The Musketeers

[ZariusTwo]

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BBC AMERICA’s new co-production drama series, The Musketeers, is set on the streets of seventeenth century Paris, where law and order is an idea more than a reality. In addition to being King Louis XIII’s personal bodyguards, Athos, Aramis and Porthos stand resolutely for social justice, honor, valor, love – and for the thrill of it. Luke Pasqualino (Skins, The Borgias) stars as D’Artagnan alongside Tom Burke (Great Expectations, The Hour) as Athos, Santiago Cabrera (Merlin, Heroes) as Aramis and Howard Charles (Royal Shakespeare Company) as Porthos. Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, The Hour, The Thick Of It), Maimie McCoy (Loving Miss Hatto), Tamla Kari (Cuckoo, The Inbetweeners Movie) and Hugo Speer (Bedlam) also star in the 10-part series created by Adrian Hodges (My Week With Marilyn, Primeval). The Musketeers premieres June of 2014 on BBC AMERICA.

http://www.bbcamerica.com/musketeers/

It's currently airing on BBC ONE in the UK and it's FANTASTIC. Loads of fun, witty characters, a riveting performance from Capaldi as the delightfully grey Cardinal, pays homage to the book in pockets while being a loose and lively bit of weekend escapism. I can't recommend it enough, you're in for a treat when it comes Stateside. A second series has already been commisioned.

For now, enjoy the theme (from Doctor Who composer Murray Gold)

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[TurtleTitan97]

I'll have to check this out then. Big fan of the Three Musketeers. Thanks for sharing this.

[ZariusTwo]

I'll have to check this out then. Big fan of the Three Musketeers. Thanks for sharing this.

No problem. It's a really fun show...a shame Capaldi's not coming back for series two due to being the star of Doctor Who now:cry:

[ObiWanFan4life]

No problem. It's a really fun show...a shame Capaldi's not coming back for series two due to being the star of Doctor Who now:cry:

Ah damn. Still, I'm looking forward to this.

[ZariusTwo]

A new episode is on tomorow in the UK (episode seven), I'll start leaving reviews of them in here (spoiler tagged of course), I left some reviews on another forum so I'll track them down and post them up here too.

[Machias Banshee]

Definitely checking this out... :D

[ZariusTwo]

From the forum Rangerboard, here were my previous week-by-week thoughts on the series

Episode One


Overall, it's probably the first premiere of the BBC weekend fare in a bit (besides Doctor Who and Sherlock) to really hook me and I'll be back next week, but really I don't see why they couldnt just stick this on a Saturday night, it's ideal tea-time fodder. It focused on a bit of a cliched and slightly routine plot but the action was well paced and the plot rolled along. Could do with more of an injection of humor though.

Capaldi knocked it out of the park, he made me feel a bit bad for the Cardinal (especially with his mistress cheating on him and giving him more reason to loath the Musketeers) and at the same time he played the part of a magnificently conniving bastard that will stop you dead in your tracks if you cross him funny, what with the way he dealt with his mistress and the one who 'fessed up to the frame job.

Episode Two


So far, so good. A better episode than last week. At first I was like "Two eps in a row where a Musketeer is imprisoned?", but it gradually evolved more into a labrynth plot involving explosions, assasination plot diversions, and jewel thefts that led you and the characters in one direction before taking another interesting u-turn. I quite liked how D'argtanian would go about defusing one fuse only to trigger another by opening the door. M'Lady getting away with the Queen's diamond pendent and being a ruthless little cur attaining it was sublime, it's stuff like this and the swordsmanship and stabbing that definitely elevate it above the Saturday tea time slot, which I was concerned with last week.

Also good to spot Capaldi sporting the Cardinal's more traditional red robes during the King and Queen's easter procession

Also loved that the stupidity of D'argtanian assisting in the prison break was pointed out by one of the Musketeers

Episode Three

Woot, that was a right proper drama this week.

