# The Musketeers (BBC)



## Lenny (Jan 19, 2014)

*The Musketeers* is a new, ten-part series on the BBC, featuring everyone's favourite swashbuckling Frenchmen.

The first episode was broadcast tonight (19th January), and I have to say that whilst the only similarities between it and the source material are the setting and parts of some of the characters, it was good fun! The episode was fairly self-contained and moved along at a breakneck speed, the action scenes were cool to watch and generally didn't feel choreographed (which neatly fit the pace of the episode), and the story, although little more than framing in this episode, had enough in it to keep things moving, as well as set up future episodes. There was even some good acting, with a particularly sinister turn from Peter Capaldi, once again in the role as a sort of enforcer for his ruling master.

The series has taken over the 21:00-22:00 slot - it's obviously not suitable for  younger members of the family (in parts I was reminded slightly of cheap American cable dramas set in times past), but the rest of the family should be able to watch it without trouble.

At it's heart, The Musketeers is good old pulp fiction fun, and I think it succeeds at being an entertaining way to pass an hour on a Sunday evening.


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## martin321 (Jan 21, 2014)

I saw the first episode and thought that it was fun, provided you didn't take it too seriously. It's so long since I read the book that I can't remember much about it, and so I wasn't really bothered by the changes they made.


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## DaCosta (Jan 22, 2014)

For the BBC, this show was excellent. High quality filming. Slick storytelling. 

They'll probably cancel it.


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## HareBrain (Jan 22, 2014)

It wasn't at all bad, but there was some pretty lazy stuff in it. They walked into a camp of armed men as if knowing full well that their opponents only had exactly the number of loaded pistols required to not prove an actual threat -- so yet again we had a battle scene made boring by the complete lack of real danger. And did no one in 17thC France have the wit to think that a masked robber who confesses his identity might not be telling the truth?

And why did d'Artagnan not wear a hat in the rain? Sure, his hair looked a bit greasy, but to the extent of being completely waterproof?

Not a patch on the seventies films, or Dogtagnan and the Three Muskehounds, but better than the other versions.


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## Kylara (Jan 22, 2014)

I thought it was quite fun, and it's been a fairly long time since I read it too - I kept seeing the same horse being used by different people, I was amused.


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## Pyan (Jan 22, 2014)

HareBrain said:


> Not a patch on ...Dogtagnan and the Three Muskehounds,...



Very little is, HB - very little is...


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## HareBrain (Jan 22, 2014)

Oh, how well it stands the test of time!


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## DaCosta (Jan 22, 2014)

HareBrain said:


> Not a patch on the seventies films, or Dogtagnan and the Three Muskehounds, but better than the other versions.



Fond memories.


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## DaCosta (Jan 22, 2014)

pyan said:


> Very little is, HB - very little is...




My 4 yo approves.


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## Idoru (Jan 23, 2014)

Santiago Cabrera half naked. I don't really remember much else.


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## Ice fyre (Jan 24, 2014)

Well quite enjoyed it, as to lack of actual threat, to be fair this is like Flash Gordon falling to earth in one episode of his serial...oddly we know there are 20 more episodes so hmmm, mayhap he going to survive. Its a daft TV series, of course they will only have enough guns loaded, just like the Doctor will find a solution to the problem he's got himself into this week. Or Robin Hood will beat the bad guys and save the day!  

Daft, well acted, looked lovley, much better than what I saw of Atlantis. I do agree tho, the BBC will look to cancel it as soon as possible, they have a knack for that.


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## Ursa major (Jan 24, 2014)

I found the first episode quite enjoyable: a romp that didn't take itself too seriously, and (most importantly) had the pace to surf over most of the things that wouldn't bear much scrutiny.


I'm not going to complain about how close it was (or wasn't) to the Dumas novel, not after I read on Wiki how the story came to be. Dumas loosely based his novel on an earlier work, which itself had played fast and loose with some historical events and characters. These are not firm foundations on which to build a case for sticking to every word of a source.


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## Idoru (Jan 24, 2014)

I've not read the book so I'm still reeling from Milady not being a cat.


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## DaCosta (Jan 24, 2014)

100 times better than Atlantis. 

Darker, of course, as it's in a later Sunday night slot - I do like a bit of dark.  Capaldi was awesome.


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## HareBrain (Jan 24, 2014)

Ice fyre said:


> Well quite enjoyed it, as to lack of actual threat, to be fair this is like Flash Gordon falling to earth in one episode of his serial...oddly we know there are 20 more episodes so hmmm, mayhap he going to survive. Its a daft TV series, of course they will only have enough guns loaded, just like the Doctor will find a solution to the problem he's got himself into this week. Or Robin Hood will beat the bad guys and save the day!



