Robin Hood 1x02 "Sheriff got your tongue?"

We left off last time with the newly formed gang of four (Robin, Much, Will, and Allan) setting up camp for the first time in Sherwood forest after an exciting day of Robin saving everyone's lives when some other outlaws (that we will soon learn are led by the legendary Little John) come across them in the forest. Let's get into it!

Thoughts While Watching:

• Why do they think the villagers would know where Robin is? It's not like he had time to go home for a chat.
• Joe Armstrong without his shirt on is sexy as hell.
• Eating raw rabbits is repulsive. Wtf John?
• This guy sniffing Robin is something else. 
• OMG...Robin: "That is sophisticated." Roy, getting all up in his face with a weapon: "Ooo, big words! Scary!" I love it.
• Much is wearing his little medieval boxers.
• The sheriff pretending to cut off his tongue!
• Poor Much, already being mocked by the others.
• I like the "I think you'll find" catchphrase from these early episodes and I miss it later on.
• "Your snide...your snide..." I love this Roy and Much exchange. 
• I like that Roy seems to be the one to give Robin the idea to fight back against the sheriff.
• So, all these other outlaws...where did they come from? Where did they go? Where did you come from, Cotton-Eye Joe? Like, seriously...who are these people? Why do we never see them again in the entire rest of the show? I know the main four we see at the beginning of this episode join Robin's gang, although two of them, who I believe are named Hanton and Forrest, do so on a strictly temporary basis before presumably running off again with the rest of these outlaws. John and Roy are the only ones that actually stick around, though poor Roy doesn't last long. But the rest of these guys are supposedly friends of Little John, they all live in the forest, and they're all thieves who attack and rob anyone they come across. Shouldn't the gang at some point have come across some of them again? Missed opportunity.
• Laughing so hard at the sheriff jumping out of his skin whenever Guy yells "TALK!"
• So this is interesting. Roy points out that John can't be the one to deliver Robin for the reward because he's the most recognizable and later on in the show whenever John gets captured I believe Will says that John has "never been just another outlaw." Now, I know the reason why he's so recognizable is because of his size, but he's also been outlawed and living as a dead man for probably about 7-10 years at this point, going by the age of his son, and has managed to stay out of the spotlight during that time since Alice has no idea that he's alive. He's been outlawed longer than the sheriff and Guy have been in charge (which means it was under Edward's leadership that he was outlawed) and yet they're still afraid that his outlaw status would be brought to light and he'd be turned in. Does that mean they're afraid the other Locksley villagers would turn him in? What exactly did he do to get outlawed in the first place? This all suggests that it was something pretty bad. We know he has no issue robbing from anyone and leaving them to die at this point in the story and he tells Alice later on that he's "killed to survive" when they're in the dungeon together after she accuses him of being a murderer. They never outright tell us what he did to be outlawed originally so it's up to us to guess, but I'm thinking he probably killed someone. Whether or not it was truly in self defense or an accident or a straight up murder is something I'm not sure about, but I definitely think he killed someone, maybe even more than one person.
• Foreshadowing! The sheriff says "I have heard that there are camps in the Holy Land where men are taught to hate their own land, to return home to wreak havoc and destruction." and at this point in the show, we're supposed to think he's full of it, but it turns out later that he was right. I love that episode with Harold. 
• Why does the sheriff's speech here sound like something that should be on a modern alt-right podcast?
• Alice's tongue has some major plot armor. It's taking that guard forever and a day to try to cut it out.
• "If I tell you where I am, can I claim the twenty pounds?" Such an iconic line.
• I love when he hits Guy in the face with the bowstring.
• Marian's a little harsh with calling him a fool when he's already been captured and sentenced to death. Geez, Marian, give it a rest already. We all know you're bitter. We get it. We sympathize.
• This guy's cat got your tongue joke is something else. And we have him saying the episode title.
• Allan's quick to turn here, but then again Will isn't eager to save him either. Poor Much goes alone. At least they let him go. It seems like they're ready to accept Will and Allan into the gang even though they were their captives earlier.
• Interesting that the jailer is the one who gives Robin the nickname Robin Hood. We saw at the beginning of the episode that two guards started calling him "Robin of the wood" and then "Robin Wood" (reminds me of Buffy) and now here when one guard says that the people have been calling him Robin Wood, the jailer misheard and says "Robin Hood? There'll be no hood for you tomorrow, my lovely." Interesting little evolution of the nickname.
• And now we have Much going to beg Marian and Edward for help. I love Much in this scene. He's not taking any of Marian's shit. She's still trying to pretend like she doesn't care when she obviously does and he rips her a new one. Love this line in particular, "I hate the sheriff and I hate you if you aren't gonna help Robin." And then he follows that up with the guilt tripping line, "In the Holy Land my master had dreams. He spoke your name. Good night." He doesn't even address Edward or respond to him when he tells Much to give up on Robin to save himself. Good job, Much! I'm so proud of him. Despite being a servant for his entire life, he has no issue with speaking his mind and standing up to these nobles. 
• Aww, this scene with Little John and Little Little John is so cute and sweet! Poor John. I feel bad for him. I like that we have his son to thank for him joining up with Robin. If it weren't for hearing how all of his son's and his wife's hopes are pinned on Robin, I don't think he would've cared at all. 
• I don't know how much I agree with the sheriff or Marian for that matter that Robin is motivated by a desire for glory or martyrdom. I think it's partially true, but I don't think its his main motivation and I think it's an unfair assessment. 
• I randomly get this lullaby Alice is singing to her son stuck in my head all the time.
• The gang is gathered around the campfire having a rather amusing chat. Whatever his name is starts with, "Think the whiny one will make it?" to which Roy responds, "What's he gonna do? Stroll into Nottingham and say, 'Excuse me, can my friend Lavender Boy go free?'" Allan comments "Could have given him the horse." and the callous response is, "Then we lose the horse too, think about it." I mean, you can't argue with that logic. 
• "Have you seen what happens to a family when there is only one bread winner? Because I have!" Aww, poor Will. I love how passionate he is. And yay, John is back and ready to support the cause!
• I like this part where Marian is goading Guy about the Gisborne name and lands. I want to skip ahead and rewatch the flashback episode in season three just to see how well this holds up because I can't remember all the little details. 
• What exactly did Marian think would happen? There would be a trial and Robin would win? Was she not listening earlier when her father told Much to resign himself because Robin's a dead man? She seems suddenly surprised at the idea of his execution.
• How did Much manage to fall asleep on a ladder and not fall to his death? But aww, Allan is so cute petting the doggy.
• Great scene between Robin and Marian here. She came up with a good escape plan, she already thought of exactly what to say to keep the jailer from torturing Robin, and she's really on top of this. And I like that she points out that if he really cared about the people, he wouldn't have gone to war. I know it's a double meaning and what she's really saying is that if he really cared about her then he wouldn't have left her, but I think even taking the words at face value, she still brings up a really valid point. Still loving the anti-war vibes!
• Robin's "I cannot go unseen." crap is annoying, but at least once she puts the plan into effect he's ready to go along with it. This is also the first use of Robin's "half plan" and some adorable flirting with really bad timing. Jonas Armstrong has the best little cheeky smirk. He's absolutely gorgeous.
• But here comes Much! He's so adorable in his little helmet thing.
• "If you go back in and die, then I will die of grief." Aww, poor baby Much! I love him! I also ship this hard and I've been shipping it for 14 years. Robin's response? "That is why I love you." Aw, my shipper heart!
• This whole thing is unnecessary and overdramatic. Robin should have just left. But, that being said, it was probably a good idea to use the Roy trick to show the sheriff that he isn't afraid to kill people to try to keep him in check.
• Robin throws out some empty threats that he'll kill the sheriff if he so much as harms a single person to get to him and the sheriff tells him he doesn't believe him and doesn't even seem phased. He's right though. Robin's all talk. 
• LOVE this escape tactic with Robin flying down to Little John with the bow and the rope. Iconic.
• Ah, the first instance of Allan checking out a hot girl. This is a cute scene.
• Aww, poor Much talking about how alone he is in the world and pretending like it doesn't bother him. My poor baby. Although, I think as long as he has Robin he truly isn't that bothered by it, because he views Robin as his family. 
• And of course we end with everyone laughing at Much and giving him a hard time, as you do.

