I was enormously lucky and proud to have the opportunity to write and ‘showrun’ this series for Tiger Aspect and the BBC, working alongside the gifted Foz Allan.
There are many more great people who helped me than I could possibly thank individually, but here’s a huge and heartfelt thanks to all those who came on the journey with me.
I do just want to mention Andy Price’s music though. His contribution has been somewhat overlooked. But the work is sublime. I might upload a track or two to show you what I mean.
Mr Minghella,
I am delighted to have a chance to tell you how much I appreciate Robin Hood. It is a wonderful series and for me, who is a Hood’s fan since I was a child, the show is one of the best adaptations I have ever seen. Your Robin is great, he is human and this is a huge quality.
In France, the show is not very well-known but those who know it, love it because it is really complete : drama, adventures, romance, a lot of humor but also some deeper messages like the role of the Church, the approach of the Cruisades… a great mix with in bonus, Andy Price’s marvelous music !
Robin Hood is my favourite series and I am glad to fill our french fansite each day to present the show to the people who doesn’t know it yet.
Thank you Mr Minghella !
Have a nice day,
Locksley 😉
A moi l’honneur et le plaisir!
A prompt answer, and in french ! I am really lucky !
Hello!
I just wanted to say how much I absolutely LOVED Robin Hood! It was wonderful. I loved Maid Marian. I was soooo sad to see her die. But I loved it and I had to let you know! Thank you soooo much! 🙂
LOVED? I like LOVED. Thanks!
Mr. Minghella,
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to express in some small way my thanks to you for your work on Robin Hood. Here it is all this time later and I was revisiting some of the sites I loved to read and comment on. I happened upon your blog and am thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to say Thank you!
Robin Hood came at a very difficult time in my life. RH became my escape, my refuge. I don’t have a blog or a website, I’m not a writer, but I am a dreamer. RH gave me scope for the imagination. Helped me through a difficult time.
Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us all. If I could get over the excitement of finding your website I might have said something profound! Or maybe not.
With much appreciation,
Dreamer from the BBCA board.
It’s good to dream.
Without a doubt Robin Hood was great and the music wonderful. BUT….you know this can’t be the end of the story. King Richard has not come home yet and Robin still needs to lead his crew even if he is not in this world.
PLEASE…….consider what I’m saying……you need to finish the story. It can be done!
HIghest respect and regards to you for what you do.
Suzette
I’d love there to be more Robin!
Hi Mr. Minghella,
Big fan of Robin Hood here, both the legend and the show. But most importantly: huge fan of Andy Price’s score for the series.
I have to say, I was quite disappointed to see only one CD release for the show, with so much amazing music left unreleased! Especially from season 2, such as the cue playing when Robin is getting out of the snake pit in episode 1, or the one when the gang gets the gold in the sheriff’s strongroom in episode 2.
The cue you posted here was quite a gift, since it’s one of my favourite unreleased bits from season 1’s score, and I was wondering if it would possible for you to share a few more cues from the show?
Best regards,
Laurent.
I’d be shot if I did that! But so glad you love the music – isn’t Price a genius?
Yes, yes he most certainly is.
Well, I’ll keep on hoping a record label will release more of his music, because he definitely deserves it.
I think you should delete the last episode and do it again it would be like this robin is dying by the danger but when he kneels down to Gibson he gives robin the antidote then it hose on and on to the part when he dies instead he drinks the antidote and it dose work after 2 days and they are making the journey to king Richard but when they wake up the 2 day he is gone but when they go up on deck they see robin in the crows nest and that is as far as I have got.
I’m a new fan to RH-BBC and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Seasons 1 and 2. I still can’t bring myself to watch Season 3 without Marian. Sadly, I’ve read that you guys killed her off for audience shock value. What an unforgettable shocker it would have been to have Lady Marian (thinking Robin was dead) marry Gisborne.
Season 3, Robin would still go through all the pain and turmoil of losing her with even more hatred toward Gisborne, as Marian is torn between both men, one good, one evil. Gisborne’s struggle to become the good man Marian believed him to be would have been epic.