The slimy slave trader was great ("I refuse to ride into the palace on an ass"), glad he got his at the end before he could commence with his slave-driven plantations in the new world, but the meat of the story was the revelations about D'Winter and Athos' past, I wasnt expecting things to escalate this quickly with the two...and now that Athos knows she's alive but D'Argtanian remains ignorant to the fact she and the lady that framed him for murder and seduces him from time to time are one and the same, it's safe to drive one story forward while keeping another in a slow build.

And quite a lot to warrant the late night slot...murders, hangings, fatal gunshots, excessive drinking etc

Episode Four

Another sound episode this week. Loved how the Duchess and prisoner plotlines meshed together at the end, great twists and a load of fun for Capaldi as he chewed the scenery up. Seems we're getting a focus on each of the Musketeer's pasts one after the other, Athos last week, Aremis this week, Porthus in the next ep.

Episode Five

Quite enjoyable, even if it's a story I've seen played out a good couple of times now..and how many eps now have we had where a Musketeer is wrongfully accused of something? And...ANOTHER plot involving gunpowder?

I'm starting to really feel D'Winter's abcense from the last couple of weeks, maybe that's why we learned so much about her and Athos in that one story, because she wasnt going to show up for the next few eps.

I also thought Flea sold her gunshot wound a bit like it was nothing at all, and I correctly guessed that the father killed his son...still, it was a good time to be had. Not a lot of Capaldi in this one sadly, a shame after his powerhouse role in the last ep

Episode Six

Another ep that makes use of another effective drama trope (a baby that is the potential heir to the throne is targeted for aqquisistion by two opposing sides) and powers forward with some great acting and a good bit of kickass sword-fighting from Constance. Resolution could be seen from a half-hour away, but nevertheless enjoyable. I am getting quite irked by the lack of M'lady, it's been just about a month with not a trace of her.

There were more great lines in here, from Louis's temper tantrum to "Next time I bribe someone, remind me to bring more money" from Aremis, AND "I think we all know what big sharp teeth you've got...grandmother" was such a Doctory line from Capaldi, I really liked how he played it off with the exiled Queen Mother...doesnt stop him being quite devilish at the end having the priest killed though. At least he had more to do here than in last week's ep.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

This series sounds interesting, but I'm not sure if I would like it. You see, I've read the book a few times, and seen several other versions of the tale, and I must admit I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to adapting this particular book. I like the film to stay true to the story. This sounds like it deviates quite a bit. So far, I still contend that the old Gene Kelly version was the most faithful.

[ZariusTwo]

This series sounds interesting, but I'm not sure if I would like it. You see, I've read the book a few times, and seen several other versions of the tale, and I must admit I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to adapting this particular book. I like the film to stay true to the story. This sounds like it deviates quite a bit. So far, I still contend that the old Gene Kelly version was the most faithful.

I love being around purists, some of which have been enjoying this series despite it's loose approach to the canon. I've been used to a lot of loose interpretations over the years so I'm used to it....

...Remember The Muskahounds anyone?:)

As for tonight's episode...loved it.

Finally, D'Winter returns, and the Musketeers are at least now aware that Athos knows her, though he's keeping tight-lipped on how he knows her. D'argtanian and Constance's sexual tension finally leads to a lot of sexual everything, and Cardinal Capaldi proves his levels of badassery even when sick in bed dealing with his would-be assailant. Some great lines from him here, "God will be watching...and so will I"

[Leo656]

I'unno... I have a hard time getting excited about ANYTHING in life that doesn't center around Kiefer Sutherland...

[MsMarvelDuckie]

In my case that would be Orlando Jones (Sleepy Hollow), Kevin Bacon(The Following), The guys in Almost Human (forget their names ATM), or Norman Reedus (Walking Dead).

