1985) and Absolute Beginners (1986). As the series was expensive to make, HTV could not afford to produce it alone and no more episodes were made.

Given the time that has elapsed since cancellation, there seems little likelihood of the series returning, with Richard Carpenter having said he has no interest in writing further episodes.

Cast and characters

The Merry Men

• Robin of Loxley (Michael Praed)
  Born the son of Anglo-Saxon nobleman Ailric of Loxley, who died in a rebellion, he is raised by the local miller. As an adult he accepts Herne's charge and becomes the prophesied "Hooded Man". Hiding in Sherwood Forest, he assembles a number of friends until he is killed at the end of Season 2.
• 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 Gisbourne.
• Will Scarlet (Ray Winstone)
  Originally called Will Scathlock, he changed his name after his wife, Elena, is raped and trampled to death with horses by mercenaries. Hot-headed and filled with hatred of all things Norman, he is contrasted with the more recollected Robin, which frequently leads to conflicts.
• Little John (Clive Mantle)
  Originally John Little from Hathersage, this giant of a man was placed under a spell by the Baron de Belleme. When Robin defeated him and freed him from the spell, he became Robin's loyal friend.
• Lady Marion of Leaford (Judi Trott)
  Orphaned daughter of an Anglo-Saxon nobleman, Marion lives as a ward of Abbot Hugo, who is keen on gaining her inheritance. She first enters a monastery but when Simon de Belleme desires her as his bride (actually with the intention of sacrificing her), she escapes into Sherwood Forest, where she falls in love with and marries Robin Hood. She is later rescued by Robert of Huntingdon.
• Friar Tuck (Phil Rose)
  The Sheriff of Nottingham's chaplain, he helps Lady Marion escape into Sherwood and joins the Merry Men, forming a fast friendship with Little John.
• Nasir (Mark Ryan)
  A Saracen assassin, he was captured in Palestine by Baron de Belleme, placed under a spell and brought back to England to work as his henchman. He is freed from the spell when the Baron is killed by Robin and, having found respect for Robin during a crucial sword fight, decides to join the Merry Men. Throughout the series, he speaks very little.
• 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 then defends Lady Marion against the advances of Lord Owen of Clun and then sets out to rescue her, reassambling 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 representing the powers of light and goodness, inspiring and protecting the Hooded Man.

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 Gisbourne, whom he nonetheless disrespects and ridicules for his failures. His ambition results in strained relations with fellow noblemen (who consider him an "awful little man"), and with a succession of kings.
• 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.
• Guy of Gisbourne (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 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 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.
• Baron Simon de Belleme (Anthony Valentine)
  A nobleman and also a worshipper of the devil. As master of the black arts, he controlled both Little John and Nazir, having captured the latter during the crusades. He desires Lady Marion to sacrifice her to his demons. He is killed by Robin but his remaining disciples still work towards his resurrection.
• Prince John, later King of England (Phil Davis)
• 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 him on Robin and the Merry Men.