How about a Bobby Ewing type shower scene (it was all a dream), then … Let’s do this thing! ~hahahaha~ just kidding
Tea
Hi Tea,
I’m not sure it’s fair to say we killed Marian for shock-value. Her position was to an extent untenable in that, without a father to protect, she no longer had reason to pretend she was “on-side” with the Sheriff and Gisborne. There was no reason not to declare her affiliation, and affection, for Robin. So she did. There was no way Gisborne could allow that. He would rather kill her than let Robin have her. So he did.
That was the core logic. Marian’s days were numbered once her father died.
First of all, so glad to have stumbled upon this website. DM you should know, I adore RH and re-watch the DVDs all the time. The series was brilliant and I miss looking forward to new episodes. It’s really my favorite show. From the actors to the production, it had a little of everything like a rich chocolate. Much as I loved Marian as a character, I thought her death was handled beautifully in a tragic type way. Anyway thanks for the creating Robin Hood. I’m still enjoying it. By the way DM, have you seen series 3 and what are your thoughts on it? I thought Clive Standen’s Archer character could have went on to become the new Robin Hood had the show lasted. I just wanted to know if you were still keeping up with RH and why you weren’t more involved with the last series?
I wrote a message on here but I don’t see it showing up so I’ll try once again. Anyway I mainly thanked you (DM) for creating Robin Hood and wanted you to know how much I enjoy it. I went on to say I think you handled Marian’s death well despite the criticism that came along with it. (BTW, was Lucy’s contract up or was it a creative decision only?) I also wanted to know why you (DM) weren’t involved more with series 3 and if you kept up with watching the episodes? I thought Archer (Clive Standen’s character) could have went on to become the new Robin Hood. I was sorry to see it canceled. Here’s hoping this posts this time.
Hello!
I just came upon this site through a Google Images link, oddly enough, but wanted to take the chance to tell you how much I continue to enjoy Robin Hood, and thank you for your work on it. Even though it’s been off the air longer than it was on, it remains my favorite show. Not only that, my kids have grown up watching it, so it’s become something we share, and I have no doubt it will remain in their childhood memories. 🙂
And, I agree about Andy Price’s contribution. The soundtrack is just amazing! It was awesome that he was on some of the commentary tracks; more shows should follow that lead.
Since this is an unexpected opportunity, I’m hoping I might ask about a couple of things. Did you have any ideas about what became of Robin’s and Marian’s mothers, or what Robin’s mother was named? Also, did you have any backstory in mind regarding how Much came to be Robin’s manservant and friend?
If you have the time and inclination to reply, I’d be thrilled and appreciative! And, if not, please just know that this show has meant a lot to myself and my family, and I don’t see that changing.
Thank you for everything!! 🙂
Rachel.
Dear Dominic Minghella,
I’m very glad that I found this website and that fans have the possibility to give their opinion. Even though Robin Hood isn’t the latest TV show anymore, I’m still watching it today, in 2014. I simply adore the characters, the plot, and of course the wonderful music by Andy Price. Especially the first two seasons were simply awesome!
As nearly everyone else, I’m not happy with the way season 2 ended. I think you’ve heard it very often now but as a fan of the original RH legend, I couldn’t accept Maid Marian’s death. And I do not think that it’s logical that Gisborne, who – two episodes before – did not leave Nottingham, because he loved Marian and wanted to die by her side – runs her through with his sword.
Anyway, the idea of the Marian – Robin – Guy love triangle was great 😉 Even the road to Guy’s redemption was a good plot, but in my opinion, Marian should have been mentioned much more in S3, as she was Robin’s (and Guy’s) true love! Sometimes it seems, that Robin almost forgets about her… But I heard that you weren’t involved that much in S3 as in the earlier seasons. I would like to know why…
And I’m a bit sad that there never was a fourth season. I mean, with Marian and all the others alive, of course. Maybe a spin – off, or an alternative ending. ^^
But I think that will remain just a dream.
Anyway, I and the other fans as well, will keep Robin Hood alive! I will watch it again and again, we have forums, etc. where we still discuss RH today. It will always be one of my favourite shows. Thank you for that.
Greetings from Germany,
Xena
Dear Xena,
Good to hear from you. Responses below.