[Leo656]

I'unno who or what any of those things are. KIEEEEFAAAAAH! :P

[MsMarvelDuckie]

OMG! Seriously? All four series (the first three are on Fox) are amazing. Sleepy Hollow is on season finale break (will be back in Sept or Oct, supposedly), The Following just started it second season, and The Walking Dead is on AMC, and is up to season four. Walking Dead is self-explanatory. Sleepy Hollow is sort of Washington Irving does the Apocalypse (Ichabod Crane is alive and well in the 21st century via a witch's spell, and the Headless Horseman is actually Death!), and The Following is Kevin Bacon as an ex-FBI agent consulting on a case of an escaped serial-killer and his cult of wanna-be followers/fans. It's a psycho-thriller drama with shades of Charles Manson and Hannibal Lector. And Bacon is- well, he awesome as always.

The other one is relatively new. A futuristic "buddy-cop" show where one of them is a robot who actually acts more human than his dysfunctional partner. Dorian (DRN- the robo-cop) is a reactivated member of a "reject" model series that were all considered failures originally when most went nuts. He has what is called a "cyber soul" or something like that.

[Leo656]

I know who Kevin Bacon is... he's the guy who insisted his CGI penis be onscreen at all times during the movie "Hollow Man".

Seriously, he plays an invisible man and despite being invisible, a series of extreme plot contrivances somehow allow his wang (or a CGI replica) to have more screen time than he does.

I mean, he's probably done other things, but on the whole that one is probably the most important and says the most about him as a performer and an artist. Also, "Wild Things." :P

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Other things- you mean like Footloose, Mystic River, X-Men: First Class, A Few Good Men, Tremors (my personal fave of his movies), Sleepers, Friday the 13th(original), The River Wild, Apollo 13, JFK, or Flatliners? And those are off the top of my head. I think it tells how much attention he pays to details- since he spent a large part of that movie either under sprinklers, in steam or smoke, and even burning, and all of this while naked. So, yeah, that would make sense, because otherwise it wouldn't look half as "real". I've seen this in some of his other roles, too. And Wild Things or Hollow Man are hardly what I'd call his best roles. Say what you will about his personality, he is a very good actor, and I've yet to see a role I didn't like him in. Some that I didn't like the character, but he always managed to make them feel REAL.

[Leo656]

I just like to razz him because he kind of looks like the Crypt Keeper, if the Crypt Keeper were really f*cking drunk on Johnny Walker Black.

In all seriousness, I f*cking love "Stir Of Echoes" for some reason.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

LOL! Now I can't get that image out of my head! :trazz:

I think we've hijacked the thread long enough. Zarius, you mentioned that Milady stole a diamond brooch from the Queen- was it part of a set or anything, like the diamonds in the book? I recall there were supposed to be two stolen gems, part of a set of twelve. There are other details I'm curious about, too, but none I can think of off-hand.

[ZariusTwo]

LOL! Now I can't get that image out of my head! :trazz:

I think we've hijacked the thread long enough. Zarius, you mentioned that Milady stole a diamond brooch from the Queen- was it part of a set or anything, like the diamonds in the book?

No set I'm aware of, but you never know...that said, The Queen did end up giving Aremis another peice of jelwery that he gave to the woman accused of witchcraft in this week's episode and she got a bit jealous over it. He got it back at the end though, but they havent played much up on his and the Queen's tension outside of two episodes thus far.

[ZariusTwo]

Just saw the latest episode

With only three episodes left, everything has begun to escalate. Liked D'Argtanian declining D'Winter's offer, but Constance's poor timing at the window caused her to miss that bit. That husband of hers is a peice of work, such a sniveling lackey of a man, and plays a surpreme bastard when he learns the degrees of his wife's betrayal. Vinnie Jones didnt bring his a-game in acting chops, but brought a real aura of a physical menace. A pity the Porthos sub-plot seemed utterly pointless and seemingly there to fill up the time slot.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

No set I'm aware of, but you never know...that said, The Queen did end up giving Aremis another peice of jelwery that he gave to the woman accused of witchcraft in this week's episode and she got a bit jealous over it. He got it back at the end though, but they havent played much up on his and the Queen's tension outside of two episodes thus far.

