Sci Fi TV Genre Gems: Forgotten magic and hidden treasures from the worlds of sci fi TV
What Is It? This series follows the adventures of Robin “in the Hood” (aka Robin of Loxley) who is identified by the mystical Herne the Hunter as the one who will become the champion of the oppressed people in the land. He gathers together a group of outlaws–his “Merry Men”–and becomes a constant thorn in the side to the Sheriff of Nottingham who rules over his territory with an iron grip.
Aired: Showtime, 1984-86, 3 Seasons Totaling 26 Episodes
Starring: Michael Praed, Jason Connery, Judi Trott, Nickolas Grace, Robert Addie, Mark Ryan
Created By: Richard Carpenter
Why It Stands Out: This series brought a gritty reality to the legend of Robin Hood and also elements of fantasy. Plus, its stories worked in the themes of loyalty, the bonds of friendship, and the pursuit of justice giving it a sense of depth and raising it above the typical action/adventure type show.
Is It Must-Watch Sci Fi /Fantasy TV? Possibly. Fantasy fans should definitely seek this one out as the will find much to like about the show. Overall it counts as a sleeper genre entry, and it is definitely worth checking out a few episodes.
The Skinny: Taking its cue from the 1976 Sean Connery film Robin and Marian, this series veered away from the stereotype of Robin Hood and his Merry Man as happy, go-lucky outlaws and delivered more of a brooding lead character with some grittiness to the world he inhabited. When it debuted on Showtime in 1984, there were not too many genre entries on television, and little in the way of fantasy shows (though interestingly the short-lived Wizards and Warriors aired on CBS just one year prior). Robin of Sherwood was not a High Fantasy series as no elves or dwarves or dragons showed up in the series. But it did deliver episodes with elements of magic and mysticism along with others that were straightforward adventures tales. In addition, the show had strong themes driving it that emphasized the importance of justice, loyalty, friendship, and dedication that made it more than just a historical fantasy romp. Plus it had an excellent cast and was even able to (SPOILER ALERT) seamlessly handle of the the departure of Michael Praed as the lead after the second season and replace him with Jason Connery.
Series creator Richard Carpenter wrote the majority of the episodes which helped the show maintain a sense of thematic unity across its three seasons, even after the change of the lead character. And the beautiful score by Celtic band Clannad also enhanced the mystical atmospherics of the show and brought some warmth to it as well. In Britain, the series aired on ITV and in the States it originally ran on the premium Showtime channel as one of the first original series on cable at that time. The show was well received when it first debuted, but has since largely fallen off the radar. But it is definitely one that is worth seeking out, especially for those looking for a well-done fantasy television series.
Cancelled Too Soon? Yes. A fourth season of the show was planned but never produced. Its production company Goldcrest had experienced a financial downturn due to several box office flops its produced. Robin of Sherwood was expensive to produce for a television series, so the fourth season never happened which left several storylines unresolved.
Should It Be Rebooted? Possibly. A sequel series was planned in the 90’s which would have taken place ten years later and would bring Michael Praed back as Robin Hood (we never actually saw his Robin die onscreen), but it was never produced. The show did set the stage for replacing Robin Hood which gives it a Doctor Who-type gimmick allowing for a revolving set of actors taking up the lead role. Series creator Richard Carpenter passed away in 2001, but others could take up the torch and carry on the show with another generation taking up the mantle from the original characters.
Interesting Facts: Jason Connery is the son of Sean Connery who played Robin Hood in the the 1976 movie Robin and Marian which, as mentioned above, helped set the tone for the series. Paul McGann (who would go on play be the Eighth Doctor in the failed 1996 attempt to revive Doctor Who) auditioned for the role of Robin Hood.
Where Can You Watch It? The entire series has been released on DVD and blu-ray. All three seasons of the show are available for streaming on the free service Tubi TV. That streamer is much like Hulu in its early years as it runs ads with the shows. Robin of Sherwood is also available on Prime Video if you have Amazon Prime. All three seasons are there as well, but Seasons 2 and 3 are lumped together as one.
Read More About the Show: Wikipedia | IMDb.com
Available from Amazon.com:
