The latest episode of this BBC drama opens on a promising note with a stylish flashback to Robin's time in the Middle East, saving King Richard from a Saracen assassin with a distinctive tattoo on his arm. It's a clear reminder that Robin Hood can occasionally rise above its family-friendly doctrine into darker areas. Of course, such injections of adrenaline are fleeting.
"Tattoo? What Tattoo?" (why these awful titles?) is another step in the right direction for the series, bringing some much needed development between Robin, Guy and Marian. This love triangle looks to be forming a decent backbone to the show and it's a valuable addition regarding the emotional stakes of the series.
You see, we're supposed to be emotionally connected to Robin's cause (robbing the rich to feed the poor) but it's hard to feel sympathy for these peasants when they all dress so nicely, with clean faces and big bellies! As a consequence, Robin's actions almost seems like an overreaction, so it's much easier to get involved in the show's soap opera side.
Robin soon discovers that brooding Sir Guy was the assassin he encountered in the Middle East, providing a further layer of animosity between the pair, and one that lends the show a more political angle. If King Richard returns, will that really be the end of things if those he left in power usurp him?
Deja vu occurs once again as another outlaw is captured by the Sheriff and thrown in his dungeon (if he'd simply kill every outlaw he captures, he'd have wiped them all out by now!) This time it's Djak (Jay) who is imprisoned, but this series cliche is subverted following Djak's escape attempt using corrosive acid on the jail bars. Of course, once the Sheriff discovers this extraordinary liquid, he immediately forces Djak to make him more.
Julian Mitchell's script is decent enough, although the outlaws' disbelief at noble Robin's claims against psycho Guy is a little hard to swallow. Where's all the trust and loyalty when you need it, eh? The greatest obstacle for writers working on Robin Hood is the restrictive nature of the show's premise — each plot has to involve certain elements that are difficult to keep fresh and, technically, the production team need to get value from their sets. This means most episodes have to involve a village, the dungeon, the castle, the mine, etc. Mixing these elements and trying to create an original story is difficult, but Mitchell just about manages it here.
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