I don't mind daftness as such, but (and I wonder if this is just me) fight scenes where there's no sense of danger -- and unless they're played for laughs -- are dead boring. What's the point of them? What do they achieve? The big fight scene in this episode was the only time I broke off to check my emails. It just didn't feel real. At least the other scenes actually advanced the plot.

It's not just a case of knowing the heroes are going to survive, either -- this was also true of most of those in the film Excalibur, for example, but those had a real sense of excitement and risk and reality about them, rather than being a scheduled two-minute "action" gap until we got to something else.


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## svalbard (Jan 24, 2014)

DaCosta said:


> My 4 yo approves.



I approve


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## Mouse (Jan 26, 2014)

I pretty much only noticed the young pretty feller and didn't even realise Santiago Cabrera was in it until this bit:



Idoru said:


> Santiago Cabrera half naked. I don't really remember much else.



Anyway, forgot it was on today.


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## alchemist (Jan 26, 2014)

Thanks to Atlantis, my expectations were low, so it was a pleasant surprise to find I enjoyed it. A couple of plot issues cropped up but it was action packed enough to hold me.

On a side note, I know it's the trend these days (BBC's Wallander etc) , but I find English accents in ye olde France very distracting.


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## Jo Zebedee (Jan 26, 2014)

Tis good fun. I second the English accents, esp. The mock-Cockney ones.


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## Lenny (Jan 26, 2014)

alchemist said:


> On a side note, I know it's the trend these days (BBC's Wallander etc) , but I find English accents in ye olde France very distracting.



But how else are we supposed to distinguish class and determine intentions? French all sounds the same to me! 

Anyway, another hour of fun tonight. Slightly confused me that 



Spoiler



Capaldi was on the side of the Musketeers this time


, but I'm not going to read anything into it.

My only gripe is that the story in the second episode felt as if I'd seen it twenty times before. Probably because it's one of those stories that has been done twenty times before.

---

Favourite Musketeer, anyone? I'm going to have to go with Porthos.


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## thaddeus6th (Jan 27, 2014)

I rather liked the second episode. First was reasonable, second better. The only downside was that early on I thought Vadim sounded like Suggs and couldn't get the image of Madness trying to topple the monarchy out of my head.


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## Jo Zebedee (Jan 27, 2014)

Lenny said:


> ---
> 
> Favourite Musketeer, anyone? I'm going to have to go with Porthos.



Aramis. Without his top on. Obviously.


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## thaddeus6th (Jan 27, 2014)

Careful. Remember what happened to his last mistress.


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## alchemist (Jan 27, 2014)

Lenny said:


> Favourite Musketeer, anyone? I'm going to have to go with Porthos.


 
The big lad, whichever one he is.


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## Brian G Turner (Jan 27, 2014)

Is this suitable for children, ie, sex/violence/swearing?


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## Jo Zebedee (Jan 27, 2014)

It's on after the watershed and we've taken that as a guide for no.


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## The Judge (Jan 27, 2014)

I've only seen the first episode so far, but I can't recall any swearing, not of the worst type anyway.  The violence isn't too gory.  Lots of sword fights, naturally, and some guns used, but the camera tends to pull away from the blood and guts -- eg in a scene where two people are killed by pistol shot at point blank range we come out of the carriage and watch from outside as an overview -- we hear screams and then the screaming stops.  The sex is the photogenic sort -- ie lots of bare male torsos, only bare female backs so far, and kissing rather than more... um... energetic activities.

I didn't mind the English accents, since most of them are speaking their native tongue, so an 'Allo-'Allo accent would be out of place, but it's odd that Anne of Austria has no trace of a Spanish accent.  (Milady is English, but I seem to recall she was fluent, and goodness knows how they'd have shown English as a foreign accent while everyone is speaking English...)  My gripe is the costuming.  Why have all the clothes got to be sexed up? Yes, I know, stupid question.  But really -- putting Richelieu into some kind of leather-look doublet?  The musketeers wearing tight-fitting leather-look breeches?


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## Susan Boulton (Jan 27, 2014)

The Judge said:


> The musketeers wearing tight-fitting leather-look breeches?


 
It's to give us ladies something to look at when we get bored with the ho-hum plot/script


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## SevenStars (Jan 27, 2014)

SJAB said:


> It's to give us ladies something to look at when we get bored with the ho-hum plot/script




Well a little eye candy doesn't hurt does it?  