I’m very glad that I found this website and that fans have the possibility to give their opinion. Even though Robin Hood isn’t the latest TV show anymore, I’m still watching it today, in 2014. I simply adore the characters, the plot, and of course the wonderful music by Andy Price. Especially the first two seasons were simply awesome!
Lovely to hear you are still enjoying it.
As nearly everyone else, I’m not happy with the way season 2 ended. I think you’ve heard it very often now but as a fan of the original RH legend, I couldn’t accept Maid Marian’s death. And I do not think that it’s logical that Gisborne, who – two episodes before – did not leave Nottingham, because he loved Marian and wanted to die by her side – runs her through with his sword.
Yes quite a few fans were shocked and disappointed, and as I loved Marian (and loved Lucy who played her) it was a tricky decision. (In fact when the BBC agreed my casting of Lucy as Marian, I was so happy I burst into tears, and I was on a crowded commuter train at the time!) There were several considerations in play. The main one was that after 20+ episodes, the show was in danger of getting stuck. We needed to shake up the world. Whenever we tried to move away from the ‘format’ of Sheriff chasing Robin/Outlaws break into Castle it didn’t quite work… and yet at the same time we were worried about repeating ourselves ad nauseam. Marian’s demise also seemed to me inevitable once we had taken away her father. His role was pivotal in that it kept Marian in the castle, for fear of repercussions against her Dad, and meant she could not run off with Robin and declare her hand. Once he was gone, she had no reason not to go off with the outlaws. That felt to me like a potentially uninteresting place for Marian and Robin – there would be no barrier, no tension, leaving room only for bickering about strategy.
Regarding the logic of Guy running his sword through her, I think Guy preferred, at least in rage and loss and in dawning realisation, to see her dead than irrevocably with Robin. It never makes ‘sense’ to kill the one you love, and yet it happens of course – and I honestly felt, for our characters, it was earned. I know I was moved by it. And I thought everybody involved really rose to the occasion – the performances, the music – it really was a big deal for all of us, as much as it was for the fans.
Anyway, the idea of the Marian – Robin – Guy love triangle was great 😉 Even the road to Guy’s redemption was a good plot, but in my opinion, Marian should have been mentioned much more in S3, as she was Robin’s (and Guy’s) true love! Sometimes it seems, that Robin almost forgets about her… But I heard that you weren’t involved that much in S3 as in the earlier seasons. I would like to know why…
I left because I was exhausted, because I wasn’t sure I could shepherd another 13 episodes through the system, because I wasn’t sure where the fresh ideas would come from, because Marian was dead and a whole new architecture for the show was required. I knew I would have to leave at some point, so that seemed like the time. As for what happens in Series 3, I made it a clean break so that my colleague Foz, and the excellent cast and crew could do what they needed to do without worrying about my opinion. I like to give 100% or nothing; half-half isn’t fair. I didn’t see the 3rd Series, though I will do at some point. I think it was intended as a series of transition into a new format for series 4 and beyond… but it wasn’t to be. Still, 39 episodes ain’t half bad!
And I’m a bit sad that there never was a fourth season. I mean, with Marian and all the others alive, of course. Maybe a spin – off, or an alternative ending. ^^
But I think that will remain just a dream.
Anyway, I and the other fans as well, will keep Robin Hood alive! I will watch it again and again, we have forums, etc. where we still discuss RH today. It will always be one of my favourite shows. Thank you for that.
It was a privilege and a pleasure, and thank you for keeping it alive!
Greetings from Germany,
Xena
Dear Mr. Minghella,
Many thanks for answering me. I’m feeling very honoured. ^_<
I think it's quite interesting to hear your statements concerning my questions. And I agree, Lucy is a wonderful Marian (The whole cast is fantastic). I understand what you mean with Marian's father. And it's also interesting to hear that the decision to kill off Marian was "tricky" for you. So I see it was at least a well-conceived decision.
