The Musketeers

brian_t

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

BBC America will co-produce with BBC One The Musketeers, a drama series that’s a contemporary take on the classic Alexandre Dumas novel. Adrian Hodges (My Week With Marilyn, Primeval) will pen the project.

This BBC1 10-part series starts next Sunday January 19th at 9pm.

It stars Skins actor Luke Pasqualino as D'Artagnan, Merlin's Santiago Cabrera as Aramis, The Hour's Tom Burke as Athos and Howard Charles as Porthos. Also stars Peter Capaldi as Cardinal Richelieu.

FunLover18

Actually quite looking forward to this. Who doesn't love some swashbuckling of a Sunday night

FloatingVoter

FunLover18 wrote: »

Actually quite looking forward to this. Who doesn't love some swashbuckling of a Sunday night

..and Doctor Who moonlighting already as Richelieu. Good night of TV ahead.

Pang

Looking forward to this. Hopefully it's nothing like the film.

laugh

Any reports on what this is like?

FloatingVoter

Popcorn boys will be boys stuff. You won't need a Phd to follow the plot. What I was expecting. Grand little "switch off brain" fodder for a Sunday night.

pixelburp

I thought it was fun; completely disposable but rattled along at an entertaining pace with some pretty exciting bouts of action and decent banter between the titular Musketeers. The Beeb certainly didn't skimp on the budget either as it had a definite cinematic scope & feel; if the station has budget problems, you wouldn't think it from watching this.

My only complaint is the utterly washed-out palette which is all the rage these days for 'gritty' shows and films - why is it uncool now to have historical fiction bright and colourful? Also couldn't help pick up that the soundtrack was blatantly riffing off the Pirates of the Carribean one, but that's just a quibble.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I enjoyed it. Reminded me of the Beeb's take on Robin Hood a few years back with Jonas Armstrong.

FunLover18

Yep, fun is the word. I'll stick with it for the moment. Very dark ending, interesting to see how they manage the balance between that level of darkness and the light hearted side of the Musketeers

Watching it as I type and enjoying it. It's a pretty generic and unoriginal retread though I do believe that's simply because I've seen the story told so many times before. It's the kind of boys own adventure that makes for perfect tea time viewing and I think that they made a mistake scheduling it so late on a Sunday.

kooga

great bit of action adventure for a sunday night. really lavish production and thoroughly enjoyed it.

FloatingVoter

Deleted User wrote: »

Watching it as I type and enjoying it. It's a pretty generic and unoriginal retread though I do believe that's simply because I've seen the story told so many times before. It's the kind of boys own adventure that makes for perfect tea time viewing and I think that they made a mistake scheduling it so late on a Sunday.

I think thats because its up against Mr Selfridge. I watched both. But because I have a little gentleman between my legs...I watched this live.
There spoketh the gender expert.
The 9pm showing leaves them leeway for sex and graphic violence. Hopefully.

FloatingVoter

FloatingVoter wrote: »

I think thats because its up against Mr Selfridge. I watched both. But because I have a little gentleman between my legs...I watched this live.
There spoketh the gender expert.
The 9pm showing leaves them leeway for sex and graphic violence. Hopefully.

I genuinely hope that they don't indulge in copious amounts of sex and violence to try and make it an "adult" show. Far too many shows think that if they throw in a little smut then their show will be looked at as mature and adult. I'd sooner have a good old fashioned boys own adventure that's made for the 10 year old boy in all of us. Which it seems is what they have done considering that the home release of the show is rated 12s.

FloatingVoter

Deleted User wrote: »

I genuinely hope that they don't indulge in copious amounts of sex and violence to try and make it an "adult" show. Far too many shows think that if they throw in a little smut then their show will be looked at as mature and adult. I'd sooner have a good old fashioned boys own adventure that's made for the 10 year old boy in all of us. Which it seems is what they have done considering that the home release of the show is rated 12s.

Nah...don't get me wrong, Darko. If they were to go out at 8 pm to avoid Selfridge - they wind up competing in Reality / "talent" TV land. Best left alone. At 9 pm they get to run against Selfridge and both dramas are good enough to take a 50% take of the ratings for drama in that slot and survive. Neither are Downton or Sherlock killers. Both are amiable Sunday night viewing - but if a head wants chopping off, it'll more than likely happen in Musketeers. If something genuinely disturbing happens it will be in Selfridge. I think Musketeers will stick to aiming for re-runs on the Disney channel stateside with an edit here or there if needed. The dresses will stay undone.

FloatingVoter

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Nah...don't get me wrong, Darko. If they were to go out at 8 pm to avoid Selfridge - they wind up competing in Reality / "talent" TV land. Best left alone. At 9 pm they get to run against Selfridge and both dramas are good enough to take a 50% take of the ratings for drama in that slot and survive. Neither are Downton or Sherlock killers. Both are amiable Sunday night viewing - but if a head wants chopping off, it'll more than likely happen in Musketeers. If something genuinely disturbing happens ir will be in Selfridge. I think Musketeers will stick to aiming for re-runs on the Disney channel stateside with an edit here or there if needed. The dresses will stay undone.

