Robin Hood

The new Robin Hood series begins with a strong sense of time and place, capturing the uneasy relationship between Saxons and Normans in a way that feels both personal and believable. I especially liked how the show grounds this tension in individual stories - through Rob's family and his connection with Marian's - instead of relying on exposition alone.

Lauren McQueen shines as Marian, bringing warmth and quiet strength that make her scenes among the most engaging in the series so far. The actor playing Rob shows flashes of real emotion - especially in the rain - though his range still feels limited in quieter or more reflective moments.

Episode 2 is particularly effective in showing how Rob's circumstances push him toward life as an outlaw. It's not rebellion for rebellion's sake - the story takes care to show how injustice corners him, giving weight to his choices and deepening the emotional stakes.

After two episodes, the series feels promising: visually rich, emotionally grounded, and already layered with moral complexity.

The claim of this TV series is that the French brought Christianity to England during the Norman invasion of 1066 and that generations later the French nobility were still trying to introduce Christianity to the English Saxons who were following old Saxon beliefs.

The English had been Christians for a very long stage by this time.

Robin Hood is a work of FICTION. Robin of Loxley isnt a real life historical figure. Yes, the story is based off of a few different historical figures during the 12th-13th centuries, but the story is a fairy tale.

That said. Yes, the first 2 episodes are slow but it's deliberate. This is a story from start to end. The first two episodes are there to set everything up. By episode 3, it really starts to pick up and we begin to see how this version of Robin Hood becomes the heroic outlaw he is. We see the beginnings of his band of merry men and we learn why each of them gravitate to him and join him. It's story telling done well. Sure, there are times that the dialog is a bit wanting, but for the most part, the show is pretty good.

Portraying Saxons under Henry II as pagans is a blatant historical insult and ignorance. By the 12th century, Saxons were devout Christians fully integrated into the Church, as paganism had vanished centuries earlier. This anachronism slanders medieval reality and demonstrates lazy, careless storytelling.

As a Chinese person, I really enjoy medieval European dramas; some characters based on popular historical stories, such as Robin Hood, are still quite well-known. But I was quite shocked when I saw that the character of Little John was Black, as it didn't match my understanding of history, even though it seems this show doesn't aim for historical accuracy.

In Chinese culture, figures who rebel against authoritarian rule always leave a lasting impression and earn respect. Throughout thousands of years of history, with the changing dynasties, such figures have always been present. This is why I like Robin Hood; we enjoy seeing such characters grow and change history. However, the first few episodes made me drowsy; the character development was weak, and the romance was also underdeveloped. The actors were very beautiful, which was the only thing keeping me watching.