Robin Hood - Complete Series 2 Box Set [DVD]

After having bought series 1 on DVD boxset, I eagerly awaited watching this one. I was not disappointed, either. Many guest stars appear in the series, which I only noticed after watching one of the DVD documentaries. Keith Allen is a brilliant villain, but Richard Armitage's character Guy of Gisborne is just brilliant. In series 2, we get to know a lot more about robin's gang, and there is much more humor with Sam Troughton's character, Much.

As for the DVD extras, after watching the main documentary and the other 2 documentaries (rather weirdly based on the deaths of characters - something the makers of this boxset seem to be obsessed with), I couldn't help but notice the lack of extras on the DVD's. Unlike the series 1 box set, there are no character profiles, instead we are left with just the commentaries.

The DVD menu design is simply magnificent, featuring a certain symbol used in the episodes. The episodes also feature the previously seen scene selection, with a difference - each of the windows representing a scene to select features a moving image, so you can preview it before you select it. Although it looks brilliant, it is totally impractical. The fanfare played when inserting the DVD into your player is irritating, but the quality of the episodes by far makes up for this. The packaging is pretty much the same as before, but yet again is a masterpiece. After a while, however, the paper packaging can peel away.

A great boxset for any collector, if you look beyond the special features.

If your looking for historical accuracy surrounding tales concerning the myth of Robin Hood and His Merry Men then you will probably be disappointed with this series as there are inaccuracies in both weaponary and costumes(not correct at times for the period being portrayed) This and i cannot stress it enough is not important as the other aspects of the production. The humour is as always enjoyable and there are often one liners made such as Will & Little John after a fight saying "And its goodnight from me & its goodnight from him" Keith Allen as the Sheriff is still superb and so watchable adding a certain twirling of the whiskers. there have been some superb guests appear this season and without giving anything away some serious shocks in the storyline.

Overall the reimagination of the Tales of Robin Hood is superb and the stories move along at a pace quick enough to maintain peoples interest. Jonas Armstrong is extremely likeable as Robin and is well supported by Lucy Griffiths (Maid Marian), Joe Armstrong (Allan a Dale), Anjali Jay (Djaq),Gordon Kennedy (Little John), Harry Lloyd (Will Scarlett) and Sam Troughton (Much) and especially the bad guys of Keith Allen as The Sheriff of Nottingham and Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne.

If your looking for an enjoyable show that won't tax the brain, doesn't take itself too seriously and is just a nice enjoyable show to watch with all the family then you will not be disappointed with purchasing this set.

The only thing for me personally which brings the show down (but not much) is the lack of the Tuck character however David Harewood has been linked to appear as the chubby Friar in the 3rd season which is due to air in 2009.

Robin Hood : The Complete BBC Series 1 Box Set [2006]
Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves [1991]
Robin Of Sherwood - Complete
Merlin Vol.1 [2008]

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The second series has finally nailed some of the first series issues which seemed to revolve around having to set up the 'characters' of the characters. Now that is is bedded in they can concentrate on the stories. These are great with some threads running throught the whole series such as Guy's unrequited love for Marian and the relationships within the 'band of merry men'. Jonas Armstrong is excellent as Robin and seems to have matured into the part, his relationship with his long-term sidekick Much (beautifully played by Sam Troughton) has more depth and complexity than in the first series.
Keith Allen is my favourite pantomime villan he is great fun to watch as his badness is so uninhibited. He looks like he was having a ball making this.
I suppose the highest credit much go to Richard Armitage, I struggled with his relentless unpleasantness as Guy of Gisburne in the first series. But here he is able to bring depth and emotion to a fairly one dimensional written character. He really made me believe that he loves Marian, which makes it all the more shocking that he kills her in the final episode. Lucy as Marian has just the right amount of sweetness and niaviety to pull the role off. (I did wonder whether anyone regretted casting Richard as Guy of Gisburne as although the series is called Robin Hood for me it was definitely the Guy of Gisburne show) There were moments whern there was other action going on when I was just wishing they would get back to the Guy-Marian-Robin love triangle.

Fans of the audio commentaries like me will love this as the commentaries are great and go well with the episodes. Listen carefully to the commentary for the last episode and the discussion about the death scene. Richard Armitage says he really struggled with the idea of killing Marian and didn't sleep for about a week beforehand - I am telling you that the way some of the fans felt afterwards.