Article first published as THE MUSKETEERS Review on Seat42F.
BBC America will begin airing the
British adventure series THE MUSKETEERS this weekend. Yet another
retelling of the classic Alexandre Dumas novel, it’s the story of how
the bold D’Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino, The Borgias) meets up with a trio
of swaggering swordsmen, eventually joining their noble company. It’s a
familiar enough tale, and THE MUSKETEERS doesn’t stray too far away from
the source or spirit, at least initially.
The opening of the pilot, “Friends and
Enemies,” is about as cliché as anything I’ve seen in years. It begins
in the rain with stock dialogue that could have been taken from anywhere
and a showdown that a child could predict the outcome of. It’s not a
good start, and may turn many off.
But stick with the hour and you’ll start
to see something several notches better than that. True, there are a
number of scenes throughout “Friends and Enemies” that are trite and
cheesy and dumb. However, there are also several moments of actual
character development and excitement, with some energetic action
sequences. This pilot is a blend of a series I would never bother with
and one I’d be a stalwart fan of. Which will win out?
According to critic reviews from
England, where the first season has already aired and a second has been
ordered, by week three THE MUSKETEERS gets good. This is pleasing news,
indicating that the writers likely build upon the things that work,
ditching those that do not.. Unlike, say, the recent drama Atlantis,
which is a totally schmaltz-fest, there are some neat elements tucked
into this installment, and nurtured, it could be something cool, a new
popcorn series set hundreds of years ago in France, though thankfully
performed in English, with accents, of course.
The cast seems pretty solid. The three
leads, other than D’Artagnan, are Athos (Tom Burke, The Hour), the
leader, Aramis (Santiago Cabrera, Heroes), the lover, and Porthos
(Howard Charles, &Me), the schemer. The chemistry in the group is
terrific, and their witty lines tend to be some of the best of the show.
Their established bond and the arc of taking D’Artagnan under their
wing works well, and each is featured about as much as the others,
providing a balanced ensemble.
THE MUSKETEERS immediately establishes
some good arcs on which they can build a season. D’Artagnan’s initial
quest is complete in “Friends and Enemies,” and I think many viewers are
bored of a procedural format. Luckily, this program is a serial, with
multiple plot lines that will take many weeks, or even years, to play
out.
The central villain, Cardinal Richelieu
(Peter Capaldi, the next Doctor Who), is a Jafar-esque figure, advisor
to the malleable King Louis (Ryan Gage, The Hobbit films). He is
undermining the monarch and stealing power for himself. The titular
heroes are in his way, and so he is determined to get rid of them, more
for his own goals than any personal vendetta.
Capaldi plays the role with the right
mix of slime and intelligence. He does seem a little too obviously
nefarious in some scenes, but THE MUSKETEERS is more light and broad
than dark and heavy, so he gets away with it, cartoonish in an
acceptable manner. He’s definitely evil, no shades of gray here, but
Capaldi is convincing in the role, almost making the part believable.
And there are women, too, because sex
sells. Aramis is in bed with someone that likely will get him into
trouble right off the bat, while D’Artagnan also catches the eye of a
woman who is spoken for, Constance (Tamla Kari, The Inbetweeners Movie).
Toss in Milady (Maimie McCoy, The Libertine), who is more than what she
first appears, being connected to one of the leads and working against
him, and there’s a larger than expected number of females for a show
that is mostly made for men, revealing the modern sensibilities of those
who make the series.
As one might surmise, I have mixed
feelings about this pilot, but am optimistic about the chances of the
show being worth watching. It’s a fun romp in an historical setting, and
should be enjoyable enough for most audiences. THE MUSKETEERS airs
Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on BBC America.
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