I digress, it's not the worst show on TV on a saturday night.  Dumas wrote a rollickingly good story and I for one never tire of watching all the newest incarnations.


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## Ice fyre (Jan 29, 2014)

It appears according to the Guardian there is a strop over Porthos being black? Why did the BBC cast a black Porthos in The Musketeers? | Television & radio | The Guardian

I never noticed meself , I thought he was brilliant for the role, a good actor, his skin colour just didnt really register. Just enjoyed a rolicking good show. 

I did think wandering around with a blood stained dagger a tad careless of the young lad! 

Did they check the dead spanish chaps fore head? One wonders if anyone noticed him breaking wind a lot....?


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## Mouse (Jan 29, 2014)

Ice fyre said:


> It appears according to the Guardian there is a strop over Porthos being black?



You know, someone on Twitter said something like 'good to see they've cast a black guy as Porthos.' And I was like, eh?! He's _black_?


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## Ice fyre (Jan 29, 2014)

I know Mouse! I just thought he was quite a handsome fella!


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## Ursa major (Jan 29, 2014)

All the musketeers were based on real people, all of them from the far south-west of France, near the border with Spain.

In fact, Armand d'Athos (Athos), Isaac de Porthau (Porthos), Henri d'Aramitz (Aramis) and the captain, Comte de Troisville (Monsieur de Tréville) were related. Armand d'Athos was the first cousin of Isaac de Porthau. Isaac de Porthau was also the first cousin of the Comte de Troisville. The Comte de Troisville was the uncle of Henri d'Aramitz. All of them were born in the traditional French province of Béarn.

Given where they were all born, it's quite likely that at least some of them would have a darker complexion than the average inhabitant of Paris.


They and d'Artagnon - Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnan in real life (surprise, surprise: his uncle knew the Comte de Troisville) - were also Black Musketeers, but that had nothing to do with their compexions: their company rode on black horses; the other company, the grey** musketeers, rode on grey horses (so there would be no need to portray them as Roswell-type aliens...).


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## DaCosta (Jan 31, 2014)

Second episode in. Still good. 

I'd go with a 'no' for younger kids. As mentioned, the camera does cut away from the graphic stuff but in some cases that can actually be worse.

Apparently there's an issue with Capaldi being picked up for Dr Who. He didn't know he was going to be cast as the Who while filming TM, so there are going to be some issues with filming the next season of TM (if there is one).


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## Mouse (Feb 2, 2014)

I missed ep 2, but currently watching ep 3 now. So they've got a Jack Sparrow-alike in this ep, with an irritating voice.


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## thaddeus6th (Feb 2, 2014)

Am I mistaken, or was the chap who Mouse dislikes one of the chaps from Battelstar Galactica? [If he was, please no spoilers. I'm watching the first series on Pick].

I rather liked this episode as well.


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## Mouse (Feb 2, 2014)

Yes he is. And he was in Merlin.


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## alchemist (Feb 2, 2014)

And in both, he reminds me of Garth Marengi.


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## Idoru (Feb 3, 2014)

I'm starting to really enjoy this. Yes, it's silly - and yes, it helps that there's lots of pretty chaps in tight trousers - but it's good fun and not too taxing for a Sunday night. Good knitting TV. 

James Callis played Emile. He's Gaius Baltar in BSG.


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## Mouse (Feb 3, 2014)

He reminds me of Alexander Siddig.


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## thaddeus6th (Feb 3, 2014)

Mouse, I was thinking that too!


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## DaCosta (Feb 3, 2014)

He's Gaius from BSG but with a peculiar gravel-like voice. Very off-putting and yes - tone down the Jack Sparrow-isms. 

It was fun. Preferred the previous two though. 

I felt Athos went off the deep end with the melodrama. Maybe that was just me. Not enough backstory for me to care how distraught he was, at least not initially.


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## HareBrain (Feb 7, 2014)

Very funny review of episode 1 by Philomena Cunk and Barry Shitpeas on Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe last night. Anyone see it? I'd quote the lot but too much typing.


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## FeedMeTV (Feb 10, 2014)

I'm enjoying this a lot, it's good fun for a Sunday night.

Concerned to hear that Capaldi didn't know he'd been cast for Doctor Who when he took this on though. He's a good baddy (sort-of baddy, is it clear yet?) and it would be a shame to see him go.


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## Brian G Turner (Feb 10, 2014)

I tried watching the first episode but had to switch off - found it too cliched and cheesy.