In the original novel, it wasn't a brooch, but a set of 12 diamond pins or whatever that were supposed to go down the front of a gown. The king (prompted by Richelieu) asked her to wear them to a banquet, but she had given two of them to the Duke of Buckingham during a tryst when he was visiting, and D'Argtanian and the other Musketeers had to race to get them back so her affair wouldn't be discovered (it's that pesky treason thing that always seems to pop up when a royal spouse has an affair). And all this while D'Argtanian was having his own little affair with Constance, with whom he would have been forbidden to fraternize with even if she wasn't married, to to their difference in station.

[ZariusTwo]

The penultimate episode has aired

A base under seige story, and boy was it bloody brilliant. The Cardinal is deliciously insane, destroying the reputation and livlyhood of a noble family based simply on a drunken ramble from the King. I had to groan at the moments D'Argtanian was close to finding D'Winter after picking up her fragrence, only to be called away before he could closely inspect the room.

I'm not particulary fond of these random unrequited past love interests showing up in these episodes just to add on some additional angst. There wasnt much room for a juicy catfight between the pair of Aremis' two intendes either due to the nature of one of them as a nun, and then she goes and gets offed. I suppose if it were to set up Aremis and the Queen mucking about it did it's trick though...obviously the Queen will now fall pregnant miraculously with Aremis' child and she'll probably announce it at the end of the finale next week.

Doesnt Aremis turn evil later on in the books or am I remembering things wrong? This is a perfect set-up if it is.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Nope. Aramis and the other three Musketeers all died at the end of the third book, "The Man In the Iron Mask", some years after rescuing the king's twin from the Bastille. There was also a second book in between which really doesn't get enough love- it was titled "Twenty Years After". I don't recall specifically which one, but one of them died in a battle, from being hit by a cannonball. Don't remember how the others died.

[Hero]

Already pre-ordered this on blu-ray.

Last s1 episode next Sunday. Sean Pertwee guest stars.

[ZariusTwo]

The finale has aired

Well, this finale was a bit...I dunno, underwhelming. Very predictable "oh, let's trick M'Lady into thinking we'll split up...oh wait, she's got her own plan just in case, HIJINKS ABOUND". Ultimately, it just fizzled out. There was no major comeuppance for The Cardinal as the Queen beleives him too important to France to be hanged (which is insane given Capaldi isnt sticking around next year), and M'Lady is given the usual "change of heart" routine from Athos and is likewise allowed to go scott free.

Yes, there's the artificial barriers for the star-crossed pairings like D'Argtanian and Constance and Aremis and the Queen, but I didnt find them all that depressing because there's a whole second series where they will undoubtedly find themselves drawn back to each other. Aremis had the nicer ending of the two what with him vowing to look over his and the Queen's son. Poor Constance has to stay on suicide watch with her husband the rest of her married days.

Maybe I built it up in my head a bit too much...I know one thing though, Sean Pertwee stole the show and it's a shame he was killed off at the end

[Hero]

Sean Pertwee is slowly becoming his dad. Bring on the Worzel Gummage revival :)

[ZariusTwo]

Series Two has commenced.

Interesting set-ups so far, D'argtanian putting his foot in it calling Constance up on her cowardice (though it feels like a retcon, she stayed with her husband because he threatened to kill himself, but here she acts like she can't cope with D'argtanian's lifestyle)

Rochford shouldn't have been made to look like too much of a "Oh dear, he's behind you" sort of deal to the audience, though I liked that he had Athos good as dead on two separate occasions and didn't take the chance. He's bound to know a lot about him and D'Winter's history (she shows up next week) and is thus sparing him for further exploitation.

Porthos's family has shady history eh? Good idea keeping the freed captain lingering, gives it that nice sense of continual serialization.

I did crack a "Lucy in the sky" joke while she was hanging on the line...no diamonds, but boy what a tight arse, woof.

All in all, rollicking good fun