Final Thoughts:

Does anyone else have a constant desire to hug Much? Because I do. All I want to do is give him hugs and snuggles and snacks. And also punch everyone who's ever mean to him. He's the most adorable thing ever. Also, can I just point out how hot Robin, Allan, and Will are? This show has some serious eye candy.

Anyway, I love the two part series premiere. I think these episodes are a great way to set things up for the legend we know and love. By the end of this episode, we're now set up with all the basics for the show to truly begin:

• We know that Robin, rightful Lord of Locksley, has just come back from fighting in the Crusades with King Richard.
• We know the poor have been suffering under high taxes and harsh punishments under the sadistic Sheriff of Nottingham (who is friends with the sadistic Guy of Gisborne, another well known figure from the legends, and who employs an equally sadistic jailer and plenty of sadistic guards, seriously where does he find all these messed up dudes?) and that many people have resorted to breaking the law in order to survive.
• We have Robin outlawed for rescuing peasants who were going to be wrongfully executed.
• We have the development of the nickname Robin Hood.
• We have the formation of the gang of outlaws who join up with Robin, including favorites from the original legends like Will Scarlett, Allan a Dale, Much (who is known as the miller's son in the original legends), and Little John. The main merry man from the original legends who is still missing is Friar Tuck who won't join the gang until season 3, but we do get some new original characters like Roy, who was a great addition.
• We get to meet Marian and although we aren't given much backstory yet for their relationship, we can tell that they clearly had one, that Robin is clearly still interested in pursuing one, and that Marian is clearly hurt by his decision to leave. We also see that Guy is interested in her, setting up the main love triangle of the show, and we see that Marian is willing to help Robin when she thinks she can do so and get away with it. But we also see that she, at this point in the show, is unwilling to do anything that will directly risk her life, her position, or her father. 

And with that, we're ready to dive in to the rest of the show! See you next time.