1. When men try and hide their faces and identity, but then claim a name for themselves, I would think that - unless it's Spiderman - then the simplest peasant would see through it. Apparently, none of the characters can.

2. The framing of Athos looks like it's being driven by the Cardinal, which makes him look petty. He's the second most powerful man in France. So if he's pushing to frame Athos and the Musketeers he just looks weak.

3. Oh, how dare you sexually assault me! But I'll take you into my home and put you into my bed anyway!

I know the Dartagnian is not exactly sympathetic in the book - especially not by modern standards - but the producers have gone out of their way to make the musketeer characters unsympathetic. Messing with the Cardinal's mistress, cheating at cards. 

And there's a strange sense of the Western in this.

Sorry, can't continue. I'm snotty like that.


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## thaddeus6th (Feb 11, 2014)

Brian, the first episode was a bit cheesier than the subsequent ones, I found (the pistol with the force of a small cannon in the stables, the fork duel etc). I'd advocate giving it another shot.


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## DaCosta (Feb 13, 2014)

The most recent ep was awesome, imo. Had me gripped from the get-go. 

BBC iPlayer - The Musketeers: The Good Soldier

Also - review here:

http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-musketeers/29217/the-musketeers-episode-4-review-the-good-soldier

_What The Good Soldier does better than Commodities is even though it’s principally all about Aramis, his story touches the others in far more substantial ways than that of Athos and his past life with Milady. Honour and integrity is the very core of what it is to be a Musketeer, by having these values threatened we get a sense of what this friendship is all about, and what these seemingly very different people see in each other. _


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## The Bluestocking (Mar 11, 2014)

I like this incarnation of "The Musketeers" so far - it doesn't take itself too seriously, and has fast-paced storytelling, Peter Capaldi, Santiago Cabrera... 

Sure there are plot holes etc but it's perfectly acceptable fare for a Sunday evening or an evening after work when your brain does not need any further exercise of any kind. Also good for watching when on a treadmill or while spinning on an exercise bike as it's distracting enough.


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## thaddeus6th (Mar 11, 2014)

Yeah, I'm still enjoying this (and more than I thought I would). The only bit I disliked in the most recent episode was the Comtesse de Larroque when the Musketeers asked about the missing girl. It was both a bit too girl power/obnoxious for me, and, more importantly, she was encouraging women with education. If a girl went missing, especially one she was teaching, you'd expect her to be concerned rather than a smart aleck.


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## Idoru (Mar 11, 2014)

But the girl wasn't missing was she? She was with the comtesse but hidden away? So the comtesse had no reason to be worried, instead she was pretending that she knew nothing about the girl. I think - I was crocheting while watching so might have missed something. 

Anyway, I did think there were some heavyweight topics for what's previously been a bit fun - the emancipation of women, the enlightenment, misogyny in the Catholic church ...


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## Ursa major (Mar 11, 2014)

I think the point that Thaddeus was making was that as someone known to be helping the girl, she should have at least pretended to be worried about where the girl was (as being not worried might suggest she did know where the girl was). But as Athos didn't seem to notice this, the Comtesse got away with it (until the Cardinal's soldiers raided the place).


But I continue to like the show, particularly as the Cardinal isn't portrayed as a cardboard cut-out villain.


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## thaddeus6th (Mar 11, 2014)

Ursa, indeed.

It's interesting that the Cardinal has only rarely been in direct conflict with the Musketeers and that he and Treville[sp] have often worked together.


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## Vladd67 (Mar 11, 2014)

I was surprised that two Musketeers were sent to find a baby for the Cardinal, didn't he have any red cloaks spare?


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## Ursa major (Mar 11, 2014)

Perhaps it was a case of horses for courses, the red cloaks being more about muscle than subtlety.


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## Vladd67 (Mar 11, 2014)

Certainly no Brains or swordsmanship when facing a Musketeer.


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## Idoru (Mar 11, 2014)

Ursa major said:


> I think the point that Thaddeus was making was that as someone known to be helping the girl, she should have at least pretended to be worried about where the girl was.



I thought she was only suspected of helping her and so was pretending to have no knowledge at all. But as I said I wasn't paying as much attention as I could have been.


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## The Bluestocking (Mar 12, 2014)

Idoru said:


> Santiago Cabrera half naked. I don't really remember much else.



Wait! Santiago Cabrera took his shirt off? I've seen all episodes so far (except the latest one) but did not see this... I must be blind? Haha!