Regarding the problem that the show was in danger of getting stuck, as you say, I would almost say, it would have been better then, if you had brought it to an end after season 2. But maybe that was beyond your power? ;D
Still I'd preferred the Sheriff to kill Marian – if her death was really necessary – rather than Guy. Maybe that's just because Gisborne is my favourite character and I didn't like to see him suffer so much. I know he's the "baddie", I know he was made for being hated but… I always felt kinda sorry for him, even though I do not ratify all of his deeds – on the contrary. I would like to know if you wanted him to have a "good" side – or if Armitage just made him look like he isn't pure evil at all (like the Sheriff, who also was just hilarious by the way). To me, Guy was a very deep, well – elabourated, yet dark character. A bit funny that I'm loving the one, who's obviously not the hero of the show, the antagonist? 😉 I'm pretty sure that wasn't your intention, was it?
Nevertheless, Robin's a great hero! The legend's simply amazing!
You should really watch series 3, but as you say, fans appreciate that the first two seasons were made with heart's blood. Agreed, series 3 appeals to get a sequel – which sadly never came – that might be the reason why it looks so confusing. As well as the fact that sometimes, the plot's conflicting with what we learned in former series. (e.g. Guy's and Robin's past before series 1 is being explained, which seems to be inconsistent)
Thanks again for giving fans a chance to interact with you, thanks for your answer! It makes me very happy.
In the end, the series is like it is, but as you found out, it's a great deal to it's fans. So, I have to rewatch my favourite episodes again now 😉
(don't know how often I've seen them, but it's always great fun)
Best wishes,
Xena
Dear Mr Minghella!
As so many others I took Robin Hood to my heart.
Thank you for writing the first two seasons of robin hood (I don’t think you should watch the third season. )
Since I was a little girl Ive loved the story of Robin Hood. The love story between Robin and Marian has coloured my view on love my entire life. I still get goosebumps when I watch pictures of the cartoon version of Robin Hood. I LOVED the Robin Hood series you wrote, the first two seasons only. Season three I hardly watched, only briefly fast forwarded through bits of it. Then I read in the spoilers that Marian appeared in a mirage infront of robin before he died at the end of season 3 and I watch that, and it gives me some peace. Ive seen a whole lot of tv and movies but never been so heartbrokened before by a series. Its very hard to let go. Both Lucy and Jonas played so well and they really got to me.
I have to say though that now,.. the reality of the cruelty of their lives is kicking in. True love in times of changing the society is being sacrificed for the greater good. Its very sad but it makes the message about freedom and justice so much clearer. Its sad that a fairytale ends like that, but it moves me as a human being living a life that is not a fairytale, that it DOES end like that.
I hope and wish that there will be more series that will move me like RH did but that will also take the next step further into completion. Fans like me, only wish to sit down with creators like you, and share wisdom and thought. Your contribution to all our thoughts and hearts of the RH viewers and it has stored something up in us. You should know that as I go on continuing living my life, the story of Robin Hood is with me. The story of Robin and Marian and the sacrifice they did for the welfare of others… Since I was a little girl, until today (being 30 years old now!) and for as long as I live. I am Robin Hood!
He is right of course that a Hungarian horsebow is technically more advanced than the English longbow, but it is historically incorrect and hard to overlook
Hi Frank,
Who is right? Are you referring to another comment?
The idea we had was that Robin’s unsual bow was something he came across while in the Holy Land, so he adopted it and brought it back to England.
Do you have the names of the actresses who played the female assassins in the episode Peace off? They seemed really badass and I wanted to see what else they were in but they are not credibted.
I may be too many years late to comment. I’ve always been behind the times- haircuts, fashion, movies, etc.
I just had watched the BBC Robin Hood for the first time March 2020 as we had finally gotten Prime from Amazon.
LOVED the series, the music, the actors, storylines!!! Every thing except S1E4 Parenthood.
Did Sir Guy really leave his son Seth in the forest to die? I’ve never found anything about that episode to explain.
Thank you SO much if you can explain this to me .
Cindy
I’m really behind the times on this. I just watched Robin Hood for the first time March 2020. I fell in love with the storyline, the characters, the music!
I have one big question I can’t seem to find answered anywhere. Did Sir Guy really leave his son Seth to die in the forest instead of taking him to Kirklees Abbey as he told the mother, Annie?
So awesome people are still here commenting and in love with the show. This show means a lot to me. I love it like a bedtime story or a fairy tale. It’s dreamy and amazing. Thank you Dom!