Right, another day, another new BBC drama series. This time - it's a revamp of those age old heroes of Dumas, The Musketeers! We're three episodes in now of this new Sunday prime time series, so I thought I would offer up another on-going review of things so far, and share my thoughts. I had to think hard about this one, not least how I would initially rate it (because I KNOW you readers live and die by my sophisticated star system!). I think in essence, whilst I'm currently sticking with it because I have not yet lost all faith, The Musketeers for me is quite a mishmash of a let down.
Before we even get into who or what's in it, I get the impression that those who conceived this show were not very clear about what they wanted it to be, something I've brought up before on this blog but I think you'll agree it is essential. This uncertainty has just translated into the feeling of the show as the audience sees it, and if anything it has gotten steadily worse as we have gone on. Yes I know, only three episodes have gone out, and I could forgive an initial shaky start (which I think episode 1 was) but by now most people would have given up, as The Musketeers has failed to deliver a solid seat-grabber yet. It hasn't even delivered a conceivably good episode really, and the viewers abandoning ship each week seem to be of this view too. BBC One has been renowned in recent years for producing great, consistent, new and more mature, drama series and wowing audiences again and again, sometimes for years. I feel The Musketeers was trying way too hard to be the next in line for this coveted position, following things such as Atlantis ending a successful initial season at Christmas, and of course to fill the seemingly cavernous void in between series of Doctor Who. It also strikes me that, there was an air of arrogance here too. This is a show no one had ever seen before, had no idea what to expect, and they gave them 10 episodes from the off! 10!!! Am I the only one who believes in the old fashioned Pilot? Or at least a limited number of 3 or so? I admit it has worked for things like Merlin, and broadly speaking the more recent Atlantis, but come on!
Anywho, The Musketeers was not I feel, clearly worked out at conception, and is no nearer finding it's feet in it's early time of life. Closer in content to the perhaps more innocent Merlin, yet it has a 9PM slot, so we get a bit of sex, a bit of violence, and attempted drama, but not a lot too hard hitting; like I said - mishmash. We have cliched plot and characters, highly suspect acting in too many places, and time and again those fabled Musketeers seem to be missing the mark.
OK, initial slandering over, lets get into content. It says something that for me, the most interesting actors/characters have been the guest stars of weeks 2 and 3. The men in question are James Callis and Jason Flemyng; two very fine actors who played two very watchable characters, but only for a fleeting hour each. That's all very well, but without a good core cast (who are supposedly introduced then developed throughout the series) it's still a no no. That's like investing heavily in a brand new car, and just lifting the bonnet up for an hour a day to stare at the engine; it's interesting yet without ever actually getting to the essential, idiosyncratic and brilliant bits.
So, the core cast, the driving force some might say, of this whole shebang. Wanting, severely wanting. If I had to pick a favourite Musketeer, I would say Aramis, played by Santiago Cabrera (who Merlin fans will undoubtedly recognize!) for he to me pulls off the combination of dramatic moments, comedy, and swashbuckling charm the best. Yet if I'm honest, he's the best of a bad bunch. Howard Charles' Porthos is OK to watch because his character seems fairly simple, and you know pretty much what you're getting, but after that it quickly becomes boring. Tom Burke's Athos is such a dissapointment to me because he had the potential to be a great dark horse, but bad writing, predictable reaction, and cold acting leaves a lot to be desired. Finally D'Artagnan, played by Luke Pasqualino, who I'm sure in his mind was doing his utmost to provide a character full of youthful charm, devilish dramatic ability, reactionary prowess, watchable magnatism, and a whole other host of actor/character plus points. In essence, 9 times out of 10 the result is a character wafting around either trying to look pretty or confused.
Of course, the Musketeers are not the be all and end all, oh no. There are more regular characters to invest in heavily. Maimie McCoy's Milady is supposedly the mysterious yet beautiful villainess of the piece. Whilst the latter may be true, the former definitely fails to hit home. Milady does generate some chemistry with her fellow characters, but nowhere near enough to generate enough audience interest really. Also, it might have been an idea, if one wanted to keep intrigue up, to not reveal this character's big yet predictable plot mystery in the third episode in. Just saying.
The regal overlord of proceedings is supposed to be Ryan Gage's King Louis XIII. But honestly. This guy couldn't look like he was trying way too hard to be way too subtle in being feebly foppish if he tried.
Happily however, there are a few glimmering jewels of hope in the regular cast. The pretty, charming and measured Tamla Kari is easily the most watchable female lead as Constance. Let us hope we get to see more of her developing character. Easily the most recognizable (due I'm sure in no small part to his recent outing as the next Doctor) and easily one of the most talented cast members, is Peter Capaldi as the villainous Cardinal Armand. I kind of feel like The Musketeers is diminishing Capaldi's talent as an actor, which trust me is formidable. Bad plot and poor fellow actors make even his scenes a bit of a struggle, yet thus far he has saved them. The producers have said that, following his announcement as the latest Time Lord aboard the TARDIS, a prospective second series (hmmmm) will have to be done without his character in it; shoot yourself in the already lame foot why don't you?
It may seem like I'm being mean and having too much of a go at The Musketeers (not linking up with even a hallowed 3 stars!). I maintain all I have said, both good and bad, don't get me wrong, yet I am reminded that we are only on episode 3, and that I may be yet proven horribly wrong. Who knows? Maybe the team behind The Musketeers did work their absolute socks off on it. And who knows? Maybe at some stage they'll let it show, and prove to us all that it was at any point worth it.
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