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## Idoru (Mar 12, 2014)

First ep - half naked. Whole series made worth it.

*Takes cold shower*. Anyhoo, I watched it again and I was wrong (purely for research purposes you understand; nothing to do with perving over Aramis and Porthos). The comtesse was definitely teaching Fleur and she was being rather off hand. But then Athos was so smitten that she cou;d have done almost anything and got away with it.


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## The Bluestocking (Mar 12, 2014)

Idoru said:


> The comtesse was definitely teaching Fleur and she was being rather off hand. But then Athos was so smitten that she cou;d have done almost anything and got away with it.



GAH! Spoilers! I haven't watched that episode yet!


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## Mouse (Mar 12, 2014)

I've stopped watching it. Even the combined prettiness of Luke and Santiago can't hold my attention. I don't know why, cos it should be my thing.


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## Idoru (Mar 12, 2014)

The_Bluestocking said:


> GAH! Spoilers! I haven't watched that episode yet!



Sorry  I can't work out how to edit it.


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## thaddeus6th (Mar 12, 2014)

The edit function's only available for a limited period of time (not sure how long). When it's there, the button's beside the Quote in the bottom right of a post.


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## alchemist (Mar 12, 2014)

Mouse said:


> I've stopped watching it. Even the combined prettiness of Luke and Santiago can't hold my attention. I don't know why, cos it should be my thing.



Apparently Luke and Santiago get it on in the next episode...








(may not be true)


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## Mouse (Mar 13, 2014)

alchemist said:


> (may not be true)



Curses!

(You - and springs - were in my dream last night. It involved me yelling, a lot, JOHN! JOHN! JOHN! and then when that didn't work, I yelled your surname).


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## alchemist (Mar 13, 2014)

Mouse said:


> Curses!
> 
> (You - and springs - were in my dream last night. It involved me yelling, a lot, JOHN! JOHN! JOHN! and then when that didn't work, I yelled your surname).



I, er...


Um...

Uhh....

Oh, look! A puppy in distress. I'll save you, Spot...


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## Mouse (Mar 13, 2014)

Dude.

I'll post in the dreams thread, hang on...


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## Lenny (Mar 16, 2014)

That was an entertaining hour! I think, so far, this is my favourite episode of the first series, 



Spoiler



though I have to say I was very surprised to see D'Artagnan receive the King's Commission and become a Musketeer - it's something that I didn't expect we'd see until the second series at least


.


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## Idoru (Mar 18, 2014)

I really enjoyed the latest ep. As Lenny says, very entertaining and good fun. Vinnie Jones was actually pretty good. Funny how he's always convincing as a violent thug.


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## Lenny (Mar 23, 2014)

Eeee, that was good fun!

Whilst I don't think that the darker, plotty, more thought-provoking episodes in the middle of the series were particularly bad, I do think that *Musketeers* is at it's best when our heroes are given a situation and allowed to seemingly go at it in the most exciting way they can think of. Tonight was obviously one of those nights, although in parts it did manage to be somewhat plotty.

Maybe next series (and there _will_ be a second series, albeit one that is likely without Capaldi), the writers will have found the confidence to do swashbuckling episodes that are heavily plotty (contemplating this, I for some reason find myself thinking of a wonderfully stodgy treacle sponge, drowned in golden syrup. Mmmm!!).


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## Jo Zebedee (Mar 23, 2014)

Good fun this time. Very Butch and Sundance.


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## thaddeus6th (Mar 24, 2014)

Another good episode.

If Capaldi does go that would be a shame. I wonder if they'll relegate him to occasional appearances, have a new villain or cast a new chap as cardinal (either still Richlieu or a new chap to replace him).


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## Ursa major (Mar 24, 2014)

It would be a great shame to lose Capaldi, but is his future absence confirmed? Matt Smith took on other projects while he was also portraying the Doctor, starring in _Christopher and His Kind_ (2011) and _Bert and Dickie_ (2012), amongst other projects.

Capaldi, while excellent in _The Musketeers_, is not the star of the show, so might be able to arrange his schedule of appearances** around his work on The Doctor. (And that's without using the Tardis. )




** - It isn't as if continuity would be an insurmountable problem, as the main characters are usually wearing (or not) the same costumes week after week.


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## thaddeus6th (Mar 24, 2014)

I checked the Wikipedia page. All main cast members except Capaldi have signed long term contracts. So, he could make occasional appearances, and an underling priest or Milady de Winter could become the regular villain.