Other notable characters

• Richard the Lionheart, King of England (John Rhys-Davies)
• The Old Prisoner (Stuart Linden)
  The mainstay of the Nottingham dungeon, he repeatedly refuses to flee as he would not part with Arthur, his pet rat, and advises all prisoners that the only way out is "feet first".
• 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.
• 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) and returns to his estates, which are still coveted by the Rainault brothers.
• Earl of Huntingdon (Michael Craig)
  An important nobleman and a careful politician, he is father to the second Robin Hood and (unknown to him) also to Guy of Gisbourne. When Robert becomes the new Robin Hood, his father disinherits him.
• 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 (and not a very good one!) to the Baron de Bracy, he is in love with the Baron's daughter Mildred.
• Mildred de Bracy (Stephanie Tague)
  The object of an arranged marriage to the Sheriff of Nottingham (who hates women, but is marrying her for her money), but in love with Alan-a-Dale.
• Bertrand de Nivelles (Oliver Tobias)
  The leader of a band of mercenaries called in by Guy of Gisburne to destroy Robin Hood and his men.
• Isadora (Cathryn Harrison)
  The daughter of Lord Agravaine and privy to the secret of Caerleon.
• Lord Agrivaine (Cyril Cusack)
  Robert of Huntington's godfather and guardian of a secret treasure in the castle of Caerleon.
• Philip Mark (Lewis Collins)
  The brutal former Head Forester of Lincolnshire who is appointed by King John to take Robert de Rainault's place as Sheriff of Nottingham
• Sarak (Valentine Pelka)
  A Saracen with a scarred face hidden by a mask, he is the right-hand man of Philip Mark and bears a grudge against Nasir, who 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.
• Queen Hadwisa (Patricia Hodge)
  King John's first wife who is unceremoniously cast aside when King John chooses the 11-year-old Isabella as his new wife and who hatdches a complex plot to depose John.
• Adam Bell (Bryan Marshall)
  A famous outlaw who returns to Nottingham from the North after many years.
• 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 poor madwoman accused of witchcraft.
• Grendel (James Coombes)
  Gulnar's right-hand man.
• Ralph (Trevor Clarke)

