h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, once again this lump of weapons grade Balonium hits our screens. And yet again I have to watch it... it's like a car crash, I know I shouldn't but I can't help it.

I know that it's supposed to be a contemporary take on the old legend, but is that really any excuse for the glaring inaccuracies? Why does Robin wear jackboots? Why does Marian wear 18th Century fashions? Why does the soldiers' string mail look so bad? I mean, it's not difficult or expensive to make decent looking mail without using steel, and I presume this show has a decent budget, so why does all the mail look like stuff that would make even the jubbliest LARPer cringe? And then there's the common sense stuff, like if you are surronded by archers all the (very modern looking) arrows wouldn't neatly hit the small shield you are holding in front of you.

And don't get me started on the black powder, the fact that all the male characters wear t-shirts and boxers rather than tunics and braes, the clumsily disguised references to the Iraq war...

So, let's hear what Auntie has to say about the programme:

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Why Budapest? Are the forests, castles and living history villages of England not good enough any more?

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How is it unique? It's a story and concept that's been done to death... the action adventure is hardly exhilarating, the wit is not very witty and I get more romance when Mrs. D has the flu.


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Yeah, woo, Robin Hood with no tights. Like that's never been done before. How about making it historically accurate as well?

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Yeah, the script writers might cut themselves if they're not careful.

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Why update it? It's fine as it is... and sophisicated? Give me a break, if you are aiming for a sophisticated audience you could at least try to be accurate to the setting.

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We've already had this one. Are the Beeb trying to convince us or themselves?

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I'd like to see him try.

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Okay, some of the scams are quite clever if you're not thinking too hard, but incredible swordplay? My swordplay is more incredible and I've only been training 8 months... Robin supposedly fought in the Crusades and would probably have been learning the art of swordsmanship from an early age.

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Why, Keith? Why?

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Well, I wouldn't say 'strikingly beautiful' but I also wouldn't kick her out of bed for eating crisps.

<<and Richard Armitage (North & South) as Sir Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff's sadistic lieutenant.>>

Possibly the show's one saving grace. Shame he's wasted on this heap of tripe and not doing a show where he can really be a decent villain.

Not watched it yet, so I can't say...

but I would have to say that the beeb wouldn't bring it back if it was THAT unpopular.

That's the problem... it IS popular.

I think they should bring back the kids' show Maid Marion; that took the mick out of the Robin Hood story but it was a million more times entertaining!

It's one of those stories that seems to be remade over and over. The first porno film I ever saw was a naughty version of Robin Hood.

I'll wager that particular Robin Hood had no problems weilding his sword.

I personally had no problems with the episode....

>>I think they should bring back the kids' show Maid Marion<<

That show was sooooooooo AWESOME!

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I guess that depends on how you look at it.

Myself, having a keen interest in history, find it difficult to get past the badly made weapons & armour and the clothing styles that are generally between 400 and 1000 years too early for the period it's set in.

I tend to just watch it for a bit of fun

I tend not to watch programs that are ment to be completly serious...

Ah, but there is a line between "not completely serious" and "funking ridiculous" which Robin Hood(ie) has crossed many many times. The wise cracking modern dialogue I can live with (because, frankly, it would be even more ridiculous to have them speaking Old/Middle English), the odd bit of slapstick I can live with... but it's really not difficult to get the costumes right. If I can put together an accurate-looking Early Medieval costume for less than £100 (including boots and armour) so can the BBC.

Probably not very parctical for the stunts they do though...

As it happens a lot of the stuff they're wearing is even less practical than the historical stuff would've been! Compared to what the cast all wear clothing at the time was quite loose and airy... especially trousers which would either have been baggy 'hero pants' or, more likely, hosen (forerunners of the stereotypical Medieval tights, only looser and made of wool or linen).

you seem very set against the series...

I am, to be honest... everything relating to costume and set design smacks of lazy research. And like many of these things they likely employed a proper historian just so they can claim they did it properly. It's possible to have an entertaining historically-based series that's reasonably accurate as well. They managed quite well in the 80s with Robin of Sherwood (which admittedly is a bit ropey in places) so why does it appear to be so difficult to acheive in 2007?

They ran it here in the States as well. I enjoyed it... but only by taking it as compleat bubblegum fantasy. I'm no expert by any stretch and the anachronisms were glaring even to my eye. I had the feeling that the show owed more to Buffy than to anything historical. You got the small gang of young hipsters doing battle with evil and looking gorgeous while leaping to and fro and toss in a few lessons about tolerance and multiculturalism and there ya go, instant hit with the prime demographic viewers.

I never said ity was something to be taken seriously

That's what I'm trying to get at... a programme doesn't have to be serious to be historically accurate. Unfortunately the makers of Robin Hood(ie) don't seem to realise this and thus we have the emo fringe and the modern trousers and boots.

... I just got the hood(ie) joke