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## Droflet (Apr 2, 2014)

Just saw the first episode and ... ewwww! Like I Brian I can't get passed the implausibility of the writing. It might be light entertainment but it should at least have a degree of rationality to it. IMHO. 
For those of you who enjoy it ... good for you.


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## thaddeus6th (Apr 2, 2014)

The first episode was one of the weakest (as was the last, I thought). I'd suggest watching another episode or two before rejecting it entirely.

I almost didn't bother with the second episode (fork-duel was silly as was the gaping wide plot hole).


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## alchemist (Apr 2, 2014)

I'll miss the jaunty theme music on a Sunday night 

Overall, quite a good series. Something for everyone: intrigue, action, romance and characters for everybody to gawk at, regardless of preference. Some of the politics felt a little strained but  I'll be looking forward to the next series.


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## Idoru (Apr 14, 2014)

Looks like Marc Warren will be taking over bad guy duties from Peter Capaldi: BBC - Media Centre - Marc Warren joins cast of BBC One?s The Musketeers for second series


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## alchemist (Jan 2, 2015)

Back on tonight, ladies. I'm looking at you @Mouse


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## Jo Zebedee (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm afraid the allotment challenge is on at the same time. Decisions, decisions, hunks or onions...?


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## alchemist (Jan 2, 2015)

Watch one on iPlayer. We're recording both.


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## Lenny (Jan 2, 2015)

alchemist said:


> Back on tonight, ladies. I'm looking at you @Mouse



Oooo, didn't realise it was back so soon!


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## Idoru (Jan 3, 2015)

A really good fun, enjoyable and action-packed start to the series, I thought. Marc Warren was excellent as the new bad guy and the 9pm timeslot has definitely given them more leeway with sexiness and violence.

Am attempting to do a spoiler tag, so apologies if it doesn't work!



Spoiler



I have my suspicions that the cardinal isn't really dead. We didn't see him die or see a body and I think there'll be scope for him to return. And was his message about Adele to Aramis a clue that he knows/suspects that he's the father of the queen's baby?


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## Ursa major (Jan 3, 2015)

I think my comment about the first episode of last year's show is just as applicable to this episode:


Ursa major said:


> I found the first episode quite enjoyable: a romp that didn't take itself too seriously, and (most importantly) had the pace to surf over most of the things that wouldn't bear much scrutiny.


I'd still have preferred Capaldi's Cardinal to be in the show, but Marc Warren's Comte looks like a good replacement.


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## Idoru (Jan 11, 2015)

Friday's ep was very stabby - they really have upped the violence. It seems that my adoration has swapped from Aramis to Athos. Is this a sign of maturity?


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## thaddeus6th (Jan 11, 2015)

Rather liked the Comte Rochefort-Spanish ambassador relationship. As with Richelieu, Rochefort's clearly villainous, but has shades of grey. 

Wasn't that fond of the King's volte-face at the very end. It was a shade clunky.


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## Ursa major (Jan 11, 2015)

Well, it wasn't that far out of line with what had gone before** and the king's blaming of the musketeers for doing what they were told.

The man Rochefort killed was part of a gang of kidnappers***. I was worried -- until the man was conveniently killed -- that the same fate was awaiting the captive who'd criticised the king.


** - We started the episode with the king saying it was good to see how his subjects lived, yet was still insisting that he shouldn't have to do up his own buckles.

*** - And slavers, though I doubt trading in slaves was a crime at the time.


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## alchemist (Jan 11, 2015)

The king was always pretty useless but he's almost reaching cartoonish levels of buffoonery now. I presume his disaffection with our heroes is going to climax towards the end of the series.


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## markpud (Jan 21, 2015)

King Louis shows precious little thanks to the Musketeers especially Dogtanian(!) who kept him alive quite literally. 

Madame DeWinter's lost her influence with the Cardinal's passing (Capaldi can't be in 2 places at once even if he is a Timelord!) but she's worming her way into the King's graces pretty well (the Queen's less-so!).

The poorly baby storyline was a good chance to further humanise the Queen, whilst the King continued to be an ass. Constance's actions were insane, if effective. Surely she could have presented her steam-solution to the doctor, rather than snatching the baby? But that's not dramatic tv


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## thaddeus6th (Jan 21, 2015)

Yeah, stealing the heir to the throne was a bit daft. 

I think Richelieu could yet return (in years, I mean). If the series is ongoing when Capaldi ceases to be the Doctor, it'd be interesting to see if he 'miraculously' returned (we didn't see the corpse. I'm sure Capaldi could've done a couple of scenes in which he was dead, if they wanted to make it so).


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