Episodes

#	Title	Director	Writer	Original Air Date
		Guest cast
Series 1
1.1	Robin Hood and the Sorcerer (Part 1)	Ian Sharp	Richard Carpenter	28 April 1984
		Anthony Valentine as Baron Simon de Belleme, Mark Audley as Dickon, Paul Duggan as Tom
1.2	Robin Hood and the Sorcerer (Part 2)	Ian Sharp	Richard Carpenter	28 April 1984
		Anthony Valentine as Baron Simon de Belleme, Mark Audley as Dickon, Paul Duggan as Tom
1.3	The Witch Of Elsdon	Ian Sharp	Richard Carpenter	5 May 1984
		Angharad Rees as Jennet of Elsdon, Cornelius Garrett as Thomas of Elsdon
1.4	Seven Poor Knights From Acre	Ian Sharp	Richard Carpenter	12 May 1984
		Yves Beneyton as Reynald de Villaret, Duncan Preston as Heinrich von Erlichshausen, Simon Rouse as Siward
1.5	Alan A Dale	Ian Sharp	Richard Carpenter	19 May 1984
		Peter Hutchinson as Alan a Dale, Stephanie Tague as Mildred
1.6	The King's Fool	Ian Sharp	Richard Carpenter	26 May 1984
		John Rhys Davies as King Richard the Lionheart, Gary Waldhorn as Hubert Walter
Series 2
2.1	The Prophecy	Robert Young	Richard Carpenter	9 March 1985
		John Nettles as Peter de Leon, Phil Davis as Prince John, George Baker as Richard of Leaford, Simon Dutton as Mark
2.2	The Children Of Israel	Alex Kirby	Richard Carpenter	16 March 1985
		David de Keyser as Joshua de Talmont, Katharine Levy as Sarah de Talmont, Amy Rosenthal as Esther de Talmont, Adam Rosenthal as Samuel de Talmont
2.3	Lord Of The Trees	James Allen	Richard Carpenter	23 March 1985
		Oliver Tobias as Bertrand de Nivelle
2.4	The Enchantment	James Allen	Richard Carpenter	30 March 1985
		Gemma Craven as Lilith
2.5	The Swords Of Wayland (Part 1)	Robert Young	Richard Carpenter	6 April 1985
		Rula Lenska as Morgwyn of Ravenscar, Dallas Adams as Peter Verdelet, Norman Bowler as Adam the Miller, Anthony Steel as Earl Godwin
2.6	The Swords Of Wayland (Part 2)	Robert Young	Richard Carpenter	6 April 1985
		Rula Lenska as Morgwyn of Ravenscar, Dallas Adams as Peter Verdelet, Norman Bowler as Adam the Miller, Anthony Steel as Earl Godwin
2.7	The Greatest Enemy	Robert Young	Richard Carpenter	13 April 1985
		Robert Daws as Hubert de Giscard, Jeremy Bulloch as Edward of Wickham, Robbie Bulloch as Matthew, Steve Dent and Mark Lewis as Arabs
Series 3
3.1	Herne's Son (Part 1)	Robert Young	Richard Carpenter	5 April 1986
		George Baker as Richard of Leaford, Michael Craig as Earl of Huntingdon, Oliver Cotton as Lord Owen of Clun, Richard O'Brien as Gulnar, Daniel Peacock as Sergeant Sparrow, James Coombes as Grendel, Wayne Michaels as Man Guarding Signal Fire
3.2	Herne's Son (Part 2)	Robert Young	Richard Carpenter	12 April 1986
		George Baker as Richard of Leaford, Michael Craig as Earl of Huntingdon, Oliver Cotton as Lord Owen of Clun, Richard O'Brien as Gulnar, Daniel Peacock as Sergeant Sparrow, Wayne Michaels as Man Guarding Signal Fire
3.3	The Power of Albion	Gerry Mill	Richard Carpenter	19 April 1986
		George Baker as Richard of Leaford, Max Faulkner as Oliver
3.4	The Inheritance	Ben Bolt	Anthony Horowitz	26 April 1986
		Cathryn Harrison as Isadora, Cyril Cusack as Agrivaine, Jeremy Sinden as Mortimer, Derrick O'Connor as Raven, James Woodard as King Arthur, Hywel Bennett as voice of King Arthur
3.5	The Cross of St. Ciricus	Dennis Abbey	Richard Carpenter	3 May 1986
		Dorothy Tutin as Lady Margaret, Brendan Price as Abbot Martin
3.6	The Sheriff of Nottingham	Christopher King	Anthony Horowitz	10 May 1986
		Lewis Collins as Philip Mark, Valentine Pelka as Sarak, Robert Daws as Hubert de Giscard, Maureen Bennett as Alison
3.7	Cromm Cruac	Gerry Mill	Anthony Horowitz	17 May 1986
		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
3.8	The Betrayal	James Allen	Andrew McCulloch & John Flanagan	24 May 1986
		Matt Frewer as Roger de Carnac, Ian Redford as Tom the Villager
3.9	Adam Bell	Gerry Mill	Anthony Horowitz	31 May 1986
		Bryan Marshall as Adam Bell, Patrick Travis as Matthew, Amanda Hillwood as Lady Isabel, Charlie Condou as Martin, Leo Dolan as Moth, Alan Roberts and Chris Chivers as Outlaws
3.10	The Pretender	Robert Young	Anthony Horowitz	7 June 1986
		Reece Dinsdale as Arthur, Patricia Hodge as Queen Hadwisa, William Russell as The Duke of Gloucester, Cory Pulman as Queen Isabella
3.11	Rutterkin	Gerry Mill	Richard Carpenter	14 June 1986
		Michael Craig as Earl of Huntingdon, Ian Ogilvy as Lord Edgar, Annabel Lee as Mad Mab
3.12	The Time of the Wolf (Part 1)	Sid Roberson	Richard Carpenter	21 June 1986
		Richard O'Brien as Gulnar, John Harding as William Brewer, James Coombes as Grendel, Maureen Bennett as Alison, Iain Armstrong as Villager
3.13	The Time of the Wolf (Part 2)	Sid Roberson	Richard Carpenter	28 June 1986
		Richard O'Brien as Gulnar, John Harding as William Brewer, Maureen Bennett as Alison, Iain Armstrong as Villager

In repeats, episodes have frequently been broadcast out of order, and alternative orders have been suggested.

