Thursday, July 28, 2011

Summer TV Rewind: Robin Hood 1.07: "Brothers in Arms

Sarah's back with another Robin Hood Summer TV Rewind. Enjoy!

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“He’s made a lot of mistakes, I know. I’ve tried to help him. Look, I was like him once, out of control. But I’ve changed. Because of you. Because of being here.”
- Allan

We begin this week in Locksley as a man called Lucky George is trying to convince people to trade him their valuables for pennies (to pay the Sheriff's taxes). Will watches from behind a tree and then we move to the woods. It turns out Lucky George has an arrangement with the Sheriff. On cue, Robin and his gang ambush the cart and end up taking all the valuables back. Robin gets to do another impressive back flip off the top of the cart and feigns being run through with the sword to get the upper hand on George. They're riding back to Locksley when they find a woman whipping a man. She tells Robin that the man lied and said he was a thatcher come to fix her roof, but he tried to steal the necklace her mother gave her on her wedding day. The man goes on about how Robin Hood would strike them all down, and it turns out the man is Allan's brother, Tom. Allan pops him one in the nose and tells him that Robin is standing right front of them. After some begging, Robin agrees to let Tom and his two companions join the gang on a probationary basis. He is, after all, Allan's brother. And Tom and his companion are going to really thatch the roof (free of charge). Meanwhile, Djaq and Will have brought out the chest of valuables so everyone can retrieve what Lucky George swindled from them.

Meanwhile, in Nottingham, the woman's daughter and her fiancé arrive to ask for Gisborne's blessing to marry. He's kind of creepy about it and ends up taking the girl's necklace as payment for giving his blessing. He heads off to meet with the Sheriff, and it's very obvious he (Gisborne) doesn't want to be there. But the Sheriff tells Gisborne to get Lucky George a new carriage and more guards. And they're going to lay a trap to find out who the spy is in their midst (the Sheriff believes that to be the only way Robin could have known where Lucky George was). Back at camp, Tom is trying to regain Allan's trust. But that is a little hard when you steal from your own brother. He also took Much's flask (old habits). Robin is a little concerned because no one can find the money George claimed to have had.

At Knighton Hall, we find Gisborne giving the girl's necklace to Marian. She's not thrilled, and he asks if he's offended her. She says no, but that she can't accept the necklace. He tells her to give it back if it’s too simple, but she says she'll cherish it (probably just to make him happy). Gisborne has summoned a guard, and he tells them to let a silver shipment go through Sherwood Forest without guards. He's putting his trap into place. Too bad Marian's listening. In Nettlestone, Lucky George has surfaced, and Djaq and Will are there. And both are worried. Djaq doesn't understand why the people are still selling their things. Robin runs into Marian in the forest and is quite unhappy to see the girl's necklace around her neck. And that it was a gift from Gisborne. She hands it over and he gives it back to the girl it belonged to, saying he would marry them if they still wanted to be wed. I wouldn't mind him presiding over my wedding. He really does look good, even with scruff.

Back at camp, Tom and his two companions take off. In short order we find out that they've headed to Knighton and are trying to rob Edward. Marian has just suited up as the Night Watchman (most likely to stop the silver shipment) and kicks some seriously impressive butt. I mean it probably wasn't the actress doing all the stunts but I just love the fight sequences. Robin and company arrive in Knighton, and both he and Allan are furious. Allan smacks his brother around a bit for not thinking and stealing from their friends. Robin makes them apologize. I have to admit, Robin can be quite scary. Marian tells Robin about the unguarded shipment, and Robin and Much head off to get it. Too bad it's a trap. It was a decoy. The Sheriff is quite pleased that Gisborne's plan worked. They think it is Gisborne's Sergeant who tipped off Robin, so Gisborne is going to make the man pay.

Back in the forest, Allan and Robin are having a little heart to heart. Robin doesn't trust Tom, and Allan is trying to stick up for his brother. He knows Tom has made loads of mistakes in the past. Allan was a lot like him before he met Robin. Robin gives them one last chance, but it is short-lived. Allan wakes the next morning to find Tom and his companions gone. They have sought out Lucky George and immediately got captured. Will returns to the group with news that they will hang and that the Sheriff thinks they are Robin's men. The gang is reluctant to rescue them. Tom was never really part of the gang, and Allan is willing to protect the group and let them hang. But Robin's not so sure. He stops off to see Marian, and she says she'll go to the castle to find out what she can. He tries to kiss her, but she bats him away. It’s a rather sweet scene. We then find her confronting Gisborne at the entrance to the dungeon. She tries to convince to stop torturing his Sergeant. He makes a bit of a thing about her not wearing the necklace, but she manages to brush it off. Marian is no doubt feeling horrible that an innocent man was being tortured for her. In the forest, Robin decides to go to Nottingham. Much can't understand why.

In Locksley, Gisborne has grown suspicious, and he finds the girl with her necklace back on. He's really pissed off. He heads back to Nottingham and tells the Sheriff he believes Marian has betrayed him. The Sheriff goads him into going after Marian. Tom is in the cell observing the exchange between the Sheriff and Gisborne and manages to steal the necklace back from Lucky George. The gang gets to Nottingham and are confronted with several problems. They must rescue Tom and the others and warn Marian that Gisborne knows she betrayed him. Unfortunately, as the Sheriff sort of gives an Evil Speech of Evil, it turns out that Tom and his two companions are already dead. Robin must now focus on getting to Marian. Meanwhile, Will is getting Tom's things (sent by Djaq) as Allan sits crying. Robin promises to get the necklace back to Marian and sends her home.

Gisborne has showed up at Knighton Hall and is acting like an asshole. He's quite good at that. Marian tries to put on a good front, but he's not buying it. He demands to see the necklace and when Edward tries to defend her, Gisborne slaps him. Back in Nottingham, Djaq tells Allan about her brother and tries to cheer him up a bit. Allan finds the necklace, and they will have to race to Knighton to get it to Marian.

Gisborne is still furious. And Marian is trying to buy herself some more time. She manages to convince Gisborne to let her go get the necklace from her room. And now she has to wait for Robin to arrive. They find Lucky George on the road, and Will, Allan and Djaq arrive just in time for Robin to race off. Marian's ransacking her room and Gisborne is breaking down emotionally. Robin arrives and slips Marian the necklace. But that's not going to be enough. Gisborne begs Marian to marry him. That way, he could protect her from the Sheriff. Marian hesitates, and Gisborne wonders whether if Robin were asking the question, if she would have hesitated. Robin sits out of view listening to the exchange and he's visibly hurt when she says she despises him and will marry Gisborne on the day King Richard returns to England. Given that it's a war, that could be a long time from now. We end with Robin presiding over the wedding of the girl with the necklace in Locksley, and as everyone enjoys themselves, he looks to the sky with a tinge of sadness on his face.

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