What is it:
The Musketeers. A BBC adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' "The Three Musketeers", which will more than likely continue into his other works about the musketeers.
When did it begin:
January 19th, 2014. Season 1 has been slated for 10 episodes (each an hour in length), which will conclude March 30th. A season 2 has already been greenlit!
When does it air:
It will premiere in the U.S. in June 2014 on BBC America. If you don't wish to wait, you can watch it now on Hulu.
Wikipedia:
The Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in MarchJuly 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard. D'Artagnan is not one of the musketeers of the title; those are his friends Athos, Porthos and Aramis, inseparable friends who live by the motto "all for one, one for all".
Luke Pasqualino as D'Artagnan
"DArtagnan is charismatic, impulsive and ridiculously brave with a fierce appetite for justice."
Santiago Cabrera as Aramis
"Charming but deadly, a great lover and a great fighter Aramis is a man of fascinating contrasts."
Tom Burke as Athos
"Athos is brave, resourceful and a natural leader of men. But he nurses a dark secret in his past."
Howard Charles as Porthos
"A great fighter, a loyal friend and a man who lives life to the full."
Ryan Gage as King Louis XIII
"Good-natured yet weak, intelligent but lazy, King Louis is the absolute ruler of France."
Alexandra Dowling as Queen Anna
"Passionate and strong-willed, Queen Anne yearns for a romantic escape from her waning marriage to the King."
Peter Capaldi as Cardinal Richelieu
"Scheming, ruthless and pragmatic, the Cardinal is the most powerful man in France."
Hugo Spear as Captain Treville
"A legendary soldier, Treville is now Captain of the Musketeers, a close advisor to the King and a man of absolute honour and integrity."
Tamla Kari as Constance
"Yearning for escape from her uneventful marriage Constance finds excitement, romance and danger when dArtagnan comes crashing into her life."
Maimie McCoy as Milady
"The most mysterious and beautiful of villains, Milady de Winter is the Cardinals secret weapon a deadly and merciless assassin."
This is my first thread like this. Hopefully it doesn't look too much like garbage. I haven't watched a single episode yet (starting tonight), but The Three Musketeers is one of my favorite stories. Anyone else watching?
Been thinking of watching this show. The concept of a musketeers story as a show seems interesting. Also, BBC seem to have a decent track record from the show i've seen (mostly Sherlock). Do post your thoughts after watching a couple episodes.
All right, folks. I'm two episodes in! Just some late night rambling:
Unfortunately, this is not the amazing show I was expecting. It isn't bad, but it isn't great. My opinion can also be a little jaded because of my love for the book, so I would be interested in the opinion of those who haven't' read the book who give it a watch. They may love it that much more.
The Good
Porthos. There is no bad acting in the show. There is no bad character. But Porthos is amazing in The Musketeers. The moment he is on the screen, I know I'm going to enjoy myself. He is a good laugh, while staying far away from the stereotypical goofball drunk. The actor plays him damn well, and I can't wait to see more of him as the show continues.
Guest Stars. Jason Flemyng was just in an episode. I see James Callis is going to be in an upcoming episode. I have a feeling this will continue with guest stars.
Action. I was not expecting a lot of action, but in 2 episodes there has been quite a bit. The fight choreography is damn good. Not "holy shit" good, but better than just about most TV action choreography.
The Bad
Subtlety. So far, it is non-existent. I can't tell if it is because of bad writing, or purposeful writing because they fear audiences can't follow? My favorite aspect of The Three Musketeers when I read it was that it was a badass cloak and daggers political tale. To this day, I still feel not much rivals it. But in The Musketeers, there isn't much going on behind-the-scenes, or hush hush. You know exactly what everyone is up to, all the time, because they're so damn on the nose about it and in your face. This doesn't quite fall into the same category, but this is a great example of what the show does that bugs me. Episode 1 spoiler (not a spoiler for anyone familiar with just about most iterations of The Three Musketeers):
Within the first episode, you're told twice, with much focus, that Aramis has a dark past with a woman he loved and ended up killing. And when you meet Milady, she mentions the man she loved tried to kill her. And the editing and way you're told is done in such a way that you're slapped in the face with, "Get it yet? This guy is depressed as shit. He killed the woman he loved. Oh, and here she is. She isn't dead." By the end of episode 1, they already give up who she is.
Milady. She is one of my favorite characters of the original story. She is damn scary, and always came off to me like an unstoppable force of evil. In The Musketeers, she is still like this....but a bit too Hollywood-ish? Together with my other bad point of the show, she has lot all subtlety, and leaves nothing to the imagination with what she is up to at any one point. Whereas she was an enigma for most of the original story, here she is an open book.
Overarching Plot. I can't say because I'm only 2 episodes in, but I don't feel like there is going to be a heavy one here. At least, not as heavy as one would expect with this story. I get the feeling we're going to get a plot-of-the-week type show, with sprinkles of a main story here and there. Right now, there aren't even bread crumbs for what that overarching plot may be.
Overall
I want others to watch it. I can't tell if the things I dislike are because they're not done well, or because of my bias towards the original book. There are changes here and there that are done for absolutely no purpose. I'm fine with changes, but make it mean something. Episode 1 spoiler (within first 3 minutes)
D'artagnan's father is killed in the opening of the show by a guy pretending to be Athos, and his gang.
Why? No clue. This thread is wrapped up completely by the end of the episode, while bringing nothing extra to the table. In fact, it almost comes off like they're afraid audiences will be bored if someone isn't shot/stabbed/etc. at least 2-3 times an episode. There must be drama, and drama comes from action and death! Well...at least I get that vibe with this show.
In the end, this seems like an action version of The Three Musketeers. If you want to watch because you absolutely love the original story, I might steer clear. Or say fuck it and jump in. I'm going to continue watching an episode a night.
I am up to date with the show currently, it gets better the more I watch it. The character progression is working quiet well, and Peter Capaldi plays an amazing Cardinal.
I am up to date with the show currently, it gets better the more I watch it. The character progression is working quiet well, and Peter Capaldi plays an amazing Cardinal.
This show is kinda strange. Nothing special happens, the characters aren't especially deep, the acting not especially good but still I can't stop watching it. Every sunday I can't wait for it to air. Guess I just like musketeers.
Finished the season 2 finale...
...
and still in love with the show since its pilot: it isn't a tv masterpiece or narrative masterstroke, but it delivers the goods: the acting, humour, action and drama are all in good fun and it's a pleasure to watch each episode.
