June 29, 2008

Lardner’s Ring

Robin Hood (BBC America) — Last week, I voiced massive disappointment in the writers’ reliance on goofy plot contrivances and dumbing down their characters in an effort to advance the story.

Combining a compelling—but not ridiculous—mystery involving the word “lardner” with better character moments than anything we’ve seen before, the writers have pulled off a ridiculous quality turnaround. This might be the series’ best episode (so far, let’s hope). I had two minor quibbles that the show smartly addressed before the hour ended. First, Robin’s crew rush off to save him and Marian, except none of them actually know where they are. Fortunately, a short scene in which they get lost in the woods solved that problem. Second, they introduced yet another random, one-episode character who serves no purpose other than feeding Robin exposition. Except, oh wait—they integrated him naturally and completely into the plot, and he didn’t rush off or die at the end.

Sticking Robin and Marian up a tree at the same time Gisborne arrives was an excellent way to attack that triangle—the best idea the writers have had for this subplot. It also gave Marian an opportunity to show her independence in a way that felt more natural than last week’s shrill whinefest. More amazingly, the episode not only portrays Gisborne as an intelligent-but-lovestruck man—Robin actually comes out and says, “He’s too smart to fall for that.” More than once!

This week, the Sheriff and Gisborne’s often over-the-top stupidity didn’t cause or contribute to their failure. Robin’s men actually came up with a pretty intelligent, old-timey way of enshrouding the forest in smoke and tying a rope between two trees to get Robin down a safe distance away from the Sheriff’s men. I’m not saying it’s plausible, but it’s a lot less stupid than some of the other plans they’ve used. The Sheriff also came up with a good idea to stop the pigeon, and atypically, Robin and his crew outwit the Sheriff without rubbing his face in it (thus increasing his rage and shattering his confidence).

No joke, the writers did a fantastic job this week, easily surpassing the first two or three episodes this season, which were formerly the strongest in the show’s short history. I hope they keep this up.

D. B. Bates is a film critic and television viewer who has often shouted at fictional characters who probably wouldn’t listen to him even if they could hear him and existed in reality. Interested in explaining to D. B. the many ways he got it wrong? E-mail him.

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