They're staying undone here too as it's a 12 rated show. I think that the Saturday evening Doctor Who timeslot would be perfect for The Musketeers. It appeals to much the same audience and the 9 pm timeslot gives the impression that it's more adult than it actually is

FunLover18

The only thing that annoyed me about this was that they made no effort to hide that the swords were blunted. In the fight between D'Artagnon and Athos where all they get to the scene where all the blades are locked together, you can see quite clearly the round edges, they look like really large butter knives

FloatingVoter

The pistols / flintlocks were very obviously plastic too. But so what. Kids won't care.
As for the Saturday evening slot...wouldn't the kids be upset if the Doctor was saving the Universe and plotting the fall of the Musketeers from one week to next. Although a Musketeer / TARDIS mash-up would be a laugh. Wouldn't be the first time we had a conflicted Doctor. Malcolm Tucker with a TARDIS and a sword. Now there is one for after the watershed.

FunLover18

FloatingVoter wrote: »

The pistols / flintlocks were very obviously plastic too. But so what. Kids won't care.
As for the Saturday evening slot...wouldn't the kids be upset if the Doctor was saving the Universe and plotting the fall of the Musketeers from one week to next. Although a Musketeer / TARDIS mash-up would be a laugh. Wouldn't be the first time we had a conflicted Doctor. Malcolm Tucker with a TARDIS and a sword. Now there is one for after the watershed.

I doubt many kids are watching at 9 on a Sunday (technically a school night)

FloatingVoter

FunLover18 wrote: »

I doubt many kids are watching at 9 on a Sunday (technically a school night)

Christ, I hope that was tongue in cheek. I'd just settle for hoping the schoolage kids I know don't want bigger knives as a result.

pixelburp

Been keeping up with this, and while it's utterly untaxing, it is a breezy and fun swashbuckler, with a fairly high standard of production and action. A good way to wind down a Sunday evening for sure.

FunLover18

pixelburp wrote: »

Been keeping up with this, and while it's utterly untaxing, it is a breezy and fun swashbuckler, with a fairly high standard of production and action. A good way to wind down a Sunday evening for sure.

Yep, really enjoying this. The chemistry between The Musketeers is good, Capaldi is quietly menacing, and Tamla Kari is easy on the eye.

Mr.Prodston

Just thought I'd give this a little bump. The season finale now next week.

I'm really enjoying it, perfect to just sit down and enjoy yourself without taxing your brain too much. I believe a second season has been commissioned too. Howard Charles as Porthos is my favourite Musketeer anyway, never seen or heard of him before.

SarahBM

Hey people. I just started watching this at the wknd and I have to say I love it. Im a sucker for swashbuckling and The Three Musketeers is one of my favourite stories. I like the take on it, I love the Captain and Constance.
I think its far better in terms of production and acting quality than Robin Hood, they clearly have spent the money where it matters, even though as someone said the props dont look as authentic sometimes.

I think I have 2 episodes left.
Any idea when Series 2 will be on air? I know they have just started shooting.

SarahBM

Just finished watching and I have to say I really enjoyed the series. really looking forward to the next one.

and I am sooooooooooo in love with Aramis! SWOON!

Mr.Prodston

The 2nd season started tonight on BBC at 9 o'clock. Was good fun just like last year, a shame about

Peter Capaldi leaving due to Doctor Who

but what can you do. Plenty of intrigue for a while yet and glad it's back

SarahBM

Enjoyable episode. D'Artangnan is a bit annoying though

when it comes to Constance. He just doesnt understand how difficult it is for a woman in those circumstances. I really feel sorry for her.

I had planned to re-read the book last year but too much college work. hopefully this year.
Looking forward to next week's episode. Im really interested

to see what the previous relationship between Rochefort and the Queen will throw up!

SarahBM

Well she had to weasel her way back in some way I guess!
#Milady

FunLover18

SarahBM wrote: »

Well she had to weasel her way back in some way I guess!
#Milady

As much as I enjoyed the first series, I cannot for the life of me remember what happened to her at the end.

I enjoyed the second episode a lot more than the first possibly because I was actually paying attention.

Mr.Prodston

Kind of annoyed that they spent 50 minutes showing a different side to Louis and then just did away with all the development in 10 seconds.

Colin Salmon from Arrow and Antonia Thomas from Misfits appear next week I think which should be good

FunLover18

Mr.Prodston wrote: »

Kind of annoyed that they spent 50 minutes showing a different side to Louis and then just did away with all the development in 10 seconds.

Colin Salmon from Arrow and Antonia Thomas from Misfits appear next week I think which should be good

SarahBM

FunLover18 wrote: »

As much as I enjoyed the first series, I cannot for the life of me remember what happened to her at the end.
.

Well at the end of Series 1

Milady was involved in a big conspiracy with the Cardinal plotting the death of the Queen etc and then at the very end when trying to escape she had Constance hostage and Athos let her go

hope that jogs the memory

CastorTroy

To me, Milady will always be a big cat.

I agree with being annoyed/disappointed that they just made Louis go back to being his usual self

brian_t

The third and final season starts on Saturday May 28th at 9:30pm

SarahBM

Season one and two are on Netflix if anyone feels like a refresher before the new season gets under way!

Mr.Prodston

The series finale is Monday night. It's set up well and I'm interested to see where it goes given that I'm ignorant of the actual history (until I read up on it after the finale).

It's a show I've always enjoyed and have been able to look past the potentially irritating lazy shortcuts in plotting. Porthos is easily my favourite of the four.

Onwards to the finale

sioda

Great show love the detail of the sets and the costumes.

Yeah its a bit set your mind on auto but it's good telly

sioda

Very disappointing finale tbf is what you expect when BBC America is involved.