Places of action

Villages

• Loxley - burned village, childhood home of the first Robin.
• Wickham - village where Meg, lover of Little John lived. An important setting in the series.
• Cromm Cruac - village-phantom, created by Gulnar. (Named after the Irish deity Cromm Cruac and seen only in the episode of the same name)
• Elsdon - mentioned in the episode Witch of Elsdon
• Uffcombe - village attacked by Hounds of Lucifer

Castles and cities

• Nottingham
• Castle of Belleme
• Castle of Lord Owen (Clun Castle)
• Castle of Gwydion
• Castle of Huntingdon, childhood home of the second Robin.
• Leaford
• Caerleon
• Newark

Abbeys

• Warren
• Thornton
• Ravenscar
• Croxden
• Kirklees
• Grimstone
• Halstead

Music

Main article: Legend (Robin of Sherwood soundtrack)

The award-winning music for Robin of Sherwood was composed and performed by Clannad, the Irish folk group. The show's original soundtrack, Legend, was released in 1984 and won the BAFTA award for Best Original Television Music.

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 1986) and Clannad: Live in Concert, 1996 (released 2005). In November 2003, Clannad revealed on their official web site that "there were several other pieces of music recorded for the 3rd series of Robin of Sherwood that were not included on the Legend album. Unfortunately no-one has been able to locate the master tapes of this music. The search is continuing and hopefully one day these recordings will be able to be released."

Crew

• Directed by: Ian Sharp and others (see Episode guide).
• Written by: Richard Carpenter and others (see Episode guide).
• Cinematography: Roger Pearce, Howard Rockliffe, Gary Breckon and Bob Edwards
• Music: Clannad
• Production design: John Biggs and Ken Sharp
• Costume design: Lynette Cummin
• Editing: David McCormick, Andy Findlay, Robin Inger, and others.
• Casting: Esta Charkham and Beth Charkham
• Special effects: Ken Lailey
• Stunt co-ordination: Terry Walsh
• Horse Master: Steve Dent

Reception

A review at rpg.net, written in 2003, opines:

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 roleplayers... 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".

Richard Marcus, writing on blogcritics.org, writes 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 season and successfully continue for another year with a new actor and a new Robin Hood. ...
...There's also a noticeable drop-off in the quality of the scripts from the first two seasons 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 Gisbourne, and robbing from the rich to feed the poor can there be?

DVD 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." ASIN B00006L9YS
• "Series 3 - Part 2 - Episodes 7 To 13 DVD." ASIN B00006SKVF

• "The Complete Series 1 DVD" ASIN B00005Q3VG, ASIN B000L21290
• "The Complete Series 2 DVD" ASIN B000066NSI
• "Complete DVD"
• "The Complete Series (NTSC)"

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 season was released on October 9, 2007

Bonus features

On the 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.

Bibliography

• Carpenter, Richard (1984). Robin of Sherwood. Puffin Books. ISBN 0-14-031690-6. Novelisation of the first series by series creator Richard Carpenter.
• May, Robin (1985). Robin of Sherwood: The Hounds of Lucifer. Puffin Books. ISBN 0-14-031869-0. 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).
• Horowitz, Anthony (1986). Robin of Sherwood: The Hooded Man. Puffin Books. ISBN 0-14-032058-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) 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'.
• Carpenter, Richard (1988). Robin of Sherwood: The Time of the Wolf. Puffin Books. ISBN 0-14-032660-X. The final episodes of Series Three (The Cross of St Ciricus, Rutterkin, and The Time of the Wolf Parts 1 & 2).
• Carpenter, Richard (1990). The Complete Adventures of Robin of Sherwood. Puffin Books. ISBN 0-14-034450-0. Novelisations of Series One, Two, plus the beginning and end of Series Three.
• Robin of Sherwood Annual 1. Egmont Books Ltd. 1986. ISBN 0-7235-6758-1.
• Nicholson, Russ (1987). Robin of Sherwood Game Books: The King's Demon No. 1. Puffin Books. ISBN 0-14-032294-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Nicholson, Russ (1987). Robin of Sherwood Game Books: Sword of the Templar No. 2. Puffin Books. ISBN 0-14-032295-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

• Robin of Sherwood at IMDb
• 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.
• TV.com, Episode guide at tv.com